Can therapy help a child who is anxious about hospital appointments or procedures?

Yes. Anticipatory anxiety around appointments, scans, blood tests and procedures is one of the most common reasons families come to me. We work gently on what the fear is really about, build practical tools your child can use in the waiting room and on the day, and give them a sense of control in situations that often feel out of their hands.

My child has a disability - will sessions be adapted to their needs?

Always. Sessions are shaped around your child's communication style, energy levels, sensory needs and developmental stage rather than fitting them into a standard format. If your child is non-speaking, uses AAC, tires easily, or needs a different pace, we work with that, not against it.

Can you help with the emotional side of a recent diagnosis?

Yes. A new diagnosis changes a child's sense of who they are and what their future looks like, and those feelings often surface long after the medical conversations are over. Therapy gives your child a space to process it at their own pace, and gives you support in understanding what they may be carrying.

Do you need to understand my child's specific condition?

You don't need to come with a diagnosis explained — that's part of the initial consultation. What matters most is understanding the emotional impact, which Zara has direct lived and professional experience of, across a wide range of medical and disability contexts.

Can sessions work around hospital appointments and fatigue?

Yes — sessions are scheduled flexibly, and online options make it easier to keep consistency going during flare-ups, treatment periods or low-energy stretches.

Is this only for children with a formal diagnosis?

No. This support is also for children awaiting diagnosis, navigating an undiagnosed condition, or siblings affected by the child with medical or SEN needs.

SPECIALIST SUPPORT FOR HEALTH, DISABILITY & DIFFERENCE

When a child's world changes, they don't have to make sense of it alone.

Living with a health condition, disability or difference can affect far more than a child's physical health. Diagnosis, treatment, hospital experiences and changes in what feels possible can shape how children see themselves, their relationships and their place in the world.

We offer psychological support for children and young people aged 6+, alongside support for parents, carers and families.

Eastbourne & online across the UK

The psychological side of living with illness, disability or difference

A diagnosis can change how a child understands themselves.

A health condition can make everyday life more complicated.

Disability can affect how a child moves through environments that aren't always designed with them in mind.

There can be hospital appointments, procedures, uncertainty, restrictions, pain, tiredness, missed school, changes in friendships or questions about what the future might look like. Sometimes the psychological impact isn't immediately obvious. We provide a space to explore what these experiences mean for the child — not just what has happened to them.

This specialist support is provided by Zara, our founder, whose professional work is informed by her experience as a parent carer. This perspective sits alongside her therapeutic training and research, helping her recognise the practical and emotional realities families may navigate between healthcare, home and school. Every child's experience is different, and therapy starts with understanding what it means for them.

What might bring you here?

Every child or teen is different. Here are some reasons families get in touch.

Diagnosis & adjustment

Coming to terms with a new diagnosis or changes in health, abilities, routines or expectations.

Medical experiences

Making sense of appointments, procedures, hospital stays, investigations or treatments.

Anxiety & uncertainty

Worry about health, symptoms, appointments, the future or things that feel outside their control.

Identity & self-esteem

Questions about being different, feeling self-conscious or working out who they are.

Relationships & belonging

Friendships, feeling left out, being treated differently or finding it difficult to feel understood.

School & everyday life

Managing education, activities, fatigue, accessibility, SEND needs and the practical demands of everyday life.

These are examples, not a checklist. You don't need to know exactly what's wrong to get in touch.

There isn't one way to do therapy

Children communicate and make sense of experiences in lots of different ways. Talking can be part of therapy, but it doesn't have to be the whole of it.

When a child is living with illness, disability or difference, we can use different approaches to help them make sense of what's happening, prepare for difficult experiences, express what they're feeling and find ways of coping.

Talk

Making sense of appointments, diagnoses, treatments, worries and difficult experiences.

Create

Using drawing, art and creative activities to explore feelings and experiences that can be hard to put into words.

Build

Using hands-on activities to explore what's happening, learn about health and develop a sense of control.

Play

Using play to explore worries, experiences and questions about illness, disability, treatment or what might happen next.

Write

Using writing, journalling or drawing to explore thoughts, feelings and questions that might feel difficult to say aloud.

Role play

Role-playing appointments, procedures or difficult conversations to help children feel more prepared and know what to expect.

Move

Using movement and physical activity to explore feelings, release tension and find ways of feeling more settled.

A space — and a way of working — that adapts

The therapy space has been deliberately designed with different ways of working within easy reach. Creative and play-based materials are visible and accessible, while there is also plenty of room for talking, reflecting and simply being — something that can feel particularly important for teenagers and young people who may already spend a lot of time in clinical environments.

But the space is only part of it. How therapy is delivered matters just as much.

Therapy is delivered by me, Zara O’Brien, founder of The Children’s Psychology Hub. My approach is warm, down-to-earth and adaptable. There is room for humour and play alongside conversations that are sensitive, serious or difficult. Children don't have to sit still, speak perfectly or behave like they're in school — and therapy doesn't have to feel like another medical appointment.

For a child living with illness, disability or difference, we can take things at their pace. Sometimes we talk about what has happened. Sometimes we prepare for what's coming. Sometimes we make things, play, practise or find another way to communicate what is difficult to put into words.

Sometimes we talk. Sometimes we make things. Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes things are really hard. There is room for all of it.

Curious about who I am and how I work? You can discover more about my background, experience here

What happens next?

1 Free 15-minute call

A brief conversation about what's been happening, what you're concerned about

and whether I might be able to help.

2 Assessment

We explore your child's strengths, needs and difficulties, alongside what you would like support with.

3 Ongoing therapy

Regular 50-minute sessions tailored to your child, with progress reviewed and parent involvement agreed as appropriate.

At a glance

WHERE

Eastbourne, East Sussex Online across the UK

AGES

Children and young people aged 6–17

SESSIONS

50 minutes

FREQUENCY

Usually weekly
to begin with

FEE

£65
per 50min session

Parent involvement is discussed and agreed as part of the therapeutic process.

PARENTS

Your child's privacy matters

Confidentiality and safeguarding, including the limits of confidentiality, will be explained clearly at the beginning of therapy.

Frequently asked questions

Health & Disability

Both. I see children in person in Eastbourne town centre and online across the UK. Online therapy is often the right choice for children who are immunocompromised, in the middle of a long hospital stay, too unwell to travel, or who simply feel safer working from their own home. Many families also choose online because it removes the exhaustion of an extra journey on top of everything else they manage. In some circumstances, we can discuss whether a home visit may be appropriate.

Not Sure What You Need?

That's completely fine! Reach out to us if you're feeling unsure, explain a little about what your concerns are and the difficulties you're facing and we will happily think it through with you.