Chronic Pain | Jess Rayner Therapy

specialist therapy for people experiencing long-term pain

Conditions I work with

I work with understanding and managing the psychological contributors and impacts of pain and related symptoms (such as fatigue and cognitive difficulties) including but not limited to:

Fibromyalgia
Pain related to Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and Hypermobility
Neuropathic pain
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Long-term pain in a specific area (e.g., low back, sciatica)
Arthritis
Childbearing or pregnancy related pain
Pain related fatigue and cognitive impairment, or pain co-occurring with chronic fatigue syndrome
Interaction's between neurodivergence (e.g., ADHD & Autism) and persistent pain

Persistent pain is usually diagnosed when medical scans and tests cannot identify a simple, medically identifiable, cause for the pain. Often this can be frustrating, sometimes people are left feeling uncertain of what is happening, or what is best to do, perhaps feeling unheard, or not believed.

Pain is very complex, and science still does not fully understand how it works, however it is clear it is impacted by biological, psychological and social processes. The physical body and mind are known to be strongly connected. Through creating an understanding of how pain is experienced for an individual, there is often a way to manage it, build a meaningful life, and reduce it's impact and intensity.

What I offer

My work draws on psychological and neuropsychological perspectives to make sense of and manage pain, and the impact it has on emotions and life more generally.

Just as persistent pain can cause stress, frustration, and distress, equally stress (particularly long-term and severe stress) has an impact on our physical bodies and nervous systems, which can result in the increased likelihood of pain sticking around, or worsening.

In therapy I will work with you to build an understanding of your experience of pain by looking at not only the physical factors, but the wider context (stress, difficult thoughts and emotions, past experiences, what you have tried). Together, we can look at ways to lessen the impact of pain and improve your psychological well-being.

In therapy, some of the things I offer are:

A compassionate space to explore your experience of pain and the impact it has had on your life, and sense of who you are.

Provide information on what persistent pain is (based on best current evidence), bust myths, and reduce uncertainty.

Support you in building effective skills and strategies to manage pain, emotions and thoughts, and reduce flare-ups using evidence-based approaches.

Where relevant, explore the role of chronic stress and psychological trauma, which may include processing these experiences.

Explore how stress interacts with pain, and ways to manage this.

Focus on what is important to you and support you in reconnecting with things that you may feel you have lost.

Manage adjustments to activity levels, work, relationships, and roles, including navigating loss or grief.

Rather than trying to 'fix' or 'get rid' of pain (which most people tell me they have tried a lot, with little success!) I work alongside you to reduce distress and manage emotions, thoughts, and pain, more effectively. Ultimately aiming to bring you a more meaningful life, with reduced suffering. Many people find that through this, pain reduces and doesn't "get in the way" so much, and in some cases can experience pain-free living. Please note, I do not offer medication, medical scans, or tests.

You can find more information on what to expect from therapy more broadly, here.

Fees

Therapy is typically charged at between £80-£95 per session but may vary dependent on the type of work we are doing. Sessions are typically 1 hour, although some therapies may require longer appointments.

Online therapy is currently charged at £80 per session and in-person therapy is £95 per session.

* I offer a limited number of discounted rate therapy sessions on a sliding scale for those on a low income. I cannot guarantee this facility but please contact me to discuss further.