FIRST!  
If you or your children are in immediate danger or need urgent medical attention, contact the police or ambulance services by calling 911 or the emergency number for your community.

Family violence or domestic violence negatively impacts on families and the individuals who form part of it. It is one of the most common reasons why the average North American women aged younger than fifty seeks emergency medical care.

Domestic violence includes a single incident of pushing a close family member around, or slapping them. However, family violence can also be much more severe, and in some cases even fatal. It includes repeated incidents of violent outbursts, and could result in homicide. It is much more common than most people want to believe, and it can quickly escalate without intervention.

Family violence usually starts out with controlling behaviours, in which the abusive spouse will make all the decisions, while isolating the victim. There will be verbal abuse and threats. The abuse usually works in cycles where arguments and threats will start causing tension before the violence takes place. The violence will generally become more severe as time goes by. Afterwards, the couple will reunite as the perpetrator apologises profusely and makes promises that it will never happen again. However, the cycle will repeat until the victim finds help.

Unfortunately, victims are generally to afraid to seek help, and that's why they usually stay in abusive relationships. They may experience severe post-traumatic stress disorder, fear, low-self-esteem and abandonment issues that can impact on all areas of their lives and help is necessary. Therapy is a potent tool to help facilitate healing in children who have experienced family violence.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers therapy to address family violence issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.  Remember, if there is any immediate danger seek emergency assistance first.

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.