Therapy for Living with Chronic Pain in Evanston, IL
Somatic Trauma Therapy for Living with Chronic Pain & Chronic Illness
Body-based therapy for adults living with persistent pain, nervous system dysregulation, and trauma. Available in Evanston and online throughout Illinois.
If you live with chronic pain, you may have heard:
“It’s stress.”
“It’s anxiety.”
“It’s in your head.”
Chronic pain is real.
And it is deeply connected to the nervous system.
I provide specialized therapy that addresses chronic pain using somatic trauma therapy and EMDR to support adults navigating persistent pain, medical trauma, and chronic illness.
How is Chronic Pain Addressed in Therapy?
In our sessions, chronic pain is not about dismissing medical causes.
It is about addressing the nervous system patterns that can amplify pain signals long after an injury, illness, or stressor has occurred.
Research in pain neuroscience shows that trauma and prolonged stress can increase central sensitization — a process in which the brain and spinal cord become more reactive to pain signals.
Institutions such as Harvard Medical School and Stanford University School of Medicine have contributed to research exploring how stress physiology impacts pain perception.
Somatic Therapy and EMDR cannot reverse or completely remove chronic pain conditions.
In therapy, we focus on calming the survival response that keeps the body braced and inflamed.
The Trauma–Chronic Pain Connection
The landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrated strong correlations between early trauma exposure and increased risk of chronic pain and inflammatory conditions in adulthood.
Trauma can alter:
Autonomic nervous system regulation
Stress hormone patterns
Immune system functioning
Pain processing pathways
When the nervous system remains in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn for extended periods, muscles guard, inflammation rises, and pain thresholds decrease.
This does not mean pain is “psychological.”
It means pain is neurobiological.
Conditions Often Linked to Trauma & Nervous System Dysregulation
Therapy for chronic pain can support individuals living with:
Fibromyalgia
Chronic migraines or tension headaches
TMJ
Pelvic pain
Chronic neck and back pain
IBS and digestive disorders
Endometriosis
Autoimmune-related pain
Chronic fatigue
Long COVID–related nervous system symptoms
Not all chronic pain originates from trauma.
But unresolved trauma can intensify and prolong pain cycles.
How Somatic Trauma Therapy Addresses Chronic Pain
Somatic trauma therapy works with the body rather than against it.
In therapy, we focus on:
Reducing muscular guarding
Increasing nervous system flexibility
Supporting vagal tone and regulation
Processing medical trauma
Building pacing and capacity awareness
This work complements — not replaces — medical care.
EMDR Therapy for Traumatic Experiences Involving Chronic Pain Conditions
When chronic pain is connected to:
Injury trauma
Surgical trauma
Medical gaslighting
Repeated invasive procedures
Sudden illness onset
EMDR therapy can help process the nervous system imprint of these experiences.
I integrate EMDR with somatic stabilization to ensure trauma processing does not overwhelm the body.
Learn more about EMDR Therapy & Intensives
ADHD Burnout & Chronic Pain or Illness
Adults with ADHD are often living in chronic stress cycles.
Years of masking, overcompensating, and pushing through exhaustion can contribute to:
Muscle tension
Headaches
Digestive issues
Immune vulnerability
Burnout-related pain
Somatic Therapy for chronic pain within a neurodivergent-affirming framework addresses both the physiological stress patterns and systematic exhaustion.
Explore ADHD Burnout Therapy for additional support.
What Sessions Are Like
Therapy for living with chronic pain is paced and collaborative.
We may use:
Gentle nervous system regulation exercises
Sensory tracking
Breathwork adapted for pain conditions
Micro-movement
Trauma processing (when appropriate)
Psychoeducation on pain neuroscience
You remain in control of the pace.
We prioritize safety and stabilization.
Who Is a Good Fit for Therapy Addressing Chronic Pain?
This approach may be a good fit if you:
Live with persistent pain despite medical treatment
Notice pain worsens with stress
Feel dismissed or invalidated by providers
Have a history of trauma or medical trauma
Experience ADHD burnout alongside pain
Want body-based therapy, not just cognitive coping tools
Therapy for Chronic Pain in Evanston & Online in Illinois
In-person therapy in Evanston
Online therapy throughout Illinois
Integrated somatic therapy + EMDR
Neurodivergent-affirming and LGBTQ+ affirming care
You Deserve Relief That Addresses Your Entire Nervous System
Chronic pain is exhausting.
Not just physically — emotionally.
If you are ready to explore a trauma-informed, body-based approach to living with chronic pain in Evanston, schedule a consultation.