Health, Migraines & Chronic Illness
Chronic Pain & Illness Therapy Ottawa
Chronic pain and mental health disorders often occur together. In fact, research suggests that chronic pain and mental health problems can contribute to and exacerbate each other.
People living with chronic pain from conditions like fibromyalgia, back problems, migraines and arthritis are at heightened risk for mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. For instance, an estimated 35% to 45% of people with chronic pain experience depression. Chronic pain can also affect sleep and increase stress levels.
Health psychologists are specially trained to understand the psychological and emotional aspects of health and illness.
Gilmour Psychologists with Expertise in Counselling for Chronic Pain & Illness Counselling
Contact Gilmour Psychological Services® in Ottawa to schedule a consultation with a psychologist who has an expertise in chronic pain therapy.
Dr. Drahovzal provides psychotherapy and assessment services to children, adults, couples, and families at Gilmour Psychological Services® in Ottawa.
Dr. Dargie maintains a client-centered, evidence-based, sex-positive, LGBTQ-positive approach to psychotherapy. She provides individual and couple therapy to Anglophone adults experiencing a wide variety of challenges and circumstances
Dr. Amanda Timmers provides psychological services by video or phone to couples and individual adults in the province of Ontario. Her primary theoretical orientations are cognitive-behavioural therapy and emotion-focused therapy, though she integrates other evidence-based treatment modalities to meet clients’ specific needs. Dr. Timmers takes a collaborative, supportive approach to psychotherapy, to help clients better understand themselves and make positive changes in their lives.
Dr. Murray provides assessment and treatment to adults and seniors. She uses a number of evidence-based treatments to address client’s needs and the challenges that they are facing. Dr. Murray works collaboratively with clients to identify their goals and guide them towards making positive and lasting changes in their life. Her main goal is to help clients identify their individual strengths and overcome barriers that may be preventing them from feeling content and fulfilled.
As a Clinical and Health Psychologist, Dr. Davies believes in promoting wellness and resilience, both mentally and physically. She works with adults and adolescents. Her primary approach to therapy is Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), a type of treatment that has been extensively supported by research showing it to be highly effective for treating a wide variety of mental health concerns. This approach is complemented with other evidence-based tools and techniques such as mindfulness, self-compassion, acceptance and resilience building to better tailor her approach to an individual’s needs.
Dr. Scarapicchia provides assessment and treatment services to adolescents, adults, and seniors, including psychotherapy, neuropsychological assessments, and psychodiagnostic assessments.
Dr. Leanne Kane provides individual therapy and psychodiagnostic assessment services to adults in English and in French. She obtained her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Ottawa, where she also completed her internship at the Centre for Psychological Services and Research.
Dr. Mutsaers provides individual and couple psychotherapy for adult clients. Her work primarily focuses on helping adults and couples cope with acute and chronic health issues (e.g., cancer, infertility, chronic pain, and sexual dysfunction).
Kaitlyn is an APPIC pre-doctoral intern working under the primary supervision of Dr. Deanna Drahovzal and Dr. Emma Murray, along with her secondary supervisors, Dr. Emma Dargie and Dr. Victoria Edwards. She is completing her PhD in clinical developmental neuropsychology at York University, where her research focuses on understanding how family and environmental factors relate to cognitive outcomes in children following pediatric stroke. Kaitlyn also holds master’s degrees in clinical developmental neuropsychology and in developmental psychology. Kaitlyn has primarily worked with children, adolescents, young adults, and families across private practice, university, and hospital settings. Her clinical experience includes individual, family, and group therapy as well as neuropsychological, psychoeducational, and psychological assessment. She completed specialized training at the Hospital for Sick Children , where she worked with children and families navigating neurological and complex medical conditions in the Stroke, Transplant and Regenerative Medicine, and Neurosurgery programs. Throughout these experiences, she has worked with individuals presenting with a range of developmental, neurological, learning, attentional, emotional, and behavioural concerns. Kaitlyn views therapy as a collaborative process. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, she works with her clients to understand what brought them to therapy, identify what matters most to them, and build upon the strengths and resources they already possess. Her approach is integrative, trauma-informed, and evidence-based, drawing primarily from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. At Gilmour Psychological Services®, Kaitlyn provides assessment ( neuropsychological, psychodiagnostic, and psychoeducational ), short- and long-term therapy, crisis management, and consultation to children, youth, adults, and families. Above all, Kaitlyn strives to develop a genuine, trusting therapeutic relationship where clients and families feel heard, respected, and actively involved in their care.
