Chronically Me

Chronic Illness

Validation and Pain: Why Witnessing Matters

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on April 16, 2024

Invalidation of pain is a common experience for those living with chronic illness. Learn why pain validation is important and how to validate effectively.

Invalidation of pain is a common experience for those living with chronic illness. Learn why pain validation is important and how to validate effectively.

Chronic Illness

Communication and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on March 14, 2024

Communication about chronic illness matters. Learn how to recognize and respond to harmful communications.

Communication about chronic illness matters. Learn how to recognize and respond to harmful communications.

Positive Psychology

A Writing Exercise for Increased Well-Being

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on February 14, 2024

Writing about ourselves can help our well-being.

Writing about ourselves can help our well-being.

Bias

Working With Automatic Thoughts

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on January 15, 2024

While our brain's automatic thoughts streamline efficiency, sometimes they are unhelpful and need to be challenged. Learn more about changing cognitive biases.

While our brain's automatic thoughts streamline efficiency, sometimes they are unhelpful and need to be challenged. Learn more about changing cognitive biases.

Chronic Illness

Why Hobbies Matter in Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on December 15, 2023

Chronic illness limits the ability to participate in leisure activities. Learn why and how to push back on these limitations.

Chronic illness limits the ability to participate in leisure activities. Learn why and how to push back on these limitations.

Emotion Regulation

Rumination Is a Common Response to Life's Challenges

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on November 15, 2023

The causes, effects and treatment of ruminating.

The causes, effects and treatment of ruminating.

Chronic Illness

Acceptance and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on October 15, 2023

Acceptance of chronic illness is correlated with positive health outcomes. Learn what it is, what it is NOT, and how to cultivate it.

Acceptance of chronic illness is correlated with positive health outcomes. Learn what it is, what it is NOT, and how to cultivate it.

Chronic Illness

Chronic Illness: Coping With Dependence and Self-Acceptance

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on September 15, 2023

Chronic illness dependence gives rise to painful feelings, but by acknowledging and communicating about them, an individual's self-worth often improves.

Chronic illness dependence gives rise to painful feelings, but by acknowledging and communicating about them, an individual's self-worth often improves.

Chronic Illness

Family Resilience and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on August 10, 2023

Family relationships affect, and are affected by, chronic illness. Your family can build resilience by analyzing strengths over three domains of functioning.

Family relationships affect, and are affected by, chronic illness. Your family can build resilience by analyzing strengths over three domains of functioning.

Anxiety

Worry and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on July 14, 2023

Many people who live with chronic illnesses worry about their health. Learn why and how to manage it.

Many people who live with chronic illnesses worry about their health. Learn why and how to manage it.

Chronic Illness

The Art of Savoring

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on June 14, 2023

Savoring—the mindful appreciation of positive experiences—is linked to well-being. Learn more about how to boost your capacity to savor.

Savoring—the mindful appreciation of positive experiences—is linked to well-being. Learn more about how to boost your capacity to savor.

Friends

Chronic Illness and Friendship

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on May 15, 2023

Chronic illness can create barriers to making and keeping friends. Learn why this is so and ways to challenge these barriers.

Chronic illness can create barriers to making and keeping friends. Learn why this is so and ways to challenge these barriers.

Stress

When Medical Treatment Hurts

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on April 13, 2023

Learn how to identify and manage the stressful aspects of medical care.

Learn how to identify and manage the stressful aspects of medical care.

Depression

Chronic Illness and Grief

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on March 14, 2023

The dual process model of coping with grief can help us conceptualize and understand chronic illness grief.

The dual process model of coping with grief can help us conceptualize and understand chronic illness grief.

Relationships

Relationships and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on February 15, 2023

Chronic illness can create barriers to relationships. Use social work's "micro-mezzo-macro approach" to analyze and mitigate these barriers.

Chronic illness can create barriers to relationships. Use social work's "micro-mezzo-macro approach" to analyze and mitigate these barriers.

Chronic Illness

Chronic Illness and Health Insurance

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on January 17, 2023

Personal Perspective: Dealing with insurance companies as a chronically ill person is more than annoying. It's harmful.

Personal Perspective: Dealing with insurance companies as a chronically ill person is more than annoying. It's harmful.

Media

Social Media and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on December 16, 2022

Social media can be a powerful channel for communicating chronic illness experiences.

Social media can be a powerful channel for communicating chronic illness experiences.

Chronic Illness

Art-Making and Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on November 15, 2022

The practice of art provides mental health benefits, including increasing the self-esteem and self-efficacy eroded by chronic illness.

The practice of art provides mental health benefits, including increasing the self-esteem and self-efficacy eroded by chronic illness.

Chronic Illness

Chronic Illness and the Body

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on October 14, 2022

It can be hard to like our bodies when we live with chronic illnesses. These principles from trauma-informed yoga can help.

It can be hard to like our bodies when we live with chronic illnesses. These principles from trauma-informed yoga can help.

Chronic Illness

Body Awareness in Chronic Illness

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on September 15, 2022

Listening to our bodies is a skill worth developing.

Listening to our bodies is a skill worth developing.