Clinical Health Psychology
Clinical Health Psychology helps to ease the anxiety, low mood, and grief associated with a concerning medical diagnosis.
What Is Clinical Health Psychology?
Our Clinical Health Psychologists support individuals in their navigation of the medical system, their processing of their medical diagnoses, and supporting them in the enactment of treatment recommendations. We also focus on helping manage depression, anxiety or sleep concerns that are sometimes associated with these medical conditions.
Common conditions that our clinicians work with include:
- Allergies
- Cancer
- Endocrinological Conditions
- Gastrointestinal Conditions (e.g., IBD, Chron’s Disease, Colitis)
- Gynecological Conditions
- Headaches and Migraines
- Insomnia
- Menopause
- Neurological Conditions (e.g., Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease)
- Pain
- Rare Genetic Conditions
- Reproductive and Perinatal Mental Health
- Respiratory Conditions
- Tinnitus
- Vestibular Disorders
- Weight Management
How Can We Help?
We know that coping with, and receiving, a medical diagnosis can be very stressful. When people are working through various diagnostic workups, it can be difficult to tolerate the uncertainty and the wait between appointments and tests. It can certainly feel overwhelming and like our life is on hold. If a diagnosis is communicated, it can also affect our lifestyle and our self-image.
We work collaboratively with you within a biopsychosocial model focused on the biological aspects of the medical condition, the psychological factors that can enhance functioning (or reduce psychological barriers where relevant) and fostering healthy social belongingness.
We use evidence based psychological treatments to ease anxiety, low mood, and grief, as well as help people tolerate uncertainty, and develop healthy behaviours to optimize healthy living, even if we have a health condition. Our clinicians use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Therapy and Motivational Interviewing to help our clients achieve their goals. We also focus on helping individuals develop communication strategies to help advocate for themselves.
We also support loved ones and family members of those with these health conditions to understand how to best support loved one’s medical concerns.
