Photo of Margaret T. Ben Hafsi, Marriage & Family Therapist in 91107, CA
Margaret T. Ben Hafsi
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
Pasadena, CA 91107  (Online Only)
Waitlist for new clients
Being human is challenging. Even if things look okay on the outside, we often don't feel so wonderful on the inside. Many of us spend time replaying past events, imagining future events, and worrying about all of the above. If you want to explore the underlying causes of what's bothering you, come into alignment with yourself, and live in harmony with your deepest true values, then you are an excellent candidate for therapy. Therapy does take work, and I'm here to support you and help you stay motivated and curious during your personal path to healing.
Being human is challenging. Even if things look okay on the outside, we often don't feel so wonderful on the inside. Many of us spend time replaying past events, imagining future events, and worrying about all of the above. If you want to explore the underlying causes of what's bothering you, come into alignment with yourself, and live in harmony with your deepest true values, then you are an excellent candidate for therapy. Therapy does take work, and I'm here to support you and help you stay motivated and curious during your personal path to healing.
(323) 395-0036 View (323) 395-0036
Photo of Pamela Coleman, Marriage & Family Therapist in 91107, CA
Pamela Coleman
Marriage & Family Therapist, LMFT
Verified Verified
Pasadena, CA 91107
My name is Pamela Coleman, and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 24 years of experience in the mental health field. My approach to therapy is client-entered, and my focus areas are adults of all ages, adolescents, couples, and families. My overall approach is eclectic, but I hold an attachment theory-based perspective. I am trauma-informed and trauma-responsive. My focus has been on clients that have experienced differing levels of trauma and, as a result, are having difficulty functioning in some area(s) of their life. This may be demonstrated as anxiety, avoidance, depression, or many other ways.
My name is Pamela Coleman, and I am a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with 24 years of experience in the mental health field. My approach to therapy is client-entered, and my focus areas are adults of all ages, adolescents, couples, and families. My overall approach is eclectic, but I hold an attachment theory-based perspective. I am trauma-informed and trauma-responsive. My focus has been on clients that have experienced differing levels of trauma and, as a result, are having difficulty functioning in some area(s) of their life. This may be demonstrated as anxiety, avoidance, depression, or many other ways.
(951) 379-3477 View (951) 379-3477
Photo of Katrin Koutassevitch, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in 91107, CA
Katrin Koutassevitch
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
Pasadena, CA 91107
Not accepting new clients
As an older adult, you are facing a new set of challenges. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, a medical condition, caregiver stress, or a change in living arrangements, you’re feeling down and overwhelmed. You’re tired of waking up tired. The stress or sadness feels like it’s taking over. You’re ready to start having some good days. You want to start feeling like yourself again.
As an older adult, you are facing a new set of challenges. Whether it’s the death of a loved one, a medical condition, caregiver stress, or a change in living arrangements, you’re feeling down and overwhelmed. You’re tired of waking up tired. The stress or sadness feels like it’s taking over. You’re ready to start having some good days. You want to start feeling like yourself again.
(424) 339-0977 View (424) 339-0977
Chronic Pain Therapists

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, catastrophizing, 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 behavioral 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.