For Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, Senior Clinical Psychologist Dr Rachel Avison has kindly written us a blog detailing the importance of caring for our mental health and how the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit Psychology team can help.
Dr Rachel Avison writes:
This week is mental health awareness week and a fantastic opportunity to shine a light on taking care of our emotional well-being. Just as we all have our physical health, which we must take care of; we also have our mental health.
At times, life can be particularly challenging and bring about feelings of stress, worry and sadness, these are normal responses and part of being human!
Sometimes feelings come and go and other times they last and can impact heavily on our overall well-being.
Is important to acknowledge that emotion affects everyone, human distress in response to challenging life events is normal and that it is important we care for our own mental health and that of others.
Within the Congenital Cardiology Service we have a dedicated Psychology and Counselling team to support patients and families manage the emotional demands of life with a heart condition.
The team work proactively and aim to meet patients and parents early in their hospital journey to normalise emotional experiences in response to health difficulties and provide early psychological support.
The team see children and adult patients, and family members, both on the ward and as outpatients to help with various difficulties.
This can range from managing diagnosis or adjustment to life with a heart condition.
We can help with working with anxiety in relation to medical procedures or surgery and supporting with distress in relation to a hospital admission, period of recovery or day-to-day life with a heart condition.
The Psychology and Counselling service has been supported by Children’s Heart Surgery Fund.
The generous fundraising and donations received have helped to provide Psychology posts and resources to help young people prepare for their surgery.
These resources include the ‘Katie Bear Goes to Hospital’ book for younger patients and ‘My Surgery Support Pack’ for our teens and young people.
CHSF emphasise the importance of caring for the mind and living emotionally well alongside congenital heart disease.
If you feel you would benefit from additional support in caring for your mental health in relation to life with a heart condition you can find additional support and advice on the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS website.
You can also speak to your Cardiology Consultant or Clinical Nurse Specialist about a referral to the Psychology and Counselling team. You can also discuss any mental health concerns with your GP who will be able to signpost you to local Counselling and Psychological support services.
Did you know you can buy your own copy of CHSF’s Katie Bear Goes to Hospital and My Heart Surgery Support Pack on the CHSF online shop?
All purchases help Children’s Heart Surgery Fund to keep supporting our region’s heart warriors and their families.
You can visit the the Psychology & Counselling Service page on the Leeds Congenital Hearts website
Got some questions? Get in touch with the team direct
0113 392 6796 | leeds-tr.ccpt@nhs.net
WHAT YOU’VE FUNDED…
Support for families: January 2026
During the month of January... 46 families worked with overall 28 families received a tailored packaged of Family Support 18 families engaged with -- 4 young people and their families worked with and supported 12 Travel Grants given 7 attended Cardiac Cafe 25...
Support for families: December 2025
During the month of December... 38 referrals received for targeted Family Support 39 families engaged with 11 young people and their families worked with and supported 337 families supported in 2025 As we look back on the year, we reflect with pride on what the Family...
Support for families: November 2025
“That was the best night sleep I had in weeks! You don’t realise it, but having those beds there when I needed it was amazing”” - heart dad - about CHSF-funded parent roomsDuring the month of November... 24 referrals received for targeted Family Support 12 families...