Chronic Illness Counselling in London
I am an experienced psychologist in providing psychology therapies and behavioural change/health interventions to promote mental wellbeing and healthy behaviours. I worked in a wide range of psychology contexts including clinical mental health, forensics, health, communities, and universities. My work with the NHS specialises in chronic pain management and other long-term health conditions. Throughout my clinical practice, I specialise in working with people presenting difficulties in mental health and physical health, as well as in major life adjustments/transitions (e.g. bereavement, relationships, settling in a new environment).
I am an experienced psychologist in providing psychology therapies and behavioural change/health interventions to promote mental wellbeing and healthy behaviours. I worked in a wide range of psychology contexts including clinical mental health, forensics, health, communities, and universities. My work with the NHS specialises in chronic pain management and other long-term health conditions. Throughout my clinical practice, I specialise in working with people presenting difficulties in mental health and physical health, as well as in major life adjustments/transitions (e.g. bereavement, relationships, settling in a new environment).
Perhaps health issues such as chronic illness, disability or menopause have affected how you are feeling.
Although each person’s situation is unique, some of the many issues I work with include: bereavement and other losses; exploring gender, sex and relationship diversity, and offering an affirming approach to LGBTQ+ clients; chronic illness and disability; relationship issues; the impact of the pandemic and COVID-19.
Perhaps health issues such as chronic illness, disability or menopause have affected how you are feeling.
Although each person’s situation is unique, some of the many issues I work with include: bereavement and other losses; exploring gender, sex and relationship diversity, and offering an affirming approach to LGBTQ+ clients; chronic illness and disability; relationship issues; the impact of the pandemic and COVID-19.
What is bringing you to therapy? Why now? My aim is to offer a safe and confidential space where we can think together about what is troubling you, explore the underlying reasons of your distress and consider healthier ways of being. Some difficulties may be long standing and would benefit from longer term therapy offering a slower pace but deeper understanding. Other difficulties might require a brief but targeted approach focusing primarily on the 'here and now' self management and support. Either way, it all starts with a conversation.
What is bringing you to therapy? Why now? My aim is to offer a safe and confidential space where we can think together about what is troubling you, explore the underlying reasons of your distress and consider healthier ways of being. Some difficulties may be long standing and would benefit from longer term therapy offering a slower pace but deeper understanding. Other difficulties might require a brief but targeted approach focusing primarily on the 'here and now' self management and support. Either way, it all starts with a conversation.
I am a Counselling Psychologist and trained EMDR therapist, accredited by the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC), and registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS). I split my time working in private practice in northwest London and the NHS providing short- and long-term therapy to NHS employees affected by traumatic experiences as well as adults struggling with low mood and anxiety as a result of living with persistent physical health conditions, e.g. cancer. cardiac disease, persistent pain, and audio-vestibular conditions.
I am a Counselling Psychologist and trained EMDR therapist, accredited by the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC), and registered with the British Psychological Society (BPS). I split my time working in private practice in northwest London and the NHS providing short- and long-term therapy to NHS employees affected by traumatic experiences as well as adults struggling with low mood and anxiety as a result of living with persistent physical health conditions, e.g. cancer. cardiac disease, persistent pain, and audio-vestibular conditions.
Right now you may feel desperate, lost, empty, stressed, anxious or fed up. Whatever difficulty has prompted you to seek Counselling does not define who are you are and the journey you want to take in life. Together we will explore your feelings of being stuck, alone or in darkness as you strengthen your own resources to create greater wellbeing, resilience and satisfaction. No person is the same or brings identical experiences but frequent issues I work with include depression, anxiety, loss & bereavement, trauma, suicidal thoughts, work or school stress and relationship tensions. I work with clients aged 13+ and with Couples.
Right now you may feel desperate, lost, empty, stressed, anxious or fed up. Whatever difficulty has prompted you to seek Counselling does not define who are you are and the journey you want to take in life. Together we will explore your feelings of being stuck, alone or in darkness as you strengthen your own resources to create greater wellbeing, resilience and satisfaction. No person is the same or brings identical experiences but frequent issues I work with include depression, anxiety, loss & bereavement, trauma, suicidal thoughts, work or school stress and relationship tensions. I work with clients aged 13+ and with Couples.
With a vast multidisciplinary background, I propose various types of therapy adapted to the pace and needs of each person, providing active, welcoming and empathic listening.A brief results-based therapy to cope with the demands of modern life, recommended to solve a wide range of problems such as unexpected events, depression,anxiety, lack of self-esteem,burnout,etc.I will assist you in discovering your inner resources for conflict resolution.I also propose a psychoanalytic therapy where we can work more deeply and generate a broad knowledge of oneself, helping to unburden feelings that have been stored, to act more consciously.
With a vast multidisciplinary background, I propose various types of therapy adapted to the pace and needs of each person, providing active, welcoming and empathic listening.A brief results-based therapy to cope with the demands of modern life, recommended to solve a wide range of problems such as unexpected events, depression,anxiety, lack of self-esteem,burnout,etc.I will assist you in discovering your inner resources for conflict resolution.I also propose a psychoanalytic therapy where we can work more deeply and generate a broad knowledge of oneself, helping to unburden feelings that have been stored, to act more consciously.
Hello. Do you struggle with stress from; work, relationships, or parenting? Are you overwhelmed, worried, depressed, stuck, or low in self-esteem? You are not alone. Does your need to be perfect upset you or take up too much time? Is a trauma, threat to your health, an illness, a major loss or death hurting you? It doesn't have to be that way. We help people like you understand your distress, learn new skills for managing uncomfortable emotions and thoughts, improve relationships, and find meaning and focus. We're Clinical Psychologists (HCPC), with >10 years of experience delivering effective therapy to kids, teens and adults.
Hello. Do you struggle with stress from; work, relationships, or parenting? Are you overwhelmed, worried, depressed, stuck, or low in self-esteem? You are not alone. Does your need to be perfect upset you or take up too much time? Is a trauma, threat to your health, an illness, a major loss or death hurting you? It doesn't have to be that way. We help people like you understand your distress, learn new skills for managing uncomfortable emotions and thoughts, improve relationships, and find meaning and focus. We're Clinical Psychologists (HCPC), with >10 years of experience delivering effective therapy to kids, teens and adults.
I specialize in two deeply challenging aspects of the human experience trauma and loss. I am a level 2 certified clinical trauma therapist and an EMDR practitioner. I provide a safe and non-judgmental space where clients who face their darkest hours can explore their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. My experience covers a wide spectrum of traumatic experiences, complex Trauma, (c)PTSD, Dissociation, Loss, Critical Illness, Palliative Care and Bereavement. I know from experience, that everyone has the capacity for healing and recovery and it is never too late for a positive transformation.
I specialize in two deeply challenging aspects of the human experience trauma and loss. I am a level 2 certified clinical trauma therapist and an EMDR practitioner. I provide a safe and non-judgmental space where clients who face their darkest hours can explore their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. My experience covers a wide spectrum of traumatic experiences, complex Trauma, (c)PTSD, Dissociation, Loss, Critical Illness, Palliative Care and Bereavement. I know from experience, that everyone has the capacity for healing and recovery and it is never too late for a positive transformation.
This might be due to your experience of childhood dynamics, questions around gender and sexuality, neurodivergence, chronic illness, migration and cultural otherness, or the slow erosion of self that can come with existing in a world which often struggles to see us fully.
We all have moments in which we question the direction of our lives. Whether you're feeling lost, numb, restless, overwhelmed, trapped, or simply curious, therapy is an opportunity to explore and develop new ways of being. At its best, this isn’t some kind of clinical exercise, where you come to be ‘fixed’ - it's a co-created journey that allows you to connect with what’s alive, tangled or unspoken inside of you. My role as the therapist in this encounter is not to direct or diagnose, but to help you tune in to yourself in ways that might once have felt out of reach.
This might be due to your experience of childhood dynamics, questions around gender and sexuality, neurodivergence, chronic illness, migration and cultural otherness, or the slow erosion of self that can come with existing in a world which often struggles to see us fully.
We all have moments in which we question the direction of our lives. Whether you're feeling lost, numb, restless, overwhelmed, trapped, or simply curious, therapy is an opportunity to explore and develop new ways of being. At its best, this isn’t some kind of clinical exercise, where you come to be ‘fixed’ - it's a co-created journey that allows you to connect with what’s alive, tangled or unspoken inside of you. My role as the therapist in this encounter is not to direct or diagnose, but to help you tune in to yourself in ways that might once have felt out of reach.
I am an HCPC registered counselling psychologist. I bring warmth, enthusiasm and challenge to my practice, informed by research evidence and a deep commitment to the therapeutic relationship.
I use a pluralistic approach. This means that I am trained and have practised in a range of therapy models including person-centred, psychodynamic, CBT and systemic therapies. How I use these is tailored to your specific difficulties and what best suits your needs. Though I use my expertise to determine what would best fit, it is also important to me to involve you in this conversation.
I am an HCPC registered counselling psychologist. I bring warmth, enthusiasm and challenge to my practice, informed by research evidence and a deep commitment to the therapeutic relationship.
I use a pluralistic approach. This means that I am trained and have practised in a range of therapy models including person-centred, psychodynamic, CBT and systemic therapies. How I use these is tailored to your specific difficulties and what best suits your needs. Though I use my expertise to determine what would best fit, it is also important to me to involve you in this conversation.
I have experience of a wide variety of therapeutic settings, working with loss and bereavement, work-related stress, migration, anxiety, depression and relationship issues. In therapy I will provide a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space where we can explore the challenges in your life and how you can make the choices that are right for you at this point in your life. I provide therapy in English and in Swedish.
I have experience of a wide variety of therapeutic settings, working with loss and bereavement, work-related stress, migration, anxiety, depression and relationship issues. In therapy I will provide a safe, confidential and non-judgemental space where we can explore the challenges in your life and how you can make the choices that are right for you at this point in your life. I provide therapy in English and in Swedish.
I have particular interest and expertise in childhood trauma, complex family relationships and chronic illness and disability.
You may be feeling stuck or overwhelmed by specific experiences or circumstances, or you may be unsure why you don’t feel happy. Perhaps this feeling that something is wrong is recent or you might have been struggling with it for a long time. Our environment, and the ways that we are seen by other people, can leave us feeling pressurised, dismissed or misunderstood. Together, we can work to explore and understand your experience, allowing you to process some of the painful feelings which have left you feeling distressed. Working sensitively at your pace, we can explore how you feel without judgment.
I have particular interest and expertise in childhood trauma, complex family relationships and chronic illness and disability.
You may be feeling stuck or overwhelmed by specific experiences or circumstances, or you may be unsure why you don’t feel happy. Perhaps this feeling that something is wrong is recent or you might have been struggling with it for a long time. Our environment, and the ways that we are seen by other people, can leave us feeling pressurised, dismissed or misunderstood. Together, we can work to explore and understand your experience, allowing you to process some of the painful feelings which have left you feeling distressed. Working sensitively at your pace, we can explore how you feel without judgment.
Lex Hristova Cognitive Behavioural
Psychotherapist, MSc, MBABCP
1 Endorsed
Online Only
Waitlist for new clients
Hello, I am Lexi. I am a warm, approachable, and highly skilled psychotherapist, Oxford-educated and BABCP-accredited, with over 10 years of experience in the NHS and psychotherapy services. As a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, I also teach and supervise other clinicians in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
If you feel that anxiety, low mood, or low self-esteem are affecting your daily activities, getting in the way of your relationships, or stopping you from enjoying your life, you may want to try CBT, which is the most effective therapy for those difficulties.
Hello, I am Lexi. I am a warm, approachable, and highly skilled psychotherapist, Oxford-educated and BABCP-accredited, with over 10 years of experience in the NHS and psychotherapy services. As a Senior Lecturer in Psychology, I also teach and supervise other clinicians in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
If you feel that anxiety, low mood, or low self-esteem are affecting your daily activities, getting in the way of your relationships, or stopping you from enjoying your life, you may want to try CBT, which is the most effective therapy for those difficulties.
In my work I take a humanistic perspective that integrates psychodynamic and attachment theories with a person-centred approach. I adapt sessions to a client's unique needs and work together with the individual to find ways for improving self-esteem with warmth, empathy and confidentiality.
In my work I take a humanistic perspective that integrates psychodynamic and attachment theories with a person-centred approach. I adapt sessions to a client's unique needs and work together with the individual to find ways for improving self-esteem with warmth, empathy and confidentiality.
I am a Counselling Psychologist with extensive experience supporting both adults and young people with their mental health, using evidence-based methods to reduce distress and promote wellbeing. I have worked in a variety of settings in the NHS, charitable and private sectors, supporting people living with challenges around physical health, sleep, and body image, as well as bereavement and loss. Other areas of expertise include working with stress, low mood, self-criticism, and anxiety related to health, identity, sense of purpose, sexuality, social situations, and chronic worrying.
I am a Counselling Psychologist with extensive experience supporting both adults and young people with their mental health, using evidence-based methods to reduce distress and promote wellbeing. I have worked in a variety of settings in the NHS, charitable and private sectors, supporting people living with challenges around physical health, sleep, and body image, as well as bereavement and loss. Other areas of expertise include working with stress, low mood, self-criticism, and anxiety related to health, identity, sense of purpose, sexuality, social situations, and chronic worrying.
Are there aspects of your current life (break down of a relationship, work related stress, loss of employment) which pull you down and you can’t cope? Are you frightened by a medical diagnosis for yourself or someone you care about? Do you feel helpless? Are you a student, far from home full of fears of failure? Your fears and your hopes will be at the centre of our work together in a safe, compassionate, and non-judgemental space where you feel free to talk. My aim will be to help you find the tools to reach a constructive and positive understanding of what you are going through and how you can confidently move forward.
Are there aspects of your current life (break down of a relationship, work related stress, loss of employment) which pull you down and you can’t cope? Are you frightened by a medical diagnosis for yourself or someone you care about? Do you feel helpless? Are you a student, far from home full of fears of failure? Your fears and your hopes will be at the centre of our work together in a safe, compassionate, and non-judgemental space where you feel free to talk. My aim will be to help you find the tools to reach a constructive and positive understanding of what you are going through and how you can confidently move forward.
I am a registered Clinical Psychologist with 15 years of experience working in the NHS in a range of settings. I worked for 6 years with children and families living with a child diagnosed with a range of health conditions and I currently work with adults promoting adjustment to and coping with a cardiac condition. I have extensive experience working with children, young people and adults with a range of difficult feelings including anxiety, depression, trauma and bereavement. I have supported people who want space to understand themselves and their lives better or to work through relationship difficulties or other issues.
I am a registered Clinical Psychologist with 15 years of experience working in the NHS in a range of settings. I worked for 6 years with children and families living with a child diagnosed with a range of health conditions and I currently work with adults promoting adjustment to and coping with a cardiac condition. I have extensive experience working with children, young people and adults with a range of difficult feelings including anxiety, depression, trauma and bereavement. I have supported people who want space to understand themselves and their lives better or to work through relationship difficulties or other issues.
I’m a Clinical Psychologist offering a warm, grounded space to help you understand your challenges and move toward meaningful change. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, low mood, trauma, or uncertainty in life, together we’ll work towards making changes that aligns with your values and goals.
I’m a Clinical Psychologist offering a warm, grounded space to help you understand your challenges and move toward meaningful change. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, low mood, trauma, or uncertainty in life, together we’ll work towards making changes that aligns with your values and goals.
Hello! I am passionate about supporting people who are navigating physical health needs or medical experiences. I work with adults, children and families - including parents and siblings - to provide compassionate, expert care tailored to each person’s unique situation. I aim to help people to process difficult medical experiences, build resilience, adjust to new diagnoses/symptoms, manage emotional wellbeing, navigate taking medication, undergoing procedures (e.g. vaccinations, blood tests or surgery) or strengthen relationships.
Hello! I am passionate about supporting people who are navigating physical health needs or medical experiences. I work with adults, children and families - including parents and siblings - to provide compassionate, expert care tailored to each person’s unique situation. I aim to help people to process difficult medical experiences, build resilience, adjust to new diagnoses/symptoms, manage emotional wellbeing, navigate taking medication, undergoing procedures (e.g. vaccinations, blood tests or surgery) or strengthen relationships.
The first step towards asking for help can be the hardest. Get in touch and we can take it together. My name is Claudine Astles and I work with clients in the Victoria area of central London, SW1, and also online. I am committed to offering a safe, non-judgemental space in which we can use counselling and therapy to explore your concerns, fears, and anxieties, and work together to help you reconnect with joy. I work with individuals on an open-ended basis or for an agreed time period, with the aim of enabling you to enhance your life and to live it more fully.
The first step towards asking for help can be the hardest. Get in touch and we can take it together. My name is Claudine Astles and I work with clients in the Victoria area of central London, SW1, and also online. I am committed to offering a safe, non-judgemental space in which we can use counselling and therapy to explore your concerns, fears, and anxieties, and work together to help you reconnect with joy. I work with individuals on an open-ended basis or for an agreed time period, with the aim of enabling you to enhance your life and to live it more fully.
See more therapy options for London
Nearby Chronic Illness Counsellors Searches for London
- Barking
- Barnet
- Beckenham
- Brentford
- Bromley
- Edgware
- Ilford
- Morden
- Richmond
- Thornton Heath
- Wembley
- Woodford Green
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.