Disability & Chronic Illness

Healing mind and body through compassionate, integrated therapy

Living with a disability or chronic illness can affect more than your body — it can touch your emotions, your relationships, your sense of identity, and your daily experience of safety and control. At Health Allies Counseling, we understand the complex interplay between physical health and emotional wellbeing. Our therapists specialize in working with adults navigating chronic conditions, helping you build resilience, find support, regain meaning, and feel more grounded in your life.

Our approach to healing

What we mean by disability and chronic illness

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about six in ten U.S. adults live with at least one chronic disease, and about four in ten have two or more. Chronic illness is typically defined as a condition that lasts from three months to a year or longer, and can include:

Arthritis and other rheumatological conditions
Asthma and other respiratory conditions
Autoimmune disorders (e.g., Graves disease)
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia
Diabetes
Digestive disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease
HIV/AIDS
Lyme disease
Neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy
Toxic mold illness

These conditions can impact your life far beyond physical symptoms — they often affect your mental health, your relationships, your sense of independence, and your day-to-day experience.

What therapy can help

At Health Allies Counseling, our therapists will listen and work with you to create a personalized treatment plan that addresses your unique needs as someone living with chronic illness or disability. Some of the ways therapy can help include:

Developing coping mechanisms: Learn strategies for managing pain, stress reduction, mindfulness practices and body-based regulation.
Addressing mental health concerns: Chronic illness and mental health are closely linked; therapy can support you in managing anxiety, depression, grief or adjustment issues.
Building a support network: Often living with chronic illness can feel isolating — therapy can help you strengthen connection with family, friends, and others in similar situations.
Improving communication: Learning to talk about your condition, your needs and limitations in relationships can ease tension, increase understanding, and support healthier dynamics.
Creating a collaborative treatment plan: Work with your healthcare team and your mental health therapist to integrate your medical, physical, and psychological care

What to expect in therapy

1. Understanding Your Symptoms

We explore your history, triggers, and current challenges with compassion and curiosity. No pressure, no judgment.

2. Building a Personalized Plan

Together we identify which therapeutic tools are most supportive for you — whether you want skills, deeper processing, nervous-system regulation, or a combination.

3. Learning to Regulate Your Nervous System

You’ll learn grounding, mindfulness, and somatic strategies that help you feel calmer, steadier, and more connected in your daily life.

4. Addressing Root Causes

When you're ready, we may explore underlying experiences, patterns, or beliefs contributing to anxiety or depression.

5. Strengthening New Patterns

We help you practice new skills, reinforce healthier thoughts, and build routines that support long-term wellbeing.

You’ll never be forced into a modality or pace you’re not ready for — therapy is always collaborative.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can therapy really help when the illness or disability is physical?

Yes. While therapy won’t treat or cure the physical condition itself, it can significantly improve your emotional wellbeing, resilience, coping strategies, and quality of life. Many people find relief from anxiety, depression, isolation, grief, and identity shifts related to chronic illness.

What happens in a therapy session for chronic illness or disability?

We’ll begin by understanding your condition, its impact on your life, your goals and your current challenges (physical, emotional, relational). Then we tailor an approach using modalities that fit your needs — whether it’s mindfulness, somatic work, CBT, trauma-informed therapy, or a combination. We also help you integrate how your body, mind and medical care are interacting.

Do I need to talk in detail about my illness or how I got it?

Not necessarily. Some clients benefit from reflecting on the experience of illness (loss, change, identity, grief) while others prefer focusing on coping, regulation, present-moment strategies and building meaning. We follow your pace and comfort level.

I feel shame or guilt about my illness or disability. Can therapy help with that?

Absolutely. Issues like guilt (“I should be better”), shame (“I’m broken”), anger (“why me”), or fear of being a burden are common. Therapy provides a safe space to explore these feelings, shift unhelpful beliefs, and reclaim your self-worth beyond illness.

What if my symptoms flare up, or I am in pain — can I still attend therapy?

Yes. We design the therapy to be flexible and adaptive. On days when symptoms are strong we might focus more on regulation, body-based tools, pacing and gentleness. Your therapy plan is built with your body’s rhythms in mind.

Can therapy help me feel less isolated?

Yes. Therapy supports you in connecting with others, communicating your needs, finding support groups or networks, and reducing the loneliness that often comes with chronic illness or disability.

Will therapy address my relationships and communication?

Yes. Chronic illness often impacts relationships (partners, family, friends, colleagues). Therapy can support you in navigating changes in roles, setting healthy boundaries, asking for help, and improving mutual understanding.

Does therapy consider the medical side of things too?

Yes. We believe in an integrative approach: your therapist can work alongside your healthcare providers, respect your medical treatments, and help you bring what you learn in therapy into your physical life and medical regime.

I’m worried therapy will just focus on my illness instead of me as a whole person.

We hear you. At Health Allies Counseling we emphasize the whole person — your past, your present, your values, your body, your relationships and your future — not just the diagnosis. You are not your illness.

What if I don’t know what I need or where to start?

That’s entirely OK and very common. In your first sessions we’ll explore what you’re experiencing, what you hope will change, and co-create a plan together. You don’t need to have it all figured out beforehand.

Start your healing journey

Start Your Healing Journey

You don’t have to walk this path alone or
feel like your illness defines you.
With the right support, you can build greater emotional strength, reconnect with your life, deepen relationships, and live in more alignment with your values — even with chronic illness or disability.

Schedule your first appointment today

at hello@healthalliescounseling.com