Chronic Illness, Family Caregiver Stress Shame Counselling & Therapy
Chronic Illness, Family Caregiver Stress
Chronic illness has the ability to affect you in more ways than just medically. In fact, it can impact you psychologically. The degree of impact is dependent on the person's personality and the circumstances before the diagnosis. Support structure plays an important role on a person's ability to cope, but oftentimes, a person has to go through various stages of dealing with the condition before they are able to adjust to the realities of the chronic illness.
When a person is diagnosed with a chronic illness, he or she will go through a number of stages similar to the stages of grief. Denial, disbelief and shock are just some of the emotions a person experiences when a diagnosis is made, and it's natural for them to resist major changes. Eventually, they will become exhausted, when all they really want to do is to recover. At that point, fear and anxiety will set in and worry in the face of uncertainty of the future.
Sadness, grief and depression are common emotions when they consider the possibility of lost goals, hopes and dreams. Losing independence is a real fear, which becomes inevitable if an illness progresses and that brings about the fear of being a burden to loved ones, which brings on more anger, resentment and even shame.
Counselling can help a person to deal with the emotions relating to chronic illness and to cope with the stress and anxieties of accepting and coping with life changes. It will help to regain personal control over life and yourself.
If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who works with in chronically ill individuals you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.
Family caregiver stress is not a sign that you don't love the person you are looking after. In fact, even professionally trained caregivers who are hired to take care of someone can become tired and experience the symptoms of stress that a family caregiver might experience. Being responsible for someone physical and psychological wellbeing places tremendous strain on a person, particularly if it's a loved one.
Whether you are taking care of a spouse or a parent after surgery for a few weeks, or raising a child with emotional or physical disabilities, the situation presents a set of unique and difficult circumstances. It's only natural to feel overwhelmed and experience embarrassment, shame, sadness, grief, guilt, disappointment, fear, anger, anxiety and depression.
The major factor that contributes to family caregiver stress is the fact that taking care of someone else can isolate you from other people. The patient usually requires ongoing, extensive care. Many people, especially those who took care of themselves before becoming incapacitated, tend to become difficult and moody as the result of losing their independence. Afterwards, they tend to be wracked by guilt.
The caretaker, in turn, has to cope not only with his or her emotions, but also with that of the patient. While caretakers usually enjoy their work, and love taking care of people, particularly loved ones, it can be exhausting and emotionally draining. Also, there is usually very little time left for self-care.
Psychotherapy can help to address family caregiver stress, particularly when the carer feels that he or she lacks support, or has become anxious, overwhelmed, isolated or depressed.
If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers family therapies to address your family caregiver stress issues, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.
Shame Counselling & Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Video Counselling
There are a variety of approaches to address the issue of shame. One of them is the Shame Resilience method is based on the research of Brené Brown, Ph.D. LMSW.
Shame Resilience is the developed ability to practice authenticity when we experience shame, to move through the experience without sacrificing our values, and to come out on the other side of the shame experience with more courage, compassion, and connection than we had going into it.
Shame Resilience is about moving from shame to empathy- the real antidote to shame. Self-compassion is also critically important, because when we’re able to be tender with ourselves in the midst of shame we’re more likely to reach out, connect and experience empathy.
Other approaches, like Complex Integration of Multiple Brain Systems (CIMBS) uses what is called a systems perspective that can address how an individual has learned to respond due to early trauma and or other developmental experiences.
Approaches to shame are not limited to the above. There are many other therapies that address feeling.
If you do contact a therapist regarding shame issues please make sure that you ask them about their training in this area and choose a therapist whose approach makes sense to you.
Motivational Interviewing is a short term treatment approach, which is specifically aimed at strengthening the client's commitment for, and motivation to change. This approach is widely recognized and is used in a number of applications, including substance abuse, rehabilitation, social work, criminal justice, schools, coaching and in health promotion.
During a Motivational Interviewing session, the therapist will make sure that the client feels understood and supported. The therapist will also assure the client that his or her emotions are normal and expected, in anticipation of the great changes ahead. The key to Motivational Interviewing is to juxtapose the client's goals and behaviours that may stand in the way of success. Motivational Interviewing can help a client recognize behavioural issues that are not conducive to success.
If you are looking for a therapist who offers Motivational Interviewing, please browse our list of practitioners below..
Video counselling has grown in popularity, as it offers more affordable and convenient therapy for people who would otherwise have difficulty travelling to a therapist. Also, it offers more flexible counselling hours and is not geographically bound.
IMPORTANT: When accessing video counselling make sure you are comfortable with what your counsellor tells you about the security and safety of what they are using to connect with you. It is their responsibility to make sure your call is secure and private.
Instead of visiting a therapist's offices, Video counselling allows you to connect with your therapist from your own home, or wherever you are. This means that, even if you're travelling for business, you can meet with your therapist, without missing an appointment.
Video counselling works well for many types of psychological intervention, including relationship issues, stress and anxiety, depression, phobias, family counselling and more.
If you are looking for a therapist who offers Video counselling, please browse our list of practitioners below..
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