PHYSICAL HEALTH CONDITIONS
Physical health conditions can affect anxiety, mood, confidence, identity, activity, sleep, relationships, independence, employment, overall wellbeing and day-to-day functioning.
This hub brings together psychology services and educational articles for people wanting to better understand adjustment to medical illness, long-term health conditions, disability, ageing, frailty and other health-related changes.
Living with a physical health condition often involves more than managing symptoms or medical treatment. It can affect how a person thinks, feels, relates to others and participates in everyday life. Changes in health may also influence identity, confidence, independence, employment, relationships and future plans.
People commonly experience anxiety, low mood, uncertainty, frustration, grief, fatigue, sleep difficulties or reduced confidence while adapting to illness, injury or disability. These responses are understandable and do not necessarily indicate a mental health disorder.
Psychological support focuses on helping people adjust to health-related change, strengthen coping strategies, improve emotional wellbeing, maintain meaningful activities and continue participating in work, family and community life alongside appropriate medical care.
This hub provides a pathway to psychology services for people considering support and educational articles for people wanting to better understand the psychological impact of living with physical health conditions.
This service page explains psychological support for adjustment to medical illness and health-related change. It has a distinct service focus so that it complements, rather than competes with, this broader hub page.
Learn how psychological support may assist with adjustment to diagnosis, treatment, changes in ability, uncertainty, identity, relationships and everyday functioning.
This educational article provides general information about living with a long-term health condition. It supports the service page without duplicating its treatment-focused purpose.
Explore the emotional, practical and relational adjustments that may accompany living with a long-term physical health condition.
Psychological support is not based only on a medical diagnosis.
Assessment and formulation help clarify the person’s health history, current symptoms, treatment demands, functional changes, relationships, work, coping resources, strengths, preferences and goals.
Support may include adjustment-focused therapy, emotional regulation, problem solving, pacing, communication with healthcare providers, work with uncertainty or grief, values-based action and practical strategies for maintaining participation and wellbeing.
Psychological care works alongside appropriate medical treatment and does not replace medical assessment or management.
This Physical Health Conditions hub provides an overview and helps you navigate the related resources on this website.
The psychology service page explains support options and is intended for people considering psychological care.
The educational article provides general information about living with a long-term health condition.
You can begin with the resource that most closely matches your current concern and move between the pages as needed.
Physical health conditions can overlap with chronic pain, neurological or cognitive changes, and grief or adjustment difficulties. These related hubs provide separate pathways without duplicating the purpose of the Physical Health Conditions hub.
Explore psychology services and educational resources relating to persistent pain, pacing, nervous system responses and pain-related functioning.
Explore psychology services and educational resources relating to neurological conditions, cognitive changes, acquired brain injury and functional neurological disorder.
Explore psychology services and educational resources relating to bereavement, life transitions, loss, identity change and adaptation.
Common questions about physical health conditions and accessing psychological support.
This page brings together a psychology service and an educational article so you can find information about adjustment to physical health conditions in one place.
A physical health condition may affect mood, sleep, identity, relationships, work, independence or everyday functioning. Psychological support may assist with adjustment, coping and maintaining meaningful participation.
No. Many people seek psychological support while medical investigation is ongoing or because health-related changes are affecting their wellbeing and daily life.
This hub organises the broader Physical Health Conditions cluster. The service page provides more specific information about psychological support and appointment-related care.
Yes. Therapy is available in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast or via secure telehealth anywhere in Australia.
Psychology appointments are available for adolescents and adults in person at Varsity Lakes on the Gold Coast and via secure telehealth across Australia.
For current availability, appointment types and funding information, visit the Appointment Availability page, or book online when you are ready.
This practice is not a crisis service.
If you require immediate assistance, call 000. For crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
© 2021–2026 Hennessy Clinical Psychology. All rights reserved.