How to use this site:
This form helps you find a counsellor that meets your needs. Here's how to use it:
Virtual/In-Person
- Virtual: Select this option if you're looking for online counselling sessions. Virtual counselling is available across the province, so you can choose a counsellor from any city in British Columbia
- In-Person: Select this if you want face-to-face sessions. You'll need to choose a city where the counsellor is located.
Area of Practice
Pick the main focus of the counselling you're seeking (e.g., anxiety, relationships).
City
- If you're looking for in-person counselling, select the city where you'd like to meet your counsellor
- If you're looking for virtual counselling, you can still select a specific city if you prefer working with a counsellor from that area, or leave it blank to see options form all cities in BC.
Approach Used
Choose the counselling style or method you're comfortable with (e.g., CBT, mindfulness).
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East Side Counsellors
Chronic Illness Counsellors
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.