Chronic Pain or Illness

I am familiar with the multidimensionality of chronic pain as a person with chronic pain myself and from my decade-long work as a licensed massage therapist supporting clients with both acute, temporary, and chronic pain. As an expressive arts therapist, my research into the use of the arts in the management of chronic pain experiences reveals how translating elusive pain experiences into tangible art forms allows for a release of tension and greater understanding and meaning-making.

At least 10% of people with mild acute Covid infection are now thought to fail to make a full recovery from their symptoms and return to their pre-existing level of functioning. Long haulers as they have been colloquially named by the peer community in the US refer to the multi symptom, multi system post viral syndrome. As a former long hauler myself, now mostly recovered, I am working with those who have not in my practice.

I have experience both managing my own chronic pain and counseling others to manage theirs. My approach often focuses on holding space for one's grieving process related to pain and/or illness, with a later emphasis on building motivation and optimism to identify actionable steps for rebuilding power and agency in spite of one's condition(s).

I am here to validate that your pain is real, and I can help you learn about the incredible mind-body connection. Whether you're experiencing anxiety or depression from chronic pelvic/sexual pain, trauma, or other life stressors, I'm here to help normalize your experiences and provide evidence based strategies to help you achieve your goals.

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.

My primary training and practice sites have been in pain clinics, HIV clinics, liver clinics, and primary care clinics. Across those experiences I have developed expertise in treating individuals struggling with a body that is not cooperating. I employ evidence-based treatments like ACT and CBT, but also work hard to address ableism, illness stigma, medical trauma, and other experiences that intersect with one's experience of pain and illness.

Completed postdoctoral fellowship at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia specializing in transplant /chronic illness

I have worked as a medical social worker in long term care settings, provided in-home mental health counseling to individuals and worked in hospice and palliative care providing counseling to both the patient and their family. Facing a health crisis and living with chronic illness can force you to make a lot of decisions and your resources and support may be limited. You might feel overwhelmed and paralyzed. I can help assess what you need, navigate and access support and resources in CO.

Dr. Schiffner has worked with chronic pain and illness in a variety of populations, including older adults (i.e., seniors) and Veterans in hospitals as well as outpatient settings. Cultivating a safe, nonjudgmental and supportive environment is key to helping clients actualize the change and growth they are seeking. Dr. Schiffner invites clients to bring forth their authentic selves to delve into a curious mindset about their concerns and pressing issues.

In today's day and age, we have (somewhat) arrived to a point that its ok to say "you know what, I am not ok. I put on a smile, but I wake up every day with pain(or difficulty with managing my diabetes, or stiff and takes me hours to get out of bed), and honestly it sucks". No one should invalidate that, it is your truth. My work includes learning to co-exist with your diagnosis in a way that you feel like you are living rather than just surviving.

I work with people who are chronically ill or have pain and disability. I work from a grief model to help you grieve the "should be" in your life. I can understand that it is incredibly lonely and sad to have to grieve yourself. I am chronically ill myself and understand the ups and down's that you experience. I use EMDR to process the trauma of being chronically ill and navigate the medical and mental health system that is not set up to support success.

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.

I provide Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain. This is an evidence-based therapy for chronic pain that encourages clients to adopt an active, problem-solving approach to the many challenges of chronic pain. Clients will engage in meaningful activities, learn to manage stress, tackle unhelpful thoughts, and become more engaged in life again.

Chronic pain can be so isolating, and can contribute to depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms. My approach to pain is multifaceted, including cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, and somatic movement. I'll help you identify triggers, develop self care skills, and learn how to regulate your nervous system so that pain will be less intense. I will also offer you deep empathy and compassion, and a safe space in which to be honest about your difficulties.

It is no secret that chronic pain or illness impacts not only all facets of our lives (work, relationships, etc.), but also all layers of the self (mind, body, spirit/soul). Then, healing should also be holistic and integrative. Through mind-body techniques like mindfulness, yoga, and somatic tracking we will work together on navigating the challenges of chronic pain/illness, while cultivating healing and building a meaningful life along the way.

Living with chronic pain and or illness can create stress on all levels of our being. I am here to help you on all levels with pain, diagnosis, chronic pain, and illness. In addition to multiple supportive modalities, I am able to provide mind/body/emotion/spirit support via hypnotherapy and doula services when necessary

My primary training and practice sites have been in pain clinics, HIV clinics, liver clinics, and primary care clinics. Across those experiences I have developed expertise in treating individuals struggling with a body that is not cooperating. I employ evidence-based treatments like ACT and CBT, but also work hard to address ableism, illness stigma, medical trauma, and other experiences that intersect with one's experience of pain and illness.

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.

Sometimes hating your body isn't about wanting to be skinny. You listen to others talk about their difficulties together, offering suggestions and support. You struggle to understand why you feel so separate from those around you. Even though others are friendly, you feel disconnected. You feel betrayed by your body. Forced into accepting a reality you would have never dreamt up, you search for control because your sense of control of your life has been ripped away from you.