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Therapy for Chronic Pain and Chronic Conditions

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Therapy for Chronic Pain and Chronic Conditions

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Dealing with chronic pain and illness isn’t just about the symptoms; it’s also about dealing with everything that goes with the symptoms: grief and loss, fatigue, limitations, depression, anxiety and worries, uncertainty, etc.

I realize that therapy for chronic pain and illness needs to keep both the realities of what it is like to live with a chronic illness and the goals to create a better life in balance as we work together. There are a lot of strategies that have been shown to reduce pain and, in some cases, resolve pain.

Can You Relate to Any of the Following?

  • Struggling with the pain controlling or limiting your life.
  • Struggling to understand your pain and how to get the most out of your life despite it
  • Feeling like you are losing a part of yourself to the pain.
  • Dealing with exhaustion, fatigue, depression and/or grief associated with your pain
  • Finding yourself isolating yourself from others because of feelings of guilt for being a burden and struggling to find a way to be social with your pain.
  • Dealing with trauma that triggers your pain
  • Struggling with uncomfortable emotions, fears, and/or worries.
  • Challenges in dealing with not being believed, stigma, ableism, and the medical system.

If any of this resonates with you, I believe you will benefit from therapy for chronic pain. Please continue to read to see how my services may help you.

Chronic Pain Therapy

Who Am I and Why Am I Passionate about Therapy for Chronic Pain?

I’m Leona Westra and am a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) with lived experience of chronic pain. I know how difficult it can be with chronic pain and how it can be to deal with practitioners who don’t understand what it’s like on a day-to-day basis. So, I try to support my clients in ways I wasn’t supported or understood by many of the practitioners I dealt with. I approach each client’s experience with compassion and understanding, drawing on my own lived experience.

Additionally, I am flexible and compassionate in my approach to chronic pain and illness. I bring understanding to the flares, grief, depression and fatigue that often come with chronic pain and illness.

I’ve completed extensive training to bring you the knowledge, skills, techniques, and strategies to improve your current condition. I work with you by adapting to your current challenges and limitations while staying focused on your overall goals and bringing you lasting change.

A Safe Environment to be Real About Your Pain

So often we hide our pain for various reasons (don’t want to be a burden to our friends and family; doesn’t feel appropriate or safe). I provide a safe environment where you can be real about how your pain is affecting you and the challenges you’re facing. You can be vulnerable with the many losses that come with chronic pain and illness with someone who understands to a level, but not the specific experience that is unique to you. A place you can be honest enough to feel seen, heard, and validated. A place where we can work through your deepest hidden burden and speak of the toll it takes to reduce the burden you’re carrying.

How I Approach Chronic Pain

Chronic pain and illnesses are complex. They don’t fit into a nice, orderly treatment plan. The right treatment plan is unique to each individual and condition. Everyone has different factors fueling their current condition. I will work with you to understand what is going on beneath the symptoms, identify what is fueling them, and figure out what’s best to start with.

Your Pain is Real

If you feel pain, your pain is real. Too many people in pain are blamed for their pain or have it discounted. That is not right. You didn’t decide to have pain.


Chronic pain is caused by a complex set of contributors. Some are in your control, and some are not. We can work together to change the contributors which are in your control. We can change the story of your pain and help you take more control. Whether the contributors are based in the past (trauma, adverse childhood experiences, etc.) or patterns you’re currently dealing with (negative thought patterns, harsh inner critic, perfectionism, people-pleasing, inner pressure, etc.).
Your whole body contributes to chronic pain. From the signals sent by your body, to the sensitization of your nervous system, to the interpretations made by your brain. We can work on changing the pattern of pain and help you gain more control of your life.

Pain Psychoeducation

Understanding the pain system and how it works can give you tools and awareness to help decrease your pain and suffering. I bring pain psychoeducation in a way that’s personal to your pain and condition. Helping you understand what is happening in your body and what you can do to change it.

How Do I Apply My Training and Knowledge to Help You with Your Chronic Pain

Pain Management - image of woman sitting on couch with her dog


I don’t just work with chronic pain from one perspective; I use my vast knowledge of chronic pain to craft a treatment plan that will work with your pain. It comes from treating the components that can change your pain and managing those that can’t be changed. I balance between addressing the emotional challenges of chronic pain and more change-oriented therapies.

Some of the trainings I’ve taken and the techniques I use include:


I will help you learn skills and techniques to reduce your pain and regain control of your life. You are not alone in this process and I can guide you through it. I firmly believe we can reduce your pain and bring more ease and contentment to your life.

Specific Aspects of Chronic Pain and Other Chronic Conditions

Dealing with Flares

Unfortunately, flares are often a very real part of living with a chronic condition. Because of my own experiences with chronic pain, I bring a patient understanding of the complex struggles with chronic illness. I will work with your limitations and flares to help you navigate the complexity of your chronic condition and mental health challenges. I know it can feel discouraging when flares come up and pull you off course; however, they don’t need to be roadblocks that stop your progress. Sometimes they are detours where we gain new insights and learn new skills.

Mind-body/Nociplastic Conditions

Mind-body and nociplastic conditions are conditions in which we experience pain or other symptoms due to associations, misinterpretations by the nervous system, or other non-structural causes. These conditions are very real, even if they don’t show up on scans and other tests. In fact, they are some of the most difficult to get quality treatment for in the traditional medical system.

Some of these conditions are connected to trauma, while others aren’t. However, they can be treated through psychological methods like Pain Reprocessing Therapy, Emotional Awareness and Express Therapy, and EMDR Pain Protocol, as well as Polyvagal, CBT, and other techniques. These methods often help to resolve or significantly reduce nociplastic symptoms.

Mixed Pain and Conditions

Not all pain and chronic conditions are completely nociplastic. There are structural or condition based aspects that are connected to the pain or other nociplastic symptoms. These conditions are often made worse by sensitization and other factors that intensify symptoms.

We can work together to minimize these factors that intensify your symptoms and work to lessen their effect on you and your life.

Pain or Symptoms that are Intertwined with Trauma

Trauma and chronic pain can become intertwined. Trauma triggers can trigger chronic pain, and pain can be its own form of trauma. I can work with you on your trauma and chronic pain in a balanced way that respects and treats the aspects and challenges of both.

Pain or Symptoms that are Intertwined with Childhood Emotional Neglect

Childhood emotional neglect can result in behavioural patterns that can fuel chronic pain, such as perfectionism, inner pressure, a harsh inner critic, etc. I can work with you on some of the common patterns that were defense mechanisms from growing up with emotional neglect and now can be fueling your chronic pain.

Pain or Symptoms that are Intertwined with Emotion and/or Nervous System Dysregulation

I can flexibly work with your current challenges, offering skills and tools to regulate emotions and your nervous system. We can bring understanding to how your pain or symptoms are affected by emotion and nervous system dysregulation.

Grief, Depression, Anxiety and Fatigue

Unfortunately, grief, depression, anxiety and fatigue are real and common challenges of living with chronic pain and other chronic conditions. I can work with you to process and manage these challenges.

What Results My Clients See With Chronic Pain Therapy

  • Reduction in pain or symptoms, flares, and intensity.
  • Increase in hope and purpose in their lives
  • Gaining more skills to improve their ability to cope with their pain and feeling more in control of their lives.
  • Increased awareness and knowledge of what is behind their pain and what they can do to improve their pain.
  • Improved sleep and ability to relax
  • Better boundaries, improved self-care, increased function, and better quality of life.
  • Reduction in some of the emotional and psychological components of chronic pain and chronic conditions, such as grief, fatigue, shame, depression, anxiety, anger and guilt.

Take The Next Step and Get More Out of Your Life

I believe you can live a life with more ease and less pain. I have the knowledge to figure out a path to get you there. Please invite me to take part in the next stage of your healing journey by booking a consultation or contacting me with any questions or concerns.

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