Chronic Illness & Medical Grief Support
Living with a chronic, complex physical illness is an ongoing trauma. We provide specialized somatic and mind-body therapy to help you process medical grief, settle a hyper-vigilant nervous system, and reclaim your agency.
You Are Not Making It Up
Many clients with complex, multi-system illnesses (such as POTS, MCAS, hypermobility, or ME/CFS) spend years seeking a diagnosis, only to be dismissed by doctors who suggest their physical symptoms are 'just anxiety'. This medical gaslighting leaves a deep wound of trauma and self-doubt.
We know your symptoms are real. We also understand that chronic physical stress inevitably dysregulates the nervous system, putting your body into a constant state of fight-or-flight (survival mode). This creates an intense mind-body feedback loop, where physical flares trigger emotional panic, which in turn triggers more physical inflammation.
Our approach combines deep, empathetic medical grief work (grieving the body and life you expected to have) with somatic nervous system tracking. We teach you how to soothe a reactive nervous system and practice radical pacing, allowing you to live a life of meaning even within physical limitations.
I also help with the practical realities of chronic illness — navigating the stress of filing for disability, writing accommodation letters for work or school, and exploring new goals for employment or education that honor your current needs and capacities.
Nervous System Somatic Stages
Adrenaline surges, POTS tachycardia, heart racing, high-alert muscle tension, medical scanning, sleep issues.
Severe post-exertional fatigue, numbness, brain fog, depressive collapse, dissociation, physical shutdown.
Nervous system regulated, diaphragmatic ease, somatic awareness, emotional safety, realistic pacing.
Complex Physical Issues We Support
We bring specialized training in health psychology and somatic tracking to support the complex neuro-immune-endocrine systems involved in multi-system chronic syndromes:
Dysautonomia & POTS
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and other autonomic nervous system disorders. We help you navigate the intense anxiety mimics that adrenaline spikes cause, and support lifestyle pacing.
Autoimmune Diseases
Conditions like Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Hashimoto's, Crohn's, and Multiple Sclerosis. We address the emotional grief of chronic flare-ups and teach somatic pacing to manage stress-induced inflammation.
ME/CFS & Fibromyalgia
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and widespread chronic pain. We provide non-judgmental pacing support, rejecting harmful 'push through' mentalities, focusing on energy conservation.
MCAS & Mast Cell Activation
Severe chemical, environmental, and dietary sensitivities. We address the nervous system hyper-vigilance that accompanies severe allergic reactions, establishing deep safety and peace in a reactive body.
Hypermobility & hEDS
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders. We help you manage chronic joint pain, fatigue, and the psychological impact of navigating a complex, multi-system genetic condition.
Long COVID & Post-Viral Syndromes
Navigating the devastating, sudden onset of multi-system physical symptoms. We support you through the profound medical grief and help you establish a pacing-oriented lifestyle.
Our Mind-Body Therapeutic Framework
We move away from rigid 'cognitive' behavioral therapy, incorporating somatic and nervous system safety:
Somatic Tracking & Nervous System Audits
We teach you how to scan your body with curiosity and neutrality rather than panic. By mapping your nervous system states, you learn to intervene with gentle physical strategies before entering complete post-exertional crash or high-adrenaline panic.
Radical Pacing & Spoon Theory
Many chronic illness patients are stuck in a painful 'boom-and-bust' cycle: pushing hard on a good day, and crashing for three days after. We help you implement strict somatic pacing protocols to stay within your energy envelope and foster neurological safety.
Medical Grief & Relational Boundaries
We hold a sacred space for your grief. We grieve the activities, jobs, or physical abilities that illness has taken from you. We also explore relational boundaries—helping you communicate your energy needs to friends, family, and employers without guilt.
You don't have to carry this grief alone.
Let's establish a supportive, validating therapeutic space to honor your body's journey. Book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss mind-body support.