Therapy for Chronic Illness and Complex Medical Conditions

I specialize in providing psychological care for complex, poorly understood, often “invisible” conditions, such as:

  • Autoimmune disorders (lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren’s, thyroid diseases, etc.)

  • Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS, also known as Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy/RSD)

  • Fibromyalgia

  • Headaches and migraines

  • Chronic hives and itching disorders

  • Dizziness and vertigo

  • Dysautonomia

  • Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and orthostatic intolerance

  • Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility

  • Long COVID

  • Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS)

  • Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)

  • Post-exertional malaise (PEM)

  • Brain fog

  • Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)

  • Guillain-Barré Syndrome

  • Gastrointestinal Disorders (Irritable Bowel Syndrome; GERD; Inflammatory Bowel Disease; Crohn’s Disease; Ulcerative colitis; Gastroparesis)

  • Hormonal issues, including Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

  • Post-concussion syndrome and head injury recovery

  • Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

  • Tinnitus

  • Unexplained or undiagnosed symptoms

  • Many others

Doctor taking notes on a clipboard while consulting with a patient. Medical equipment on the table.

How Can Therapy With a Psychologist Help with Chronic Illness?

People with many of these conditions, especially “invisible” illnesses, often feel misunderstood by their families, the medical community, and others. Working with a psychologist does not mean your symptoms are “all in your head” or imagined. Your symptoms are in fact very real, and it is important that you feel believed, heard and understood. Physical symptoms and psychological processes influence one another in complex ways, and therapy can help you work with that connection without dismissing the reality of your symptoms. Therapy can help you understand and address the complex connections between your body, nervous system, emotions, thoughts, behavior, and symptoms. Many of these factors are often unaddressed in medical treatment, which can limit successful outcomes.

I work with people who want a different, specialized approach to addressing the challenges of chronic illness. I help patients with chronic illness in a variety of ways. Depending on your goals, these are the types of results we will aim for in therapy:

  • Understanding more about your symptoms and why they may be occurring

  • Learning what symptoms mean (when they are dangerous and when they are not)

  • Understanding how the nervous system can influence symptoms and developing skills to support nervous system regulation

  • Feeling safer in your body

  • Reducing fear and avoidance

  • Building practical skills to manage symptoms and physical limitations

  • Navigating unpredictability of symptoms and flare-ups

  • Breaking the push-crash-burn cycle

  • Regaining a sense of control and identity

  • Adapting to changes in your health

  • Reducing or eliminating symptoms in some cases

  • Reducing anxiety, frustration, anger, grief, and other strong emotions about symptoms

  • Reducing health anxiety

  • Processing and healing from difficult or traumatic medical experiences

  • Figuring out what activities you can realistically do and how to get there

  • Building a life that feels full and meaningful – not one completely defined by illness

  • Understanding how certain personality traits, like people-pleasing, a tendency to put everyone else first, perfectionism, conscientiousness, being high-achieving, and anxiousness can impact illness and what to do about it

A More Complete Understanding of Stress and Your Symptoms

Almost everyone agrees that stress can make any health condition worse, but that doesn’t mean that simply reducing stress will make your symptoms go away. Being told to “manage your stress” doesn’t necessarily explain why your symptoms are happening or what you can actually do about them.

Understanding the complicated relationship between stress and your symptoms can be an important part of treatment. The goal isn't simply to teach you how to relax or “think positively”; these can be beneficial, but there’s more to addressing your symptoms. I can help you understand how your nervous system responds to stress and how factors as such your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors may interact with your physical symptoms. This can give you clearer insight into patterns that may be contributing to your symptoms—and, importantly, what you can do differently.