The impact on one’s mental health after receiving a diagnosis and living with a chronic illness can often go ignored or missed.
A chronic illness diagnosis often comes with high levels of uncertainty, lifestyle changes, and costly, time-consuming, and painful treatments. Given these stressors, it is not surprising that individuals living with chronic illness are at significantly higher risk of struggling with anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, and other mental health concerns.
Most of the time, managing a chronic illness becomes a family affair as it’s almost impossible to manage without the help or support of family or friends.
The work of caregiving requires strength and resilience. Just as for the person with the chronic illness, caregivers often let their own needs take a back seat and risk burnout. It’s not uncommon for caregivers to experience the symptoms of stress, isolation, and fatigue, and become susceptible to mental and physical health challenges.
Therapy can help an individual become better able to cope with their situation. It teaches people how to develop self-compassion, avoid isolation, seek support, and develop a self-care routine that meets their needs.
Find a therapist specializing in Bipolar Disorder counseling in South Edmonton or St.Albert
We use a holistic approach and explore the physical, spiritual, cognitive, social and emotional aspects impacted by the illness. The mind has a powerful impact on how someone experiences pain and illness. So, we draw from Mindfulness-Based Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and use evidence-based techniques to change an individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. This approach has proven to lead to positive, lasting growth.
We also partner with other health professionals to provide resources and support to help you manage the pain or challenges that come along with a chronic illness.
We will do an assessment of your specific situation and goals, to come up with a targeted and individualized approach to therapy that draws from a variety of the listed modalities.
Change unhelpful and problematic ways of thinking got change unwanted or unhealthy behaviour
Helps you learn more about your relationships and your emotions to come to term with traumas and learn skills to improve your relationships
Utilized techniques like meditation, stretching, and breathing to increase awareness of our thoughts, feelings and actions
Combines psychotherapy and physical therapy to connect your mind and body and release pent up trauma
Focuses on the family as a unit and how generational, social, community and cultural factors influence the family members
