Chronic Illness Therapists in Boulder, CO
I am an Ackerman trained family therapist and graduate of NYU, practicing individual, family, couple, and support group psychotherapy. I specialize in relationships, intimacy, illness, trauma, and loss. My therapeutic work w/clients focuses on exploring how family, religion, and cultures of origin influence how one learns to adapt in the world, both independently and when exploring new areas of intimacy and connection. I believe in the importance of my own self-awareness, acknowledging that the work in understanding one’s relationship to privilege regarding ethnicity, color, and other intersectional identities are a lifelong study.
I am an Ackerman trained family therapist and graduate of NYU, practicing individual, family, couple, and support group psychotherapy. I specialize in relationships, intimacy, illness, trauma, and loss. My therapeutic work w/clients focuses on exploring how family, religion, and cultures of origin influence how one learns to adapt in the world, both independently and when exploring new areas of intimacy and connection. I believe in the importance of my own self-awareness, acknowledging that the work in understanding one’s relationship to privilege regarding ethnicity, color, and other intersectional identities are a lifelong study.
I help folks identify, access, and more effectively use their strengths and resilience - even under incredibly difficult and complex circumstances. Clients come to my practice to find alternatives to patterns and behaviors that are no longer working, to heal from traumas, explore identity, navigate transitions, and get unstuck. I work with teens, young adults, and adults who want real change, more support, effective boundaries, and honest connection in their lives using a social justice counseling framework that is client-defined, trauma-informed and strengths-based.
I help folks identify, access, and more effectively use their strengths and resilience - even under incredibly difficult and complex circumstances. Clients come to my practice to find alternatives to patterns and behaviors that are no longer working, to heal from traumas, explore identity, navigate transitions, and get unstuck. I work with teens, young adults, and adults who want real change, more support, effective boundaries, and honest connection in their lives using a social justice counseling framework that is client-defined, trauma-informed and strengths-based.
I believe that symptoms arise when vital parts of our personalities have been denied; thus depression, anxiety, addiction, and chronic illness may be voices of the deeper self trying to be heard.
As a Jungian analyst, I am trained to be attuned to such unconscious energies and to help you integrate them more fruitfully into your life. Dreams can provide useful guidance, revealing what is needed for healing and for successful resolution of life crises, transitions, and ongoing struggles.
I believe that symptoms arise when vital parts of our personalities have been denied; thus depression, anxiety, addiction, and chronic illness may be voices of the deeper self trying to be heard.
As a Jungian analyst, I am trained to be attuned to such unconscious energies and to help you integrate them more fruitfully into your life. Dreams can provide useful guidance, revealing what is needed for healing and for successful resolution of life crises, transitions, and ongoing struggles.
Has the day-to-day of managing chronic illness or pain become so burdensome that you can no longer imagine yourself without symptoms or struggle to believe that you can make plans, have goals, build a meaningful life?
Beyond my specialities, I provide a safe and affirming therapeutic relationship in which anyone with anxiety, depression, or out of control emotions can find acceptance and new techniques to change their lives while living their values. If being hard on yourself was going to work, it would've worked by now. Let's try something new!
Has the day-to-day of managing chronic illness or pain become so burdensome that you can no longer imagine yourself without symptoms or struggle to believe that you can make plans, have goals, build a meaningful life?
Beyond my specialities, I provide a safe and affirming therapeutic relationship in which anyone with anxiety, depression, or out of control emotions can find acceptance and new techniques to change their lives while living their values. If being hard on yourself was going to work, it would've worked by now. Let's try something new!
I have 25+ years of experience in the field of Mental and Neuro Health. My special Interest and Expertise are in the areas of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND), Somatoform Dissociation, NES, NEAD, Epilepsy, Unexplained Medical Symptoms, and Unique Experiences (such as hearing voices, having visions, mystical or paranormal experiences).
I have 25+ years of experience in the field of Mental and Neuro Health. My special Interest and Expertise are in the areas of Functional Neurological Disorders (FND), Somatoform Dissociation, NES, NEAD, Epilepsy, Unexplained Medical Symptoms, and Unique Experiences (such as hearing voices, having visions, mystical or paranormal experiences).
I have clinical expertise in parenting, perinatal mental health, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, adjustment to chronic illness, and fertility issues.
Parenting, especially in the midst of our ever changing, fast moving culture, comes with many joys and challenges. Our expectations of parenthood often do not match our reality and this can leave caregivers with feelings of anxiety, stress, isolation, inadequacy and loneliness. Having a place to explore those feelings without judgement is what makes therapy so powerful. I am here to help you navigate parenting in a supportive non-judgmental space. Book a free 20 minute phone consultation to learn how we could work together.
I have clinical expertise in parenting, perinatal mental health, depression, anxiety, grief and loss, adjustment to chronic illness, and fertility issues.
Parenting, especially in the midst of our ever changing, fast moving culture, comes with many joys and challenges. Our expectations of parenthood often do not match our reality and this can leave caregivers with feelings of anxiety, stress, isolation, inadequacy and loneliness. Having a place to explore those feelings without judgement is what makes therapy so powerful. I am here to help you navigate parenting in a supportive non-judgmental space. Book a free 20 minute phone consultation to learn how we could work together.
Grief and chronic illness don’t just bring sadness—they can leave you feeling unmoored, stuck, or unsure how to move forward.
My approach integrates EMDR, somatic therapy, grief-focused interventions, and CBT to help clients process unresolved experiences, reduce emotional overwhelm, and rebuild the mind-body connection. Through this tailored approach, clients often gain greater emotional steadiness, clarity, and the ability to engage more fully in daily life.
Grief and chronic illness don’t just bring sadness—they can leave you feeling unmoored, stuck, or unsure how to move forward.
My approach integrates EMDR, somatic therapy, grief-focused interventions, and CBT to help clients process unresolved experiences, reduce emotional overwhelm, and rebuild the mind-body connection. Through this tailored approach, clients often gain greater emotional steadiness, clarity, and the ability to engage more fully in daily life.
I am an art and talk therapist who specializes in supporting women who are navigating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), disability, chronic illness, as well as highly empathetic Autistic women.
I use an eclectic approach blending Client-Centered Therapy, Art Therapy, Strengths-based, and Mindfulness Therapy. Together we explore patterns at your pace.
I am an art and talk therapist who specializes in supporting women who are navigating Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), disability, chronic illness, as well as highly empathetic Autistic women.
I use an eclectic approach blending Client-Centered Therapy, Art Therapy, Strengths-based, and Mindfulness Therapy. Together we explore patterns at your pace.
Trauma, chronic illness support, anxiety and panic
Licensed Professional Counselor, MA, LPC
1 Endorsed
Boulder, CO 80301
Waitlist for new clients
You move through the world in survival mode. You scan for signs that something is off in others, in your environment, or in your own body. Calm doesn’t feel fully trustworthy because even when things go well, part of you waits for the other shoe to drop. You may question your own reactions, wondering if you’re too sensitive or overreacting, even as your body continues to signal distress. Navigating this experience can feel scary, but you don't have to face your fears alone. You are welcome here and this is a space where your story matters.
You move through the world in survival mode. You scan for signs that something is off in others, in your environment, or in your own body. Calm doesn’t feel fully trustworthy because even when things go well, part of you waits for the other shoe to drop. You may question your own reactions, wondering if you’re too sensitive or overreacting, even as your body continues to signal distress. Navigating this experience can feel scary, but you don't have to face your fears alone. You are welcome here and this is a space where your story matters.
The only constant is change. The only certainty is humans are called upon to navigate the challenging upheavals of life's transitions. Receiving assistance with grief issues, trauma, relationship difficulties, or navigating a cancer diagnosis and other chronic disease, is part of the therapeutic experience. The remainder exists in the relationship with one's therapist. After three decades, working with a variety of people from very famous to blue collar workers, I am qualified to understand your unique story. Together we will begin a journey of self discovery having the potential to improve the quality and meaning of your life.
The only constant is change. The only certainty is humans are called upon to navigate the challenging upheavals of life's transitions. Receiving assistance with grief issues, trauma, relationship difficulties, or navigating a cancer diagnosis and other chronic disease, is part of the therapeutic experience. The remainder exists in the relationship with one's therapist. After three decades, working with a variety of people from very famous to blue collar workers, I am qualified to understand your unique story. Together we will begin a journey of self discovery having the potential to improve the quality and meaning of your life.
I specialize in aging and health psychology, including chronic illness, pain, postpartum adjustment, sexual health, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.
You may feel burned out, anxious, untethered—like you’ve lost your sense of self. You’re craving steadiness, clarity, and a way back to feeling like yourself again.
Starting therapy takes courage. It can feel overwhelming, unclear, and vulnerable—but you don’t have to do it alone. My role is to make the process feel more manageable, grounded, and hopeful. Together, we’ll find what works for you—your goals, your pace, your values.
I work best with adults navigating complex transitions—parenthood, identity shifts, emerging adulthood, illness, grief, or major life changes that leave you feeling uncertain or overwhelmed.
I specialize in aging and health psychology, including chronic illness, pain, postpartum adjustment, sexual health, eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.
You may feel burned out, anxious, untethered—like you’ve lost your sense of self. You’re craving steadiness, clarity, and a way back to feeling like yourself again.
Starting therapy takes courage. It can feel overwhelming, unclear, and vulnerable—but you don’t have to do it alone. My role is to make the process feel more manageable, grounded, and hopeful. Together, we’ll find what works for you—your goals, your pace, your values.
I work best with adults navigating complex transitions—parenthood, identity shifts, emerging adulthood, illness, grief, or major life changes that leave you feeling uncertain or overwhelmed.
Adaptive somatic psychotherapy for multicultural, LGBTQIA+ folks, and creatives to heal from past traumas, learn healthy patterns in relationship, manage chronic illness & pain, and thrive despite day-to-day stressors.
My approach is rooted in compassionate presence, neuroscience, cultural somatics, and embodied anti-oppression work. I work with teens, adults, write letters for HRT, support folks with chronic illness, and with complex trauma. I help white folks come into right relationship with who/where they come from, and work towards being actively anti-racist.
Adaptive somatic psychotherapy for multicultural, LGBTQIA+ folks, and creatives to heal from past traumas, learn healthy patterns in relationship, manage chronic illness & pain, and thrive despite day-to-day stressors.
My approach is rooted in compassionate presence, neuroscience, cultural somatics, and embodied anti-oppression work. I work with teens, adults, write letters for HRT, support folks with chronic illness, and with complex trauma. I help white folks come into right relationship with who/where they come from, and work towards being actively anti-racist.
I am passionate about helping people rediscover their hidden inner genius using a holistic approach to mental health and wellness. I believe therapy is a co-creative process where we weave together your expertise of self with my training and experiences of healing trauma.
I am passionate about helping people rediscover their hidden inner genius using a holistic approach to mental health and wellness. I believe therapy is a co-creative process where we weave together your expertise of self with my training and experiences of healing trauma.
I primarily work with people with addiction, chronic illness, and people in the LGBTQ community.
You feel invisible, worn down, ashamed. You feel like if you had just grown up in a different environment, you wouldn’t feel hurt, confused, or angry. You might feel like an outsider, wanting to be yourself but don’t know how to build confidence or connection with others while doing so. Those struggles are real and I want to work with you on building the life you want and deserve. I will work with you on creating a life that brings you meaning and purpose. Feel free to learn about my approach and personal journey at https:/canvasrebel.com/meet-rory-dougall
I primarily work with people with addiction, chronic illness, and people in the LGBTQ community.
You feel invisible, worn down, ashamed. You feel like if you had just grown up in a different environment, you wouldn’t feel hurt, confused, or angry. You might feel like an outsider, wanting to be yourself but don’t know how to build confidence or connection with others while doing so. Those struggles are real and I want to work with you on building the life you want and deserve. I will work with you on creating a life that brings you meaning and purpose. Feel free to learn about my approach and personal journey at https:/canvasrebel.com/meet-rory-dougall
At Neuroworks, LLC, we are licensed psychologists who have been additionally trained in neuropsychology. When your car is broken you take it to a mechanic who runs tests, including a test drive, to find out what is wrong. Neuropsychologists occupy this role with brain function. We take “your brain” for a “test drive” to see how it is functioning and to develop recommendations to help you function in the “real” world, e.g., home, work, and community.
At Neuroworks, LLC, we are licensed psychologists who have been additionally trained in neuropsychology. When your car is broken you take it to a mechanic who runs tests, including a test drive, to find out what is wrong. Neuropsychologists occupy this role with brain function. We take “your brain” for a “test drive” to see how it is functioning and to develop recommendations to help you function in the “real” world, e.g., home, work, and community.
If you’re neurodivergent and/or LGBTQIA+ or if you are exploring any of these identities, you may have learned to mask, perform, and/or dissociate to belong and are still unlearning those survival strategies. You might have complex trauma, expressed through people-pleasing, perfectionism, difficulty trusting others, negative self-perception, chronic shame and/or pain, exhaustion, disconnection or numbness, an intense desire to distract or escape, and/or feeling stuck. These pathways that alert and respond to threat are the same pathways where the body can build capacity for safety, presence, joy, restorative rest, and pleasure.
If you’re neurodivergent and/or LGBTQIA+ or if you are exploring any of these identities, you may have learned to mask, perform, and/or dissociate to belong and are still unlearning those survival strategies. You might have complex trauma, expressed through people-pleasing, perfectionism, difficulty trusting others, negative self-perception, chronic shame and/or pain, exhaustion, disconnection or numbness, an intense desire to distract or escape, and/or feeling stuck. These pathways that alert and respond to threat are the same pathways where the body can build capacity for safety, presence, joy, restorative rest, and pleasure.
We'll work to help rebuild your sense of self & identity after the life-altering experience of chronic illness & complex trauma.
If you’ve been misunderstood by the medical system, your doctor, friends, and family, and you just want to understand what’s happening to you. Illness and complex trauma show up in many forms; brain fog, dissociation, chronic fatigue, unexplained aches and pains, memory issues and more. Pain is suffering when it’s purposeless. So, whatever you are facing we can find meaning and purpose in your life and relationships, you don’t have to be alone in the journey to wellbeing. You deserve someone who will share those pains and walk with you in your journey to recovering wellness and living a life of health & purpose.
We'll work to help rebuild your sense of self & identity after the life-altering experience of chronic illness & complex trauma.
If you’ve been misunderstood by the medical system, your doctor, friends, and family, and you just want to understand what’s happening to you. Illness and complex trauma show up in many forms; brain fog, dissociation, chronic fatigue, unexplained aches and pains, memory issues and more. Pain is suffering when it’s purposeless. So, whatever you are facing we can find meaning and purpose in your life and relationships, you don’t have to be alone in the journey to wellbeing. You deserve someone who will share those pains and walk with you in your journey to recovering wellness and living a life of health & purpose.
If you would like to bring awareness to your experience with kindness, compassion, and are interested in relational therapeutic work, that is my jam. As a trauma informed therapist I work well with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other difficult emotional experiences. I pull from multiple modalities that offer a well rounded look at the human experience with a basis and foundation in being curious and compassionate. Ideally, I work to create space where you can show up authentically. Along with teaching you ways to restore your own internal sense of safety and uncover the deep imprint the events in your life have left on you.
If you would like to bring awareness to your experience with kindness, compassion, and are interested in relational therapeutic work, that is my jam. As a trauma informed therapist I work well with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other difficult emotional experiences. I pull from multiple modalities that offer a well rounded look at the human experience with a basis and foundation in being curious and compassionate. Ideally, I work to create space where you can show up authentically. Along with teaching you ways to restore your own internal sense of safety and uncover the deep imprint the events in your life have left on you.
Nothing seems to be working. You feel stuck and hopeless. You survived a not-so-great childhood (maybe a bad one)…but even now that you're on your own, things don't seem to be falling into place. You don't feel good about yourself no matter what you do (you might be successful and hard-working), and you either avoid or seem to choose the wrong relationships (or they're so stressful). Things may be falling apart... or maybe they have always felt broken. And.... you have headaches, back problems, or a condition that doesn't respond to treatment. All of it makes it hard to wake up without feeling overwhelmed and hopeless... exhausted.
Nothing seems to be working. You feel stuck and hopeless. You survived a not-so-great childhood (maybe a bad one)…but even now that you're on your own, things don't seem to be falling into place. You don't feel good about yourself no matter what you do (you might be successful and hard-working), and you either avoid or seem to choose the wrong relationships (or they're so stressful). Things may be falling apart... or maybe they have always felt broken. And.... you have headaches, back problems, or a condition that doesn't respond to treatment. All of it makes it hard to wake up without feeling overwhelmed and hopeless... exhausted.
Living with chronic illness, pain, or invisible disability isn't just a physical challenge—it shapes your emotional and mental well-being too.
I can help you see how your emotional, mental, and physical health are intertwined. I use psychoanalytic, humanistic and transpersonal therapies to bring awareness to what underlies your illness and pain. I use mindfulness and somatic-oriented exercises to help you find calm and dissipate overwhelm, prioritize your needs, and choose your way forward.
Living with chronic illness, pain, or invisible disability isn't just a physical challenge—it shapes your emotional and mental well-being too.
I can help you see how your emotional, mental, and physical health are intertwined. I use psychoanalytic, humanistic and transpersonal therapies to bring awareness to what underlies your illness and pain. I use mindfulness and somatic-oriented exercises to help you find calm and dissipate overwhelm, prioritize your needs, and choose your way forward.
See more therapy options for Boulder
Nearby Chronic Illness Therapists Searches for Boulder
See More Chronic Illness Therapists Chronic Illness Therapists
How does therapy for chronic illness work?
Many people living with a chronic illness may feel they cannot speak honestly about their experience out of embarrassment or fear of being a burden, or because those close to them do not understand, for example, that they may “look good” even if they do not feel good. Therapy sessions are an opportunity to speak openly with someone who knows their symptoms are not in their head and who can offer practical, proven suggestions for managing feelings of grief, shame, or fatigue, such as techniques to challenge unhelpful thoughts about symptoms and develop new ways to respond to them, such as distraction or calming breathing practices.
Can therapy help with physical symptoms of chronic illness?
Yes, especially if an individual with chronic illness has developed depression. People with depression are less likely to maintain their health treatment regimens or to take positive steps to manage physical symptoms when they arise, thereby potentially complicating their medical prognosis. Treatment of depression, through talk therapy, medication, or both, will often improve one’s physical state as it eases the emotional burden of illness.
What are the most effective treatment options for chronic illness?
No one living with a chronic illness, or their loved ones, should see depression as an unavoidable result of their condition. Instead, they should actively seek treatment. Research shows that people with depression are less likely to devote the required time and effort to maintaining or monitoring their health, and so therapy to limit the risk of depression can be vital for physical health as well. Therapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction have been found to help individuals reduce stress and anxiety.
How long does therapy for chronic illness take?
There is no set timeline for therapy for people living with chronic illnesses, but many will see a therapist for a number of weeks or months, typically spanning at least 12 weekly sessions. Some people feel that they experience progress faster than others but even some who quickly feel improvement may continue with sessions for months or years. Some people may benefit from maintenance therapy if their symptoms change or they experience a decline in physical health. Others find that the skills learned in short-term therapy can be used on an ongoing basis, even after therapy has concluded.