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Online Therapists

Photo of Mikayla Baugh, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
Mikayla Baugh
Licensed Professional Counselor, MAEd, LPC, NCC
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Richmond, VA 23226  (Online Only)
Waitlist for new clients
Change, difficult life experiences, and mental illness can throw our lives off balance while providing opportunities to transform.
People come to therapy with strengths and skills that have helped them to survive up until meeting me, and I find that it is often better to work with existing tools rather than tearing down entire foundations. As a clinician, I can help you to decide what stays, what goes, what skills should be emphasized, and what skills should be learned. I have supported others to solve relationship problems, establish effective coping systems, with adjusting to difficult life experiences and spaces. We are both experts in the room and I will use my understandings of integrative practices to help build the dream that you imagine for yourself.
Change, difficult life experiences, and mental illness can throw our lives off balance while providing opportunities to transform.
People come to therapy with strengths and skills that have helped them to survive up until meeting me, and I find that it is often better to work with existing tools rather than tearing down entire foundations. As a clinician, I can help you to decide what stays, what goes, what skills should be emphasized, and what skills should be learned. I have supported others to solve relationship problems, establish effective coping systems, with adjusting to difficult life experiences and spaces. We are both experts in the room and I will use my understandings of integrative practices to help build the dream that you imagine for yourself.
(804) 369-9829 View (804) 369-9829
Photo of Andrea Zalzal Sanderson, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
Andrea Zalzal Sanderson
Licensed Professional Counselor, MS, LPC
Verified Verified
Alexandria, VA 22307
Transform feelings of unworthiness. Disconnection, a sense of not having your own voice, or being invisible and discounted… it all needs to change. It’s been too long and too costly. The expense of not taking action is affecting you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Whether it is feeling struck in relationships, jobs or with parenting or co-parenting. Perhaps, it is struggling with depression, anxiety, illness, or a major life transition. I can help.
Transform feelings of unworthiness. Disconnection, a sense of not having your own voice, or being invisible and discounted… it all needs to change. It’s been too long and too costly. The expense of not taking action is affecting you emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Whether it is feeling struck in relationships, jobs or with parenting or co-parenting. Perhaps, it is struggling with depression, anxiety, illness, or a major life transition. I can help.
(571) 497-4659 x4 View (571) 497-4659 x4
Photo of Kelly Anne Bojan, Resident in Counseling in Broadway, VA
Kelly Anne Bojan
Resident in Counseling, RIC, NCC, PLPC
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
Alexandria, VA 22308
You are not alone. Sometimes we need someone else to see us, hear us, hold space for us, and help us find clarity or ease pain. Prioritizing yourself and your mental well being is one of the bravest things you can do. Therapy can help you regain your sense of self, adjust better to changes, and find the support needed to thrive. As an Adlerian practitioner I believe that, as unique individuals, people should be validated, feel connected, and made to feel significant. Therapy sessions focus on the entire individual, not just the parts that need improvement.
You are not alone. Sometimes we need someone else to see us, hear us, hold space for us, and help us find clarity or ease pain. Prioritizing yourself and your mental well being is one of the bravest things you can do. Therapy can help you regain your sense of self, adjust better to changes, and find the support needed to thrive. As an Adlerian practitioner I believe that, as unique individuals, people should be validated, feel connected, and made to feel significant. Therapy sessions focus on the entire individual, not just the parts that need improvement.
(571) 554-2756 View (571) 554-2756
Photo of John-Paul James, Resident in Counseling in Broadway, VA
John-Paul James
Resident in Counseling, PhD, DMin, DACBN
Verified Verified
Alexandria, VA 22314  (Online Only)
My ideal clients are people with individual, health issues, parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, premartial, marriage, family, relationship, and sex challenges, body dysmorphia, psycho-social issues, chronic illness, chronic pain, chronic emotional difficulties, anxiety, mood disorders, and personality disorders. The client is willing to have consistent dialogue about how to improve this area of their life and is willing to try new ideas and/or behaviors suggested during their sessions within their daily life. My ability to establish a quick rapport, understanding, and genuineness are keys to my success with my clients.
My ideal clients are people with individual, health issues, parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, premartial, marriage, family, relationship, and sex challenges, body dysmorphia, psycho-social issues, chronic illness, chronic pain, chronic emotional difficulties, anxiety, mood disorders, and personality disorders. The client is willing to have consistent dialogue about how to improve this area of their life and is willing to try new ideas and/or behaviors suggested during their sessions within their daily life. My ability to establish a quick rapport, understanding, and genuineness are keys to my success with my clients.
(571) 200-6935 View (571) 200-6935
Photo of Julia Baumgardner Chung, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Julia Baumgardner Chung
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW, LICSW
Verified Verified
Vienna, VA 22180
My specialties include grief and loss, health psychology for chronic illness, mind/body and experiential treatment of chronic pain and physical symptoms, anxiety, depression, and life transitions.
Congratulations on taking the first step toward a major life change! The decision to begin counseling is an immense gesture of self love and courage. Finding the right fit is so important to the therapeutic process. Whatever brings you here - the loss of a loved one, a major life transition, troubling relationship patterns, chronic illness or pain, or feeling stuck and confused about the future - will be explored with openness, curiosity, and acceptance. Things can feel easier, when explored without shame or judgment. I believe that we all have the innate ability to heal with the right connection and understanding.
My specialties include grief and loss, health psychology for chronic illness, mind/body and experiential treatment of chronic pain and physical symptoms, anxiety, depression, and life transitions.
Congratulations on taking the first step toward a major life change! The decision to begin counseling is an immense gesture of self love and courage. Finding the right fit is so important to the therapeutic process. Whatever brings you here - the loss of a loved one, a major life transition, troubling relationship patterns, chronic illness or pain, or feeling stuck and confused about the future - will be explored with openness, curiosity, and acceptance. Things can feel easier, when explored without shame or judgment. I believe that we all have the innate ability to heal with the right connection and understanding.
(571) 351-1823 View (571) 351-1823
Photo of Dawn Head, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Dawn Head
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, MSW, LCSW
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
Reston, VA 20191  (Online Only)
Are you struggling to find your voice or feel confident in who you are and what you need to be happy? Are you overwhelmed with life stressors, anxiety, depression, trauma, or chronic pain? Are you having difficulty meeting your needs and finding balance in relationships with others? If so, please email me to discuss working together. My focus is on working to help adults deal with these challenges in order to function their best and have a more fulfilling, peaceful, and joyful life.
Are you struggling to find your voice or feel confident in who you are and what you need to be happy? Are you overwhelmed with life stressors, anxiety, depression, trauma, or chronic pain? Are you having difficulty meeting your needs and finding balance in relationships with others? If so, please email me to discuss working together. My focus is on working to help adults deal with these challenges in order to function their best and have a more fulfilling, peaceful, and joyful life.
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Photo of Nancy Brutsché in Broadway, VA
Nancy Brutsché
MSN, RN, PMHCNS, BC
Verified Verified
Arlington, VA 22207
MINDFULNESS-BASED SOMATIC PSYCHOTHERAPY & INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS: "What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." [Ralph Waldo Emerson]. All that you seek already lies within you. It is my great pleasure to assist you in opening up to your wholeness. Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship issues, chronic illness, pain, feeling stuck, existential/spiritual issues or simply seeking what you have been missing or what calls you, I am here to help you find the freedom, peace, love and joy you desire. I DO NOT PRESCRIBE NOR MANAGE MEDICATIONS.
MINDFULNESS-BASED SOMATIC PSYCHOTHERAPY & INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS: "What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." [Ralph Waldo Emerson]. All that you seek already lies within you. It is my great pleasure to assist you in opening up to your wholeness. Whether you are struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, relationship issues, chronic illness, pain, feeling stuck, existential/spiritual issues or simply seeking what you have been missing or what calls you, I am here to help you find the freedom, peace, love and joy you desire. I DO NOT PRESCRIBE NOR MANAGE MEDICATIONS.
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Photo of Mj Harford, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
Mj Harford
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, NCC, RYT
Verified Verified
3 Endorsed
Arlington, VA 22207  (Online Only)
I have a special focus for women who are struggling with chronic illness, infertility, and adjusting postpartum.
Are there areas of your life that, no matter what you seem to do feel “off,” disconnected, or unfulfilled? Despite all your best efforts, do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, overburdened, and craving control? Helping clients connect with their natural ability to heal, change, and grow is the heart of my work as a counselor. Together, we create a plan and develop the skills that allow you to take action towards a more meaningful life.
I have a special focus for women who are struggling with chronic illness, infertility, and adjusting postpartum.
Are there areas of your life that, no matter what you seem to do feel “off,” disconnected, or unfulfilled? Despite all your best efforts, do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, overburdened, and craving control? Helping clients connect with their natural ability to heal, change, and grow is the heart of my work as a counselor. Together, we create a plan and develop the skills that allow you to take action towards a more meaningful life.
(703) 832-8978 View (703) 832-8978
Photo of Amy Heard-Davison, Psychologist in Broadway, VA
Amy Heard-Davison
Psychologist, PhD
Verified Verified
Vienna, VA 22182
Waitlist for new clients
I believe that everyone has the ability to heal, learn, and thrive in the face of life's inevitable challenges. I provide individualized, compassionate care using techniques that are skills- focused and evidence-based. In my practice, these approaches have proven helpful for people struggling with medical issues such as neurological disorders, chronic pain, or fatigue and other symptoms related to physical imbalances. Many of my clients are also facing relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, a major life transition, or a recent loss. I help individuals and couples to create more vital, balanced, and meaningful lives.
I believe that everyone has the ability to heal, learn, and thrive in the face of life's inevitable challenges. I provide individualized, compassionate care using techniques that are skills- focused and evidence-based. In my practice, these approaches have proven helpful for people struggling with medical issues such as neurological disorders, chronic pain, or fatigue and other symptoms related to physical imbalances. Many of my clients are also facing relationship challenges, anxiety, depression, a major life transition, or a recent loss. I help individuals and couples to create more vital, balanced, and meaningful lives.
(703) 997-1417 View (703) 997-1417
Photo of GHDC Counseling, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
GHDC Counseling
Licensed Professional Counselor
Verified Verified
4 Endorsed
Richmond, VA 23226
GHDC practices from the belief that everyone can succeed if given the resources to do so, and we know that everyone has a purpose to discover. A therapist’s duty is to empower. When done correctly, therapy can be a resource for self-awareness, better relationships, and happiness that extends beyond material things. Our agency has considerable experience with trauma, serious mental illness, and holistic treatment methods. We are also experienced in servicing children, offering play based counseling and art based therapies.
GHDC practices from the belief that everyone can succeed if given the resources to do so, and we know that everyone has a purpose to discover. A therapist’s duty is to empower. When done correctly, therapy can be a resource for self-awareness, better relationships, and happiness that extends beyond material things. Our agency has considerable experience with trauma, serious mental illness, and holistic treatment methods. We are also experienced in servicing children, offering play based counseling and art based therapies.
(804) 554-5978 View (804) 554-5978
Photo of Marissa Cassens, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Marissa Cassens
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified Verified
4 Endorsed
Alexandria, VA 22314
I have extensive experience working with clients who struggle with eating disorders, depressive and anxiety disorders, chronic pain, grief and dementia.
I strongly believe my clients are the experts in their own lives and can experience healing and personal growth through regaining self-efficacy in their own abilities. My goals are to provide an empathetic, genuine, and constructive space for growth and healing. I utilize evidence-based modalities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and motivational interviewing to assist clients in addressing negative thought patterns, gain acceptance towards themselves, and increase their tool box of helpful coping skills.
I have extensive experience working with clients who struggle with eating disorders, depressive and anxiety disorders, chronic pain, grief and dementia.
I strongly believe my clients are the experts in their own lives and can experience healing and personal growth through regaining self-efficacy in their own abilities. My goals are to provide an empathetic, genuine, and constructive space for growth and healing. I utilize evidence-based modalities of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and motivational interviewing to assist clients in addressing negative thought patterns, gain acceptance towards themselves, and increase their tool box of helpful coping skills.
(571) 556-1575 View (571) 556-1575
Photo of April Bennett, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
April Bennett
Licensed Professional Counselor, EdS, LPC
Verified Verified
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Accompaniment matters. Relationships transform. We sit together to access the health that is at the center of every human being, even when one of us can’t feel it. We sit because healing happens in relationship, access to true self is made easier in the presence of another person’s settled nervous system, and because your healing matters for the health of all of us. Whether you are facing overwhelm, anger, a frozen feeling, compulsions, depression, trauma, anxiety, or facing other difficult experience, we can touch it with awareness and respect. Our experience includes joy, includes pain, and includes connection and compassion.
Accompaniment matters. Relationships transform. We sit together to access the health that is at the center of every human being, even when one of us can’t feel it. We sit because healing happens in relationship, access to true self is made easier in the presence of another person’s settled nervous system, and because your healing matters for the health of all of us. Whether you are facing overwhelm, anger, a frozen feeling, compulsions, depression, trauma, anxiety, or facing other difficult experience, we can touch it with awareness and respect. Our experience includes joy, includes pain, and includes connection and compassion.
(434) 337-3568 View (434) 337-3568
Photo of Ashley Duquette, Counselor in Broadway, VA
Ashley Duquette
Counselor, LPC, LMHC, BC-DMT
Verified Verified
Woodbridge, VA 22193  (Online Only)
When life gets hard, I believe the bravest, most effective thing we can do is face our own emotions and allow ourselves to receive support. If you are feeling lost, unfulfilled or overwhelmed, you can find relief. Unresolved shame can keep us stuck in fear and frozen in old patterns. Within the container of our therapeutic relationship, we can integrate pain from the past and access connection in the present. Healing can happen in a safe, nonjudgemental interpersonal space where we can replace confusion and self-blame with understanding and compassion.
When life gets hard, I believe the bravest, most effective thing we can do is face our own emotions and allow ourselves to receive support. If you are feeling lost, unfulfilled or overwhelmed, you can find relief. Unresolved shame can keep us stuck in fear and frozen in old patterns. Within the container of our therapeutic relationship, we can integrate pain from the past and access connection in the present. Healing can happen in a safe, nonjudgemental interpersonal space where we can replace confusion and self-blame with understanding and compassion.
(718) 683-5774 View (718) 683-5774
Photo of Amy Crawford, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
Amy Crawford
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC
Verified Verified
4 Endorsed
Falls Church, VA 22041  (Online Only)
I help healthcare providers and teachers struggling with anxiety to reclaim their time and energy. Many of my clients are balancing relationships, family, and demanding jobs, leaving them exhausted and overwhelmed. Often my clients identify as people pleasers or perfectionists, and they wish they could be kinder to themselves and prioritize their own needs more. Almost all of my clients have had a difficult or traumatic experience that profoundly changed them, like illness, an unhealthy relationship, or child abuse. If any of these ring true for you, we can work together to help you bring more ease and balance into your life.
I help healthcare providers and teachers struggling with anxiety to reclaim their time and energy. Many of my clients are balancing relationships, family, and demanding jobs, leaving them exhausted and overwhelmed. Often my clients identify as people pleasers or perfectionists, and they wish they could be kinder to themselves and prioritize their own needs more. Almost all of my clients have had a difficult or traumatic experience that profoundly changed them, like illness, an unhealthy relationship, or child abuse. If any of these ring true for you, we can work together to help you bring more ease and balance into your life.
(571) 601-3270 View (571) 601-3270
Photo of Tina R Curran-Taylor, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
Tina R Curran-Taylor
Licensed Professional Counselor, LPC, ICADC, BC-TMH, NCC
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Arlington, VA 22209
With the advancement in therapeutic approaches including Emotional Freedom Techniques, Energy Psychology approaches and Internal Family Systems, we can compassionately address the pain you carry without rehashing it over and over again.
Hi there, I am Tina.. Do you struggle to have strong connections with loved ones, to progress in your life and career? Sometimes you might find that you are tired, struggling to motivate, feel keyed up, react defensively, or use alcohol to relax. Memories of past experiences may find their way into your mind only to distract and create distress. It’s likely you understand what is going on but feel overwhelmed about how to change it or worse, you have tried but haven’t been able to make significant or longstanding changes. This can leave you discouraged and the subject of your inner critic.
With the advancement in therapeutic approaches including Emotional Freedom Techniques, Energy Psychology approaches and Internal Family Systems, we can compassionately address the pain you carry without rehashing it over and over again.
Hi there, I am Tina.. Do you struggle to have strong connections with loved ones, to progress in your life and career? Sometimes you might find that you are tired, struggling to motivate, feel keyed up, react defensively, or use alcohol to relax. Memories of past experiences may find their way into your mind only to distract and create distress. It’s likely you understand what is going on but feel overwhelmed about how to change it or worse, you have tried but haven’t been able to make significant or longstanding changes. This can leave you discouraged and the subject of your inner critic.
(757) 663-4426 View (757) 663-4426
Photo of Sara La Force, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Sara La Force
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified Verified
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Waitlist for new clients
Hello and Welcome! I specialize in treating adults struggling with anxiety, trauma, relational strain, depression, substance use, and life transitions. Choosing to engage in therapy is a potentially life changing choice and I would love to help you on your path. All individuals deserve a space to be accurately heard and a place to gain insight into the life patterns that have caused them instability and pain. I deeply believe in therapy as a joint and transformative space that can lead people to develop new skills and to discover their unique internal capacity to connect, heal, and thrive.
Hello and Welcome! I specialize in treating adults struggling with anxiety, trauma, relational strain, depression, substance use, and life transitions. Choosing to engage in therapy is a potentially life changing choice and I would love to help you on your path. All individuals deserve a space to be accurately heard and a place to gain insight into the life patterns that have caused them instability and pain. I deeply believe in therapy as a joint and transformative space that can lead people to develop new skills and to discover their unique internal capacity to connect, heal, and thrive.
(434) 830-8118 View (434) 830-8118
Photo of Paula J Hamm, Licensed Professional Counselor in Broadway, VA
Paula J Hamm
Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC
Verified Verified
Winchester, VA 22602  (Online Only)
Running, running, running to where do I ask? Running away from painful feelings is often a compromised solution to painful feelings. Pain and Suffering is the portal to emotional maturity. No one is spared suffering but it is how we choose to make meaning out of loss that makes the difference between thriving or a life of bitterness and defeat. Intentional committment to understanding your unique narrative is the task I can help you with. Together we will identify the patterns of behavior, and intense emotional feelings that dysregulate your emotions. Please visit and contact me through my website; PaulaJHamm.com and send request
Running, running, running to where do I ask? Running away from painful feelings is often a compromised solution to painful feelings. Pain and Suffering is the portal to emotional maturity. No one is spared suffering but it is how we choose to make meaning out of loss that makes the difference between thriving or a life of bitterness and defeat. Intentional committment to understanding your unique narrative is the task I can help you with. Together we will identify the patterns of behavior, and intense emotional feelings that dysregulate your emotions. Please visit and contact me through my website; PaulaJHamm.com and send request
(703) 457-8940 View (703) 457-8940
Photo of Rachael Stern, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Rachael Stern
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LMSW
Verified Verified
Alexandria, VA 22314
The status quo tells us we can’t trust ourselves, our knowing, or our bodies. Rachael believes that our innate knowing - when we can access it, is not only the gold we seek, but the light we shine for ourselves and in the world around us. From experience with eating disorders, self-injury, trauma, chronic pain, couples and larger family systems and the LGBTQIA umbrella to professional work in issue focused non-profits/campaigns (and even performing), Rachael is deeply in tune with the political and social ecosystems that our intersectional identities transverse on a moment to moment basis
The status quo tells us we can’t trust ourselves, our knowing, or our bodies. Rachael believes that our innate knowing - when we can access it, is not only the gold we seek, but the light we shine for ourselves and in the world around us. From experience with eating disorders, self-injury, trauma, chronic pain, couples and larger family systems and the LGBTQIA umbrella to professional work in issue focused non-profits/campaigns (and even performing), Rachael is deeply in tune with the political and social ecosystems that our intersectional identities transverse on a moment to moment basis
(301) 591-6283 View (301) 591-6283
Photo of Alexandria Harz, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Alexandria Harz
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Fairfax, VA 22030
Connecting with yourself and others can be scary, especially if it has caused pain in the past.
If you are feeling disconnected, helpless, or stuck, I can assist you in changing the patterns and ways of relating which might be holding you back. By prioritizing your sense of safety, welcoming heavy emotions, and guiding you to meet/heal unknown parts of yourself or your partner, you can gain freedom from the patterns in which you feel trapped. I work with individuals and couples, supporting them to understand the ways they manage stress through retreating inward and shutting down, or turning outwards for connection and validation. From there, I help clients to better understand who they are and what they need.
Connecting with yourself and others can be scary, especially if it has caused pain in the past.
If you are feeling disconnected, helpless, or stuck, I can assist you in changing the patterns and ways of relating which might be holding you back. By prioritizing your sense of safety, welcoming heavy emotions, and guiding you to meet/heal unknown parts of yourself or your partner, you can gain freedom from the patterns in which you feel trapped. I work with individuals and couples, supporting them to understand the ways they manage stress through retreating inward and shutting down, or turning outwards for connection and validation. From there, I help clients to better understand who they are and what they need.
(571) 200-8459 View (571) 200-8459
Photo of Ashley-Nicole N Sullivan, Clinical Social Work/Therapist in Broadway, VA
Ashley-Nicole N Sullivan
Clinical Social Work/Therapist, LCSW-C, LCSW, LICSW, SAP, CTMH
Verified Verified
2 Endorsed
Manassas, VA 20111
Are you tired of feeling controlled by your anger, substance use, or toxic relationships? Do you feel as if getting out of bed is the hardest part of your day, feeling unable to make decisions and achieve your goals, or frustrated by chronic pain and illness? The first step in any journey is always the hardest, so congratulations on taking it and starting to consider participation in therapy. I would be honored to work with you to identify specifically what is and isn’t working in your life and discover how the skills and strengths you already possess can be applied in new ways to meet your goals.
Are you tired of feeling controlled by your anger, substance use, or toxic relationships? Do you feel as if getting out of bed is the hardest part of your day, feeling unable to make decisions and achieve your goals, or frustrated by chronic pain and illness? The first step in any journey is always the hardest, so congratulations on taking it and starting to consider participation in therapy. I would be honored to work with you to identify specifically what is and isn’t working in your life and discover how the skills and strengths you already possess can be applied in new ways to meet your goals.
(410) 376-8298 View (410) 376-8298

See more therapy options for Broadway

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.