I will teach you Cognitive Behavioral techniques to begin to identify and become curious about the thoughts, perspectives, and core beliefs about yourself and your pain that shape the intensity of your pain as well as your emotions, behavior, and decision making. You might notice that you have a loop of recurring thoughts about the pain, “Oh no, my pain is back!” “When will it ever go away?” “How will I ever be able to do the things I need to do if I can’t get rid of this?” These painful and anxiety-provoking thoughts are natural, but when they are uncontrolled serve to intensify the pain, creating a negative spiral.
Through cognitive restructuring, we will work collaboratively to help restructure these old neural pathways and lay down new, more adaptive neural pathways. This can result in immediate symptom alleviation, and through continued practice, this symptom alleviation can last a lifetime.
A large and growing body of research supports the helpfulness of mindfulness in reducing or even eliminating chronic pain symptoms. I have extensive personal and professional experience utilizing mindfulness techniques and have seen mindfulness practice transform my own life and the lives of countless clients. In session, I integrate guided meditations and will teach you mindfulness principles that will help you develop concentration, empathy, insight, the ability to relate to your pain in a new way, as well as the skills to tolerate and regulate emotions more effectively.