Supporting Individuals with Chronic Illness and Disability

Navigating the complexities of chronic illness and disability is something I deeply understand, both professionally and personally. My own journey with a chronic illness, developed after a serious infection, has given me firsthand insight into the emotional and physical challenges that can arise when living with long-term health conditions. This personal experience, combined with my professional background, has shaped my approach to therapy.

In addition to this, I spent four years working as a support worker in the United Kingdom. During this time, I assisted individuals living with chronic mental health issues, learning disabilities, and other chronic conditions or co-morbidities. My role involved working closely with clients in a highly person-centred way, ensuring that their unique needs and goals were always at the forefront of our work together. No two individuals are the same, and my support approach reflected this diversity.

These experiences highlighted to me that disability is not just about a medical diagnosis; it’s a multifaceted concept influenced by health conditions, environmental factors, social relationships, and personal identity. Living with a chronic illness or disability can bring a range of emotional challenges, including:

• Mental Exhaustion: The mental effort required to manage everyday tasks with a chronic condition can lead to fatigue and impact emotional well-being.
• Low Self-Esteem: The pressure to meet societal standards set for able-bodied or neurotypical individuals can negatively affect self-esteem.
• Internalised Ableism: Feelings of being a burden can be common, especially in a society that rewards productivity, but this does not reflect an individual's inherent value. 
• Loss of Purpose: Changes in health can disrupt life goals and lead to feelings of purposelessness or depression, especially when career paths are affected.
• Grief: There is often a grief process when adjusting to sudden changes in health, including mourning both the old life and the future that was once envisioned.
• Adaption Challenges: Adjusting to a new reality while navigating an often inaccessible society can lead to frustration, anger, and sometimes social withdrawal.

As a therapist, my goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment where you can explore your unique experiences. Together, we can identify your goals and work towards improving your quality of life, whether those challenges are related to disability, chronic illness, or other aspects of your life.

While my focus is on providing holistic support, I am also a registered allied health professional with the Australian Counselling Association and can work with NDIS recipients who have ‘plan-managed’ or ‘self-managed’ funding.

I also offer a free twenty-minute intro session which you can book below to see if we would be a good fit.

Please let me know if you intend to pay with NDIS upon booking, either through my booking forms or through contacting me here.