Chronic Illness Counselling in Edinburgh
This includes identities around chronic illness and disability, as well as around gender, sexuality and relationship diversity.
As an Art psychotherapist I recognise that there is many creative ways to explore and reach your therapeutic aims. This means it is entirely up to you whether you would like the therapy sessions to be about working things through verbally, with the art materials or in any combination of the two.
This includes identities around chronic illness and disability, as well as around gender, sexuality and relationship diversity.
As an Art psychotherapist I recognise that there is many creative ways to explore and reach your therapeutic aims. This means it is entirely up to you whether you would like the therapy sessions to be about working things through verbally, with the art materials or in any combination of the two.
Perhaps living with a long-term condition (like chronic illness or depression) has affected your sense of identity or self-worth.
I am trained in several different therapies which I tailor to best suit you. I offer established approaches like CBT, ACT, CFT, EMDR, psychodynamic, and somatic (body) awareness. Together, we can explore how your automatic patterns, past experiences, body and nervous system, and current environment shape your behaviour and health.
Perhaps living with a long-term condition (like chronic illness or depression) has affected your sense of identity or self-worth.
I am trained in several different therapies which I tailor to best suit you. I offer established approaches like CBT, ACT, CFT, EMDR, psychodynamic, and somatic (body) awareness. Together, we can explore how your automatic patterns, past experiences, body and nervous system, and current environment shape your behaviour and health.
I am a Principal Health Psychologist (part time) in the NHS who supports people with chronic illness, including Long Covid.
I can help by supporting clients to manage chronic illness and the changes that go with chronic illness (E.g changes in sleep, mood, worry, exercise habits, relationships & support). We can also work towards living well despite the illness and planning for the future.
I am a Principal Health Psychologist (part time) in the NHS who supports people with chronic illness, including Long Covid.
I can help by supporting clients to manage chronic illness and the changes that go with chronic illness (E.g changes in sleep, mood, worry, exercise habits, relationships & support). We can also work towards living well despite the illness and planning for the future.
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.
i have extensive experience working with clients experiencing struggles with bereavement, chronic illness, depression, anxiety and trauma.
I have worked supporting people from many diverse backgrounds and circumstances and am very open minded.I have a lot of great resources that I can offer where they may be helpful,including breathwork exercises and many relaxation techniques .I have worked a lot with BME communities.
i have extensive experience working with clients experiencing struggles with bereavement, chronic illness, depression, anxiety and trauma.
I have worked supporting people from many diverse backgrounds and circumstances and am very open minded.I have a lot of great resources that I can offer where they may be helpful,including breathwork exercises and many relaxation techniques .I have worked a lot with BME communities.
I have over 20 years experience working in varied settings responding to a range of issues: anxiety, depression, chronic illness, stress, relationship difficulties, bereavement, minority issues, trauma and abuse and end of life care.
My experience comes from the work that I have undertaken in a range of settings - CRUSE bereavement care, Relationships Scotland, HIV/HCV services, sexual abuse and trauma services, in-care survivors services, learning disability services. This has given me a sound base of knowledge and skills from which to draw from in my work with individual clients.
I have over 20 years experience working in varied settings responding to a range of issues: anxiety, depression, chronic illness, stress, relationship difficulties, bereavement, minority issues, trauma and abuse and end of life care.
My experience comes from the work that I have undertaken in a range of settings - CRUSE bereavement care, Relationships Scotland, HIV/HCV services, sexual abuse and trauma services, in-care survivors services, learning disability services. This has given me a sound base of knowledge and skills from which to draw from in my work with individual clients.
I am a trauma informed practitioner with experience in a wide range of areas including: relationships, loss and bereavement, pregnancy, parenthood, stress, anxiety, depression, self harm, chronic illness, ADD and ADHD, work and life changes.
As a psychodynamic counsellor I will be interested in your attachments, and your social and cultural world; I see the counselling relationship as a possible vehicle for change and growth in your life. My practice builds on two decades of experience in helping roles in the Scottish public and voluntary sector, including work with parents, and young adults.
I am a trauma informed practitioner with experience in a wide range of areas including: relationships, loss and bereavement, pregnancy, parenthood, stress, anxiety, depression, self harm, chronic illness, ADD and ADHD, work and life changes.
As a psychodynamic counsellor I will be interested in your attachments, and your social and cultural world; I see the counselling relationship as a possible vehicle for change and growth in your life. My practice builds on two decades of experience in helping roles in the Scottish public and voluntary sector, including work with parents, and young adults.
I specialise in C-PTSD and chronic illness, including auto-immune conditions, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
We are a team of accredited Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists, providing remote Psychotherapy, CBT & Trauma therapy services throughout the UK. We provide a range of bespoke therapy services, including: • CBT Therapy and integrative psychotherapy • Trauma therapy & EMDR • Schema Therapy • Cognitive Analytic Therapy and BABCP Clinical Supervision for trainees and accredited therapists.
I specialise in C-PTSD and chronic illness, including auto-immune conditions, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
We are a team of accredited Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists, providing remote Psychotherapy, CBT & Trauma therapy services throughout the UK. We provide a range of bespoke therapy services, including: • CBT Therapy and integrative psychotherapy • Trauma therapy & EMDR • Schema Therapy • Cognitive Analytic Therapy and BABCP Clinical Supervision for trainees and accredited therapists.
Dr Kim Kemp
Psychologist, PsychD, HCPC - Clin. Psych.
Verified Verified
Edinburgh EH8
Waitlist for new clients
Living with a visible or invisible long term illness can impact on your thoughts, feelings and behaviour and affect your relationships, wellbeing and ability to function. I’m comfortable having difficult conversations about health and medical conditions, treatments, symptoms and the effect they have on your mental wellbeing. Psychological support can help you manage these challenges and get on with living a good life. Psychological support can also be helpful when you are receiving medical care or surgery. Collaborating with me before and after you have medical treatment or surgery can maximise your coping strategies and recovery.
Living with a visible or invisible long term illness can impact on your thoughts, feelings and behaviour and affect your relationships, wellbeing and ability to function. I’m comfortable having difficult conversations about health and medical conditions, treatments, symptoms and the effect they have on your mental wellbeing. Psychological support can help you manage these challenges and get on with living a good life. Psychological support can also be helpful when you are receiving medical care or surgery. Collaborating with me before and after you have medical treatment or surgery can maximise your coping strategies and recovery.
Welcome! Talking is a wonderful way to share what’s on your mind. You may not even know what is bothering you, but by talking, it helps to get in touch with your emotions and make sense of your thoughts. Changes are often small but can be significant. Speaking with someone who is really listening and can offer a non-judgemental space to fully express yourself, improve your self awareness, and accept you for being you, can help!
Welcome! Talking is a wonderful way to share what’s on your mind. You may not even know what is bothering you, but by talking, it helps to get in touch with your emotions and make sense of your thoughts. Changes are often small but can be significant. Speaking with someone who is really listening and can offer a non-judgemental space to fully express yourself, improve your self awareness, and accept you for being you, can help!
Therapy is a an act of self-care--giving yourself permission to receive, to be heard, to learn healthy & adaptive ways to be in relationship to self and others. Helping identify and transmute beliefs that no longer serve, from "I'm not good enough" to "I am worthy"; moving from fear to love & acceptance. Offering a wholistic, integrative, and person-centered approach to wellness and empowerment while supporting you to feel and understand your emotions, regulate the nervous system, hold boundaries, explore spirituality, and connect to your authentic self--moving out of your head and grounding into your heart and body.
Therapy is a an act of self-care--giving yourself permission to receive, to be heard, to learn healthy & adaptive ways to be in relationship to self and others. Helping identify and transmute beliefs that no longer serve, from "I'm not good enough" to "I am worthy"; moving from fear to love & acceptance. Offering a wholistic, integrative, and person-centered approach to wellness and empowerment while supporting you to feel and understand your emotions, regulate the nervous system, hold boundaries, explore spirituality, and connect to your authentic self--moving out of your head and grounding into your heart and body.
Meet Our Chronic Illness Counsellors
‘You are not just a catalogue of adversities that you are faced with in life. You are not just the ‘damage’ that you have been told you suffered from. You are not even the pathology or the series of labels and diagnoses that have been given to you. You are a creature of immeasurable strength with the innate ability to grow and trust again and keep trusting and even learning to trust for a first time. You are hard wired and geared to connect with other and through that connection to protect your mental health and recover. You are a Growing Truster.’ Prof. Dr Zoë Chouliara Formerly Professor in Mental Health, Consultant Psychologist
‘You are not just a catalogue of adversities that you are faced with in life. You are not just the ‘damage’ that you have been told you suffered from. You are not even the pathology or the series of labels and diagnoses that have been given to you. You are a creature of immeasurable strength with the innate ability to grow and trust again and keep trusting and even learning to trust for a first time. You are hard wired and geared to connect with other and through that connection to protect your mental health and recover. You are a Growing Truster.’ Prof. Dr Zoë Chouliara Formerly Professor in Mental Health, Consultant Psychologist
Hi, I'm Claire, and I'm an experienced therapist and hypnotherapist. I take a practical, kind, and non-judgmental approach in my work. I see adults, couples, elderly people, children, and teens. Although I work with whatever issue you want to address in therapy, I also specialise in the following areas: 1) anxiety and depression 2) support for chronic or terminal illness e.g. long covid, IBS, Parkinson's or cancer 3) couples counselling, and 4) dissociative disorders.
Hi, I'm Claire, and I'm an experienced therapist and hypnotherapist. I take a practical, kind, and non-judgmental approach in my work. I see adults, couples, elderly people, children, and teens. Although I work with whatever issue you want to address in therapy, I also specialise in the following areas: 1) anxiety and depression 2) support for chronic or terminal illness e.g. long covid, IBS, Parkinson's or cancer 3) couples counselling, and 4) dissociative disorders.
I am passionate about forming strong therapeutic relationships to enable us to work in collaboration towards your personal goals. I have worked in psychology services since 2008 and as a Clinical Psychologist in highly specialist teams within the NHS since 2015. I became an EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner in 2024. I have specialist experience in working with people living with physical health conditions, as well as working with people who are dealing with challenging life stressors. I am experienced in drawing upon a number of evidenced based approaches and tailoring therapy to my clients needs, goals and values.
I am passionate about forming strong therapeutic relationships to enable us to work in collaboration towards your personal goals. I have worked in psychology services since 2008 and as a Clinical Psychologist in highly specialist teams within the NHS since 2015. I became an EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner in 2024. I have specialist experience in working with people living with physical health conditions, as well as working with people who are dealing with challenging life stressors. I am experienced in drawing upon a number of evidenced based approaches and tailoring therapy to my clients needs, goals and values.
Seeking support through counselling can be a difficult first step on a journey to better mental health, but the process can be truly life-changing. My aim is to create a safe, non judgemental, compassionate space in which to explore your problems, enabling you to gain a better understanding of your difficulties. I believe it is important to look at the roof of your issues to try and gain the necessary insight to help change your mindset or any patterns of behaviour that are troubling you.
Seeking support through counselling can be a difficult first step on a journey to better mental health, but the process can be truly life-changing. My aim is to create a safe, non judgemental, compassionate space in which to explore your problems, enabling you to gain a better understanding of your difficulties. I believe it is important to look at the roof of your issues to try and gain the necessary insight to help change your mindset or any patterns of behaviour that are troubling you.
I am a Senior Health Psychologist specialising in Trauma, phobias and Chronic conditions. Together, we can work through any difficulties holding you back from living the life you'd like to lead. If you are struggling, either mentally or physically, please get in touch for a free consultation. I have worked across multiple NHS services including trauma, long-covid, rheumatology and chronic pain.
I am a Senior Health Psychologist specialising in Trauma, phobias and Chronic conditions. Together, we can work through any difficulties holding you back from living the life you'd like to lead. If you are struggling, either mentally or physically, please get in touch for a free consultation. I have worked across multiple NHS services including trauma, long-covid, rheumatology and chronic pain.
Are you looking for some support but not sure where to turn?
I believe talking is a really powerful thing and am passionate about empowering you to become your own therapist by helping you find coping strategies that are tailored and work for you. These coping strategies can help you in any situation life brings.
Talking to a therapist can be quite daunting. However, I truly believe talking through a problem can really help. I can help you to identify and understand issues you are struggling with and together we can come up with a plan on how to help you overcome these.kin
Are you looking for some support but not sure where to turn?
I believe talking is a really powerful thing and am passionate about empowering you to become your own therapist by helping you find coping strategies that are tailored and work for you. These coping strategies can help you in any situation life brings.
Talking to a therapist can be quite daunting. However, I truly believe talking through a problem can really help. I can help you to identify and understand issues you are struggling with and together we can come up with a plan on how to help you overcome these.kin
A warm welcome to those seeking therapy for the first time and those who might be coming back to its benefits. I offer a safe and supportive space where you can explore your feelings and experiences without judgment or expectation. My role in our therapy sessions is to support you emotionally through what can feel hard to confront alone.
I am a qualified, BACP registered counsellor working with individuals on improved emotional well-being, increased self-awareness and understanding, development of healthier coping mechanisms and oftentimes, resilience. You have come this far, and are invited to contact me if you would to enquire.
A warm welcome to those seeking therapy for the first time and those who might be coming back to its benefits. I offer a safe and supportive space where you can explore your feelings and experiences without judgment or expectation. My role in our therapy sessions is to support you emotionally through what can feel hard to confront alone.
I am a qualified, BACP registered counsellor working with individuals on improved emotional well-being, increased self-awareness and understanding, development of healthier coping mechanisms and oftentimes, resilience. You have come this far, and are invited to contact me if you would to enquire.
My name is Dr Craig Mackay and I am a HCPC registered clinical psychologist. I have been passionate about psychology since I was younger as I have always been interested in individual differences and helping people to make sense of their difficulties. I am motivated by helping others to develop strategies to enable them to improve their quality of life. I do not see my clients as 'problems to be solved', rather difficult events can happen to us which affect our wellbeing. I provide a safe, compassionate and non judgemental space in order to help individual's who want to make meaningful changes in their lives.
My name is Dr Craig Mackay and I am a HCPC registered clinical psychologist. I have been passionate about psychology since I was younger as I have always been interested in individual differences and helping people to make sense of their difficulties. I am motivated by helping others to develop strategies to enable them to improve their quality of life. I do not see my clients as 'problems to be solved', rather difficult events can happen to us which affect our wellbeing. I provide a safe, compassionate and non judgemental space in order to help individual's who want to make meaningful changes in their lives.
Seeking counselling can feel like a big step. Perhaps a confusing one. Let me tell you a little about myself so that you can decide if I am the right counsellor for you. I have a COSCA accredited Diploma in Person Centred counselling meaning that I offer a safe, non-judgemental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings. I have a creative, eclectic approach and can bring other models into the counselling room where appropriate such as CBT, small world, gestalt and even music. At the moment I offer on-line and telephone counselling, however, post pandemic would also offer outdoor walking therapy.
Seeking counselling can feel like a big step. Perhaps a confusing one. Let me tell you a little about myself so that you can decide if I am the right counsellor for you. I have a COSCA accredited Diploma in Person Centred counselling meaning that I offer a safe, non-judgemental space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings. I have a creative, eclectic approach and can bring other models into the counselling room where appropriate such as CBT, small world, gestalt and even music. At the moment I offer on-line and telephone counselling, however, post pandemic would also offer outdoor walking therapy.
See more therapy options for Edinburgh
Nearby Chronic Illness Counsellors Searches for Edinburgh
- Alloa
- Broxburn
- Cupar
- Dunbar
- Dunfermline
- Glenrothes
- Haddington
- Kirkcaldy
- Leven
- Livingston
- Musselburgh
- North Berwick
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.