Photo of Laila Merz, Psychologist in Saint Louis, MO
Laila Merz
Psychologist, PhD
Verified Verified
Saint Louis, MO 63124
Some of my specialty areas are Attachment- Based Issues, Anxiety and Depressive/ Mood Disorders, Addictions/Substance Abuse, Post Traumatic Disorders, Trauma, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, Couples Therapy, Divorce, Women's Health Issues, Chronic Pain, Yoga, Somatic based Therapies, and Spirituality.
I went into the field of psychology because I love helping people transform to the best version of themselves. We all need a safe place to understand ourselves and how we relate to others/self. I often say "We need to be Mindful of our Total-Well Being and that our minds and our bodies are an inter-connected systems. Where the mind goes, so does the man or woman in their actions and body states. We go to the physician for our physical health, so how much healthier would we be if we went to our psychologist for our mental health?" At heart, I am a holistic practitioner and love seeing my clients Thrive.
Some of my specialty areas are Attachment- Based Issues, Anxiety and Depressive/ Mood Disorders, Addictions/Substance Abuse, Post Traumatic Disorders, Trauma, Obsessive Compulsive Disorders, Couples Therapy, Divorce, Women's Health Issues, Chronic Pain, Yoga, Somatic based Therapies, and Spirituality.
I went into the field of psychology because I love helping people transform to the best version of themselves. We all need a safe place to understand ourselves and how we relate to others/self. I often say "We need to be Mindful of our Total-Well Being and that our minds and our bodies are an inter-connected systems. Where the mind goes, so does the man or woman in their actions and body states. We go to the physician for our physical health, so how much healthier would we be if we went to our psychologist for our mental health?" At heart, I am a holistic practitioner and love seeing my clients Thrive.
(314) 485-4853 View (314) 485-4853
Photo of Alicia Seidler, Licensed Professional Counselor in Saint Louis, MO
Alicia Seidler
Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Saint Louis, MO 63129
I have worked in a variety of settings: Saint Louis County court, assisting victims of crime and those in domestic violence situations, Saint Louis City as the director of a psychiatric group home, serving those with addictions, severe mental illness, and homelessness, and now as the founder of a thriving business.
I seek to do whatever possible to help you feel safe in counseling. The relationship between you and I needs to be one that feels warm, inviting, non-judgmental, and encouraging. From the safety of this relationship, you can then feel supported enough to grieve what has been lost and push to fight for the things that have been taken from your life.
I have worked in a variety of settings: Saint Louis County court, assisting victims of crime and those in domestic violence situations, Saint Louis City as the director of a psychiatric group home, serving those with addictions, severe mental illness, and homelessness, and now as the founder of a thriving business.
I seek to do whatever possible to help you feel safe in counseling. The relationship between you and I needs to be one that feels warm, inviting, non-judgmental, and encouraging. From the safety of this relationship, you can then feel supported enough to grieve what has been lost and push to fight for the things that have been taken from your life.
(314) 696-6125 View (314) 696-6125
Photo of Midwest Institute for Addiction (dba SLBWC), Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Saint Louis, MO
Midwest Institute for Addiction (dba SLBWC)
Clinical Social Work/Therapist
Verified Verified
Saint Louis, MO 63141
As a quality service focused St. Louis, Missouri addiction treatment center for alcohol and drug abuse and dependency, our focus is person-centered. At our St. Louis addiction treatment center we understand that service is part of care and maintain a culture of accessibility, responsiveness, compassion, and adaptability. The MIA difference involves going beyond best practices regarding medical, psychiatric, and behavioral care and providing a culture of quality service that our clients find invaluable. At MIA, your addiction treatment experience is one that promotes recovery and well-being without forgetting client satisfaction.
As a quality service focused St. Louis, Missouri addiction treatment center for alcohol and drug abuse and dependency, our focus is person-centered. At our St. Louis addiction treatment center we understand that service is part of care and maintain a culture of accessibility, responsiveness, compassion, and adaptability. The MIA difference involves going beyond best practices regarding medical, psychiatric, and behavioral care and providing a culture of quality service that our clients find invaluable. At MIA, your addiction treatment experience is one that promotes recovery and well-being without forgetting client satisfaction.
(314) 887-3841 View (314) 887-3841
Photo of Midwest Institute for Addiction, Licensed Professional Counselor in Saint Louis, MO
Midwest Institute for Addiction
Licensed Professional Counselor, MSW, LMSW, PhD, MD
Verified Verified
Saint Louis, MO 63141
Any St. Louis rehabilitation center can provide treatment; MIA provides the difference. There are many drug rehab centers, but few of these rehab centers compare to Midwest Institute for Addiction's programs. This differentiation goes beyond our comprehensive, individualized, and evidence based treatment model and focuses on the quality of services that we offer. There is a lack of separation in the minds of professional service providers when considering the difference between a product offered and the service that coincides with that product. The MIA difference is the ability to offer quality services that coincide with our quality treatment.
Any St. Louis rehabilitation center can provide treatment; MIA provides the difference. There are many drug rehab centers, but few of these rehab centers compare to Midwest Institute for Addiction's programs. This differentiation goes beyond our comprehensive, individualized, and evidence based treatment model and focuses on the quality of services that we offer. There is a lack of separation in the minds of professional service providers when considering the difference between a product offered and the service that coincides with that product. The MIA difference is the ability to offer quality services that coincide with our quality treatment.
(314) 834-7035 View (314) 834-7035
Photo of First Choice Counseling Professional Corporation, Licensed Professional Counselor in Saint Louis, MO
First Choice Counseling Professional Corporation
Licensed Professional Counselor, ThD Psy, PhD CES, LPCCS, MAC, NCC
Verified Verified
Saint Louis, MO 63102
Our patients are individuals, couples or groups who have been struggling with depression, anxiety, mood disorder and other behavioral challenges that have made ordinary day to day functioning impossible or extremely difficult. Through evidence-based clinical mental health therapy that includes EMDR, CBT, DBT, and SFBT, we assess, and diagnose individuals, couples and groups providing evidenced-based treatment plans.
Our patients are individuals, couples or groups who have been struggling with depression, anxiety, mood disorder and other behavioral challenges that have made ordinary day to day functioning impossible or extremely difficult. Through evidence-based clinical mental health therapy that includes EMDR, CBT, DBT, and SFBT, we assess, and diagnose individuals, couples and groups providing evidenced-based treatment plans.
(314) 784-5915 View (314) 784-5915
Photo of First Choice Counseling Professional Corporation, Counselor in Saint Louis, MO
First Choice Counseling Professional Corporation
Counselor, PhD CES, ThD PSY, MAC, MA, LPCCS
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Saint Louis, MO 63102
I hold two doctorates one in psychology and a master's degree in clinical mental health care, and professional counseling making me a highly qualified professional counselor, clinician, and therapist. Additionally, I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). My expertise lies in providing talk therapy to individuals of all ages, including adolescents, adults, seniors, families, and groups. To ensure the best outcomes for my clients, I utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy as an initial approach. This allows me to effectively address their specific situations and circumstances.
I hold two doctorates one in psychology and a master's degree in clinical mental health care, and professional counseling making me a highly qualified professional counselor, clinician, and therapist. Additionally, I am trained in Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). My expertise lies in providing talk therapy to individuals of all ages, including adolescents, adults, seniors, families, and groups. To ensure the best outcomes for my clients, I utilize cognitive-behavioral therapy as an initial approach. This allows me to effectively address their specific situations and circumstances.
(314) 947-3660 View (314) 947-3660

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.