Chronic Pain Therapy

Moving Beyond Pain Management 

Chronic pain is a complex, lived experience that often persists- sometimes long after the body’s tissues have healed or even when there’s no identifiable explanation. When pain becomes chronic, the nervous system can become "sensitized," effectively learning to remain in a state of high alert. I provide a specialized approach that integrates traditional chronic pain management, neuroplastic healing (when appropriate), and values-based action.

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The Foundations of My Approach

My practice utilizes the latest advancements in pain science to address the neurological pathways that may sustain pain and the psychological complexities that often arise with chronic pain. Your treatment is curated using three core evidence-based pillars:

• Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT): A system of psychological techniques aimed at retraining the brain to interpret signals from the body accurately. For those navigating neuroplastic pain, PRT targets the neurological roots of your symptoms to decrease pain intensity and frequency.

• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): A mindfulness and values-based approach designed to increase psychological flexibility. We focus on living with intention and reconnecting with what truly matters to you, ensuring that pain no longer dictates the boundaries of your life.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): A structured framework to address the thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that often exacerbate the pain cycle, helping to reduce the overall burden of chronic illness on your daily life.

 

What to Expect

Our work will be collaborative and intentional. To ensure the highest quality of care, our work will likely follow this trajectory:

1. Comprehensive Pain Assessment: We begin with an in-depth evaluation of your chronic pain, health and mental health history. We identify whether your symptoms are driven by structural issues, neuroplastic pathways, or a combination of both. We will also consider any psychological complexities you are experiencing alongside your chronic pain.

2. Diagnostic Feedback & Education: I provide a working model of what may be contributing to and perpetuating your chronic pain. 

3. Active Treatment Phase: We engage in active, present-focused sessions. Treatment involving PRT will include Somatic Tracking—learning to observe sensations without the alarm response, identifying emotional or environmental triggers that heighten your nervous system's sensitivity. We will also practice shifting thought patterns and actions that may perpetuate the pain cycle.

4. Living with Intention: As we work to reduce pain intensity, we simultaneously focus on identifying what truly matters to you and  "functional restoration." This means reclaiming activities, hobbies, and social connections that chronic pain may have forced you to abandon.