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ALTON - OSF St. Anthony’s Psychological Services department will offer a new therapy group for individuals living with chronic illnesses.
Starting on Feb. 26, 2025, the group will meet every Wednesday from 10:30–11:30 a.m. on the third floor of the hospital in the Psychological Services meeting room. Lea Anne Varble, LCSW, shared that the therapist-led group aims to provide support for people and their loved ones.
“In a group setting, such as the chronic illness group, they will be able to hear and see what other people are doing,” Varble explained. “That helps you not to feel so alone, because the isolation is an issue for folks with chronic illnesses.”
Varble noted that the chronic illness group is different from a typical support group because each session is led by a licensed therapist. The therapist will guide the group through coping strategies and conversations about their challenges and achievements.
“Our groups are therapy groups, which are different,” Varble said. “They’re facilitated by a therapist and we integrate the modes of therapy into the group setting, so that’s different from [a support group].”
OSF St. Anthony’s offers a variety of groups, including an anger management group, a depression group, a caregivers’ group, a dialectical behavior therapy group, and a grief group. These groups are covered by most major insurance plans. The chronic illness group is their latest addition, and Varble is eager to get started on Feb. 26.
She explained that the ideal candidate for this group is someone who is experiencing a chronic illness. She noted that she will not bar anyone from the group, but participants should consider whether they meet the “criteria” when deciding if the group is right for them.
“Someone might say, ‘Well, I’ve been sick for a long time, is that considered a chronic illness?’” Varble said. “A chronic illness is something that lasts for at least a year and that you’re going to need ongoing treatment, medical help or care, or have been told you’re going to be needing this help and care for this for a long time. Chronic, it’s daily. That's kind of the criteria. For my group, I’m not going to sit down and count up months and years. But that’s the criteria.”
She pointed out that it’s important to care for one’s mental health as well as one’s physical health. Many people will attribute symptoms to their chronic illness when they might also be experiencing depression or anxiety. The chronic illness therapy group aims to alleviate those symptoms and provide support.
Among other topics, Varble said family dynamics will be a major focus of the group, as a lot of patients find that their family dynamics change after a diagnosis. But the group’s topics will mostly be guided by the areas in which participants need the most support. Varble, who will lead the group, looks forward to helping her clients get the support they deserve.
Every client must complete an intake before they can attend a therapy group. For more information about OSF St. Anthony’s Psychological Services, including how to receive individualized therapy and how to join a group, call (618) 474-6240.
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