Chronic Illness Counselling in OL13
Neil Hepworth Counselling & Chaplaincy Services
Counsellor, MA, MBACP
Verified Verified
Bacup OL13
Feeling life should be more than this? Struggling with a sense of feeling stuck or lost? Do you want help to realise your potential, discover more meaning and become the best version of yourself? Are you struggling to feel loved and valued? Is life throwing up challanges that seem too much to manage on your own and you want a wise, empathic, authentic counsellor to enable you to change, enahance your resilience and encourage personal growth? Why not give me a call and see if I can help you become who you aspire to be, and discover more meaning and satisfaction in life.
Feeling life should be more than this? Struggling with a sense of feeling stuck or lost? Do you want help to realise your potential, discover more meaning and become the best version of yourself? Are you struggling to feel loved and valued? Is life throwing up challanges that seem too much to manage on your own and you want a wise, empathic, authentic counsellor to enable you to change, enahance your resilience and encourage personal growth? Why not give me a call and see if I can help you become who you aspire to be, and discover more meaning and satisfaction in life.
J Hellings
Psychotherapist, MSc, UKCP Trainee
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Bacup OL13
What would it be like to talk to someone who listened with gentle curiosity, who respected your boundaries, who helped you to find your own wisdom? Would you talk about the painful and joyful parts of your experience, the things you want to keep, the things you want to change? I'm J, and I’d like to work with you to grow your awareness of how you live, what you experience, and how those might change. You might find wisdom in your breath, posture, movement, sensations, as well as your thoughts, emotions and words. We can work with whichever parts of your experience feel safe and appropriate to you.
What would it be like to talk to someone who listened with gentle curiosity, who respected your boundaries, who helped you to find your own wisdom? Would you talk about the painful and joyful parts of your experience, the things you want to keep, the things you want to change? I'm J, and I’d like to work with you to grow your awareness of how you live, what you experience, and how those might change. You might find wisdom in your breath, posture, movement, sensations, as well as your thoughts, emotions and words. We can work with whichever parts of your experience feel safe and appropriate to you.
Zoe Purse
Counsellor, MBACP
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Bacup OL13
Welcome. I'm Zoe Purse. I provide counselling to individuals and young people in the lovely Rossendale Valley, Lancashire. I work from home in a purpose built log cabin in rural surroundings yet right in the heart of town. There is easy access to local transport and motorway links. I have also supported people with life limiting illness or with bereavement and loss counselling at a hospice in Manchester. I am passionate about helping people who are going through difficult, emotional turmoil and understand that everyone is unique. I offer support with understanding and empathy along side being non-judgmental, caring and genuine.
Welcome. I'm Zoe Purse. I provide counselling to individuals and young people in the lovely Rossendale Valley, Lancashire. I work from home in a purpose built log cabin in rural surroundings yet right in the heart of town. There is easy access to local transport and motorway links. I have also supported people with life limiting illness or with bereavement and loss counselling at a hospice in Manchester. I am passionate about helping people who are going through difficult, emotional turmoil and understand that everyone is unique. I offer support with understanding and empathy along side being non-judgmental, caring and genuine.
Chronic Illness Counsellors
How does therapy for chronic illness work?
Many people living with a chronic illness may feel they cannot speak honestly about their experience out of embarrassment or fear of being a burden, or because those close to them do not understand, for example, that they may “look good” even if they do not feel good. Therapy sessions are an opportunity to speak openly with someone who knows their symptoms are not in their head and who can offer practical, proven suggestions for managing feelings of grief, shame, or fatigue, such as techniques to challenge unhelpful thoughts about symptoms and develop new ways to respond to them, such as distraction or calming breathing practices.
Can therapy help with physical symptoms of chronic illness?
Yes, especially if an individual with chronic illness has developed depression. People with depression are less likely to maintain their health treatment regimens or to take positive steps to manage physical symptoms when they arise, thereby potentially complicating their medical prognosis. Treatment of depression, through talk therapy, medication, or both, will often improve one’s physical state as it eases the emotional burden of illness.
What are the most effective treatment options for chronic illness?
No one living with a chronic illness, or their loved ones, should see depression as an unavoidable result of their condition. Instead, they should actively seek treatment. Research shows that people with depression are less likely to devote the required time and effort to maintaining or monitoring their health, and so therapy to limit the risk of depression can be vital for physical health as well. Therapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction have been found to help individuals reduce stress and anxiety.
How long does therapy for chronic illness take?
There is no set timeline for therapy for people living with chronic illnesses, but many will see a therapist for a number of weeks or months, typically spanning at least 12 weekly sessions. Some people feel that they experience progress faster than others but even some who quickly feel improvement may continue with sessions for months or years. Some people may benefit from maintenance therapy if their symptoms change or they experience a decline in physical health. Others find that the skills learned in short-term therapy can be used on an ongoing basis, even after therapy has concluded.