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Chronic Illness Counselling

Therapy for people living with ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Long Covid, fatigue, pain and long-term health conditions

I offer chronic illness counselling online and in North Cumbria for adults living with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, Long Covid, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, and other long-term health conditions. Therapy cannot remove the reality of illness, but it can offer support with the emotional, relational and practical impact of living with symptoms, uncertainty and change. I have a special interest in supporting people living with ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and similar conditions, and I live with chronic illness myself. I do not promote CBT and/or Graded Exercise as a “cure” and I understand the profound harm and distress that this approach has caused many people living with chronic illness.

I won’t minimise your experience or push a mind-over-matter narrative. This is supportive, reality-based therapy that makes room for pain, fatigue, brain fog, uncertainty, self-doubt, and the impact of dismissal and disbelief.

If you live with chronic illness, you may have been doubted, dismissed, or encouraged into approaches that did not fit the realities of your health. In my work, you are the expert in your own experience. Therapy with me is not about denying symptoms; it’s about emotional support, a place to process and adjust, within your capacity.

For clients managing fatigue, pain or limited energy, online therapy can reduce the demands of travel. I also offer in-person counselling in Carlisle and Penrith.

You might be here because:

  • You’re exhausted, frustrated, or grieving a life that has changed

  • You feel guilty resting, or pressured to “push through”

  • You’re dealing with brain fog, reduced confidence, or feeling unlike yourself

  • Your boundaries have collapsed (or you’re tired of explaining them)

  • Relationships, work, or family expectations feel harder to manage

  • You’ve lost trust in your body, or in professionals who should have helped

  • You want to live as well as possible, even if your health does not improve

What we can work on:

  • Pacing and boundaries (in a way that fits real life, not ideals)

  • Self-advocacy and preparing for appointments or difficult conversations

  • Shame, self-doubt, and the emotional impact of being disbelieved

  • Identity changes, grief, and rebuilding a sense of meaning after illness

  • Navigating relationships and the “invisible illness” problem

  • Finding more workable ways to cope with setbacks, uncertainty, and flare cycles

  • Building a life that is worthwhile, within your energy limits

Working alongside medical care
Therapy can support adjustment and emotional wellbeing, but it doesn’t replace medical care. If symptoms feel severe, sudden, or unsafe, I’ll encourage you to involve your GP or specialist services alongside therapy.

If you are looking for chronic illness counselling in North Cumbria or online, you are welcome to contact me to discuss whether therapy could be a good fit.