Chronic Pain or Illness

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 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.

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.

Pain and illness affect not just the body but also your thoughts, your emotions and your actions. I help persons like yourself break the cycle of pain and illness- related stress and learn to utilize healthy coping skills, reduce emotional suffering, improve resilience and restore joy in life. You are more than your diagnosis.

Receiving a diagnosis; adjusting to lifestyle and medication changes; coping with related changes in mood, emotions, and relationships; managing symptoms and stress.

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 health challenges affects every aspect of life, from daily routines to relationships. As a health psychologist, I help you navigate the emotional and practical impacts of illness and medical conditions. We'll work together to develop coping strategies, manage healthcare stress, and maintain quality of life. Our focus includes both practical skills for symptom management and deeper exploration of how health changes affect your life story.

As a therapist who lives with a physical disability, I understand the unique position that those with a chronic illness, disability or pain may be encountering. I will help you navigate any challenges you may be facing, as well as be an advocate for you.

Chronic illness, fatigue, and/or pain can be incredibly overwhelming, and isolating. Do you find yourself stressing over self-care, feeling unsupported by loved ones, struggling to balance work, rest, relationships and your passions? Do you feel fragmented from your sense of self and the things that bring you joy? You are not alone! Through mindfulness techniques, nervous system support, and expressive art practices I hope to support you in experiencing more ease, joy, and wellbeing in your life

Since Christine Miserandino published her "Spoon Theory" essay over 20 years ago I have been interested in the challenges of navigating life with a chronic illness or disability. Over that time I have come to understand that much of what clients are expected to achieve in "successful therapy" assumes a fully health able bodied life. My goal is to help clients grow and heal while respecting an accommodating the limitations from their illness.

Issues resulting from medical conditions often include: grief and loss, family conflict, depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, loss of routine and/or job, trauma, loss of identify, and more. In my work with these populations, I processed their feelings regarding the changes, how to incorporate the changes, while working with them to prevent their entire lives from BEING these changes.

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

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.

Pain can cause you to limit social engagements, avoid meet new people and fear things that used to bring you pleasure. It can sometimes feel like a terrible game of which came first, the chicken or the egg. Stress tenses your muscles and can create a flare up of symptoms… but the our bodies naturally respond to pain with fear. When you’re living with a chronic condition finding a way with pain that allows you to live a meaningful and full life is a necessity.

I have nearly 15 years of experience helping individuals with chronic health issues learn more adaptive ways of relating to their thoughts and feelings about their symptoms and helping them to lead more enjoyable, fulfilling lives.

I help clients develop psychological flexibility—learning how to reduce suffering by changing their relationship with pain and illness. Using evidence-based strategies, we work on managing unhelpful thought patterns, decreasing avoidance, and building coping skills to improve daily functioning. My goal is to help clients reconnect with what matters most, so they can lead fulfilling lives even in the presence of ongoing health challenges.

We can work together collaboratively in softly challenging distorted unhelpful/exaggerated/unrealistic harsh judgements/thoughts/beliefs that appear during your pain. Just because we have a thought doesn't make it true. We can work together to accept uncomfortable emotions/pain rather than act harsh towards it. Our pain, although sometimes misguided, are trying to help us. Self compassion is powerful!