CHRONIC ILLNESS & DISABILITY

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Living with a chronic illness or disability can be challenging, both physically and emotionally. It can be difficult to cope with the changes in your life, the uncertainty of the future and the stigma that can often be associated with these conditions. 

I have lived experience of both chronic illness and disability. While we may possibly have some things in common,  I understand that your own experience is unique and I can offer a supportive space for you to explore that.

Here are some of the ways that counselling can help you to cope with chronic illness and disability:

• Help you to understand your emotions. It is normal to experience a range of emotions, such as anger, sadness, grief, and fear, when you are diagnosed with a chronic illness or disability. 
• Help you to adjust to your new reality. These experiences can have a significant impact on your life, and it can take time to adjust to the changes. 
• Help you to maintain your relationships. Chronic illness and disability can put a strain on relationships with family and friends. 
• Help you to advocate for yourself. It is important to be able to advocate for your needs in healthcare settings and in other areas of your life. 

Spoon Theory, coined by Christine Miserandino and describing her personal story and analogy of what it is like to live with chronic illness and disability, is an excellent way to understand and explain chronic fatigue. 

Unified Cutlery Theory is a combination of Spoon Theory, Fork Theory by Jenrose (@jenrose) and Knife Theory by Terry Masson (@Tilaurin), metaphors used to help disabled people explain fatigue and stressors to themselves and abled people.