IFS Therapy for Chronic Pain and Illness
In person in Virginia Beach and serving clients across VA, MD, & FL.
Chronic Pain touches every area of your life.
You live with a fatigue that doesn’t go away. You smile and mask through the pain. Diets, physical therapy, and medication haven’t made a difference. You’re grieving the body and life you imagined.
At Home
You’re missing soccer games with your kids and cancelling date nights with your spouse… all because you need to be curled up on the couch with a heating pad.
At Work
You take time off during flareups, then the work piles up. You never feel fully caught up.
With Friends
You worry about losing friendships every time you cancel plans, then overaccommodate in other areas to make up for it.
You may recognize some of this:
You’ve gotten used to functioning with a level of pain that others don’t understand.
You know anxiety makes things worse, but it’s hard not to be anxious about a flareup you know is coming.
You’ve felt dismissed by doctors, or were told to lose weight when you tried to advocate for yourself.
About Therapy for Chronic Pain
Going to therapy doesn’t mean you’re giving up on finding the right medical treatment. It means you’re taking a holistic approach that addresses mind and body.
About IFS Therapy for Chronic Pain
I primarily use Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy with clients. IFS is a way of working with your mind and body that helps you feel more calm and centered. You can read more about IFS here.
Chronic Pain Therapy Logistics
I meet with clients virtually or in my office in Virginia Beach, whichever is easiest for you. My office is located on the second floor, so you will need to climb a set of stairs.
We spend our first few sessions getting to know each other. We’ll talk about what you’re experiencing, where you’re struggling the most, and how you’d like life to be different.
You might want to use therapy to talk about whatever issue is bothering you each week. Or you might want to target one specific issue or goal that we come back to each week. Both are welcome, and that’s something we figure out together.
How IFS Therapy for Chronic Pain Helps You Cope Mentally
When Chronic Pain Affects Your Emotions
IFS can help you stop feeling anxious about your health or your next flareup, release body tension, set boundaries without guilt, feel more joy, and advocate for yourself within the healthcare system.
When Trauma Exacerbates Chronic Pain
IFS also helps with the impacts of trauma. Traumatic childhood experiences can have a lasting impact on your body, leading to chronic pain or making it worse. If your pain is connected to past trauma, IFS therapy targeting your trauma may reduce your pain.
