A diagnosis of Parkinson’s can feel heavy, both for the diagnosed and for those in their care systems. Often person’s with Parkinson’s and those in their sphere unknowingly experience symptoms of grief and difficulties with acceptance of the diagnosis. This can lead to fighting oneself in an effort to “fight the disease”. In my sessions with those experiencing these circumstances our work often focuses on bereavement related to the very real losses incurred when living with Parkinson’s. We also often focus on defining and working toward achievement of acceptance of self with Parkinson’s.

Recent studies (Prevalence of Chronic Pain and High-Impact Chronic Pain Among Adults__United States 2016 Weekly/September 14, 2018/67(36); 1001-1006) have shown that approximately 20.4% of American adults experience chronic pain. While this is a significant amount of the adult population, often experiencing chronic pain can feel like an isolating experience. In my sessions with person’s managing chronic pain, we often work to identify potentially isolating experiences and to find new, more connecting management solutions. Chronic pain can impact one’s emotional state, and reflexively, one’s emotional state can impact one’s experience of pain. Often in sessions with person’s with chronic pain, we chat about the possible presence of these issues and mutually work to discover potentially helpful perspectives and behaviors.

While most illnesses present their own unique challenges to the diagnosed and for their care systems, we are all, in the end, humans, challenged to understand, accept, and manage our new circumstances to the best of our abilities. In my sessions with clients facing these issues, we work together to identify and discuss both those unique and unifying circumstances, and to identify and develop plans to meet these situations and the feelings, thoughts, and concerns they can perpetuate, in growthful ways.