Epilepsy Counselling Vancouver, BC
Live a rich and joyful life with your Epilepsy
Compassionate Support for Living with Epilepsy
Living with epilepsy can feel isolating, frustrating, and often misunderstood. At Sana Counselling, we provide epilepsy counselling in Vancouver for people living with epilepsy who want to feel seen, supported, and understood. Whether you are newly diagnosed or have lived with seizures for years, our goal is to help you move forward with confidence, hope, and a renewed quality of life while learning strategies to reduce anxiety and strengthen your overall well-being.
Beat the stigma surrounding epilepsy
1 in 26 people develop epilepsy over their lifetime and 1 in 100 people currently live with epilepsy. However, despite epilepsy being so common there is a lack of understanding surrounding what it is like to have seizures and how to best cope with them. This lack of understanding puts folks with epilepsy at higher risk of comorbidities such as anxiety and depression.
The expectation that you should be fully functioning mentally after a seizure creates harmful emotional responses and can cause low self-esteem and depression. These are unrealistic expectations that arise from misunderstandings about epilepsy and, oftentimes, are not in line with the actual experience of folks experiencing seizures. Epilepsy counselling will help you work through your unresolved feelings or shameful feelings around your epilepsy and help you move forward into a more joyful life.
Why epilepsy-focused counselling?
Living with epilepsy brings its own unique set of challenges. Working with an epilepsy counsellor will help you approach your epilepsy from a different perspective. Together, you will work on finding comfort with your epilepsy and beginning to integrate it into a part of your identity, rather than something you struggle against.
We will work on communication skills for you and your family to foster positive interactions and openness, and help you re-evaluate negative beliefs about yourself. We will also help you understand how the nervous system can influence your health and offer tools for you to help achieve better mental and physical health.
What to Expect in Epilepsy Counselling
If you are seeking counselling for epilepsy, you may wonder how it differs from other mental health services. At Sana Counselling, we combine lived experience, specialized counselling psychology training, and a deep understanding of epilepsy-related challenges to meet your unique needs.
Your sessions may include:
Seizure education and support in processing feelings connected to your diagnosis
Tools to regulate stress and anxiety through body-based and mindfulness practices
Exploring identity and reframing self-worth to move beyond shame
Guidance for your immediate family and loved ones to improve communication and reduce stigma
Practical strategies for school, work, or daily life in British Columbia
We also make counselling more accessible by offering online intake meetings in addition to in-person sessions in Vancouver, BC.
““Thank you so very much for all of your support and guidance over the past few years. The sessions I have had at Sana have been truly life altering and I will forever be grateful to everyone for helping me trust my body again! I wouldn’t be where I am today without Sana. I feel so lucky to have met you all!” ”
How to start with an epilepsy counsellor
Step 1: Book your free consultation
During your free consultation, you’ll talk with a team member who also experiences epilepsy about your concerns and hopes for the future.
Step 2: Match with your counsellor
After your consultation, we will pair you with the Sana counsellor whose expertise and experience are best suited to support you.
Step 3: Your first session
Congratulations on taking this first step! Together with your epilepsy counsellor, you’ll work towards creating a bright future where you work with your epilepsy, not against it.
Why Sana Counselling?
Our goal is to help you feel validated in your experience and empower you to move forward with confidence. With team members who live with epilepsy, we recognize how misunderstood this condition is and why it is important to unpack the secrecy and shame associated with it.
If you or your family members are experiencing seizures, or have been diagnosed with epilepsy and are looking for support, please get in touch today. We understand that therapy for epilepsy is a specialized field and our team at Sana has the expertise and experience to support you either at our Vancouver office or with an online therapy session.
FAQs About Epilepsy Counselling
What is epilepsy counselling?
Epilepsy counselling is a form of therapy that helps people living with epilepsy process emotional challenges, build coping strategies, and improve mental health.
How is epilepsy counselling different from general counselling?
While general counselling supports mental health, epilepsy counselling addresses the unique challenges of seizures, stigma, and living with epilepsy day to day.
Can epilepsy counselling help my family too?
Yes. Immediate family and loved ones often benefit from counselling, as it improves communication, reduces stress, and helps them better support epilepsy patients.