Counseling for Medical Illnesses and Injuries
in Batavia, IL
Struggling to navigate or accept a new normal?
Feelings of grief and loss are common when living with a chronic illness, terminal diagnosis, or after completing cancer treatment. The life you knew has been changed forever. You are forced to figure out a "new normal" for moving forward. You are not the same person you were before but you or your family and friends might miss that person and that life and wish things could go back to the way things were before.
You need someone that you can talk with to help you make sense of all of it. We can help you figure out how to live a good life while managing the day-to-day challenges. We can be that understanding and empathic guide to help you feel confident that you can get through this.
We specialize in:
Our approach is to empower you to integrate your illness experience into a meaningful life. You'll define what a meaningful life means for you and we'll work together to improve your day-to-day life, implement specific strategies, skills, and coping tools to help achieve your goals.
It's our hope that you learn a new way to validate the realities of your experiences, stabilize and structure your life, develop meaning for your experiences and ultimately enjoy the whole, complete life you deserve.
Coping with a cancer diagnosis for many is a lifelong experience. For many, cancer treatments and their late- and long-term effects can be emotionally and physically debilitating impacting quality of life. Many cancer survivors experience intense anxiety about the prospect of their cancer returning. The anxiety can feel overwhelming and all-consuming. Many also experience grief over the myriad of losses they have experienced from the cancer treatment, such as loss of identity, independence, and intimacy.
It's also important to understand that for most cancer patients, a significant shift has occurred in terms of who they are, their priorities, and how they want to live their life moving forward. For many cancer survivors, life after cancer treatment presents an opportunity to make changes so that they are truly living their life with meaning and purpose.
We can help you manage the anxiety and worry so that you can feel calmer and able to enjoy your days and relationships. We can also help you process your experiences and realign your life based on your new priorities and values that can lead to a more fulfilling life.
"This feels too hard and unfair and no one understands!"
Coping with a chronic illness is exhausting and stressful. For many living with a chronic health condition, life is filled with pain, anxiety, anger, isolation, and depression. Family, friends, and often medical professionals struggle to understand the illness and its emotional and physical impacts. This lack of understanding often times increases emotional distress and makes it more difficult to cope.
The best way to manage a chronic illness requires a holistic approach including medical care, a healthy diet, physical activity, stress management, and connection. We will work with you to develop effective coping skills so that you can live a life that is meaningful and purpose-filled.
"How am I suppose to say goodbye?"
How does one come to terms with their own mortality or the impending death of a loved one? Our society is not well adept at navigating this phase of life despite it being an experience that we will all face. It's natural to want to avoid and suppress difficult feelings and thoughts. Our sense of loss can cause us to feel grief and sadness at the unfinished work of our life and our relationships.
However, we can choose to put our affairs in order and prepare for a "good death". During this time, we can allow ourselves the opportunity to forgive and be forgiven and to communicate our hopes and dreams for our loved ones. We will help you gain clarity on what matters the most and help you experience the peace and calm that comes with acceptance and authenticity. We will help you work out advanced care planning decisions such as a Living Will to help communicate your wishes when you are unable to make those decisions yourself. We will help you work through the decision process of electing hospice care and communicating your needs with your family.