Living with Kidney Disease at whatever stage you are at can cause a mixture of feelings that can be difficult to cope with, and often overwhelming.  My role as a professional who is impartial and not directly involved in your care either personally or medically offers you a non-judgemental space to speak about any feelings or experiences that you may not feel able or want to share with anyone else.  

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What is Counselling?

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Counselling offers you a space to discuss whatever is going on for you. There is no agenda, and no judgement of what you might bring to the sessions.  Counselling sessions work and progress on an individual basis depending on what you need from the therapy and I am happy to work with whatever is concerning you.

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Who can access Counselling?

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Anyone who has been diagnosed with Kidney Disease

Family and carers of those diagnosed with Kidney Disease

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How can counselling help?

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Counselling can be a way of offloading difficult issues and making some sense of what you are feeling.  Exploring ways of coping and coming to terms with what you are feeling can help alleviate feelings of anxiety and manage depression and low mood. 

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Some of the issues common to those who are experiencing Chronic Kidney Disease:

Getting used to life on diaylsis

Treatment choices/options

Managing anxiety, depression, and low mood

Work and family Concerns

Managing changes in how you see yourself, including body image worries

Managing adjustments to lifestyle and diet

Relationships

Sexual difficulties

Loss and bereavement

Loneliness

Existential issues (life, death and dying)

Life in general

 

How does it work?

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You can either refer yourself or ask your Nurse, Consultant or Dietician to refer you via a simple referral form (link below).  I will then get in touch with you, and we will decide on a suitable meeting place and time for your appointments.  A specific room set aside for appointments is preferable for privacy, but they can also take place while you are receiving dialysis, or in your home. 

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Appointments usually take place on a weekly basis but sometimes fortnightly for up to an hour each time.  You will be offered up to six sessions initially with the opportunity to extend if required.