Physical Illness, Injury, Disability

*Please note that unfortunately my room is not wheelchair accessible.

How Can Psychological Therapy & Counselling Help People with Physical Illness, Injury or Disability?

Psychological therapy and counselling can help people with illness, injury or disability with practical pain, fatigue and adaptive management strategies, coping with emotions, suffering and uncertainty, integrating and finding meaning in their experiences, improving quality of life and enhancing healthy self esteem, compassion, acceptance and personal development. Emotional support is valuable in a society that has difficulty dealing non-judgmentally and compassionately with the suffering, grief and loss involved.

I have experience working with people with a wide variety of chronic, serious and life threatening physical illness, injury and disability in hospital, community, educational and private environments. I have a particular interest in:

Cancer

As an intern psychologist I ran relaxation therapy groups and provided individual supportive counselling and therapy to women recovering from surgery in a gyneacological oncology ward of a major hospital. Cancer is a very common disease (there are about 100 different types of cancer), and leading cause of death in Australia but at least 66% of people diagnosed with cancer will survive more than 5 years after diagnosis (Cancer Council Australia). Cancer and its treatment affect people in many different ways including physically, cognitively, emotionally, socially and occupationally. It can impact on people’s identity and functioning significantly and this can be traumatic and life changing. Psychological therapy and counselling can effectively assist and support people during and after these experiences.

For therapy & counselling related to physical illness, injury or disability, contact Lesley Russell on 0412 638 749, email lesley@lesleyrussell.com.au or complete my enquiry form.