Coping with Illness
A diagnosis of chronic or long-term illness can be a stressful experience. Our health, which we once took for granted, is suddenly called into question. Whether a diagnosis means that we suddenly are being asked to change aspects of our lifestyle that have been part of who we are, or whether we are faced with limits on our functioning that prevent us from doing things as we used to, we can react in a variety of ways to these stressors. Some people become worried, others respond with anger, and yet others feel sad. Therapy can help you examine these feelings and the behaviors that go along with them, allowing you to choose new responses that may serve you better and open new possibilities.
Disability
A change in the body's function can mean a change in a person's sense of self. What we used to do easily may now be difficult or feel unachievable. Feelings of pain, fatigue, or other symptoms may seem limiting and call our sense of our own worth and purpose into question. Therapy can help you restructure your thinking about these challenges and discover what is truly valuable about you as a unique human being, what is important to you in life, and how you can still pursue happiness in new and more authentic ways.