Pain psychology in Richmond, VA
A New Form of Pain Management
You feel alone
No one understands how difficult it is just to get through your normal daily activities or participate in your favorite hobbies
You're frustrated
The doctors don’t have a good explanation for why you’re in pain. You’ve tried a number of pain treatments, or even surgeries, but everything seems to have minimal or temporary relief.
You feel broken
You can’t do the things you used to do. Your body feels like it’s breaking down. It feels like you can do less and less over time.
Your pain is real - and so is the emotional weight that comes with it.
How therapy for chronic pain can help
If you’ve felt stuck in the medical system trying to find the solution for your pain without much success, you’re in the right place. Working with a pain psychologist can be a great addition to your healthcare to help you understand how your brain and body communicate pain and how you can begin to change that response.
We offer in person services in Richmond, VA and virtually in PSYPACT states.
What is Chronic Pain?
01 | Pain is complex and serves as your body’s natural ‘alarm system’
Most people think of pain as a signal that something in the body is hurt or injured — like an alarm going off to protect you. When you cut your finger or sprain your ankle, the alarm sounds, and once your body heals, the alarm turns off.
02 | Chronic pain works differently
Instead of turning off when the body heals, the alarm system in your brain and nervous system can stay “stuck on.” This doesn’t mean the pain is “all in your head.” It means your nervous system has become extra sensitive, sending out pain signals even when there’s no new injury.
03 | Chronic pain is resistant to treatment
Because of this overactive alarm, chronic pain can last for months or years, and it often doesn’t improve with medical treatment alone. That’s why learning about how pain works — and how your brain and body process it — is such an important part of managing it.
04 | Therapy helps you re-wire the alarm system
The good news is that, just like the alarm system can become overactive, it can also be retrained. Through therapy, coping strategies, and lifestyle changes, you can help calm your nervous system and regain a greater sense of control over your life.
Therapy for chronic pain will help you:
Re-train your nervous system through mind-body strategies that reduce the ‘harm alarm’ from the brain.
Manage the emotional toll of ongoing symptoms, medical uncertainty, and burnout
Take charge of your mindset and identify unhelpful thought patterns that can amplify pain and replace them with supportive coping tools
Reconnect with your body through gentle movement, pacing, and mindfulness techniques
Rebuild confidence in your ability to manage flare-ups and improve daily functioning
These approaches are grounded in evidence-based methods such as Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and pain neuroscience education—helping you feel more in control, more informed, and more at peace with your body.
To learn more about Pain Reprocessing Therapy, please click here: Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)
What does the process look like?
