Psychological support
Having a diagnosis of MS can be difficult to understand and even accept. Adjustment to having a long-term condition is a continual process especially with symptoms coming and going or staying. There is lots of support you can access both locally and nationally.
Local services:
The long-term conditions counselling team is part of Wye Valley NHS Trust. The service focuses on offering support to people who are struggling with the impact of their condition. The service aims to help people enjoy a better quality of life despite their physical health problems. This involves helping people with the difficult thoughts, feelings and choices that come with physical health problems. If you would like a referral then please talk to your MS team who can give you more information and make a referral on your behalf.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Healthy Minds is a local NHS service providing a range of free, confidential support enabling access to talking therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling and guided self-help. Although not specific to MS they offer support for common mental health difficulties such as anxiety, stress, low mood and depression.
There are a range of formats including online courses which you complete individually at your own pace, group sessions, or more traditional 1:1 support.
For more information click on the link: https://www.healthyminds.whct.nhs.uk
To access the service you must be aged 18 or over and registered with a GP in Herefordshire. We would encourage you to self-refer by completing the online self-referral form anytime. Alternatively, you can call: 01432 220 507 between 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday.
Nationwide services:
MS-UK Counselling is confidential and is for people who have a diagnosis of MS and live in the UK. It no longer provides a counselling service, however they hold a directory of counsellors who have an awareness of MS.
Counselling is a talking therapy. It gives you the opportunity to talk and reflect in a confidential and supportive space with a qualified counsellor, who is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Counsellors do not offer advice or tell you what to do but help you to talk about your experiences to come to terms with the past, clarify the present and find a way forward.
Your mental health and emotional wellbeing are linked to your experience of MS so our counsellors have had training about living with MS.
Counsellors help you to explore how MS may be affecting your wellbeing and how you are adapting emotionally.
Counselling can support you with MS-related issues such as
- coming to terms with your MS diagnosis
- impact of a relapse
- impact of the MS progressing
- relationships with friends, family and colleagues
Building a relationship with your counsellor is important in order to get the most out of the process. It can take a number of sessions before you start to see change but over time with support from your counsellor the results can be very positive.
Other useful information about counselling can be found at: