Chronic Pain
Invisible diagnosis
Living with chronic pain can feel like an invisible diagnosis. Others might not see it, but you surely feel it. Every single day. It impacts not only your physical well-being but your emotional and mental health as well. For some, the pain is the direct result of an injury, medical condition, or a surgical procedure. For others, it stems from an autoimmune condition or genetic disposition. Still for others, it feels like a complete mystery- one that doesn’t seem to have an answer.
Uncertainty with chronic pain
Which ever scenario describes the start of your journey with pain, to you it feels all encompassing. You feel as though your life revolves around the pain, dictating what you do and when you do it. Some might even go far enough to say they feel like a prisoner to their pain some days. You’ve had your fair share of doctor’s visits, physical therapy, acupuncture; you name it, you’ve tried it. You try so hard to not let it get to you emotionally, but some days just feel really hard and tiring. You notice feelings of anxiety and worry for the future, anger and frustration towards your body, sadness and longing for the life you felt like you once had. Maybe even left feeling lost and hopeless.
It’s not “just in your head”
As if the mental anguish wasn’t enough, you’re also having to deal with all the other life-related things that still have to go on- taking your kids to school, going to work, being present in your relationships, etc. You want to participate in your life more fully, but feel like your body doesn’t want to cooperate. Some days you push yourself but then pay for it in the days after. All the while, you’re still going to doctor’s appointments, pain clinics, or physical therapy with no real answer. Tests keep coming back negative with no definitive answer. You’re left feeling like you’re in the dark over and over again. I am here to help. Let me first start by saying that despite what you’ve been told, your pain is not “all in your head.” It is real. It is here. It hurts. And there are strategies you can learn to implement to better manage your pain and continue to live a life well-lived.
My approach will help you:
- Learn more about pain and how your body and mind interact with it.
- Implement active coping tools in your day-to-day life, allowing you to continue to live meaningfully.
- Connect certain significant emotions and thought patterns to your experience of pain and develop an understanding of their interactions.
- Uncover important life events that may be tied with your pain, allowing you to heal from past traumas and stress.
- Regain a sense of autonomy and balance with your body by learning how to tune into its needs and boundaries.
More possibilities than just pain
Our sessions will incorporate a combination of education, knowledge, patience, and what I like to call compassionate challenge. We will begin this process where you are ready to start and, together, we will decide when you are ready for the next steps. Schedule a consultation call with me to chat more about the possibilities.