DISABILITY & IMPAIRMENT COUNSELLING
Helping You Move Forward
Hear4U counselling offers a safe and comfortable environment to talk freely about your experiences and emotions. In order for you to talk freely, I believe that trust and confidentiality is an absolute necessity. This is why safety, trust and confidentiality are placed at the heart of my practice. Counselling is a place where you will be heard and understood. Life can often throw unexpected experiences at us and sometimes it is hard to untangle all of our emotions and feelings. Talking about those difficulties help you to process and to navigate through experiences in life as well as increase your personal well-being.
I provide an empathic relationship and confidential space where you can talk in confidence. I work with a wide range of issues such as depression, anxiety, bereavement, relationship difficulties, eating disorders and trauma etc. My diagnosis of Spinal Muscular Atrophy sparked a personal passion for working with others who live with disability/impairment. Furthermore to support people experiencing similar life circumstances to me and to assist friends and family members who are close to or touched by a loved one who is diagnosed with a medical condition or disability.
I have a deep understanding of disability and disability-related difficulties, may it be physical or emotional. Personal experience, as well as, professional training has enabled me to understand and relate to disability on a multi-dimensional level. Through the years I have encountered and overcome a lot of disability-related issues that has developed me to be a strong empathic person. Living with a disability and or health problem presents unique challenges and talking about it with someone who can relate can encourage positive change. As a counsellor with an impairment, I fully understand the complexities of disability that influences the relationship between emotion, thought and behaviour.
Just because somebody is “disabled” doesn’t mean that we are all the same. This is reflected in the way in which I practice. It’s important for me to understand what your impairment means to you and how you relate to your lived experience. Furthermore, two people diagnosed with the same condition doesn’t mean they experience life or disability the same. For me, Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a unique and massive part of who I am however it doesn’t define me.
Attributes such as determinism, bravery, conscientiousness and courage are all associated with disabled people due to their constant overcoming of barriers faced on a daily basis.
Although for when the constant barriers weigh heavy on you and personal resources are running low that is when HEAR4U counselling can support you through those challenging times. During the low periods, in particular, it can be very isolating because of the worry of distressing loved ones. Additionally, it can be very difficult to convey your distress to friends or family because you may feel they will not fully understand.
Areas of disability I have worked with:
• Employing/working with personal care assistants
• Dating, sex and long-term relationships
• Relationship with family and friends
• Living independently
• Acceptance, self-esteem and self-image
• Employment and education
• Access to the community
• Diagnosis
• Surgery
• Impairment prognosis