ONLINE THERAPY IN OREGON
Therapy for Chronic Illness & Grief
You've Finally Found a Therapist Who Actually Understands Chronic Illness
You're exhausted from explaining. Tired of that glazed-over look when you mention your symptoms or medical needs. Frustrated by therapists who nod politely but clearly don't grasp why your body's unpredictability affects every single aspect of your life—your relationships, your career, your sense of self.
You need someone who gets it from the first session. Someone who understands that "just rest more" isn't helpful advice. Someone who knows that your pain is real, your fatigue is crushing, and your anxiety about your body isn't something you can simply "think differently" about. Whether you’re in Portland, Eugene, Salem, Bend, or anywhere across Oregon, you deserve therapy that meets you where you are—both literally through secure telehealth, and emotionally through genuine understanding of what it means to live in a body that feels like it's constantly working against you.
Specialized Therapy for Oregonians Living with Complex Health Conditions
As a licensed clinical psychologist (#4026) serving clients throughout Oregon, I specialize in supporting adults who are navigating the emotional weight of chronic illness, grief, and loss. My practice focuses specifically on hypermobility spectrum disorders (EDS, HSD), complex chronic conditions, and the grief that often accompanies living with an unpredictable body.
I understand the medical side of your condition—so you don't have to spend our sessions educating me about what EDS is, why POTS makes you feel like you're dying, or how MCAS reactions or how PEM flares can derail your entire week. This means we can focus our time together on what matters to you: your feelings, your relationships, your goals, and the strategies that help you live a life that feels meaningful despite the challenges.
Therapy For Chronic Illness & Autoimmune Conditions In Oregon
Beyond EDS and hypermobility disorders, I work with Oregonians managing a wide range of chronic health conditions:
Autoimmune Disorders
Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, and other autoimmune conditions bring their own unique challenges—unpredictable flares, medication side effects, and the constant uncertainty of when your body will cooperate.
Long Covid & ME/CFS
Post-viral illnesses like Long Covid and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome can leave you feeling like a shell of your former self. The fatigue isn't just tiredness—it's a bone-deep exhaustion that most people can't comprehend.
Women's Health Conditions
PCOS, endometriosis, IC/BPS, vulvar pain conditions, and hormonal disorders affect not just your physical health but your sense of self, your relationships, and your plans for the future.
Living With Invisible Illnesses In Oregon
When Your Body Feels Like a Mystery Even to Doctors
Many of my Oregon clients with Endometriosis or Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder have spent years—sometimes decades—seeking answers. Maybe you've been told it's "just anxiety" or that you're "too young to have this many problems." Perhaps you've seen countless specialists, each treating one symptom while missing the bigger picture.
Whether you have an official diagnosis, are still navigating the diagnostic process, therapy offers a space to process the emotional toll of living with a body that feels unpredictable and misunderstood.
❥ The Diagnostic Odyssey & Medical Trauma
The path to an diagnosis is rarely straightforward. You may have experienced medical gaslighting, dismissive doctors, or years of being told your symptoms are psychosomatic. This isn't just frustrating—it's traumatic. In therapy, we'll process the pain of not being believed and help you reclaim your voice in medical settings.
❥ Co-Occurring Conditions: POTS, MCAS, Gastroparesis & More
EDS rarely travels alone. You might be managing Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), gastroparesis, or other conditions that compound the daily challenges. Each diagnosis adds another layer of complexity—more appointments, more medications, more adaptations. We'll work on managing the emotional overwhelm that come with juggling multiple conditions.
❥ The Grief of a Body That Changed
You might be mourning the active life you once had, the career path that no longer feels possible, or the spontaneity that's been replaced by careful planning around your energy and symptoms. This grief is real and deserves space to be honored.
❥ Relationships Strained by Invisible Illness
Friends who don't understand why you cancel plans. Partners who struggle to grasp the unpredictability of your symptoms. Family members who wonder if you're "really that sick." The isolation of living with an invisible condition can feel suffocating. Together, we'll explore ways to communicate your needs and rebuild connections that feel supportive rather than draining.
❥ Identity Beyond Illness
When so much of your life revolves around managing your health, it's easy to lose sight of who you are beyond your diagnoses. Therapy can help you reconnect with your identity, rediscover your strengths, and create space for joy and meaning—even within the constraints of chronic illness.
We'll work on:
Processing grief and loss related to your health
Managing medical anxiety from traumatic healthcare experiences
Developing sustainable coping strategies that honor your body's limits
Navigating relationships and setting boundaries that protect your energy
Finding meaning and purpose even on the hardest days
Grief & Bereavement Therapy For Oregon Residents
Living with chronic illness often involves ongoing grief—but you may also be facing other significant losses.
I provide grief therapy for Oregonians who are:
❥ Grieving the Death of a Parent or Loved One
The loss of a parent leaves a void that's hard to describe, whether your relationship was close, complicated, or somewhere in between. You might be navigating the practical realities of settling an estate while trying to process overwhelming emotions. Or perhaps you're discovering that grief doesn't follow anyone's timeline—and that's okay.
❥ Caregiving for a Declining Parent
You may be watching someone you love slowly slip away from dementia, Alzheimer's, or terminal illness. This ambiguous loss—grieving someone who is still physically present but fundamentally changed—can be one of the most painful experiences. You're mourning them while simultaneously caring for them, and the emotional toll is immense.
❥ Relationship Loss & Life Transitions
The end of a significant relationship, divorce, or estrangement from family members brings its own form of grief. You might be rebuilding your sense of self after a breakup or navigating the loneliness of relationships that changed because of your health.
You already know what it's like to work with therapists who mean well but just don't quite understand. You don't have to keep doing that.
If you're nodding along as you read this, you're in the right place.
Why Choose A Therapist Who Specializes In Chronic Illness?
You might be wondering: Can't any therapist help me with these issues?
Here is the truth… general therapy can be helpful, but specialized therapy is different.
You Won't Spend Sessions Explaining Your Condition
When I say I specialize in EDS and chronic illness, I mean I've done the work to understand:
Why subluxations aren't just "loose joints"
How POTS isn't "just feeling dizzy when you stand up"
Why pacing isn't the same as "resting when you're tired"
How chronic pain affects your mental health in ways that go beyond just "feeling sad about being in pain"
This means our time together focuses on you—not on educating me about your medical reality.
I Understand the Emotional Toll of Difficult Medical Experiences
You don't have to convince me that your experiences with dismissive doctors, frustrating appointments, or years of not being heard have left their mark. I understand how these experiences affect your trust in healthcare and your willingness to advocate for yourself. We'll work through these feelings together.
I Know Chronic Illness Intersects with Everything
Your health affects your relationships, your career, your finances, your sense of identity, your future plans. I won't treat your emotional struggles as separate from your physical reality—because they're not.
I Respect Your Body's Wisdom
You know your body better than anyone. I won't push you to "push through" or suggest that your limitations are just mental blocks. Instead, we'll work together to find strategies that honor what your body needs while helping you reconnect with what matters most to you.
Hi, I’m Dr. Kristine Pickwith
As a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY33158, #4026), I specialize in helping adults navigate the unique emotional challenges of living with chronic health conditions. My practice focuses on women’s health concerns (such as PCOS, endometriosis, and vulvar conditions), hypermobility spectrum disorders, autoimmune diseases, and other complex medical conditions. I know how exhausting it can be to advocate for yourself—especially when you feel unheard by medical professionals or misunderstood by those around you.
That’s why I dedicate myself to staying up to date on the latest research and advancements related to the medical conditions I work with. This ensures our sessions focus on you—your feelings, your goals, and the strategies that help you manage the physical and emotional weight of chronic illness, rather than needing to explain your condition at every step.
In our work together, you’ll find a space where your voice is valued, your experiences are validated, and your strategies are tailored to fit your life. We’ll collaborate to adjust, refine, and personalize tools that support you—not just in managing symptoms, but in reconnecting with the people and moments that bring meaning to your life.
You don’t have to face this journey feeling unseen or unheard. Let’s create a path forward that feels grounded, manageable, and uniquely yours.
COMMON QUESTIONS FROM OREGON CLIENTS
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Yes. Your comfort and your body's needs come first. Adjust your position, grab your heating pad, pause for water—whatever you need to do to be present for our work together.
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Of course. While your health context is important, you're so much more than your conditions. We can focus on your relationships, your goals, your identity, or anything else that matters to you. I take a flexible approach to sessions and ensure that we are focusing on what is most important to you in that session.
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I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Emotion-Focused Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Self-Compassion work as the foundation of my approach. However, I believe therapy should be flexible and responsive to what you need. I'll utilize strategies that seem most appropriate for the kind of support you're looking for in therapy at that moment—adapting our work together as your needs evolve.
It’s Okay to Want More Than Just Getting Through the Day
You’ve been carrying more than most people realize, and it’s okay to want support. Chronic illness can make even the simplest moments feel heavy, but you deserve care that meets you where you are and helps you move through the hard days with more balance and less overwhelm.
Investing in therapy is a meaningful step toward prioritizing your well-being and building a life that feels more manageable and fulfilling.
Let’s take this one step at a time—starting now.