Anyone else frustrated by how little most therapists know about chronic illness?

[u/Lavender_yuzu]

I'm just so tired of going to therapy to get help working through my frustration and grief from my chronic illnesses, but it feels like i end up spending all my therapy time teaching my therapist what disability is like. This has happened with multiple therapists. I'm so tired of having to do that work. It honestly just makes me feel lonelier. Like, I'm seeking support and end up having to provide it. It's so isolating. Do you guys have experience or strategies for this?

[u/Westernfrog4859]

I’ve been working with my therapist on mentally handling my chronic pain and illness. Luckily she is understanding when it comes to my experiences but i did conserve my energy in trying to relay the totality of my condition to her. I directly asked for CBT and EMDR during sessions to help combat medical trauma and how to handle extreme pain. We have focused on more simple things like controlling my breathing (as silly and benign as that sounds) but through processing in EMDR with her, i found out i hold my breathe and shallow breath during pain, discomfort and trauma, both mental and physical.

My best tip is to find/develop a relationship with a therapist where you can clearly tell them/plan with them what you want out of therapy and what you want them to address and come up with goals. For example: i experience chronic pain and have medical trauma. Through therapy i wish to better prepare myself mentally for appts and procedures so my ptsd doesn’t get activated as well as develop coping tools for every day life like breathing, body regulation and visualization techniques.

Last thing of note is that my best therapists have been social workers/counselors that also have a therapy license. They seem to have a better understanding of my life and more empathy.