3 Reasons Group Therapy for Women with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome in Washington, DC Helps You Reach Your Goals
Image by https://unsplash.com/@sutirtab
What is Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders?
Ehlers-Danlos syndromes are a group of genetic connective tissue disorders with wide ranging symptoms that are multisystemic and often present differently from person to person. EDS can create issues with joint instability, tissue fragilitiy, GI issues, dysautonomia, fatigue, neurological issues, pain, MCAS and more. Hypermobile Spectrum Disorders, along this same spectrum, consist of multi systemic symptoms and joint hypermobility.
Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome is the most common form of EDS and impacts approximately 1 in 3100-5000 people. However, it is thought that EDS may be under diagnosed and not as rare as previously believed. There is no cure for EDS or HSD but a multidisciplinary team approach is critical and invaluable in improving the lives of people with EDS.
Mental health is just one important component of this treatment plan. Group therapy for women with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can help you continue reaching your goals, gain coping skills and therapeutic tools, learn about your nervous system and gain various therapeutic techniques rooted in trauma informed Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
How can group therapy for women with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome in Washington, DC help me?
Image by https://unsplash.com/@ryanmoreno
Keep reaching your goals.
Chronic illness can feel like it completely derails you from your life plan and goals. The time it takes to understand what is wrong, get a diagnosis and correct treatment can often take far too long than it should. You do not have to give up on your dreams and goals while navigating Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and HSD. Goals and dreams may change while living with chronic illness and can create a lot of grief. It is helpful to have a therapist and community to navigate these big life changes.
The women we work with are high achievers, intelligent and so strong. Living with a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome does not mean you can’t reach your goals. Gaining tools to cope with your mental health while living with chronic illness is not weak-it is a strong step forward in your path to healing.
Image by https://unsplash.com/@_visalliart
Learn helpful coping skills and tools to manage your mental health with EDS/HSD.
Women’s CBT believes in a diverse and integrative approach to managing mental health. What does this mean? In group therapy, you will learn many different techniques and tools to expand your toolbox in managing your mental health. Therapy is not a one size fits all model-why should you only learn one approach or tool?
Psychoeducation of the Nervous system
Chronic illnesses like Ehlers Danlos Syndrome can create medical trauma. Our mind body connection is important to understand and can help us make sense of our emotional and physical sensations. In group therapy, you will learn about your sympathetic nervous system (controlling fight, flight, freeze) and your parasympathetic nervous system (our rest & digest setting). You will learn how to stimulate your vagus nerve to get into a calming physical and mental state. Most importantly, you will learn that your body is not reacting to anything in the wrong way-we can increase communication to our brains and bodies that we are safe.
Trauma informed CBT
Traditional CBT talks about replacing your irrational thoughts with rational thoughts. This can feel very minimizing and dismissive to clients with chronic pain or complex chronic illness. It does not take into account traumatic events that have happened that may happen again. It does not acknowledge the daily stressors of complex chronic illness. In group therapy, you will learn a trauma informed approach to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, derived from Cognitive Processing Therapy. You can recognize stuck points or thoughts that are unhelpful to your current situation. You can then reframe them in a way that is realistic and affirming of your emotional experiences. You can also notice thought patterns-for instance, because you have endured medical trauma you may notice you tend to think about the “worst case scenario” aka Catastrophizing. This is not irrational based on your life experiences. But, you may notice this is an unhelpful thought pattern keeping you stuck. When we create a reframe, we are creating a new neural pathway-a new way to think!
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
The idea of accepting chronic illness can feel completely overwhelming. Sometimes, people feel accepting chronic illness like Ehlers Danlos Syndrome means you have given up or are “okay” with illness. This is not what acceptance means. Acceptance, or radial acceptance, is acknowledging the reality of your situation. With acceptance, you can commit to changes that are within your control. You cannot change your diagnosis, but you can commit to making changes that accommodate your disability and help you live a fuller life.
Somatic and Mindfulness Skills
Many people have varying interests in mindfulness and meditation. In group therapy, you will learn various ways of using mindfulness skills in a way that works for you. For instance, you may enjoy guided meditations. Others will enjoy grounding exercises that help you feel more connected to your body or the present. Breathing exercises help move our body into the parasympathetic state. This can look like box breathing, deep diaphragmatic breathing or yogic breathing. Bilateral stimulation can be utilized by tapping exercises or audio playlists to regulate your nervous system and stimulate the vagus nerve. Mindfulness is not one size fits all! Figure out what you like and what you will be more motivated to utilize.
Distress Tolerance Skills
Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT, is another helpful tool to add to your chronic illness toolbox. Distress tolerance skills can help you navigate pain flares and overwhelming emotions that coincide with chronic illness. Distress tolerance skills vary, and can include healthy distracting activities, mindfulness exercises and somatic exercises.
Dialectial thinking is woven through our trauma informed reframing and is a critical skill. Dialectical thinking allows us to accept that two opposing thoughts can be true at the same time. For instance, our emotional mind may tell us something very different than our rational mind. Both of these experiences are true. This concept helps us validate the feelings and emotions that chronic illness brings while also acknowledging what evidence our reasonable mind can find.
Find a community of women with EDS/HSD who understand.
Chronic illness takes a massive toll on not just your physical health but also your mental health. It can be difficult to feel understood by family and friends even with their love and support. Therapy groups for women with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Hypermobility Spectrum Disorder allow you to connect with women who understand first hand the toll of living with chronic illness every day.
In the therapy group, you will be learning coping skills and tools to manage your mental health while also having open time to share your experience with others. You can ask for advice, provide support for other women dealing with similar health experiences and leave each week feeling less alone and uplifted. Chronic illnesses like Ehlers Danlos Syndrome are isolating. Make a change by surrounding yourself with like minded, strong, high achieving women in this therapy group for women with chronic illness in Washington, DC.
Join an online therapy group for women with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobile spectrum disorders in Washington DC today.
Having the right support in place can make all the difference when navigating medical trauma with chronic illness and chronic pain. At Greater Washington DC and New York City CBT Counseling for Women, I specialize in helping women through medical trauma, birth trauma, and complex trauma. Together we can work through this and help you start thriving again. By working with a medical trauma therapist in Washington, DC, you can begin your journey to healing. Follow the steps below to get started on your journey to healing.
Get to know me here.
Fill out our convenient online mental health services contact form.
Find support to walk with you every step of the way.
Other Mental Health Services Offered in Washington DC by Women’s CBT
You deserve to feel understood, supported, and heard. You shouldn't have to face the unimaginable and then go through it alone. No matter what the unimaginable is, I am here to help. These services include therapy for anxiety and depression in both Individual and Women’s Support Groups. I also specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, CPT for Medical Trauma, Perinatal Therapy, PTSD Treatment, and Therapy for Chronic Illness. For more helpful information check out my blogs and videos! All services are offered online in Washington DC, Virginia, and New York.