Coping with Chronic Illness or Terminal Illness
Counseling for Chronic Illness or Terminal Illness in Peoria, IL
Find Balance. Grief. Live to the Fullest. Be You.
At Life Balance Counseling Peoria, we provide a safe, affirming to explore, heal, and grow. Whether you’re navigating tremendous grief, relationships, or simply seeking a therapist who truly understands and respects your lived experience, our compassionate clinicians are here to help you find balance and peace.
Our Commitment to the those with Chronic or Terminal Illness
We believe everyone deserves to live authentically and be supported without fear or judgment in their most difficult times. Our therapists are trained and experienced in living with chronic illness or terminal illnesses, providing care that honors your situation and experiences with empathy and respect.
We understand that people in these circumstances often face unique challenges — from disclosing often hidden or silent illnesses and family dynamics to discrimination, trauma, and self-acceptance. You don’t have to face those challenges alone.
Areas of Support Include:
Identify and exploration end of life issues and acceptance
Grieving or closure with family relationships
Living life to its fullest in
Relationship and couples therapy for chronic/terminal illness
Coping with medical complications
Anxiety, depression, and hopelessness
Grief, loss, and life transitions
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Ashley Heeren, MA
As a counselor, Ashley brings a unique blend of clinical expertise and personal understanding to her work with individuals and families navigating the complexities of chronic illness. Her professional journey has focused on helping clients cope with the emotional, psychological, and social challenges that accompany long-term health conditions, from diagnosis through all stages of treatment and management. Ashley understands the stress of managing home life with numerous appointments, navigating emotional issues about medical conditions, and maintaining a strong sense of self amidst the demands of managing a chronic illness of a family member
Ashley passion for this field is rooted in both my professional training and her personal life. She graduated from Bradley with a Masters in Counseling and worked in various settings after school.
Beyond her credentials, Ashley is also mother to a resilient daughter with Cystic Fibrosis. This lived experience has given her a deep, firsthand understanding of the family journey—from the initial steps of diagnosis and finding the right interdisciplinary medical team, to coping with navigating school systems, medical appointments, “flare ups,” emotional issues related to CF, social interactions, and the day-to-day realities of life with a family member with chronic illness. This personal connection allows Ashley to approach her clients and their families with not just clinical knowledge, but genuine empathy and practical insight. She understand the "triumphs and heartbreaks" you may face and is here to help you find joy and celebrate every accomplishment, big or small.
If you're seeking a therapist who truly "gets it" and can blend professional expertise with a lived understanding of the autistic experience, I invite you to connect with me.
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Kathleen "Kat" Griffith, LCSW
Kat is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 15 years of experience specializing in helping individuals navigate the mental and emotional challenges of living with chronic illness. She understands first-hand, through her own journey as someone with a chronic condition gives me a unique understanding of the feelings of frustration, grief, and isolation that can accompany diagnoses like Type 1 Diabetes, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or chronic pain, or organ transplant. Kat was diagnosed with Liver failure in 20xx and received a liver transplant in 20XX.
Based on research and what she has found most helpful to herself, Kat uses a compassionate, client-centered approach, blending techniques from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help you develop coping skills, manage anxiety and depression related to your condition, and find a greater sense of balance and acceptance. She offers a safe, non-judgmental space to explore how your illness impacts your life, relationships, and sense of self, explore the meaning of suffering, and to empower you to live a more fulfilling life beyond your diagnosis.
Beyond her credentials, Kat is a friend and advocate for others with chronic illnesses. This lived experience has given her a deeper understanding of the journey or family & friends of those with chronic illnesses—from the beginning to the end of life—the day-to-day realities of life of living with a chronic illness or with a family member with one.
