Online in Austin and Across TX, WA, FL, ME, NM, & WI
Specialized Therapy and EMDR for Chronic Pain & Chronic Health Conditions
Relief is possible.
You’re doing everything you can—but the pain doesn’t stop.
You’ve tried being positive. You’ve tried resting. You’ve tried pushing through. But whether it’s chronic pain, a long-term health condition, or a body that seems to always be working against you - nothing seems to make it feel better for long.
Living with Chronic Pain or Illness Changes Everything.
Chronic pain and chronic health conditions don’t just affect your body - they impact your emotions, your confidence, your relationships, and your sense of safety in the world. Especially if you're a perfectionist or someone who tends to over-function in life.
You may find yourself:
Constantly searching for answers, but feeling dismissed or gaslit by medical providers
Hiding your pain or minimizing your symptoms so you don’t burden others
Feeling guilty for resting or saying no - even when you're exhausted and hurting
Pushing through discomfort to keep up appearances
Isolating because no one really gets it
Over time, you might begin to disconnect from your body entirely - because it feels like your body has betrayed you.
But what if your body isn’t the enemy? What if it’s doing its best to protect you?
Your pain is real.
“The other important focus is to realize that pain in and of itself becomes traumatizing.”
― Peter A. Levine
Chronic pain, the nervous system & emotional trauma
Research shows that chronic pain is not just a physical issue - it’s deeply tied to the nervous system and how the brain processes stress, emotion, and trauma. Especially for people who have been through painful life experiences, chronic symptoms often emerge as the body’s way of screaming what couldn’t be spoken.
If you grew up in an environment where emotional needs were unmet - or where you had to stay small, helpful, or invisible to feel safe - your body may have internalized stress in a very real, physical way.
These patterns aren’t your fault. They are your nervous system’s intelligent way of adapting to chronic stress.
Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Trauma-Informed Approach
You don’t need to “think your way out” of chronic pain. Instead, therapy and specialized EMDR techniques can help you reconnect with your body in a new way - gently, with compassion, and with deep respect for what your nervous system has been through.
In our work together, we focus on:
Calming the nervous system to reduce the intensity of pain signals
Processing medical trauma or invalidating healthcare experiences
Exploring emotional roots of physical symptoms - without blame or shame
Reclaiming trust in your body, one moment at a time
Making space for grief, frustration, and anger around your health journey
How can specialized EMDR therapy help with chronic pain?
Chronic pain isn’t just about what’s happening in the body - it’s also about how the nervous system has learned to stay on high alert. Pain pathways can get “stuck in overdrive,” sending pain signals long after the original injury or trigger is gone.
Specialized EMDR helps by:
Calming overactive pain signals in the nervous system
Reprocessing painful experiences—both physical and emotional—that may be amplifying pain
Shifting the body out of survival mode, where pain often intensifies
Supporting the body’s natural healing responses without relying solely on medication
Over time, this work can help reduce pain intensity, improve daily functioning, and increase your sense of safety and control in your body. Many clients also notice benefits like better sleep, less anxiety, and more emotional resilience as their nervous system finds balance again.