Last year we welcomed Dr Tony Laurie, who joined the clinical psychology support service team. Based in Salisbury District and General Hospital, Dr Laurie has met people in a wide variety of settings. He gives on update on his role and progress in post:
'The Department of Clinical Psychology has been offering a service to people with CGD for a while, funded by the CGD Research Trust. The service was welcomed and my post was created in response to demand. I started my role in October 2009. I work two days a week in this role, although other Psychologists are accessible when I’m not in the office.
There is a lot of variety in the nature of the work that needs to be done. The learning curve for me has been exciting and steep. Whilst I have worked in the health setting before, since being in post I have learnt a lot about the nature of CGD and how it impacts on people living with the condition and their families. I have had the opportunity to meet with many of the other health professionals involved and have also met people living with CGD at various meetings and the clinic at the Royal Free Hospital. I hope to be able to meet other families living with CGD at other clinics very soon.
Some people are cautious about contacting a Psychologist. Images of Sigmund Freud and images of couches often pop into one’s mind when thinking about what a Psychologist does. We are often also confused with Psychiatrists and people are often cautious about seeing a Psychologist as they fear being labelled as “mad” or “mentally ill”. This is not what we do – have a quick read of the Information Leaflet to dispel some of the myths about us.
The Clinical Psychology service is here to support people living with CGD and their families and to develop the understanding (in both people living with CGD and health professionals) of how the psychological aspects of living with CGD can impact on the way we feel, think and behave. It is also very clear that our psychological state of mind can have a direct impact on our physical health too. For example, any form of psychological distress (e.g. depression, anxiety, etc) has been shown to reduce our bodies’ ability to fight infection due to it’s inmmuno-suppressant function. This is obviously very important for people living with CGD who live with an immune system that is struggling already to varying degrees. We can help by using evidence-based approaches to help clients reduce the amount of psychological distress they experience. We know that when people feel anxious they often get into patterns of behaviour which, whilst in the short term reduce the anxiety, in the long term serve to maintain the anxiety. Often people live with this distress much longer than they need to have done. Whilst we know that some people are reluctant to contact a Psychologist, those that do often report regret about not having made contact beforehand. In the initial meeting (telephone or face-to-face) we make a full assessment of the situation by discussing with you your current concerns and any relevant background history. We then help develop an understanding of how things have got to where things are and suggest strategies that people can use to lower the level of distress experienced. We may, with your consent, contact other people who are involved in your, or your child’s care. Our contacts with people living with CGD are completely confidential. We do not share any information with anybody else without your prior consent. All Psychologists within the team work within the remits and guidelines published by the British Psychological Society and are registered with the new Health Professions Council.
Part of my role is to make the Psychological service more accessible. Part of this is to spread word about what we do and how we do it, in an attempt to dispel the many myths that some people hold about seeing a Psychologist. I hope this article and the leaflet on the CGD RT website goes some way to dispelling these myths. Enabling people to make that initial contact is key to being able to offer the support. Getting that support to the people who need it, when they need it, is key to both the physical and mental health of people living with CGD. The two are intrinsically linked and it is brilliant that the CGD RT is funding this service which makes it possible for people living with CGD to access the support without long waiting lists. Long waiting lists are quite common in other Psychological Services.
Support from the team will vary from one person living with CGD to another and from one time to another. The initial conversation and assessment may be the only contact you have with the Psychologist, or it may be that a number of appointments may be offered, either on a weekly or monthly basis. It may also be helpful to dip in to the support as and when things become particularly overwhelming and difficult, or specific issues arise. This flexibility is another benefit of the CGD RT funding the service.
I’ve really enjoyed working with the people with CGD who I’ve met or spoken to on the telephone, the CGD Research Trust, and the other health professionals involved around the country. I’m always open to receive feedback about the service we provide, so please feel free to telephone or email me with your comments or suggestions.'
IMPORTANT NOTE :
The information contained on this website is intended only as a guideline, not as a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your doctor if you or your child has any CGD symptoms or concerns.
© 2001-2007 The Chronic Granulomatous Disorder (CGD) Research Trust
Registered Charity No. 1003425 email:cgd@cgdrt.co.uk
The CGD Research Trust is a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC), the Genetic Interest Group (GiG) and an associate member of the International Patient Organisation of Primary Immunodeficiencies (IPOPI)
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