Photo of Vittorio Comelli, Psychologist in San Francisco, CA
Vittorio Comelli
Psychologist, Vittorio Comelli, PsyD
Verified Verified
San Francisco, CA 94104
(415) 639-9853 View (415) 639-9853

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Photo of Petra Gojun, Pre-Licensed Professional in San Francisco, CA
Petra Gojun
Pre-Licensed Professional
Verified Verified
Alameda, CA 94501
Axis Mundi would like to present Petra Gojun, a Counseling Trainee, supervised by Elysha Martinez, LMFT 93493. The supervisor works with Petra to help develop her clinical skills and to ensure she is providing quality care to you as the client. Petra is working towards her graduate degree in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling from Naropa University. Daring to know your needs, wants, and desires is bold and beautiful, particularly in a world that signals many "shoulds" for every possible area of one's life. A space to truly be with yourself can offer an opportunity to live from a place of a clear and empowered choice.
Axis Mundi would like to present Petra Gojun, a Counseling Trainee, supervised by Elysha Martinez, LMFT 93493. The supervisor works with Petra to help develop her clinical skills and to ensure she is providing quality care to you as the client. Petra is working towards her graduate degree in Mindfulness-Based Transpersonal Counseling from Naropa University. Daring to know your needs, wants, and desires is bold and beautiful, particularly in a world that signals many "shoulds" for every possible area of one's life. A space to truly be with yourself can offer an opportunity to live from a place of a clear and empowered choice.
(510) 892-3004 View (510) 892-3004

Online Therapists

Photo of Vera Velini, Marriage & Family Therapist in San Francisco, CA
Vera Velini
Marriage & Family Therapist, MA, LMFT
Verified Verified
6 Endorsed
San Jose, CA 95128
You have just made an important step towards creating the life you desire to live. I specialize in finding one's happiness and peace whether it be within the life of the individual, within a relationship or within a family. My passion is working with individuals and couples who desire to create deepest loving relationships, live their life authentically, find their purpose, and realize their dreams. Regardless of the challenges you face, our programs are designed to help you create and experience positive changes that last a lifetime. (NOTE: Don't forget to ask us about our SPECIAL PACKAGES)
You have just made an important step towards creating the life you desire to live. I specialize in finding one's happiness and peace whether it be within the life of the individual, within a relationship or within a family. My passion is working with individuals and couples who desire to create deepest loving relationships, live their life authentically, find their purpose, and realize their dreams. Regardless of the challenges you face, our programs are designed to help you create and experience positive changes that last a lifetime. (NOTE: Don't forget to ask us about our SPECIAL PACKAGES)
(408) 837-0663 View (408) 837-0663
Photo of Bojana Pandurevic in San Francisco, CA
Bojana Pandurevic
MS, MFT, RTT, CHT
Verified Verified
Sacramento, CA 95816
My focus is on working with youth and adults who carry unique emotional and psychological sensitivities. My style, that embodies more of humanistic and holistic approaches, has proven to be very effective with individuals who are connected to spiritual or creative energies; individuals such as artists, healers and LGBTQ, who struggle with self acceptance, self esteem, anxiety and depression. My aim is to help you find and acknowledge all parts of yourself, heal and embrace them all, in order to create a complete and wholesome you.
My focus is on working with youth and adults who carry unique emotional and psychological sensitivities. My style, that embodies more of humanistic and holistic approaches, has proven to be very effective with individuals who are connected to spiritual or creative energies; individuals such as artists, healers and LGBTQ, who struggle with self acceptance, self esteem, anxiety and depression. My aim is to help you find and acknowledge all parts of yourself, heal and embrace them all, in order to create a complete and wholesome you.
(530) 461-5019 View (530) 461-5019

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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.