Living with a chronic illness can take a dramatic toll on mental health and emotional wellbeing.
In addition to the physical discomfort and pain that often comes with chronic illness, there is often anxiety, depression, loneliness, and isolation in tandem.
Many times, our families and friends won’t be able to understand our experiences with chronic illness – possibly invalidating them altogether. And even if they do their best, many times it’s just not enough.
Finding a counselor who is well-versed in helping those with chronic illness is the first step toward improving your mental health. In addition to having support and feeling less alone, our therapists specialize in helping those with chronic illnesses. Several clinicians on our team even struggle with chronic illness themselves.
Our practice utilizes therapeutic modalities such as EMDR to get to the root of the trauma that is often associated with chronic illness.
EMDR helps the mind heal from psychological trauma. It removes the blockages that are keeping your system from naturally moving towards mental health and healing. If your system is imbalanced or distressed due to a traumatic event, the emotional wound can cause a blockage and lead to intense suffering and mental decline. It can prevent our minds and body’s from their inborn process of returning to balance and wholeness. Once the blockage is removed, healing can resume. EMDR-trained therapists help their clients activate their natural healing response and signal to the mind and body that it is safe to release and process the blockage and move into greater healing.
Chronic illness does not discriminate. The impact it can have on your mental health, if left unchecked, can be immense. Our team is here to support you as you navigate the challenges of living with chronic illness. We will be here for you on your journey and honor your experience.
P.S: Here is a guide on how to care for your mental health while living with a chronic illness.