Support for Healthcare Professionals
When I was diagnosed I was just given a letter. They only care about medicating your symptoms. I often feel rushed like I can’t ask any questions. I am not listened to. The impact on mental health is huge.
– Rare Minds Matter Survey respondant
Healthcare professionals have a key role to play in promoting good mental health and emotional wellbeing for people impacted by rare conditions. We can work with you to help embed psychologically informed care into the heart of your clinic or practice.
Workshops & training for healthcare professionals
We offer a range of workshops and training that can be tailored to the professionals involved.
Recent workshops include:
- The psychological impact of living with a rare condition
- “I’ve not got time for this”: The experiences of adolescents, young adults and Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Working with non-adherent patients: A psychologically informed approach
- Making the most of online consultations (for doctors and nurses)
- Managing transition: Understanding adolescent psychology and behaviour
- Breaking bad news
We can also develop bespoke training and workshops as required.
You can also access the free CPD training course we developed with Medics for Rare Disease about ‘Rare Diseases and Mental Health’.
What is psychologically informed care for rare conditions?
Psychologically informed care
Not everyone affected by a rare condition will need to access mental health services. But everyone impacted by a rare condition should be able to receive psychologically informed care.
This lies at the heart of the person-centred, multi-disciplinary holistic care that is needed for those with rare conditions, and has the potential to transform the experience of people and families impacted by rare conditions.
Psychologically informed care can be both direct, and indirect:
Indirect means designing systems, services, interactions and interventions with mental health and wellbeing in mind.
Direct involves people impacted by rare conditions having access to a mental health care professional with a specialist understanding of rare conditions as and when needed.
Training for mental healthcare professionals: Counselling people with rare conditions
We can provide 0.5 day to 3 day (+ supervision group) Advanced Practitioner Training for qualified counsellors, psychotherapists and other mental healthcare professionals on how best to support those impacted by a rare, genetic and undiagnosed condition. Topics include the complex psychosocial burden of a rare condition, the interface between physical and mental health, and understanding the emotional impact of inherited conditions for both individuals, and across families.
We also provide a limited number of placements for counselling/psychotherapy students, and newly qualified therapists working towards accreditation. For more information please contact our Placements Manager on