Chronic Illness and Autoimmune Disease

Therapist – Overland Park, Kansas

When disease & chronic illness becomes your new reality, how do you move forward? You never intended to fall ill or become disabled. Nobody provided you with a map to follow while you navigate the life you are currently leading. You may feel alone, overburdened, and unsure of how to handle everything because of a recent diagnosis, a traumatic event that happened suddenly, or the gradual emergence of a life with restrictions. It takes a lot of courage to accept your suffering, practice self-compassion, move ahead, and rebuild your life since the route is not simple.

what is a

Chronic Illness

Chronic disease is a condition that lasts for a year or longer. It necessitates continuos medical care and restricts daily activities.The main causes of death and disability in the USA are chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

what is a

Chronic Illness

Chronic disease is a condition that lasts for a year or longer. It necessitates continuos medical care and restricts daily activities.The main causes of death and disability in the USA are chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

what can therapy do for

Chronic Illness & Disease

Improve coping skills
Making room for loss & grief
Counseling for depression, anxiety and trauma
Navigating the stages of adjustment & identity formation
Learning to advocate for yourself
Creating a new normal & setting new goals

contact me to get started

do you have an

Invisible Illness?

Any medical issue that is not readily apparent to others, including healthcare experts, is referred to as an “invisible illness.” Many people with invisible illness look well, so friends and family question if they’re really sick. Some invisible illnesses include fibromyalgia, lupus, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritus, chronic fatigue syndrome and Sjogren’s syndrome.

Living with an invisible illness can be difficult. People with invisible illness have limited reserves and must be careful with their energy, even on days without pain and tiredness.

do you know about the

Spoon Theory?

The spoon theory helps non-suffers grasp the effects of invisible illness. Imagine having to offer a spoon for every task you do in a day such as work, housekeeping, shopping, bathing and cooking. According to the spoon theory, healthy individuals have more spoons than they need. People with invisible illness have very few spoons and once they are gone, they are gone. This is the effect of invisible illness. Some days there are fewer spoons. When there are no more spoons to go around, an individual will have to stay in bed rather than being productive. People with invisible illness often refer to themselves as “spoonies”.

Chronic Illness and
Autoimmune FAQs

I already have doctors. Why do I need a therapist?

Your medical team is focused on your body. We focus on everything else — the grief, the identity shift, the relationships under strain, the exhaustion of explaining yourself over and over. Living with a chronic illness or autoimmune disease is a full-time emotional job that most doctors aren’t trained to address.

Therapy doesn’t replace your care team. It makes it possible to actually use the help they’re giving you.

Will you actually understand what I'm going through, or will I spend sessions educating you about my condition?

You won’t be starting from scratch. We have experience working with people navigating lupus, MS, Crohn’s, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and many other conditions. You’re not here to teach a crash course.

That said, you are still the expert on your own experience. We’ll ask questions — not because we don’t believe you, but because your specific version of this matters.

I'm not depressed. I'm just dealing with a lot. Do I really qualify for therapy?

Yes. Full stop. You don’t need to hit a crisis point to deserve support. Chronic illness brings grief, uncertainty, role changes, and isolation — and those are real, even when you’re “functioning.”

Many clients come to us not because they’re falling apart, but because they’re tired of white-knuckling it alone. That’s reason enough.

What if I have a flare and can't make it to a session?

We get it — your body doesn’t run on a schedule. Telehealth options are available so you can attend from your couch, your bed, or wherever you are on a hard day. Flexibility isn’t a perk here; it’s a necessity we build in from the start.

My family keeps saying I just need to stay positive. How do I deal with that?

Oh, we know this one well. Toxic positivity is real, and it’s exhausting. We won’t tell you to look on the bright side. We’ll help you figure out how to set boundaries with the people who mean well but miss the mark — and how to actually communicate your needs without having to justify your reality every single time.

Is therapy going to help, or is it just going to make me talk about how awful things are?

We’re not interested in wallowing either. Our approach is practical and forward-moving — yes, we’ll process the hard stuff, but the goal is always to help you build a life that feels like yours again, even within your new reality.

That might look like redefining your identity beyond your diagnosis, rebuilding relationships, reclaiming activities you thought were gone, or simply learning to stop fighting your body every single day.

Do you take insurance?

Please reach out directly for current information on accepted insurance plans and fees. We want to make sure you have the most accurate, up-to-date details before you take the next step.

How do I know if this is the right fit for me?

The honest answer is: you won’t know until you try. But if you’ve been diagnosed with a chronic or autoimmune condition and you feel like you’re managing the medical side while the rest of your life is quietly unraveling — that’s exactly who we work with.

A free consultation is a low-stakes way to ask your questions and see if it feels right. No pressure, no commitment.

How do I get started?

The first step is scheduling a consultation. This isn’t a quick screening call, it’s a real conversation about what you’re carrying, what you’ve already tried, and whether an intensive is the right fit for where you are right now. You can reach out through the contact page to get that scheduled.