Coping with Medical Issues
A medical crisis can take many forms: infertility, pregnancy loss, chronic illness, or chronic pain, etc. Practitioners focus on identifying what the patient and her family members may need in order to confront and cope with such a deeply disturbing and disruptive life event.
A client can expect assistance with sorting through issues such as: "What do I do now?" "How can this be happening to me?" or "Who will take care of my family?" Treatment also aims to help the patient face the many difficult emotions that often accompany sudden illness.
Psychotherapy can be short-term, lasting only as long as the patient feels she is in crisis, or long-term if this is what the client needs or wants. Various forms of psychotherapy can ease the stress of a medical crisis. The practitioner may also teach the client techniques such as visualization, relaxation exercises and self-hypnosis.
Treatment is designed to meet the immediate needs of the client and her family. Priorities are set during an initial consultation. As with all crises, the support of a trained professional usually eases the burden on both the client and her family.
