Chronic Pain or Illness

I cured myself of a repetitive stress injury issue in college using Dr. John Sarno's mind-body medicine approach. Since then this approach has become more sophisticated and trauma-informed and I use it frequently with clients to help them heal from chronic pain and/or illness provided there is no known serious medical condition.

You may have just recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness, or you may have been coping with one for years. You are probably exhausted and frustrated with how long it took to get a diagnosis or to find the right treatment. You may feel alone in your experience and like no one understands what you are going through. Therapy can provide education about coping skills for dealing with these changes and emotions, as well as a place to discuss and get support for your experience.

Discover everyday practices to help you thrive. Learn how to increase your self-awareness and design the best quality of life for yourself.

I am a Chronic Pain/Illness and Chronic Fatigue informed provider. I myself live with Chronic Fatigue/Pain/Illnesses and I understand firsthand the feelings of shame and frustration when we have to reschedule something or cancel. I know how hard it is when your friends and loved ones don’t seem to understand your daily limits especially if you are running out of spoons, (Spoon theory)How we have limited energy resources and we expend more energy on basic tasks than healthy people.

I take a holistic approach to therapy, exploring with you how your mind, body, spirit and environment are all interconnected. Often we experience pain and illness more intensely when our mental health is misaligned and vice versa.

The mind and the body are connected in in a deep way. What happens in our bodies affect the mind and vice versa. I use my knowledge of the mind-body connection to help clients develop skills and self-compassion. My background is in medical social work and I also have lived experience of chronic illness. Together, these experiences give me knowledge of navigating health care systems from both perspectives.

In a world where Chronic Pain, Illness and Disease or Dis-Ease is vastly dismissed and underdiagnosed, I want to help you advocate to get the right care that you need. I want you to feel heard and validated as it can be a VERY lonely and long battle. You are not alone. What you are feeling in your body and what is happening to you is real whether it is somatic, undiagnosed and/or diagnosed.

I have helped hundreds of clients who are actively suffering from chronic pain, chronic illnesses, and debilitating disabilities. Coming-to-terms with your physical struggles, learning how to navigate life with them, and finding your personal strengths all are very useful ways to beat the depression and anxiety that these issues cause. Good therapy can help.

I have helped hundreds of clients who are actively suffering from chronic pain, chronic illnesses, and debilitating disabilities. Coming-to-terms with your physical struggles, learning how to navigate life with them, and finding your personal strengths all are very useful ways to beat the depression and anxiety that these issues cause. Good therapy can help.

As a therapist living with chronic illness myself, I know firsthand how chronic pain can impact mental health and daily functioning. I provide a uniquely empathetic space for those struggling to adjust to limitations, grieve losses, and build resilience amid chronic symptoms. My specialty is helping you rediscover and reconnect to your sense of wholeness beyond illness. I assist in finding small ways to care for your spirit so you can experience joy and meaning even on the hardest days.

Chronic pain and illness are tough to navigate as while our medical system does a decent job at preventing death, it often fails at relieving pain and chronic illness symptoms through traditional means. I work with autoimmune disorders, fibromyalgia, and other illnesses from a somatic lens, where we acknowledge the interconnected role of the body, the mind, and trauma (including medical trauma), then find ways to navigate systems and move forward with life--revitalizing meaning and purpose.

Chronic Pain and/or Illness can also be a symptom of C-PTSD. Therapeutic touch support can be a lovely addition to therapy to encourage a gentle and gradual softening and lessening of the internal, body based distress.

I support clients in navigating the complexities of chronic pain or illness by addressing both emotional and practical aspects, including *the stress and uncertainty* of significant medical diagnoses. This includes those disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Drawing from my own experience with unexpected health challenges, I bring a personal understanding to our work. Together, we'll collaborate on ways to better your quality of life and cope with the ongoing impacts of chronic conditions.

As a clinical health psychologist I have comfort level and knowledge with many different types of illness and how they connect to mental health. I can also assist with advocating for yourself in the medical system or support in navigating these systems.

I am a Chronic Pain/Illness/Fatigue informed therapist. I personally have these conditions myself and understand firsthand the frustration of having to cancel/reschedule events and the accompanying feelings of shame. It’s so alienating everyday activities takes more energy for us than others, as described by the spoon theory, and we are disappointed with ourselves for not being able to complete something important to us, especially as pertains to our family. Coping strategies may earn spoons.

Drawing from CBT, DBT, psychodynamic, and narrative-therapy based approaches, my work surrounding chronic pain / illness aims to build personally-tailored grounding and coping skills in order to support individuals' unique daily needs and, perhaps more importantly, aspires to develop a broader sense of identity/self as a part of ongoing resilience and acceptance of various chronic conditions.

I worked with children diagnosed with special needs for many years, in many settings. In addition, I interned at Winship Cancer Institute and worked for CHOA in their inherited bleeding disorders unit. I have a unique understanding how illness affects clients across the lifespan.

Supporting individuals & families in all realms of Health, Healing & Life Transitions - coping with chronic illness; managing acute physical or mental illness; adjusting to chronic physical or mental health diagnosis; living better with chronic pain; healing after medical treatments; navigating uncertainty; managing cancer survivorship & chronic disease management; facing dying authentically.