7 San Francisco Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain Therapists
Chronic pain isn’t just physical—it can bring emotional exhaustion, isolation, and grief for the life you once had. It may feel like your body has betrayed you, or like no one understands what you’re going through.
Therapy can help you find ways to live with more ease, compassion, and support—even alongside pain. At Stillpoint Therapy Collective, our San Francisco therapists are here to support you as you navigate the unique challenges that come alongside living with chronic illness.
If you're exhausted by navigating your chronic illness, you're not alone.
So much of living with a chronic condition happens behind the scenes, in the spaces other people don't see. Many of our clients arrive carrying thoughts like these:
"The people in my life just don't understand what it's like."
"I'm so tired of explaining myself to doctors who don't really listen."
"I feel like a burden every time I have to cancel plans again."
"I miss the person I used to be before I got sick."
"Some days the grief and frustration feel heavier than the pain itself."
"I'm always bracing for the next flare, even on the good days."
If any of these sound familiar, you deserve a space where you don't have to explain or perform. Therapy can be that place.
Jump to a therapist
Amber Godwin: Good fit for people who want body-based, nervous-system-focused work to ease the stress that pain keeps activating.
Jen Ottman: Good fit for high-achieving professionals whose health challenges collide with work pressure, burnout, and a shifting sense of self.
Callista Cox: Good fit for disabled and chronically ill folks who want a therapist who truly understands navigating care systems and who offers gender-affirming support.
Lauren Thibodeau: Good fit for people who want EMDR to help process the trauma that so often travels alongside chronic illness and pain.
Amy Toig: Good fit for people drawn to mindfulness and somatic approaches.
Ky Cruz: Good fit for neurodivergent people living with chronic illness, particularly those in LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities.
Ellen Ottman: Good fit for somatic trauma work when chronic pain and past trauma are tangled together.
If you’re not sure which therapist is best for you, please contact us so we can help to match you with the right fit.
Meet our San Francisco chronic illness therapists
Amber Godwin
Good fit for people who want body-based, nervous-system-focused work to ease the stress that pain keeps activating.
Living with chronic pain or illness can keep your nervous system stuck in a state of high alert. I use Somatic Experiencing and body-based awareness to help your system find more regulation, ease, and capacity, always at a pace that respects your limits. I also have a background as a wellness coach, so I understand how mind, body, and daily life intertwine. My warm, collaborative style makes room for grief, hope, and every emotion in between.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #144905
Specialty Areas: Somatic Experiencing, nervous system & emotional regulation, trauma, anxiety, relationship challenges, life transitions
Availability: Virtual in San Francisco & in-person in the East Bay
Jen Ottman
Good fit for high-achieving professionals whose health challenges collide with work pressure, burnout, and a shifting sense of self.
When you have a demanding career, chronic illness can feel like a threat to everything you’ve built, shaking your sense of identity and self-worth. I work with professionals and high-achievers learning to move from pushing through to making sustainable choices. My insight-driven, attachment-oriented approach helps you grieve what's changed, set boundaries that protect your energy, and reconnect with who you are beyond your productivity.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #153153
Specialty Areas: Professionals & executives, anxiety & stress, relationships & family dynamics, life transitions, identity & self-worth
Availability: Virtual in San Francisco & in-person in Santa Monica
Callista Cox
Good fit for disabled and chronically ill folks who want a therapist who truly understands navigating care systems and who offers gender-affirming support.
I specialize in therapy for disabled and chronically ill people, with a deep understanding of navigating care systems that weren't built for us. Therapy with me is a space to process the physical, emotional, and relational impact of chronic conditions while building coping tools that honor your actual reality. I also practice shared decision-making—I'll never push a solution you didn't ask for. Instead, my focus is on fostering a caring therapeutic relationship.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #141253
Specialty Areas: Therapy for disabled & chronically ill people, caregiver burnout, LGBTQIA+ & gender-diverse care, trauma
Availability: Virtual in San Francisco
Lauren Thibodeau
Good fit for people who want EMDR to help process the trauma that so often travels alongside chronic illness and pain.
I work with chronic illness and chronic pain alongside the trauma, autoimmune flares, and complex health conditions that so often travel with them. As a trans male therapist, I'm especially passionate about affirming care for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities. I use EMDR to help your mind and body genuinely process those experiences, and I also draw on somatic experiencing, IFS, and gender-affirming therapy, tailoring each approach to your individual needs—including collaborative care when you're juggling multiple providers. Together, let's help you find your voice and take back your power.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #126701
Specialty Areas: Chronic illness & chronic pain, complex health conditions, neurodivergent- & LGBTQIA+-affirming care, OCD, trauma
Availability: Virtual in San Francisco & in-person in San Diego
Amy Toig
Good fit for people drawn to mindfulness and somatic approaches.
Chronic illness and chronic pain are areas I hold with particular care. As an integrative therapist, I blend somatic therapy and mindfulness to honor your limits, ease suffering, and make room for grief, hope, and meaning. We pace the work to what your body needs. When it's accessible, I also offer Eco Therapy—nature-immersed sessions—because connecting with the natural world can feel deeply regulating when your own body feels like it’s in chaos.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #147414
Specialty Areas: Chronic illness & chronic pain, anxiety & depression, trauma, burnout & stress, LGBTQIA+-affirming care
Availability: Virtual in San Francisco
Ky Cruz
Good fit for neurodivergent people living with chronic illness, particularly those in LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC communities.
Being neurodivergent and living with chronic illness can mean the world constantly asks you to mask, push through, or explain yourself. With me, you don't have to do any of that. I meet you where you are and get curious—never judgmental—about the patterns you've built to cope and protect yourself. Drawing on somatic therapy, parts work, and a trauma-informed, social-justice lens, I offer affirming care for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC folks, moving at a pace that honors your story and your body.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #160179
Specialty Areas: Trauma & PTSD, complex trauma, neurodivergence, LGBTQIA+ individuals & couples, grief & loss, substance use, BIPOC individuals & couples, identity exploration, life transitions, self-esteem
Availability: Virtual & in-person in San Francisco
Ellen Ottman
Good fit for somatic trauma work when chronic pain and past trauma are tangled together.
As founder of Stillpoint, I'm a somatic trauma therapist who understands how chronic pain, illness, and unresolved trauma can live in the body together. With advanced training in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Brainspotting, and Ketamine-Assisted Therapy, I help you slow down and listen to what your body has been trying to say. My approach is gentle, relational, and LGBTQ+ affirming—honoring both the challenges you face and your innate resilience.
Credentials: Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #124702
Specialty Areas: Chronic pain, somatic therapy, PTSD & CPTSD, LGBTQ+ affirming care, psychedelic integration
Availability: Virtual in San Francisco
What sets our practice apart from other San Francisco therapists specializing in chronic illness
Genuinely body-based care. Our team is trained in somatic modalities, including Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Brainspotting, so we are well-equipped to help you heal on a nervous system level.
Therapists who actually understand chronic illness. Several of our clinicians specialize specifically in chronic pain, chronic illness, and disability, including navigating the medical and care systems that come with them.
LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent affirming. We offer queer- and trans-affirming, neurodiversity-affirming care, including gender-affirming documentation when relevant.
A diverse team, so you can find your fit. Our clinicians differ in identity, background, and clinical training, making it easier to match with someone who truly gets you.
Flexible access. We offer in-person sessions in San Francisco and secure telehealth anywhere in California, with evening availability.
FAQs about therapy for chronic pain
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We support people with all kinds of different conditions. Here are some of the challenges that our clients with chronic illness experience:
Grief, frustration, or hopelessness
Anxiety or depression related to illness
Disconnection from body or identity
Strained relationships or social isolation
Navigating the healthcare system
Fear of pain flare-ups or unpredictability
This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list. If you’re struggling with something else related to your chronic condition, we may still be able to help.
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We bring a mind-body approach to chronic pain, offering:
Somatic tools to reduce tension and regulate stress
Emotional support for grief and adjustment
Mindfulness practices to change your relationship with pain
Gentle body awareness to reconnect with safety
A compassionate space to feel less alone in the struggle
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Several of our therapists specialize directly in chronic illness, chronic pain, and disability, and our whole team is trained in somatic, body-based work. We understand the grief, identity shifts, and medical-system fatigue that come with chronic conditions, and we pace our work to honor your capacity.
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Yes, therapy for chronic pain is often covered by insurance. At Stillpoint Therapy Collective, we're an out-of-network practice and don't bill insurance directly. However, we can provide superbills you can submit to your insurer for possible reimbursement, depending on your out-of-network benefits.
Start therapy for living with chronic illness in San Francisco today
Your Body Is Not Your Enemy
Therapy can help you live with more compassion, presence, and possibility — even with pain and illness.