Chronic Pain or illness can impact your ability to function at home or work. This can lead to many different mental health issues. With CBT, DBT, ACT, TFCBT, and solution focused therapy, I can provide treatment to help prevent mental health issues.
I've worked with folks with chronic pains and illnesses. I am not currently disabled but have done a lot of advocacy work and research to understand how chronic pain/illness can impact every facet of our lives. I'm here to help find solutions, or to just listen to the frustrations you have while you go through the medical system. Part of my values is to advocate for clients where I can, we can discuss this more in-person as well.
Marriage and Family Therapist, Woodland Counseling
Chronic pain can rob you of an enjoyable quality of life. Chronic pain can lead to symptoms of depression and helplessness. There is a body-mind connection. Science has begun to recognize that there is a connection between our physical and mental health. Emotional, physical, spiritual and behavioral factors can affect your health. Emotions and thought patterns contribute to imbalances in the body and therapies like mindfulness, meditation, and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization) can be used to rebalance and promote physical and mental health. The perception of pain is in your brain so you can affect your pain level by challenging the thoughts and behaviors that support it.
I have a background in supporting children and adolescents experiencing chronic pain. I worked for a year at the Children's Hospital pain clinic supporting patients with a variety of chronic pain concerns utilizing ACT, CBT, and neurofeedback approaches.
Currently I utilize mindfulness training, CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and humanistic therapy to process feelings around pain and illness. These modalities can allow the client to process feelings around the pain and illness and find new ways to cope with the intensity of emotions that arise.
Chronic Pain or illness can impact your ability to function at home or work. This can lead to many different mental health issues. With CBT, DBT, ACT, TFCBT, and solution focused therapy, I can provide treatment to help prevent mental health issues.
Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor
Those suffering with chronic pain/illness often deal with a lot of shame and guilt for how their disease affects them. This includes struggling to maintain social relationships, difficulty maintaining a meaningful quality of life, dealing with not having solid answers from healthcare professionals and so much more. Counseling can help work through some of these areas and give you a safe space to process them.
Chronic pain or illness can be overwhelming, life-consuming, and debilitating. There is a grieving process when you are diagnosed with chronic pain or illness we all have to travel through. You do not have to go through it alone. You are aloud to grieve. Allow me to help you learn how to manage overwhelming feelings, symptoms and live your best version of yourself.
As someone who has dealt with my own chronic issues, I am especially qualified to help you manage the stress and other mental and emotional strain that comes with chronic illness and pain. I use EMDR and ACT to help you live the best life possible while acknowledging the trauma of the diagnosis.