Chronic and Serious Illness Therapy
Emotional and Whole-Person Support for Chronic Conditions
Emotional and Whole-Person Support for Chronic Conditions
Living with illness affects more than your body. It touches your emotions, relationships, work, and sense of self. Whether you’re navigating Type I or II diabetes, Crohn’s disease, Lupus, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, or other conditions that bring physical limitations, therapy can provide essential support for the psychological and relational challenges that accompany illness.
At PBA, we offer therapy designed to address the whole person, integrating emotional support, mind-body awareness, and collaboration with your healthcare team to help you live with greater balance, resilience, and well-being.
Integrating the Mind-Body Connection
The mind and body are deeply connected. Stress, emotional tension, and mental health challenges can worsen physical symptoms, while physical illness often influences mood and identity. For example:
Stress can affect blood sugar regulation in Type I or II diabetes.
Emotional distress may intensify flare-ups in autoimmune diseases Crohn’s disease or Lupus.
Fatigue and motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease can be aggravated by anxiety.
Fear and uncertainty during cancer treatment can lead to overwhelming emotional distress.
In therapy, we explore this mind-body connection to help you:
Understand how thoughts, emotions, and symptoms influence one another.
Learn mindfulness, relaxation, and stress-reduction techniques.
Develop coping strategies that ease both mental and physical strain.
Build a compassionate relationship with your body, even while managing illness.
Understanding the Emotional Impact of Chronic and Serious Illness
Illness brings challenges that are often invisible to others. Many people experience:
Depression and anxiety related to symptoms, medical treatments, and uncertainty.
Grief and loss of independence, abilities, or a former lifestyle.
Fear of the future, particularly for those facing conditions like Lupus or cancer.
Relationship strain, as loved ones may struggle to understand or adapt.
Identity shifts, questioning who you are beyond your diagnosis.
Isolation due to reduced mobility, immune vulnerability, or withdrawal.
Medical trauma from repeated hospitalizations, invasive procedures, or ongoing treatments.
Therapy provides a safe place to process these experiences, build coping strategies, and strengthen emotional resilience.
Collaborative, Whole-Person Care
The most effective support for illness combines therapy with medical treatment. At PBA, we work alongside your doctors, oncologists, rheumatologists, physical therapists, dietitians, or other healthcare providers to ensure a coordinated approach. This collaboration helps:
Align emotional support with your medical treatment plan.
Address challenges such as medication adherence, lifestyle changes, or physical limitations.
Reduce stress and improve coping during demanding treatment regimens.
Promote overall well-being through a unified, holistic approach.
Therapeutic Approaches
Our therapy is personalized to your needs and may include:
Psychodynamic Therapy – exploring how illness shapes identity, relationships, and life narratives.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – reframing unhelpful thoughts and building practical coping strategies.
Mindfulness and Stress Reduction – easing emotional and physical tension through body-based practices.
Internal Family Systems (IFS) – addressing inner parts that hold fear, grief, or hope.
Grief and Loss Support – processing the changes and losses tied to illness, including cancer treatment or chronic autoimmune conditions.
We also support caregivers and loved ones, who often need guidance and space to process their own emotional responses.
Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Care
We recognize that cultural background, identity, and systemic inequities affect how illness is experienced and treated. Our practice provides inclusive, affirming therapy for clients who are BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent, and from diverse cultural or faith communities.
Benefits of Therapy for Chronic and Serious Illness
Strengthened emotional resilience and hope.
Reduced stress, anxiety, and depression.
Better coping with pain, fatigue, and physical limitations.
Healthier relationships and improved communication with loved ones.
Mind-body strategies to ease symptom impact.
Coordinated care alongside your medical team.
Renewed sense of purpose and identity beyond illness.
You Are More Than Your Diagnosis
Living with Lupus, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, Type II diabetes, Crohn’s disease, or other chronic conditions is challenging, but you don’t have to carry the emotional burden alone. Therapy, integrated with medical care, can help you find balance, resilience, and well-being.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation and begin your journey toward emotional support, mind-body healing, and whole-person care.
Take the Next Step Together
WE CAN HELP.
REACH OUT TODAY.
Phone: 310.271.2275
BEVERLY HILLS LOCATION
9350 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 212
Beverly Hills, CA 90212