Counseling Thoughts

When it comes to counseling people, there are many different aspects of the person that you have to consider.

They range from culture, race, sexual orientation, gender, family, SES, education, history, and much more.

Now when it comes to counseling people who have chronic illnesses, you have to think about all of the above....plus how they feel and think about their illness, how their medication might affect them or their diagnosis, how their family and friends think and feel, their support systems, and much much more.

On the website I have listed below, you'll find information regarding the psychologist's role in helping someone with a chronic illness, as well as some annual costs that come along with that.

So what is the psychologist's role?
Well, like I mentioned above, they have to take into account all the different social, economical, biological, and psychological things that a person is experiencing. They also wear a few different hats. They are the teacher, the researcher, and health provider.

In the teacher role they simply provide education and training to their client about the many different influences that certain things can have, whether that be attitudes or medications. Counselors can also provide psychoeducation on how the client can better take care of themselves.

In the researcher role, the counselor simply learns more about the new things in their field of study. This can better help the counselor and benefit the client. By doing this, the counselor and be sure he/she is providing the best care possible for their client.

In the health provider role, the counselor provides the services that the client needs.

One of the more important aspects that the counselor has to think of is the needs of the client they are seeing. These needs range anywhere from helping the client cope with the emotions that come along with their illness, changing the clients behaviors in order to better help the health of the client, or even helping the client learn ways in which they can better organize their lives in order to accommodate their illness.

Check out this website for more information:

http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/health-care/chronic.aspx

The Mind and Body

You know that feeling after you have had a long day and you can just feel it everywhere?
It's in your shoulders, your back, you've got a headache, and your feet hurt.

Now imagine all of that, but it's an actual illness.
Wait, we aren't done yet.
Let's add to it depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder, or any mental health diagnosis for that matter.

Now how do you feel?

Overwhelmed, I'm sure.

So how does having something wrong with your body affect your mind and how does having a mental health disorder affect your chronic illness?

It's interchangeable, really.

When I took a class a few semesters ago on medical aspects and counseling, we discussed some of these thoughts.

The stress that the chronic illness causes can in turn create problems for a mental health diagnosis and vice versa.

Stress is not only one of the biggest problems, but it's also the most dangerous.

In later posts, I will discuss how stress can be handled and how preventing it can help control chronic illness issues, as well as preventing more stress and anxiety from occurring.

You also need to think about how both a chronic illness and a mental health diagnosis affect all the other aspects in your life. This can range from family to environment. Other things will also need to be considered like therapy treatments, medication reactions, and the person's ability to fully function.

It's more than a passing glance.
Having both body and brain pains means having to consider all the options that are there for you and all the solutions to the problems that may come up.

My First Blog

Welcome to my blog! This is where I will be writing about the experiences, passion, and knowledge that I gain from learning about how chronic illness and mental health effect one another. Here on my page you will find resources, stories, and information that will be helpful in understanding how chronic illness and mental health can be related.

Chronic illness is a long lasting condition that cannot be cured, however it can be controlled with the help of professionals and in some situations, medications.

Some people may wonder how does something that affects your body, affect your mind?

Well, that's a good question and it's one that will be answered in the blogs to come!

You might be surprised that there are many answers to that particular question.


To start off with though, I want to explain my background and why I'm so passionate about this topic.

I myself have a chronic illness. I was diagnosed at a young age and shortly after that I became involved in the community with others who had similar illnesses to myself. I've volunteered for walks, radiothons, and children's camps that provide others with the resources they need in order to cope with their illnesses. All of these experiences pushed me to become involved in the mental health field. I want to help others work through the problems that come with having a chronic illness.

On this blog you might find stories that I've encountered from previous friends, resources I've stumbled upon along the way, or even websites that provide additional help that you may not have thought of. I hope over the next 15 weeks, you'll not only be able to see why I love this field and topic so much, but that you can learn something for when you encounter someone with these same problems.

Buckle your seat belts Ladies and Gents, it's gonna be one interesting adventure :)