Chronic Pain or Illness

Numerous non-medical interventions for chronic pain and illness exist and new research enhances our treatment techniques. Pain researchers such as Dr. Daniel Clauw continue to advance our understanding. Psychodynamic and mindfulness techniques are helpful in coping with these issues. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is also considered an effective treatment for chronic pain and illness.

Living with chronic illness or traumatic stress, one might feel overwhelmed and tense on a regular basis or trend more toward feeling numb and shut down, perhaps even dissociated, but regardless of how one's experiences show up in their bodies, one thing remains the same: Being “inside ourselves,” with our thoughts, feelings and emotions, feels scary, confusing and painful. Purposefully creating a sense of safety inside ourselves after trauma, illness or crisis can be likened to returning home.

My primary focus is working with the too often over-looked Familial Caregivers of someone with a chronic illness. I have both professionsal and personal experience working with caregivers. I served as the Clinical Director of Supervision at the Parkinson's Association of San Diego, and I witnessed first hand the incredible stress, overwhelm, and exhaustion of the family caregivers who cared for my grandfather who had Parkinson's and my eldest sister who had aggressive ALS.

Dr. Clendaniel is a pediatric psychology who specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents and young adults with anxiety and health-related adjustment issues. She has particular expertise in pain management and treatment of chronic headache and functional gastrointestinal illness.

I specialize in providing mind-body approaches to chronic pain / chronic illness treatment. I incorporate Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment therapies in the alleviation of chronic symptoms and the complex emotional, interpersonal and intrapersonal toll that will often accompany these conditions.

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.

Living with illness, disability, and/or chronic pain can leave you feeling isolated as you navigate changing relationships, medical care, stretched finances, grief for what's been lost, fear about the future, experiences of invisibility/hypervisibility, and anger about how you've been treated. I work from a Disability Justice model, grappling with the ways in which our world often fails to provide accommodation and access, and how our lives become shaped by that lack of care and recognition.

Chronic pain and illness suck. They just do. But I can help you to find coping skills to make them suck less (because they're unfortunately never going away). As a fellow "spoonie", I can relate to the feelings of depression, jealousy when you can't do what your friends are doing, and anger at your body and the world for getting this chronic pain or illness.

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.

Pain impacts us emotionally, but I believe this is often overlooked in the medical system. With chronic pain, like migraines, the anger, frustration, hopelessness, despair, and sadness can be tough to walk alone. The suffering needs a place to be channeled outside of ourselves, in healthy and constructive ways. I find that creative methods can be helpful in exploring our relationship with our pain, bodies, and allow us to release these difficult emotions.

Hi, I’m Dr. Catalina. I believe our sexual wellbeing is central to overall health. As a clinical health psychologist for the past 20 years, I’ve worked with individuals affected by the big guns – cancer, death and dying. Through this work, I witnessed that True Authentic Connection is what makes life worth living. Health impacts how we see ourselves and how we connect with others. I address sexual and relationship concerns for individuals and couples impacted by chronic illness

As an individual who lives with chronic pain and illness, I understand the struggle of finding people who "get it". There is a very specific type of experience that comes with chronic illness and the frustration of not having a compassionate space to land can be overwhleming.

I have specialty training in supporting both pediatric and adult populations living with chronic pain or illness and caregivers. I have training in psychosocial oncology, organ transplant, cleft/craniofacial, rehab psychology, & HIV care among other specialties. I have worked at a number of academic medical hospitals including University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, and Children's Hospital Colorado.

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 work with clients navigating varying chronic illnesses and have specialized experience in Multiple Sclerosis for both children and adults. I spent several years working at a MS outpatient clinic as a social worker offering counseling services.

Managing chronic illness as a woman comes with unique challenges, and I specialize in providing empathetic support. In our collaborative journey, we develop coping strategies and a personalized approach to enhance your overall well-being. With a focus on resilience, I guide you in navigating the complexities of living with chronic conditions. Together, we'll empower you to thrive and find joy despite the challenges that chronic illness may bring.

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.

This is a deep area of interest of mine that has emerged from my own experiences of chronic illness. I have come to understand my life in new terms and with new freshness, frustration, and love for this journey. I am immersed in personal study of holistic health and the use of food, plants and nature for healing. I also have the spiritual skills to support those going through the uncertainty and vulnerability of these intensely human experiences.

Did you know that research shows therapy for chronic pain is as effective as painkillers? You can have much more influence over your pain than you'd imagine and you can get back to living a full life. Like pain medications, therapy works on the physical body but it also addresses two areas that medications don't. Whether you are dealing with chronic pain or chronic illness, you and I will work together to find solutions so you can focus on living a vibrant, satisfying life.