Chronic pain is often viewed as a physical condition — but for many women, it’s far more complex. Pain doesn’t just live in the body; it also affects the nervous system, emotional wellbeing, and sense of safety.
If you’re searching for mental health therapy for chronic pain in Edmonton, you may already know how exhausting it can feel when pain lingers long after an injury heals — or when there’s no clear medical explanation at all.
Over time, chronic pain can leave you feeling stuck, frustrated, and worn down. Your nervous system may become more sensitive to danger signals, making pain feel more intense and harder to manage.
Chronic pain is typically defined as pain lasting longer than three months.
When pain persists, it often begins to impact daily life in ways others may not see, including:
Simple tasks — washing your hair, carrying groceries, standing, or sitting comfortably — can start to feel overwhelming.
Many women living with chronic illness or caregiving responsibilities also struggle to advocate for themselves with healthcare providers. Having a therapist who understands chronic pain can provide validation, coping tools, and meaningful emotional support.
Mental health therapy focuses on the mind-body connection — how thoughts, emotions, trauma, and stress influence physical pain.
Working with a therapist trained in chronic pain can help you:
For working women balancing jobs, caregiving, and health challenges, therapy can also provide a rare space where your needs come first.
If you’re looking for mental health therapy for chronic pain in Edmonton, pain-informed counselling approaches can be especially beneficial.
Several therapeutic modalities are effective in treating chronic pain from a mental health perspective:
Emotional Pain Charting explores the patterns, triggers, and locations of pain in the body.
Benefits include:
EMDR uses guided eye movements to process unresolved trauma and emotional distress.
For chronic pain, EMDR can:
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) uses eye-movements and guided imagery to help shift how the brain stores and responds to pain and distress.
This therapy aims to:
CBT helps clients shift unhelpful thought patterns that increase stress and burnout.
In chronic pain therapy, CBT focuses on:
Women who engage in chronic pain counselling often experience:
Therapy doesn’t suggest your pain is imaginary. Instead, it recognizes that pain is influenced by both physical and psychological processes — and both deserve care.
If you’re ready to explore mental health therapy for chronic pain in Edmonton, support is available.
Aspen Wellness offers free 15-minute consultations so you can ask questions, share your concerns, and decide if therapy feels like the right next step.
Rupa Ray - Registered Social Worker MSW RSW provides specialized support for women navigating chronic illness, chronic pain, and caregiving stress in Edmonton and Sherwood Park.
You don’t have to manage pain alone. Contact us today.
What is mental health therapy for chronic pain?
It’s counselling that addresses the psychological and neurological aspects of pain, helping regulate the nervous system and reduce pain intensity.
Does therapy really help chronic pain?
Yes. Evidence-based therapies like CBT, EMDR, and ART Therapy can reduce pain severity and emotional distress.
Who should seek chronic pain therapy?
Anyone living with long-term pain, chronic illness, or pain-related anxiety — especially when pain affects daily functioning.
Where can I find mental health therapy for chronic pain in Edmonton?
Aspen Wellness Centre has therapists who specialize in providing Mental Health Therapy for Chronic Pain, Chronic Illness and Caregiver Burnout in Edmonton. We offer telehealth and in-person sessions at our Southeast Edmonton location - 101-9622 42 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB