Chronic Pain or Illness

Living with illness, disability, and/or chronic pain can leave you feeling isolated as you navigate changing relationships, medical care, stretched finances, grief for what's been lost, fear about the future, experiences of invisibility/hypervisibility, and anger about how you've been treated. I work from a Disability Justice model, grappling with the ways in which our world often fails to provide accommodation and access, and how our lives become shaped by that lack of care and recognition.

I worked with children diagnosed with special needs for many years, in many settings. In addition, I interned at Winship Cancer Institute and worked for CHOA in their inherited bleeding disorders unit. I have a unique understanding how illness affects clients across the lifespan.

Unfortunately, many people with chronic illness hesitate to be in therapy because doctors have told them that their symptoms are probably just anxiety or depression. I am here to tell you that your experiences are real, you know your body and lived experiences best, and it is not all in your head. I approach therapy for chronic illness and pain with both the mind and body at the forefront. I have extensive experience working with folks with many different chronic health issues.

Are you living with a chronic illness or endless enduring pain? have you just received a new diagnosis for a illness you are trying to wrap your head aroud? I love to talk with folks about their feelings around illness.

At least 10% of people with mild acute Covid infection are now thought to fail to make a full recovery from their symptoms and return to their pre-existing level of functioning. Long haulers as they have been colloquially named by the peer community in the US refer to the multi symptom, multi system post viral syndrome. As a former long hauler myself, now mostly recovered, I am working with those who have not in my practice.

I have helped hundreds of clients who are actively suffering from chronic pain, chronic illnesses, and debilitating disabilities. Coming-to-terms with your physical struggles, learning how to navigate life with them, and finding your personal strengths all are very useful ways to beat the depression and anxiety that these issues cause. Good therapy can help.

Utilizing ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), I work with clients who live with chronic pain and/or chronic illness.

It is no secret that chronic pain or illness impacts not only all facets of our lives (work, relationships, etc.), but also all layers of the self (mind, body, spirit/soul). Then, healing should also be holistic and integrative. Through mind-body techniques like mindfulness, yoga, and somatic tracking we will work together on navigating the challenges of chronic pain/illness, while cultivating healing and building a meaningful life along the way.

I cured myself of a repetitive stress injury issue in college using Dr. John Sarno's mind-body medicine approach. Since then this approach has become more sophisticated and trauma-informed and I use it frequently with clients to help them heal from chronic pain and/or illness provided there is no known serious medical condition.

Chronic Pain and/or Illness can also be a symptom of C-PTSD. Therapeutic touch support can be a lovely addition to therapy to encourage a gentle and gradual softening and lessening of the internal, body based distress.

Living with illness, disability, and/or chronic pain can leave you feeling isolated as you navigate changing relationships, medical care, stretched finances, grief for what's been lost, fear about the future, experiences of invisibility/hypervisibility, and anger about how you've been treated. I work from a Disability Justice model, grappling with the ways in which our world often fails to provide accommodation and access, and how our lives become shaped by that lack of care and recognition.

From 1999-2018 I worked as a social worker in each segment of the health and mental health care system; hospitals, homecare, short term rehab, long term care, hospice, community mental health, inpatient psychiatric care, and other settings providing case management, counseling, therapy and other services to those in need. I also live with a number of chronic health conditions and am involved with the Ehlers Danlos society, Spinal Leak Foundation and Dysautonomia International.

I am a Chronic Pain/Illness and Chronic Fatigue informed provider. I myself live with Chronic Fatigue/Pain/Illnesses and I understand firsthand the feelings of shame and frustration when we have to reschedule something or cancel. I know how hard it is when your friends and loved ones don’t seem to understand your daily limits especially if you are running out of spoons, (Spoon theory)How we have limited energy resources and we expend more energy on basic tasks than healthy people.

Discover everyday practices to help you thrive. Learn how to increase your self-awareness and design the best quality of life for yourself.

Dr. Clendaniel is a pediatric psychology who specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents and young adults with anxiety and health-related adjustment issues. She has particular expertise in pain management and treatment of chronic headache and functional gastrointestinal illness.

Fibromyalgia, Food Allergies/Anaphylaxis, Headache, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBD (Crohn's/Colitis), Infertility, ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Migraine

Supporting individuals & families in all realms of Health, Healing & Life Transitions - coping with chronic illness; managing acute physical or mental illness; adjusting to chronic physical or mental health diagnosis; living better with chronic pain; healing after medical treatments; navigating uncertainty; managing cancer survivorship & chronic disease management; facing dying authentically.

We offer specialized services for individuals living with a chronic medical condition or chronic pain, along with the caregivers for those individuals. We support clients through individual and group therapy, neurofeedback for pain management, and/or health coaching for holistic wellness.