Kids with Acute & Chronic Illness

Growing up can take tricky, unexpected turns.  With personal experience and compassion, we are here to help both kids and families grow through the challenges of acute and chronic illness.

As a parent we want to protect our children in every way we can.  When they are hurting, we want to alleviate their pain and make everything okay.  Sometimes though, we can’t.

Having a child diagnosed with any significant illness, either of an acute or chronic nature can be heartbreaking and challenging for any parent.  We not only see the pain our child is experiencing; we can also feel fear, anguish, anger, grief, confusion and helplessness ourselves.   At times we may even feel powerless and out of control.  A significant health challenge can shatter the hopes and dreams that we held, not only for our child, but also for ourselves as parents and for the family as a whole.  Often, it can feel as though the whole world has been turned upside down and suddenly we find ourselves in a ‘new normal’.

So, how do we continue to parent in the way that is important to us, when we ourselves are feeling overwhelmed by the enormity of what is going on?  How can we support our child as they negotiate their life with a significant illness, when the path ahead seems rocky and clouded in fog?

Having someone, with whom we can talk through our concerns can help us, and our children, in many ways.  Counselling can help us:

• Respond more flexibly to difficult thoughts and feelings
• Learn what is and is not in our personal control
• Be more mindful and present in the here and now and less caught up by our concern for the future or the events of the past
• Become aware of our values and learn how to use values guided actions to strive towards a life that is meaningful us
• Care for ourselves and recognize when we need to ask for help
• Identify ways to support our child as they negotiate the uncertain and challenging path ahead
• Learn skills to enable us to respond as parents, rather than react caught up by the emotion or concern we are feeling
• Find balance in family life amongst treatment, doctors’ appointments, work, and other children/family commitments