How long will I have to wait for an appointment?

We aim to respond to your initial enquiry within 72 hours.  

We are usually able to then offer an Initial Appointment within 5 -10 working days, depending on your availability and the next soonest appointment time. 

What happens in an initial session?

You will spend some time exploring what has brought you to counselling, the nature of your difficulties, and what you might want to get from coming. Logistics such as session times, frequency etc will also be talked through. 

Meeting for an initial consultation (50 minutes) also allows us the opportunity to think together about whether you would like to continue with further sessions, and whether therapy feels right for you at this time. It is important that you feel comfortable enough both with your Counsellors approach and the idea of therapy overall.

How can counselling help?

Counselling can offer a reliable and confidential relationship to talk through whatever is troubling you. It can offer support during difficult times or help make sense of present difficulties that may stem from past experiences. 

Counselling can help you find ways of understanding and managing difficult feelings or ways to deal with situations differently. We can also help you with strategies for managing particular issues such as panic attacks, fatigue or anxiety around scans/treatments.

How often will sessions happen and how long are they?

Usually 50 minutes. The number and timing of sessions will be agreed between you and your counsellor at the Initial Appointment. It can be usual to have a number of sessions weekly or fortnightly and then a few more around key dates such as particular hospital appointments.

Is there any cost?

No, sessions are free to Annabelle’s Challenge members in the UK and Ireland.

Is it confidential?

Yes. Therapists are bound by a professional Code of Ethics which includes confidentiality. This means that no information will be disclosed about you to a third party without your agreement. There are a few exceptions to that which will be explained in your initial consultation and are primarily if you or another person was felt to be at risk of significant harm.

If you have any questions about confidentiality, do please feel free to raise them in our initial meeting.

Can you talk to my hospital doctor or nurse for me?

We can support you in building a good working relationship with your hospital team or GP. We would only talk to them on your behalf if we were very concerned that you were at risk in some way.

I’ve had counselling before but it didn’t really work for me. Why should  this be any different?

Talking about private and personal matters is often not easy, especially with someone new. 

If you feel unsure about counselling, or have had a disappointing counselling experience before, do let us know. 

That way we can try and work together this time for it to feel a more positive experience.

Annabelle’s Challenge Counselling Service counsellors also have particular understanding and awareness of vascular EDS and the challenges of living with a rare disease, and this can often help in understanding its impact on you as an individual.

I’m not very confident with technology, is this a problem?

No. Sessions can always be over the telephone. If you’d prefer to have Video Counselling though, we can also talk you through how to set that up. Our counsellors are all experienced in telephone/online counselling, so do raise any concerns with us.

Annabelle’s Challenge Counselling Service is available to individuals in the UK and Ireland impacted by vascular EDS regardless of ethnic, cultural or religious background, sexual orientation or disability status.

All our counsellors are registered with either the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy or The UK Council for Psychotherapy and are bound by their Professional Good Practice and Ethics Guidelines.

The Annabelle’s Challenge Counselling Service is provided in partnership with the non-profit organisation Rareminds.