Living with Chronic Health Conditions
Support for living intentionally with life-altering health conditions, with particular focus on conditions that affect women and folks with a uterus - polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, fibroids, inflammatory conditions, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, autoimmune conditions and chronic pain.
Be supported by a woman who has lived experience in navigating chronic health conditions.
It's About Finding Meaningful Ways to Live With
The diagnosis of a chronic health condition may come after years of searching for reasons "why".
Why am I in pain?
Why is my energy so low?
Why doesn't anything seem to help?
I just don't know why I feel this way
It can take years to find a practitioner to support you to investigate your symptoms and find a diagnosis. As you navigate the minefield of finding out what is the issue, there may be years of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, ignored and gaslighted for daring to complain. Chronic health conditions are wildly under diagnosed and the time taken to find practitioners to treat you with dignity and respect can be painful and confusing.
I've walked this path and I have strategies to build self efficacy and capacity to self-advocate.
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Integrating your medical diagnosis
Finally you have a name for your condition. But what does it mean to change thinking from - "when this is over, I'll be able to....". To "how do I live with this for the rest of my life?"
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Chronic health conditions impact every aspect of life
Chronic health conditions affect every realm of our existence. Sense of self, capacity, relationships, career, you don't need me to list them for you - you're living it. Now let';s explore ways to elevate from surviving to thriving.
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Navigating treatment
A diagnosis is not the end point, now it's time to navigate the maze of treatment options. Not all medical advice will be in alignment with your values. Building capacity for self advocacy will help you to create and review your preferred treatment plan.
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Finding meaning
Self-care is a vital element in the successful management of a long-term illness. It's not unusual for people living with chronic illnesses to feel reluctant to adopt self-care habits. Studies show time and time again, finding self-acceptance and self compassion are key to living with meaning and purpose.
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Recovering from medical indifference
On average it can take around a decade to have most chronic health conditions diagnosed. That means you've spent all that time trying to find someone to take your concerns seriously. Receiving a diagnosis may begin the process of healing. For many, the process of restoring trust in medical providers is much longer.
Womanly Counselling for chronic health conditions is trauma oriented practice​.
My practice integrates Trauma Focussed Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (TFACT) with somatic psychotherapies created from my therapeutic womanly yoga practice offer you a place to be sincerely seen and heard in your pain and tools of breath awareness, subtle and effective somatic movement to help you find a place of acceptance and healing on your own terms.
Recognising that your health condition is not separate from your whole body, therefore a natural consequence of engaging with these practices will be felt in your capacity to accommodate each moment in your cycle/ life-stage; building energetic and emotional reserves; stimulating circulation; soothing tired mind and frayed nerves; boosting immunity; improving sleep; moderating your metabolism and building healthy emotional boundaries.