Learn to trust your body and feel grounded in your life again.
Therapy for Chronic Illness
in Lexington, Massachusetts
Services available virtually throughout Massachusetts
When your life revolves around appointments, symptoms, medications, and trying to predict how you'll feel each day, sometimes it can be hard to slow down and make space for your emotional reactions. In therapy, we will create space to navigate the grief, frustration, and uncertainty that often comes with health conditions. I’ll help you find a way to move forward that fits your values and what your body needs.
Sometimes a health diagnosis feels like it changes everything:
Whether it’s an acute medical issues, a new chronic health diagnosis, or something you’ve been managing for a while, living with a medical condition can impact your emotional wellbeing.
Living with a chronic illness can be overwhelming, isolating, and exhausting. The constant demands of managing medical needs, balancing responsibilities, and coping with uncertainty often take a toll on mental health. You may feel anxious, burned out, or weighed down by grief for the life you imagined. You may also notice a shift in values and priorities that others do not seem to understand.
Together, we can create a space to process the difficult emotions that come up. In addition, in therapy we will work to help you develop effective coping strategies and reconnect with the parts of your life that bring meaning and joy.
Chronic Illness and New Diagnoses
When you are living with an ongoing health concern or chronic illness, have a major health event or receive a new diagnosis, it’s common to feel frustrated, fearful, or disconnected from your identity outside of your diagnosis. Often times, navigating illness often comes with invisible losses. You may be grieving the life you expected, the energy you once had, or the sense of certainty you used to feel. Those losses deserve space, too. Therapy can help you:
Manage anxiety, depression, or stress related to your condition
Process feelings of grief, loss, or changes in independence
Develop coping tools for pain, fatigue, or uncertainty
Strengthen communication with healthcare providers and loved ones
Reconnect with values and activities that matter to you
What Therapy Goals May Look Like:
Resting without feeling guilty
Finding moments of joy alongside your illness
Clarifying your values and priorities
Having a space where you feeling understood
Learning that your worth isn't measured by your productivity
Finding ways to reconnect with your body and learning to trust yourself again
Processing your grief and learning to manage difficult emotions
Meet Dr. Liz Spitzer:
Clinical Psychologist in Lexington, MA
Virtual Therapy available throughout Massachusetts
Hi, I'm Dr. Liz Spitzer, a licensed clinical psychologist in Massachusetts with training in health settings and health psychology. I help adults navigate the emotional and psychological challenges that can come with chronic illness and new medical diagnoses.
I draw on years of clinical training, research, and experience to offer evidence-based therapy tailored to you and where you are. My role is to truly listen, help you make sense of what you're going through, and find a path forward that feels both manageable and hopeful. In therapy with me, you’ll learn skills to build real, lasting change. Together, we will work to help you build resilience, navigate health-related challenges, and feel more empowered in your overall well-being.
I am passionate about research and continuing education. In addition, Dr. Spitzer is listed as a trusted provider from Grief Support Center for individuals managing grief due to loss of health, facing chronic illness, and/or adjusting to life with a disability or health concern: https://www.griefsupportcenter.com/massachusetts/grief-support-provider/liz-spitzer
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Yes, therapy can make a significant difference. While therapy doesn’t treat the medical condition itself, it can help you navigate the emotional experience of living in a body that may feel unpredictable, limiting, or constantly requiring attention and management. We’ll work together to develop stress-management strategies, address health-related anxiety, build resilience, and find ways to maintain a fulfilling life despite health challenges.
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Yes! Health anxiety often involves excessive worry about potential illnesses, the progression of existing conditions, or the reoccurrence of a health condition that may be in remission. In therapy, we’ll use evidence-based approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to manage anxious thoughts, build tolerance for uncertainty, and develop healthier responses to health-related worries.
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A new diagnosis can be life-changing, both physically and emotionally. Therapy provides a safe space to process your emotions, navigate uncertainty, and develop practical coping strategies. It can be a space to name grief, fear, sadness, anger, and other complex emotions without judgment. Together, we’ll focus on what you can control, build resilience, and create a path forward that aligns with your values and lifestyle.
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Yes, I provide secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth sessions for individuals who prefer or need remote care. This is an excellent option if your health condition makes it difficult to attend in-person sessions. Telehealth ensures you can access therapy from the comfort of your home, without compromising the quality of care.
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My office is located on the second floor of a building without an elevator, which may present challenges for some individuals. To ensure therapy remains accessible, I’m happy to schedule telehealth sessions. This allows us to meet your therapy needs in a convenient, accessible way.