Living with kidney disease can be challenging for the person diagnosed, their whanau, and their community. 

Not only can it impact physical health, but it can also impact other areas of your health such as your emotions, wairua/spiritual connections, and the relationships you have with your whanau/friends/community.

One of the reasons a diagnosis of kidney disease can be so challenging is because it comes with a lot of change. Amongst other things, there may be changes to your diet, treatment/medications, and daily routines. 

On top of this, a huge amount of information comes with a diagnosis of kidney disease, which at times can feel like learning a whole new language! 

With so much change, it is normal for people to feel overwhelmed, worried, anxious, frustrated, angry, low, or depressed at points in their journey. Research tells us that experiences of anger, anxiety and depression are common for people with kidney disease (Gadia et al., 2020; Kunwar et al., 2020). Just like it is important to care for your physical health, it is also important to care for other aspects of your health. 

People that come to see us often have good ideas on how to look after their emotional/spiritual and relational health, such as connecting with whanau, enjoyable activities, or community events. However, sometimes these ideas don’t come easily, you may feel a bit flat, or it may seem as though there are lots of barriers in your way. 

Renal health psychologists help by working with you to navigate and manage challenges that can arise with kidney disease and its treatment. We are trained to understand kidney disease, dialysis, and transplants, and how this relates to behaviours, thoughts, and feelings. In our kete are a range of proven therapies that can support a variety of challenges you may face. Areas we often work with include: anxiety and stress, grief, sadness, depression, anger, symptom management e.g. pain, lifestyle changes, sleep challenges, difficulty taking medication, fear of needles or medical procedures, and adjusting to life with a long term condition. 

How can I see a renal health psychologist?
At Counties Manukau, we work across inpatient settings and dialysis units, and we have outpatient clinics (offering face-to-face, telehealth, and Zoom sessions). We are far less scary than what you may have seen on TV – we don’t wear white coats nor do we hover over you as you lay on a couch! 

Whether you are under Counties Manukau or another region you can ask staff from the Kidney Society, your nurse, doctor, or other health professionals for a referral to the renal health psychology service for free, confidential support. 

- Counties Manukau Renal Health Psychologist