The Chronic Illness Therapist

Therapy for people living with Chronic Illness or Disability.

If you're tired of:

• Hearing "but you don't look sick" and then questioning how you really feel
• The constant mental battle to be heard by medical professionals
• Feeling stuck between your ‘old’ life and your ‘new’ one
• Struggling to maintain your relationships because you can’t communicate what you need or how you’re feeling

Then you've landed in exactly the right place.

Therapy with me is a place where you can show up as you are, no masking pain, no pretending to be okay. Together, we focus on processing your experiences, building your resilience, and helping you move forward with purpose.

No matter where you are in your chronic illness journey, whether newly diagnosed or managing long-term conditions, therapy can help you navigate the emotional impact and rebuild your relationship with yourself.

Come for a chat, stay for a change.

Explore Therapy

Get to know me...

Hi, I'm Kirsty.

I’m a therapist who specialises in supporting people living with chronic illness or disability cope with the emotional toll that comes with living with a chronic condition.

I help my clients to improve their confidence and build resilience so that they can stop feeling stuck and start to look forward again.

So if you’ve been searching for a therapist who specialises in Chronic Illness…welcome, I’m glad you found me!

About Me

What its like to work with me...

I have had a really positive experience working with Kirsty while dealing with my chronic pain issues. Working with Kirsty has helped me to better cope with and process my ongoing health issues which has left me feeling in a much better place. I would highly recommend her to other people. dealing with chronic pain.

You might have come to realise that the comparison trap is wrecking your self-worth. So, you're trying to be kinder to yourself. Doing affirmations, practising self-compassion exercises, telling yourself you're enough. 💪

But the words feel empty. You're saying nice things to yourself while simultaneously scrolling Instagram feeling like shit. The affirmations don't stick because you don't actually believe them.

Self-compassion practices can be helpful, but they're surface level if you haven't figured out why being kind to yourself feels so impossible. You're skipping the bit that actually matters 🌿

What would it be like to get curious about what's blocking the self-compassion? Is it internalised ableism telling you rest equals lazy? Perfectionist tendencies that won't accept a body with limits? Unprocessed grief for who you used to be?

What you're after is self-compassion that feels real, not like you're just going through the motions. That happens when you understand what's blocking it and work through those barriers instead of trying to posy-vibes your way around them🌟

This is the work I do with clients in therapy. We figure out what's blocking true self-compassion so you can rebuild your relationship with yourself. I currently have a short waitlist, the link is in my bio if you'd like to register your interest.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #positivevibes #selfcompassion

If you're stuck in the comparison trap, this one's for you...

Self-compassion isn't about pretending everything's fine or forcing yourself to "just be positive". It's about recognising where the real struggle is coming from so you can actually move forward. That's exactly the kind of work we do together in therapy. 🌿

Because you deserve to feel confident, capable and worthy as the person you are right now, chronic illness and all 💜

I currently have a short waitlist for new clients, find the link in my bio to register your name or send me a DM for more info.

#chronicillness #selfcompassion #selflove #spooniesupport

I might get s**t for this but... is anyone else tired of the 'warrior' narrative? 👀

If calling yourself a chronic illness warrior helps you feel empowered, that's brilliant. Keep doing what works for you.

But can we talk about the pressure that comes with it? I see clients every week struggling with the pressure of keeping on the 'everything's fine' mask 🫠

The constant expectation to be 'fighting' or 'strong' or 'brave' every single day is exhausting. Some days you're not battling anything. Some days you're just trying to exist without your body being a complete arsehole.

And that's enough 💜

You don't owe anyone strength. You don't owe anyone positivity. You don't owe anyone an inspirational story about overcoming adversity.

Some days you're allowed to be:

Pissed off at your body
Exhausted from just existing
Fed up with managing symptoms
Grieving the life you thought you'd have
Not okay with any of this
You're dealing with enough without adding 'be a warrior' to your daily to-do list.

You're enough exactly as you are... warrior language or not ✨️

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #spoonielife #spoonie #chronicpain #invisibleillness #dynamicdisability #chroniclife #therapyforspoonies #chronicillnesstherapy

If you're struggling to set boundaries with your family even though you know you need to, this is for you 🌿

In therapy, we work on getting clear about what you need and building the confidence to communicate it without drowning in guilt or the fear of being "too much."

Because you shouldn’t have to choose between keeping the peace and protecting your own needs 💜

I currently have a waitlist for new clients. My DMs are open if you'd like to chat about how we could work together.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #boundaries #therapy #relationships

You know your family relationships need better boundaries since you got sick. So you're trying to fix it by staying quiet, being extra accommodating, and hoping if you just give it time, everyone will figure out the new normal on their own. 🥴

But treading on eggshells and hoping things settle is avoiding boundaries, rather than setting them. And now you're stuck in this awful cycle where you're silently fuming when someone oversteps, but they have no clue because you've never actually told them what you need.

Hoping that people will "just get it" or waiting for things to naturally settle means you're expecting them to read your mind. Your family can't respect boundaries they don't know exist, and the resentment building inside you isn't magically going to turn into clear communication. 👀

Stop waiting and start deciding. Get specific about what you actually want these relationships to look like now. What feels okay, what's not, and what you need to feel supported rather than suffocated or guilty.

That means saying "Mum, I need you to stop sending me articles about cures" instead of just feeling annoyed every time she does it. Or telling your partner "When I cancel plans, I need you to know it's not about you" rather than hoping they'll figure it out and getting hurt when they seem distant.

In therapy, we work on figuring out what you actually need from your relationships and building the confidence to communicate it without the guilt. I currently have a waitlist for new clients if you're looking for some support to stop hoping and start communicating, the link to register your interest is in my bio. 💜

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #boundaries #relationships #guilt

If your family relationships feel different since you got sick, swipe to find out what might really be going on ➡️

Learning how to identify what you actually want from your relationships and building the confidence to communicate those boundaries is exactly what we'll do when we work together in therapy.

Because you deserve relationships that feel good and work for you, even if they look different than before.

I currently have a waitlist for new clients, if you’d like to register your interest the link is in my bio.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #relationships #boundaries

1. Your worth isn't measured by what you produce. Society will try to tell you otherwise, but it's bullsh*t. You're enough as you are 💜

2. Resting isn't lazy, it’s essential. Your body is asking for what it needs.

3. The people who truly care will adjust. The ones who don't are showing you who they are. Believe them 👀

4. It's okay to grieve your old life. And it's also okay to find joy in this one. Both things can be true.

5. You're not a burden for needing support. Everyone needs help sometimes. Chronic pain just makes it more visible. 🫶

Follow along @thechronicillness.therapist for more spoonie support

#chronicillness #chronicpain #selfcompassion #truth

Ready to stop explaining yourself to the wrong people? ➡️

Learning how to trust your gut about who deserves your story and how to set boundaries without guilt is exactly the kind of work we do together in therapy.

Because you deserve relationships that actually support you instead of draining you. You shouldn't have to choose between hiding your reality or getting dismissed when you share it 💜

I'm currently accepting new clients onto my therapy waitlist. DM me ‘waitlist’ if you want to chat about adding your name to it.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #relationships #invisibleillness #boundaries

Living with a chronic illness has meant it hasn’t felt safe to let people in, but you know it’s made you more isolated. So you've started opening up about your chronic illness, sharing what you're really going through with people you care about.

But every time you finally work up the courage to share, you get slapped with "have you tried yoga?" or "you just need to think more positively." Or worse, they launch into their own story about their bad back or how tired they are from their busy week. 🥴

The reality is that you’re pouring your heart out to people who have absolutely no clue what you're dealing with. You're expecting empathy from people who think being tired after a long day is the same as chronic fatigue.

Stop wasting your emotional energy on people who can't handle your reality. You need to get pickier about who gets access to your vulnerability.

When you know who's actually worth opening up to and how to communicate your needs clearly, the responses often change. You finally get the "what can I do to help?" responses you've been desperately hoping for.🌿

I help clients learn to protect their energy and nurture their relationships with people who actually want to get it. Join my therapy waitlist by following the link in my bio.

#chronicillness #relationships #spooniesupport #lonlieness

Feeling misunderstood? This might be adding to it...👀

Learning how to communicate your needs and rebuild connections without constantly defending yourself is exactly the kind of work we do together in therapy.

Because living with chronic illness is hard enough without feeling completely alone in it. You deserve relationships where you're believed, supported, and don't have to prove your pain every single day 💜

Ready to work on this? Join my therapy waitlist by following the link in my bio.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #lonlieness #anger

Trust me when I say your therapist has to work just as hard at quietening that inner critic too 😂

Keeping it real 😉

#chronicillness #chronicpain #selftalk

Stuck between your old life and new reality? Swipe across 👀

Learning how to safely face and process the losses that chronic illness brings, without falling apart or losing hope is exactly what we'll work on together in therapy.

Because you deserve to move through your grief at your own pace, instead of staying stuck where you can't go back to your old life but can't move forward either💜

If you're ready for support to work through what chronic illness has taken from you, I’d love to hear from you. DM me to register your name for my waitlist.

#chronicillness #grief #loss #spooniesupport

The losses that come with chronic illness go much deeper than just your independence. They look like your career identity, your social freedom, your sense of control over your future. But admitting this feels too overwhelming and so you're avoiding actually looking at these deeper losses because it’s too final. 💔

You're telling yourself you're not ready to face it yet, or that examining what you've really lost will break you completely. So you're staying surface level, focusing on the practical stuff, anything to avoid sitting with the full reality of what chronic illness has taken.

But that avoidance is really keeping you stuck in this angry, frustrated limbo. You can't move through something you won't acknowledge, and you can't heal from losses you won't let yourself see 👀

What if looking at these losses won't destroy you? What if acknowledging that you've lost your independence, your career path, your spontaneous social life, your ability to plan without health considerations actually starts to free you from this stuck feeling?

Because when you keep avoiding the reality that you'll never be the person who could work 60-hour weeks, or be the reliable friend who never cancels, or make future plans without considering your health, you stay trapped between your old life and your new one. But facing these losses lets you start building something real with what you actually have now 💜

I help my clients with taking those baby steps in acknowledging their loss, without giving up hope. I currently have a short wait-list for new clients, but if you’d like to register your interest the link is in my bio.

#chronicillness #independence #grief #anger #spooniesupport

Swipe if this feels bigger than you expected ➡️

Learning to recognise and process all the layers of what chronic illness has taken from you is exactly what we'll work on together in therapy.

Because you deserve support in rebuilding a life that feels meaningful again despite needing help 💜

If you’re interested in therapy, I currently have a short wait-list, DM me to add your name.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #independence #grief #anger

I promise not to show up for sessions in pjs with wine..however I can't say the same for tea, swearing or the odd terrible joke 🙈

#gettoknowme #spoonie

If you're tired of fighting your appointment anxiety and want to work with it instead, this is for you 👇

Learning to listen to what your anxiety is trying to tell you rather than just ‘pushing through’ is exactly the kind of work we'll do together in therapy.

Because living with chronic illness means you need your brain on your side, not constantly battling against you 💜

I'm currently taking names for my therapy waiting list. Add yourself via the link in my bio, or DM me 'list' if you'd like to know more about working together.

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #medicaltrauma #appointmentanxiety

You might have come to realise your appointment anxiety comes from medical trauma and your brain learned that doctors' offices aren't safe places. So now you're trying everything you can think of to 'sort out' this anxiety before your next appointment. 🫨

You're doing the breathing exercises, trying to logic your way out of it, or telling yourself to just 'be brave and push through.' When none of that works, you end up calling yourself dramatic and wondering why you can't just get over it.

But every time you fight your anxiety or give yourself shit for having it, you're actually proving to your brain that you're still not safe. You're creating more trauma by rejecting the bit of you that's trying to keep you protected. So you end up more anxious, exhausted and feeling crap because the 'simple' stuff doesn't work for you. Plus you're so knackered from fighting yourself that you've got nothing left to actually stand up for what you need. 💤

This sometimes means you avoid appointments completely (hello guilt) or you go in already feeling defeated. Which often leads to exactly the kind of dismissive treatment your brain was trying to protect you from anyway.

Breaking this cycle is the type of work I do with my clients…not by fighting their anxiety, but by looking at what’s going on underneath.

If you’re interested in therapy, I currently have a waiting list but you can add your name to this using the link in my bio!

#chronicillness #appointmentanxiety #medicaltrauma #therapy #spooniesupport

If you get that sick feeling before every medical appointment, this one's for you 👇

Learning to work with your appointment anxiety instead of against it and understanding where it really comes from is exactly what we'll explore when we work together in therapy.

Because living with chronic illness is hard enough without your brain adding to the battle before each appointment 💜

I currently have a waiting list for new clients, if you’d like to register your interest in working with me, please find the link in my bio.

#chronicillness #appointmentanxiety #healthanxiety #medicaltrauma #gaslighting #spooniesupport

Put those shoulds and musts down!

Your time, your choice 💜

#spooniesupport #spoonielife #chronicillness #invisibleillness

If you're tired of just surviving with chronic illness and health anxiety, swipe across 🌿

Learning to process medical trauma and build a healthier relationship with your hypervigilance (without dismissing your very real health concerns) is exactly what we'll work on together in therapy.

Because living with chronic illness doesn't mean you have to live in constant fear…you deserve to thrive, not just survive 💜

#chronicillness #hypervigilance #healthanxiety #spooniesupport

Years of medical gaslighting and having to fight to be heard has left you hypervigilant. Your nervous system learned to be constantly on guard because that's what kept you safe when nobody was listening 💔

But knowing WHY you're anxious hasn't made it stop. You're still scanning every symptom, still Googling at 3am, still living in that constant state of "what if."

You think staying hypervigilant is keeping you safe 👀

Hypervigilance served you when doctors were dismissing your symptoms. It helped you catch things early, advocate harder, push for answers. So of course you don't want to let your guard down now.

But you're trying to solve trauma with more of what caused the trauma in the first place.

Hypervigilance was meant to be temporary, not a way of life.

Your nervous system is stuck in "emergency mode" even when there's no emergency. 🚨

You can't heal trauma by staying in trauma response. You're not living in the present, instead you’re in constant preparation for the next crisis.

The next time you catch yourself scanning your body for problems, try asking: "Am I checking because something feels genuinely off, or am I checking because I'm anxious?"

Or when you feel that urge to Google a symptom at 2am, pause and ask yourself: "What would I tell my friend who was doing this right now?"

Start noticing the difference between your body actually needing attention and your anxiety demanding it 🧠

This means learning to differentiate between genuine concern and trauma-driven anxiety. It means building informed and compassionate trust with your body again.

You can still be your own advocate without living in constant fear and still be aware of your body without hypervigilance ruling your life.

I help my clients to rebuild their relationship with health anxiety so they can move forward with less fear and more confidence 💜

If you’re interested in registering your interest for therapy, please follow the link in my bio!

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #healthanxiety #hypervigiliance #invisibleillness

If you're constantly worried about every new symptom and think you're just "too anxious," read on ➡️

The tools to process medical trauma and develop a healthier relationship with your body (without the constant hypervigilance) is exactly what we'll work on together in therapy.

Because feeling safer and more confident in your own body is still achievable, despite having a chronic condition 💜

Fill out the form in my bio to register your interest in therapy and I’ll be in touch when a space becomes available!

#chronicillness #hypervigilance #healthanxiety #invisibleillness #spooniesupport

Hi 👋 I'm Kirsty!

I'm a tea downing, bad joke telling, taylor swift obsessed chronic illness therapist who spends her days being bossed around by either a toddler or 2 cats 🤣

Say hello 😁

#spoonielife #chronicpain #chronicillnesstherapy

Ready to stop pretending your chronic illness hasn't changed your relationship 👀

Learning how to properly grieve what you've lost and rebuild a relationship that works with your reality (not against it) is exactly what we'll work on together in therapy.

Because you deserve a relationship where you don't have to hide parts of yourself or settle for less 🌿

I have space for a limited number of new clients and would love to support you through this. If you're interested in working together, DM me ‘intro’ and I’ll send you a link to book your free intro call.

#chronicillness #dynamicdisability #relationships #grief #spooniesupport

You know your relationship has changed since your chronic illness diagnosis and you're both grieving what you've lost. But it feels easier to try and plod on by minimising your needs and attempting to still be the "fun, easy-going partner" you used to be.

But when you do this, you're pretending your limitations don't exist and pushing yourself to exhaustion trying to keep up with your old dynamic. Instead of being authentic and you, it’s all starting to feel a bit fake and showy, and not ‘your’ relationship anymore 🚩

This isn't working because you can’t force yourself back to who you were before. Your body has different needs now, and pretending otherwise is just setting everyone up for disappointment and resentment.

Instead of performing wellness, try honesty about what you actually need. Yes, things are a bit more serious now with considerations around energy and symptoms, but that doesn't mean your entire relationship has to become serious and boring.

When you're honest about needing to leave early or rest between activities, you invite in real intimacy rather than keeping up appearances. You can still have fun and spontaneity but it might look like surprise takeaways when you're too tired to cook or cozy movie nights instead of late nights out 💜

I regularly help clients learn how they can be honest in their relationships without losing the connection you've built. If you’re interested in therapy, DM me to chat!

#chronicillness #invisibleillness #relationships #grief #spooniesupport

Swipe if chronic illness has changed your relationship dynamic ➡️

Learning to navigate relationship changes and rebuild connection after chronic illness diagnosis is exactly what we'll work on together in therapy.

Because deep down, what you really want is a relationship where you can be authentic about your needs without guilt and where chronic illness is just part of your story, not the thing that defines it 💜

I have very limited availability for September. If you're curious about how therapy could help, DM me or book a free intro call using the link in my bio!

#chronicillness #relationships #grief #invisibleillness #spooniesupport

Just in case you've forgotten today, that you deserve every ounce of rest that you need or want, no matter how much s**t you've got done 💜

#spoonielife #chronicillness #chronicillnesshumour #spooniessupport

If you’re living your life starting with ‘ifs’ and ‘when’s’ listen up 📣

Therapy can be a space where you can process the loss of everything that came with having a chronic illness.

Because you deserve to be able to move forward with it, and not have grief hold you back 💜

If you’re interested in how therapy with me, book your free intro call using the link in my bio, I’d love to hear from you!

#chronicillness #spoonielife #chronicpain #grief #spooniesupport

You're a pro at the spoonie life now 🎓

Pacing and researching protocols are like second nature. You're ready to start living again and you've planned out all of the things you want to do when you're better.

But you're struggling to move forward, nothing seems to be going the way its supposed to and you are feeling anxious and like you have no control.

Instead of starting anything, you feel frozen, not moving forward and unable to go back. The problem is that you're trying to force yourself forward before you've grieved what you've lost 😞

When we try and force ourselves to move on before we're ready, we're telling ourselves that we should always be looking on the bright side and that uncomfortable or painful feelings are bad.

When we allow space to feel those painful feelings, we remove the fear from them and realise we can AND do tolerate hard things every day 🌿

We also learn what from our old life is vital to us in moving forward, "in our pain, we find our values and in our values we find our pain".

I help women living with chronic illness to process their grief so that they can move forward with confidence into their future, whatever their goals. I currently have spaces for 2 new clients starting in September, DM me to chat or book a free intro call using the link in my bio!

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #grief #invisibleillness #spoonielife

Swipe if you know you’ve been avoiding your grief 👀

In working together, we’ll make space for the necessary grieving process that comes with having a chronic illness, at your pace.

Because having a chronic condition holding you back is enough, without allowing grief to as well 💜

If you’re curious as to how therapy could help you navigate being chronically ill, please pop me a DM and I’d be happy to chat to see how I could support you.

#chronicillness #spoonielife #chronicpain #grief #spooniesupport

If you've ever found yourself doubting you've done 'enough' read on...

In working together, we'll gently unravel the messaging you've taken in that self-care needs to be some glamorous, laborious task and learn to recognise the small wins to build up your confidence and trust.

Because you deserve to feel enough, just doing what you can 💜

If you're curious as to how therapy could help you navigate being chronically ill, please pop me a DM and I'd be happy to chat to see how I could support you.

#chronicillnesstherapy #chronicillness #chronicpain #dynamicdisability #spooniesupport

You’re chronically ill and pretty in tune with your body. It feels like everyone expects you to be a self-care guru by now, but you keep starting and stopping routines that never stick. You feel embarrassed and like you're failing at something you should have mastered. 🧠

Instead of being able to give yourself props for trying, you berate yourself that you’ve given up on another regime and think ‘well what’s the point in trying anymore’. But here’s the thing: You’re looking at your ‘failure’ in a bubble.

We live in a society with an often-toxic wellness culture. It needs to look perfect, it needs to be perfect, and it needs to be done every day. But that’s not real life, especially when you live with a chronic illness 💜

If this sounds like your reality, try this: the next time you notice yourself beating yourself up for not sticking to a rigid routine, remind yourself: “I am showing up for myself when I can”.

Reframing our thoughts in this way helps us to focus on our wins and to celebrate when we show up for ourselves because that is how we begin to rebuild our self-trust💪

I help my clients to rebuild their self-trust and feel more confident again. I’ve been there myself and know how difficult it can be. If you’re looking for a therapist I’d love to work with you, you can enquire via the link in my bio or DM me to chat!

#chronicillness #selfcare #confidence #spooniesupport #selftrust #dynamicdisability

If you're beating yourself up for not being the self-care queen this could be why 👑

I have limited spaces for new clients in August, DM me to have a chat about how therapy with me could help 🩷

#chronicillness #confidence #spooniessupport #selfworth #selfcare

Tbh I think these are cooler anyway 🤣

I'm not your sterotypical blank slate therapist, but I'm also not one to be afraid to call you out either (with time obvs).

Gentle challenge in a safe environment is something that can really enhance the work I do with my clients.

If that sounds like the type of support you've been wanting..then hi, I'm Kirsty 👋

Send me a DM to chat about working together!

#chronicillness #invisibleillness #spooniessupport #therapy

Swipe across if you're ready to feel like you again ➡️

In therapy, we work together to rebuild your sense of who you are so that you can move forward, set goals that are right for you and f**k what anyone else thinks.

Because you are worthy of feeling yourself, every day 💜

DM me 'INTRO' to book your free discovery call and see if we'd be a good fit to work together.

#chronicillness #confidence #dynamicdisability #invisibleillness #spooniesupport

You’ve got a chronic condition and already feel different from others. 💔

But lately, you’ve been noticing just how different your life feels from what you see of everyone else’s. Instead of ‘chronic and iconic’ your everyday feels more like ‘compare and despair’ and your confidence is at an all-time low.

Instead of focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you’re using precious energy comparing your reality to what other people want you to see. The problem is you’re comparing apples and bananas. 🍎🍌

When we spend time comparing in this way, not only does it make us feel less than, it also immediately sets us up for failure. Because, our reality vs someone’s public persona are two very different things, especially if you have a chronic illness. And when we don’t reach that unattainable marker that other person has set, we feel like a failure and our confidence is eroded.

If this sounds familiar, the next time you notice yourself despairing over someone’s insta story, I want you to stop and think: how long did I spend on my last story? How many times did I take the picture/rewrite the caption/how many filters did I apply? What was really going on that day when I took that perfect photo? 👀

Practising this, allows time for logic to creep in rather than being swept away by initial intense reactions to things. It allows us time to rationalise our thoughts and recognise that comparing and despairing not only makes us feel bad, but often is comparing completely pointless things.

I help my clients to stop using precious energy trying to live other people’s lives, and start to be present in their own. If you’re looking for a therapist, I’d love to work with you, DM me to chat!

#chronicillness #invisibleillness #compareanddespair #chronicandiconic #spooniesupport

If you’ve nearly cracked your screen hitting that heart, scroll across 👀

Learning to redefine success on your terms and going for goals that feel right for you is exactly the type of work we could achieve together in therapy.

Because having a chronic illness does not mean that you can not achieve what you really want 💜

#chronicillness #goals #success #confidence #spooniesupport #invisibleillness

And then proceeds to apologise for talking "too much" or "ranting"...

And I tell every client the same thing: "I love a rant/tangent/word vomit". 💜

That's where the good stuff lives! That is what I am here to do..is listen!

But years of medical trauma often leaves chronically ill people feeling like they take up too much time or space 💔

Therapy is YOUR space, and YOUR time, and I'm here with you to use it however you need. Chats, bants, rants, tears (or all of the above).

Follow along @thechronicillness.therapist for more spoonie support

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #invisibleillness #therapy

If it’s ever felt easier to curl into a ball than keep fighting…swipe across ➡️

In working together, we’ll gently unravel the knots that medical gaslighting has left so that you can feel confident to advocate for yourself again.

Because your experience is real and it is valid and nobody has the right to take that from you.💜

If you’re curious as to how therapy could help you navigate being chronically ill, please pop me a DM and I’d be happy to chat to see how I could support you.

#chronicillnesstherapy #chronicillness #confidence #medicalgaslighting #spooniesupport

You’re a pro at the spoonie life now, and that includes years of medical appointments that often leave you questioning your reality. Experiences of medical professionals doubting your symptoms, talking over your concerns and dismissing your fears have left you feeling worn down, unimportant and sometimes a little crazy. 💔

Instead of being able to advocate for yourself, you retreat, with nothing left to fight with anymore. Years of medical gaslighting has eroded your self-trust.

When our experience is constantly minimised or invalidated, we start to question our own reality. We lose the ability to trust our instincts which makes us feel vulnerable and scared. But it’s not that you don’t know your own body, it’s that you live in a patriarchal and ableist society, which tells us that being female and being disabled makes you less important. 💩

But you don’t need to believe this bullshit. The next time you find yourself questioning your physical reality, try this: Take a deep breath and try to answer, ‘who’s voice is questioning this?’. Is it your doctor’s? Is it your PIP assessor’s? Is it your judgy aunt?

When we learn to recognise the contributing voices to our inner critic, it gives us space to choose to reject them. We can choose to reject the bullshit messaging society peddles, we can choose to reject the opinions of others who have no knowledge of our reality, we can choose to believe in ourselves.

When self-trust starts to come back, that’s when you build your sense of self and confidence, so that you can advocate for yourself and trust your gut again.💜

I help clients to process medical gaslighting and rebuild their self-trust so that they can move forward with confidence. If you’re looking for a therapist, I’d love to work with you. DM me ‘intro’ to book your free discovery call.

#chronicillness #medicalgaslighting #medicaltrauma #confidence #selftrust

“It’s probably anxiety” sound familiar? 👀

Learning to recognise that the reason we feel small is through no fault of our own and moving forward with courage is what we can achieve together in therapy.

Because the physical toll of a chronic illness is difficult enough, without adding to the mental one 💜

#chronicillness #medicalgaslighting #confidence #spooniesupport #invisibleillness

Who else has an inner critic that tells them they could be doing more 👀

It tells you, "You're lazy" or "you should be able to just push through"..

But have you ever stopped to think about who's voice that actually is? Often it's not ours at all, it's what we've heard growing up, or what we hear in society.

Realising that our inner critic doesn't actually hold our own beliefs can be a powerful step to letting go of its hold on us.

Imagine not talking to yourself in that way? Imagine what it would be like to be kinder to yourself? To respect your body where it's at and what it needs.

That's the kind of change therapy can bring about 💜

If this resonates, follow along @thechronicillness.therapist I'd love to connect!

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #spoonielife #dynamicdisability #chronicillnesstherapy #ableism

Swipe if you’re ready to drop the anxiety about work ➡️

Learning how to build confidence in who you are whilst managing a chronic condition is exactly what we’ll do when we work together.

Because you don’t have to change who you are to fit into a work shaped hole 💜

I have availability for new clients on Wednesdays and Thursdays. DM to enquire or book a discovery call via the link in my bio.

#chronicillness #invisibleillness #workplaceaccomodations #confidence #spooniesupport

You live with a chronic condition and find yourself getting more and more frustrated at work. You're putting in 100%, managing pain and fatigue that your colleagues couldn't even comprehend, and still getting it in the ear from your line manager. You're fed up and feel like packing it all in 🧳

Instead of being open about your reality, you withdraw from colleagues, shut out your manager and feel more and more resentful of the work you're doing. But here's the problem; you've lost confidence in advocating for your needs.

When we have to advocate for ourselves regularly as spoonies do, we get burnt out by it all. Medical gaslighting, invalidation from loved ones build up and our tolerance for advocacy dissappear. We lose confidence in ourselves and think "what's the point" and this catastrophising leads to more withdrawal 😞

If this sounds familiar, know you're not alone. A key part of therapy with me is building your confidence in advocating for yourself so that you can do things like request accommodations. Building confidence allows you to ask for what you need so that you can take pride and enjoyment from work again.

If you're looking for support in this area, I'd love to work with you. DM me 'intro' to book your free no-hassle intro call 🩷

#chronicillness #spooniesupport #workplaceaccomodations #confidence #invisibleillness

Those career goals can feel inaccessible for more than the obvious, right? 👀

Exploring your feelings of shame so that you can challenge yourself to show up as your full authentic awesome self is exactly what we'd do in our work together.

Because you are just as worthy of building a career that you want, regardless of your health status 💜
(*and I'll not even go into ableism in the corporate world here, but it is equally as important to recognise).

If you'd like to work with a therapist who knows what it's like to manage spoons and work, I'd love to hear from you. DM me 'intro' to book your free discovery call.

#chronicillness #spooniessupport
#confidence #invisibleillness

Hi, I’m Kirsty, and I’m a therapist specialising in supporting women to cope with the emotional impact of living with a chronic illness.

I help my clients with:

➡️Exploring their identity and rebuilding confidence

➡️Feeling like a burden to those who love you

➡️Grieving the life you thought you’d have

➡️Anxiety (about flares, new symptoms, or how to move forward)

➡️Processing the anger at the unfairness of your reality

➡️Maintaining relationships with limited energy

➡️Advocating for your needs (at home, at work, and in medical settings)

➡️Processing medical trauma and learning to validate your own experience

Because the emotional and psychological toll of living with a chronic condition is often overlooked when so much focus is on your physical health.

Living with a chronic illness can be incredibly lonely, but you don’t have to face it alone. I want you to know you can feel more like yourself again, feel confident in who you are, and live again, not just exist. Because you are still worthy of a wonderful life.

I believe that therapy should be a place to just be, so no masking pain, no having to pretend you’re fine when you’re not, no stuffiness or formality. Just a space to talk with someone who gets it.

If that feels right for you, come say hi! I’d love to connect with you 💜

🌍 Sessions online across UK, Ireland & Europe

#therapy #chronicillness #chronicpain #spooniesupport #spoonielife #dynamicdisability #invisibleillness

Maintaining friendships can feel like another chore with a chronic illness, can’t it?

Building the confidence to show up as you are and maintaining boundaries so it’s friendship as you need it to be is exactly what we’d work on together.

Chronic illness can be lonely enough without losing your valuable friendships too 🩷

Follow along @thechronicillness.therapist for more spoonie support!

#chronicillness #chronicpain #friendships #confidence #boundaries

You have a chronic illness which can be incredibly lonely, because nobody gets it, until they get one.

But you find yourself withdrawing from your friendships, even though you desperately need support and companionship because you feel guilty for being ‘flaky’, and the feeling of loneliness and isolation seem unavoidable 💔

You don’t know why you do it, and you feel worse the tighter you curl into that ball, but you can’t stop. Here’s the problem: you’re afraid to show up as you are.

When we don’t have the confidence in who we are, we often withdraw for fear of rejection. The outside world, and even the people who love us, become threats to our sense of self. And so we withdraw to our own bubble where it is safe... but also where it’s incredibly lonely and isolating.

If this sounds familiar, here’s something that might help: Next time you are thinking of declining instead of saying yes to that invite (knowing a flare means you might have to cancel), imagine the worst-case scenario and reflect on the worst things that could happen. Next, reflect on the best possible things that could happen. Lastly, reflect on somewhere in between.

Reflecting on this helps make space for logic, and the recognition that somewhere in between is most likely. It allows time to rationalise our thoughts and get more comfortable with compromise. 🌿

I help my clients to come to terms with compromise so that they grow in confidence and stop avoiding their relationships. If you’re looking for a therapist, I’d love to support you. DM me ‘intro’ to book a free no-hassle introductory call.

#chroncillness #chronicpain #friendships #confidence #compromise #lonliness

If you’ve ever felt like you should be stuck in an ice-cream read on…🍦

Sometimes recognising that having to cancel isn’t really the reason you often feel like a bad friend can be eye-opening. Building your confidence so that you can show up authentically in your friendships is exactly what we’ll do when we work together.

Because you deserve healthy and happy friendships, no matter how many times your illness means you have to cancel 🩷

I have availability for new clients on Wednesdays and Thursdays right now, DM me to chat about how we might work together.

#chronicillness #chronicpain #friendships #spooniesupport #spoonielife #confidence

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