Somatic, Nervous-System-Informed Therapy for Chronic Pain & Trauma

Living with chronic pain can be exhausting, confusing, and isolating — especially when medical tests don’t provide clear answers or lasting relief.

I offer chronic pain psychotherapy for adults in Ontario, grounded in contemporary pain neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and somatic approaches. This work supports people whose pain is influenced by the nervous system, stress, and emotional experiences, rather than ongoing structural injury alone.

When Pain Persists Without Clear Injury or Cause

Many people I work with have been told:

• “Everything looks normal.”

• “There’s nothing more we can do.”

• “You’ll have to learn to live with it.”

Yet their pain is very real.

Research shows that chronic pain can be maintained by a sensitized nervous system, shaped by factors such as:

• chronic stress

• trauma or adverse life experiences

• fear and hypervigilance around symptoms

• long periods of pushing through pain

• emotional suppression or overwhelm

This does not mean pain is imagined or “all in your head.”
It means the brain and nervous system may be stuck in a state of protection.

What Is Chronic Pain Psychotherapy?

Chronic pain psychotherapy is a collaborative, education-based therapeutic approach that helps you understand how pain is generated and maintained — and how it may soften through nervous system regulation and emotional processing.

In therapy, we work gently and gradually to:

• reduce fear and threat responses around pain

• increase a sense of safety in the body

• build confidence in movement and sensation

• process emotions linked to pain experiences

• support nervous system flexibility and resilience

This approach is often helpful for conditions such as:

• fibromyalgia

• centralized or neuroplastic pain

• chronic muscle tension

• headaches or migraines

• pain that fluctuates without a clear cause

The Relationship Between Trauma and Chronic Pain

Trauma — particularly developmental or relational trauma — can profoundly shape how the nervous system responds to sensation, stress, and threat.

For some people, chronic pain emerges alongside:

• complex trauma or C-PTSD

• anxiety or panic symptoms

• heightened startle responses

• emotional numbness or overwhelm

• long-standing patterns of self-pressure or perfectionism

In psychotherapy, we explore how pain may be intertwined with emotional experience, life history, and the body’s protective strategies — always at a pace that feels safe and tolerable.

A Somatic & Nervous-System-Informed Approach

My work integrates:

• pain neuroscience education

• somatic awareness and tracking

• trauma-informed psychotherapy

• emotion-focused exploration

• nervous system regulation strategies

Sessions may include:

• understanding how your pain operates

• noticing sensation with curiosity rather than fear

• learning to distinguish safety from threat

• gently rebuilding trust in your body

• working with emotions that have been held or avoided

This work is not about pushing through pain or forcing positive thinking.
It is about listening, understanding, and creating new patterns of safety.

An Integrative Foundation

My clinical work is informed by:

• Pain Reprocessing Therapy

• Integrative Somatic Therapy

• mindfulness and meditation

• Buddhist psychology (offered in a non-religious way)

• contemporary trauma and pain research

These foundations support an approach that honors both science and lived experience, helping clients relate to pain with greater compassion, agency, and clarity.

Who This Work Is For

This approach may be a good fit if you:

• live with chronic pain that persists despite medical care

• notice your pain worsens with stress or emotional strain

• feel fearful, tense, or hypervigilant about symptoms

• want an approach that addresses both body and mind

• are open to psychotherapy focused on nervous system healing

Who This Work May Not Be For

This approach may not be appropriate if:

• you are seeking acute medical treatment

• your pain is caused by an active, untreated injury

• you are looking for quick fixes or guarantees

I’m always happy to discuss whether this work may be supportive for you.

Begin with a Consultation

If you are living with chronic pain and are curious about a psychotherapy approach that integrates pain neuroscience, trauma-informed care, and somatic awareness, I invite you to reach out.

Book a free 15-minute consultation by clicking on the button below
Together, we can explore whether this approach feels like the right next step.