LCSW, 10 years of experience
New to Grow
Elizabeth Walmsley, MSS, LCSW, APHSW-C Master of Social Service (Bryn Mawr), Licensed Clinical Social Worker (PA), Advanced Palliative and Hospice Social Worker - Certified (national) Elizabeth graduated from Bryn Mawr with her Master of Social Service in 2015. Since then she has worked in Palliative Care as well as in cancer care settings, with patients at all different stages of life-limiting illness from initial diagnosis to end-of-life. Some common issues that patients are faced with include stress, fear, agitation, depression, anxiety, anger, and anticipatory or complicated grief. Elizabeth supports patients to develop coping skills for these challenges, to work through unresolved distress or conflict with oneself or loved ones, and to identify goals for quality of life as it relates to mental and emotional well-being. She can also help to facilitate conversations between the patient and their loved ones about their illness, and can help patients with understanding and completing their Advance Directive.
During intake, we will focus on hearing your story about what has happened with your health, and how you have been feeling. From there we can determine together what you would like to work on, and what your goals are so that we can formulate a treatment plan.
I am a very good listener, and although this doesn't sound like such a big thing, it has always proven to be an absolutely critical first step in any therapeutic process. With life-limiting illness, the opportunity to tell your story about what has happened is extremely valuable.
I see patients at all different stages of life-limiting illness from initial diagnosis to end-of-life. Some common issues that patients are faced with include stress, fear, agitation, depression, anxiety, anger, and anticipatory or complicated grief. Please note that "palliative" does not mean "hospice". Most of my patients are still currently undergoing treatment for their illness.
Allowing patients to tell the story of what has happened to them and how they have been feeling; by practicing active and reflective listening to the story, much healing is able to happen.
Once the foundational narrative is established, strategic questions can be asked to help the patient think about what some of their biggest concerns or struggles are. This helps them to identify and work through their problems.