Current statistics suggest that one in ten women and those assigned female at birth of reproductive age in the UK suffer from Endometriosis. It is estimated that there are 176 million people worldwide living with the condition. On average, it takes eight years from the onset of symptoms to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis. For Kirsty, it took 20 years for a formal diagnosis.
Living with endometriosis, often without a diagnosis or explanation for your symptoms, can have a significant impact on your mental health, your wellbeing, and your self-esteem. It can result in disconnection from others and high levels of self-criticism towards yourself. Endometriosis fuels our threat systems and can push us to disconnect from others, ourselves and the things that are important to us.
There are many resources available now about endometriosis, its symptoms, and its treatment. However, there is little available to think about the psychological impact and regaining balance and control over an incurable condition. There are now some specialist endometriosis centres in the UK that offer psychological therapy and interventions as part of their treatment, however, these are not available to all.
This self-help book is the first of its kind: written by a highly experienced clinical psychologist, who has lived with endometriosis herself. Drawing from the evidence-based compassion focussed therapy (CFT) approach to provide you with essential coping skills to manage the psychological impact of the condition. The CFT approach enables you to respond differently to the difficulties that may arise from living with endometriosis, including understanding the condition itself, managing the impact it has on your relationships and bringing compassion to the distress associated with endometriosis. This book aims for you to be able to connect with your difficulties in a compassionate way and to seek care and connection during a time where you may feel alone and disconnected.