Chronic Pain Counselling in GU15

Photo of Andrew Byrne, Psychotherapist in GU15, England
Andrew Byrne
Psychotherapist, MBACP
Verified Verified
I'm a qualified and experienced Integrative & Short-term dynamic psychotherapist and supervisor based in Farnborough. I work with a range of conditions, my specialist areas are emotional neglect, anxiety, depression, attachment, trauma, addictions, anger, bereavement, personality disorders, chronic pain & CFS/ME. I'm offering to face to face appointments in Farnborough. I am also continuing to provide online appointments.
I'm a qualified and experienced Integrative & Short-term dynamic psychotherapist and supervisor based in Farnborough. I work with a range of conditions, my specialist areas are emotional neglect, anxiety, depression, attachment, trauma, addictions, anger, bereavement, personality disorders, chronic pain & CFS/ME. I'm offering to face to face appointments in Farnborough. I am also continuing to provide online appointments.
01252 968052 View 01252 968052
Photo of Jane Floyd, Psychotherapist in GU15, England
Jane Floyd
Psychotherapist, MBABCP
Verified Verified
I can help with emotional distress, depression, stress, and anxiety (including OCD and PTSD), as well as the challenges living with a long-term physical health condition can pose.
I can help with emotional distress, depression, stress, and anxiety (including OCD and PTSD), as well as the challenges living with a long-term physical health condition can pose.
0118 230 8241 View 0118 230 8241
Photo of Diana Catherine Wood, Psychotherapist in GU15, England
Diana Catherine Wood
Psychotherapist, MA, BPC
Verified Verified
Are looking for someone to help your distressed son or daughter? I work with a wide range of difficulties; seeing distress & behaviour as an attempt to communicate & manage painful emotions. I aim to help children & young people to develop skills, resilience, & self awareness as they traverse the task of growing. I also offer parent work, & supervision to those working with children & families. In my adult practice I have a particular interest in childhood trauma. I am curious as to how our unique histories may influence our capacity to relate & harness what life can offer, as well as manage its inevitable stressors & losses.
Are looking for someone to help your distressed son or daughter? I work with a wide range of difficulties; seeing distress & behaviour as an attempt to communicate & manage painful emotions. I aim to help children & young people to develop skills, resilience, & self awareness as they traverse the task of growing. I also offer parent work, & supervision to those working with children & families. In my adult practice I have a particular interest in childhood trauma. I am curious as to how our unique histories may influence our capacity to relate & harness what life can offer, as well as manage its inevitable stressors & losses.
01252 947366 View 01252 947366
Photo of Penny Simmonite, Psychotherapist in GU15, England
Penny Simmonite
Psychotherapist, MBACP Accred
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
You may be feeling life is just too much to manage right now, perhaps you've had a bereavement or loss, or maybe something from the past is impacting on how you are feeling. Asking for professional help can feel daunting, but once you've made that decision, it can bring relief and then finding the right person, who can hear your concerns and support you, is really important. I can offer a safe, confidential space and give you the time and space to explore what is going on for you, to help you gain awareness and insight into what's troubling you and help you reach your goals.
You may be feeling life is just too much to manage right now, perhaps you've had a bereavement or loss, or maybe something from the past is impacting on how you are feeling. Asking for professional help can feel daunting, but once you've made that decision, it can bring relief and then finding the right person, who can hear your concerns and support you, is really important. I can offer a safe, confidential space and give you the time and space to explore what is going on for you, to help you gain awareness and insight into what's troubling you and help you reach your goals.
01372 236068 View 01372 236068

See more therapy options for GU15


Chronic Pain Counsellors

How does chronic pain therapy work?

Engaging with a psychotherapist to help treat chronic pain does not mean that one’s pain is all in their head. Therapy for chronic-pain patients has been shown to benefit both the mind and the body, targeting physical symptoms and increasing daily functioning. In other words, for many, addressing their emotional health through therapy affects their physical health. A therapist can help a client challenge unhelpful thoughts about pain and develop new ways to respond to it, such as distraction or calming breathing techniques. Studies have found that therapy can be as effective as surgery for certain cases of chronic pain and many doctors recommend trying psychotherapy in advance of considering invasive surgery.

What are the most effective treatment options for chronic pain?

Stress, anxiety, depression, catastrophising, ruminating, lack of activity, and social withdrawal all make chronic pain worse. Addressing these issues, research shows, can help people gain control over their pain symptoms. Therapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy, biofeedback, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, along with greater pain-management education, have been found to help people reduce fear and disability.

Are there new treatments for chronic pain?

Many cases of chronic pain, particularly those involving back pain, remain medically unexplained. But there is evidence that changes in the brain or nervous system are caused by previous physical ailments such as tissue damage; in such cases, the brain may continue to send out pain signals despite the physical cause having healed. To aid patients under these circumstances, a recently developed treatment known as pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) is designed to help the brain “unlearn” this response. A PRT practitioner helps individuals to reduce the “threat value” of their ongoing pain signals until they can reappraise them as less threatening and fear-inducing. They also help an individual to develop new emotional regulation skills.

How long does therapy for chronic pain take?

There is no set timeline for recovery from chronic pain, especially as there may be a range of physical and psychological causes for any individual’s discomfort, but most patients should expect to see a therapist for a number of weeks or months, typically spanning at least 12 sessions. Studies of pain reprocessing therapy found that many individuals’ experience of pain lessened in eight sessions over four weeks.