Maia Huang, MFT, REAT

Chronic Illness

Chronic illness is difficult to handle and often misunderstood by the people in our lives. We may have to adjust to new limitations in our abilities, physical pain, potentially life-threatening or debilitating conditions, and resulting emotional grief or anger. Our access to the outside world may become smaller and smaller as our illness progresses or worsens. Frustration with traditional medicine is not uncommon. We may spend inordinate amounts of time and energy trying to find the right kind of alternative treatment to fix our illness only to find that none of them are truly effective. Hidden disabilities, such as chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia, are rarely fully understood even by medical professionals, with many people telling us 'It's all in your head'. Illnesses, such as AIDS/HIV, which still have social stigma and secrecy associated with them, may cause unnecessary shame and isolation. Loved ones may try to be helpful, but feel helpless in easing our condition. All of these pressures can lead to depression, anxiety, anger, irritation, relationship stress, and isolation.

If you have a chronic illness, you may be suffering from a multitude of problems. Extra support during times of adjustment or stress can be helpful to overcome difficulties. I provide a nonjudgmental, compassionate space to explore the limitations of your illness, strategies to make reasonable accommodations in your life, and how to communicate to others what you need and want. My approach is gentle, using the arts and guided imagery meditation, to minimize pain, increase your capacity to access inner strengths, and understand how to learn from your illness. Finding resolution to your feelings about your chronic illness can provide relief to undue stress.

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