Chronic Illness Therapists in Washington, DC

When your body is in distress, your mind and mood suffer. Whether you want to address your weight, pain, disordered eating, stress, living with a chronic disease, recovering from an illness, or adjusting to a new medical condition, I can help. I also support care partners of those with chronic illness. As a board-certified rehabilitation psychologist, I emphasize a holistic approach to well-being and support people in leading a values-filled life that recognizes personal strengths, reduces shame and promotes self-compassion, encourages collaboration, and meets you where you are non-judgmentally.

Sarah specializes in supporting trauma survivors, including survivors of sexual violence, emotional abuse or neglect, harmful relationships, and traumatic loss. She also provides affirming therapy for disabled and chronically ill folks, drawing from her passion for Disability Justice, as well as her own lived experience navigating chronic illness in ableist culture. Sarah uses self-compassion, sand therapy, and Internal Family Systems-informed "parts work," guiding you to build a loving relationship with yourself - even (especially) the parts of yourself that might feel troublesome or unworthy.

Whether you're a caregiver, healthcare professional, or someone navigating a chronic illness, I bring 17 years of hospital experience to my practice. This has helped me understand the stress and burnout that can come with illness and caregiving. My clients have included those experiencing grief/loss, healthcare professionals, people living with a chronic illness, and caregivers. My clients describe me as a great listener, compassionate, and a creative problem solver.

Life's journey as a neurodivergent person often feels like a tightrope walk. There are so many barriers that hinder access to essential services, like education, jobs, and social inclusion. Constantly adapting to an environment that often disregards your needs can significantly impact your emotional and physical well-being, at times pushing you to the brink of burnout or shutdown. For those who are also part of the queer community, these challenges can intensify and, from time to time, give rise to a sense of isolation, as if you're navigating these obstacles all on your own.

Welcome— I’m so glad you’re here. I’m Terah Ryan, a Clinical Social Worker and therapist in Maryland and the District of Columbia. It’s my commitment to create a safe place for you to explore your thoughts, emotions, patterns, and relationships to create a more meaningful self. I work with adults of all ages experiencing concerns such as chronic illness, grief, loss, relationship or family issues, anxiety, and troublesome or stressful life transitions. My clients find me to be supportive, collaborative, and direct. I also have substantial experience working with healthcare professionals and supporting caregivers of loved ones.

When was the last time you felt truly heard? Life can feel as though you're stuck in a maze without a map or sense of purpose. You may feel broken, alone, or depressed, but you're not. I've successfully helped clients work through life's challenges, learn effective coping skills, and view the present and future in a realistic, positive way. I've also helped clients with chronic illness maximize their quality of life and reach their goals, such as returning to work or school, or being a better parent or spouse. We'll set up a plan that meets your current needs, then empower you to reach your goals- together.

People come to therapy for different reasons You may be experiencing depression, grief, anxiety, have a chronic illness or struggling with another life issue. I am here to help you to explore the issues that matter to you. I specialize people with disabilities. Our working relationship will be based on respect and trust.I am here to assist you in sorting out issues and coming up with your own solutions.

Welcome to H-Town Therapy Services. I am the owner and a Houston (H-Town) Native who currently resides in Washington, DC. My educational background includes a BS in Psychology and an MA in Counseling Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. I have been working in the mental health field for over 10 years with diverse ages/populations. In addition to my private practice, I currently work with youth at local schools and adults in the District of Columbia.

Therapy can help people to move forward beyond painful experiences and self-defeating behaviors. With a focus on establishing a safe, confidential environment, my approach is active and and collaborative, so together we can explore experiences, relationships, and patterns to produce personal growth and greater fulfillment.

You are a strong woman feeling overwhelmed navigating complex health issues such as chronic illness, chronic pain, anxiety, infertility or pregnancy loss. You are an intelligent, high achieving woman who is dealing with the grief of a diagnosis, pregnancy after loss, infertility or chronic illness. You are juggling it all: a career, family, a romantic partner, friends, dating and your health. You want to figure out a way to not just survive with women's health issues but to thrive and live your life fully each day. You need support, a place to process your grief and coping skills to walk through this difficult situation.

There is beauty in the complexity of our lives, and often difficulty too. Sometimes, our inner resources and life's challenges don't align, and leave us feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unskilled. My goals is to help you to find more freedom, ease, and wholeness in these moments. I am skilled in working with experiences of depression, anxiety, panic, trauma and chronic pain/illness. I am interested in working with members of the LGBTQIA+ community, neurodivergent folks, and those whose lives question social norms. My approach emphasizes gentleness, mutuality, creativity, and awareness from a trauma-informed, anti-oppressive lens.

My goal is to provide a safe and supportive space for you to explore your goals, struggles, and strengths. It is natural to go through ups and downs in life. Right now you might feel lost, stuck, or overwhelmed. In therapy we will work together to help you connect with feelings of hope, relief, clarity, and peace.

Are you or someone in your life impacted by a chronic or terminal illness? Are you struggling with decisions around risk for a genetic illness? Are you struggling with relationships, family boundaries, or life transitions?

If you have been struggling with a health concern such as pain, insomnia, or GI distress, you may feel demoralized by the limitations of medical treatments for many health issues. You may not know that psychotherapy is an effective treatment for a number of medical conditions. As a clinical health psychologist, I specialize in chronic illness, chronic pain, disorders of brain-gut interaction (DGBIs), health anxiety, insomnia, and stress related to navigating the health care system. Therapy can help you to quiet the brain’s natural threat response to symptoms, foster resilience, and embrace life once again.

Change. Anxiety. Feeling stuck. Confusion. Loss. Chronic illness. Depression. Sleep. Relationships. Stress. Life feels like a struggle. Together we will develop a plan that uses evidence-based methods to help you identify and achieve your goals. I value your unique story and am dedicated to helping you stay motivated as you take steps toward improved mental wellness.

Stellium Integrative Wellness is compassion-based & uses tools like positive psychology, meditation & hypnotherapy techniques to build confidence & resiliency. Clients include Millennials 20-45, Gen Xers 45-55, & Baby Boomers 56-74 dealing with relationships, career, concerns surrounding parenting, health issues/chronic illness (cancer, diabetes, thyroid disorders, COVID-19), LGBTQIA, disability, & grief from loss (job, parent/family member/friend, partner, child, home, bankruptcy, divorce/separation). Areas of expertise include life coaching, hypnosis, love-relationships/dating, & confidence/self-esteem building.

I have the privilege of accompanying clients as they go through some of the most painful and some of the most joyous times of their lives. I believe that improving your relationship with yourself and balancing your thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and energy can help you to reach your fullest potential. My approach is both practical and insight-oriented, and my goal is to help you understand what ways you can better take care of yourself by providing you the skills you need, and a vision to become who you want to be.

“Warm and compassionate with a no-nonsense approach” is how my clients describe me. I have been working with children and adolescents for over 25 years and as a licensed clinical social worker for 15 years. I provide therapy to children, adolescents, adults and families. My broad range of experience includes helping clients struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, gender identity & issues related to sexual orientation. I have the unique experience of guiding families through grief and issues related to chronic illness such as HIV and cancer. Often, I engage the whole family to address communication barriers.

Everyone needs support during difficult times in their lives, whether they are dealing with relationship issues, stress at home or work, or feelings of depression and anxiety with or without a clear cause. It is during times like these that therapy can help. Through our work together I will provide a safe space for painful memories and emotions to be explored and work with you to gain a deeper understanding of how these experiences continue to shape you today. Together we will work to help you develop new coping skills and bring an enhanced level of self-awareness to your life.