How a Trauma Therapist Can Help You Cope With the Emotional Impact of Chronic Illness
How a Trauma Therapist Can Help You Cope With the Emotional Impact of Chronic Illness
Written by: Lauran Hahn, LMHC
Living with a chronic health condition is more than just managing physical symptoms—it’s about managing everything that comes with them. The unpredictability. The fatigue. The doctor’s appointments. The questions from loved ones who don’t quite understand. The loneliness that creeps in, even when you're surrounded by people.
As a Trauma Therapist, I help clients struggling with the emotional impact of chronic illnesses.
Many individuals with chronic health conditions spend years navigating the healthcare system in search of answers. And while some eventually receive a diagnosis, others continue to manage symptoms without a clear explanation. Regardless of where you are in your journey, one truth remains the same: the emotional weight of chronic illness is real and often overlooked.
The Emotional Toll of Chronic Illness
Chronic illnesses such as fibromyalgia, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, long COVID, endometriosis, and migraines don’t just affect the body—they affect the mind and spirit as well.
You might find yourself grieving the person you used to be: more energetic, more spontaneous, more able to show up in the world the way you want to. You may feel frustrated when your body doesn’t cooperate or anxious about future flare-ups. There may even be guilt for having to cancel plans or rely on others. Over time, this internal emotional load can become as debilitating as the physical symptoms themselves.
What’s especially difficult is how invisible many chronic illnesses can be. You may look "fine" to others, leading to misunderstandings, dismissive comments, or well-meaning advice that misses the mark. This disconnect can create emotional isolation, even from those who care about you the most.
It’s not uncommon for people managing chronic illness to also experience depression, anxiety, or irritability, or a diminished sense of identity. After all, when so much of your time is focused on survival, it’s easy to lose sight of who you are outside of your diagnosis.
How Therapy With an Orlando Trauma Therapist Can Help You Reclaim Emotional Balance
While medical care addresses the physical symptoms of chronic illness, therapy offers space to care for your emotional well-being. And that piece is just as essential for your quality of life.
Working with an Orlando therapist at Mindful Living Counseling can help you make sense of the emotional impact of your condition, develop coping tools that work for you, and rebuild a sense of control. Therapy offers a supportive, nonjudgmental environment where your experience is validated and your emotional health is prioritized.
Here are a few ways therapy can support people living with chronic conditions:
Processing complex emotions such as grief, anger, fear, and sadness
Building coping strategies to manage stress, fatigue, and symptom flare-ups
Navigating identity shifts, especially if illness has impacted your career, roles, or relationships
Reducing anxiety and depression that often accompany long-term illness
Strengthening communication skills to help you advocate for yourself and set boundaries with others
As Orlando therapists, we can also guide you in using evidence-based approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which are especially helpful for managing chronic pain, medical trauma, and emotional fatigue.
What to Expect from Therapy at Mindful Living Counseling Services
At Mindful Living Counseling Services, we believe your experience deserves to be taken seriously, not minimized, ignored, or rushed. Our team of Orlando therapists understands the emotional rollercoaster that can come with living in a body that feels unpredictable.
Whether you’ve been recently diagnosed or have been managing a condition for years, we tailor therapy to your needs, pace, and goals. You’ll find a compassionate, safe space to explore your emotional responses, develop tools for resilience, and feel a little less alone in your journey.
You Don’t Have to Carry This Alone
Living with a chronic illness is hard enough without the added weight of unspoken emotions, misunderstood experiences, and mental burnout. But you don’t have to keep pushing through alone. Support is available—and it can make a real difference.
Ready to Start With an Orlando Trauma Therapist?
If you’re ready to take a step toward emotional healing, our Orlando therapists are here to walk alongside you with care, understanding, and tools that can help you feel more like yourself again.
Fill out our New Client Consultation form here.
Once you complete the form, you’ll be invited to schedule a 15-minute phone consultation with one of our Orlando therapists.
Get ready to start healing!
Additional Trauma Therapist Resources
Orlando Therapist: Understanding Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Orlando Therapist: Understanding Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Anxiety Therapist: Understanding Stress And How to Cope
Orlando Anxiety Therapist Shares: How to Handle Life's Curveballs
Orlando Therapist: Everything You Need to Know About Self-Care
Orlando Therapist: 5 Things Your Therapist Wants You to Know
Other Therapy Services Offered at Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando
We provide a range of therapeutic services to meet various needs! Our offerings consist of EMDR therapy, Trauma Therapy, Therapy for Teens, Couples Therapy, Eating Disorder Therapy, and therapy for toxic relationships. We also offer guided meditations.
Orlando Therapist Lauran Hahn
Lauran Hahn, LMHC, operates Mindful Living Counseling in Orlando. Her primary focus is on assisting clients in dealing with anxiety and trauma through her EMDR Intensives. Lauran is certified as a Sensorimotor Psychotherapist and an EMDR Therapist, and she is acknowledged as an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Her goal is to help individuals achieve peace and improve their relationships. In her free time, she enjoys running, practicing yoga, and spending time with her family.