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Chronic Pain Chronic Illness Counselling

Chronic Pain Chronic Illness Counselling | ICBC & MVA Trauma Recovery

Living with chronic pain after a motor vehicle accident (MVA) or injury can affect every part of life—your mobility, mood, sleep, relationships, and sense of independence. At Wong Counselling, our psychotherapists provide evidence-based chronic pain treatment rooted in neuroscience, trauma recovery, and behavioural medicine. We support clients approved through ICBC, auto insurers, and extended health benefits, helping you rebuild function, improve coping, and regain control of your life.

Psychotherapy for Chronic Pain, MVA Trauma & Long-Term Recovery

Chronic Pain Chronic Illness Counselling | ICBC & MVA Trauma Recovery

Chronic pain is not “all in your head”—it is a real neurobiological condition shaped by injury, stress, inflammation, and the nervous system’s response to trauma. Many clients experience:

  • Pain lasting more than 3–6 months

  • Pain connected to MVAs, workplace injury, or medical trauma

  • Sleep disturbance, fatigue, irritability, and low mood

  • Fear of movement (“pain catastrophizing”)

  • Loss of mobility or work impairment

  • PTSD symptoms connected to the accident or injury

  • Stress from navigating ICBC/insurance systems

 

Our work addresses the pain-brain connection, restoring safety, function, and mobility through a whole-person approach.

What Our Chronic Pain Psychotherapy Includes

Chronic Pain Chronic Illness Counselling | ICBC & MVA Trauma Recovery

1. Nervous System Regulation

We help your body shift out of chronic fight-or-flight through grounding techniques, pacing, breathwork, vagal-nerve regulation, and trauma-informed stabilization.

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2. Pain Reprocessing & Behavioural Activation

Using evidence-based approaches like CBT-CP and ACT for Pain, we retrain the brain’s alarm system and help you safely re-engage in activities you’ve avoided due to fear or pain.

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3. Trauma Therapy for MVA or Injury

Motor vehicle accidents often leave clients with hidden trauma—hypervigilance, driving anxiety, flashbacks, or avoidance. We address both the physical and psychological sequelae.

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4. Functional & Lifestyle Support

We help you improve sleep, energy, movement, pacing, boundaries, work capacity, and daily functioning.

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5. Navigation of ICBC & Auto Insurance

We assist with:

  • OCF-18 treatment planning (for Ontario)

  • ICBC treatment extensions

  • Communication with adjusters

  • Psychological injury documentation

  • Interdisciplinary collaboration with physiotherapy, OT, massage therapy, and physicians

Who This Service Is For

Chronic Pain Chronic Illness Counselling | ICBC & MVA Trauma Recovery

  • ICBC clients with approved counselling

  • People with chronic pain after an MVA

  • Individuals experiencing fibromyalgia, migraines, CRPS, or neuropathic pain

  • Clients with chronic medical conditions (arthritis, endometriosis, autoimmune disorders)

  • People experiencing mental health symptoms secondary to pain

  • Clients feeling overwhelmed by insurance systems or return-to-work pressures

Our Approach

Chronic Pain Chronic Illness Counselling | ICBC & MVA Trauma Recovery

  • CBT-CP (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Chronic Pain)

  • ACT for Pain

  • Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT)

  • Somatic & nervous system regulation

  • Trauma-informed therapy

  • Behavioural pacing & functional rehabilitation

  • Psychoeducation based on modern pain science

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All treatment is culturally sensitive, neurodiversity-affirming, and aligned with interdisciplinary best practices.

FAQ

Is chronic pain counselling covered by ICBC?

Yes. ICBC typically covers 12 counselling sessions with a licensed mental health provider. Extensions can be requested when clinically appropriate.

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Do I need a doctor’s referral to start?

No referral is required, but many clients are referred by their physician, OT, physio, or lawyer. We can start as long as your ICBC claim is active.

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Can counselling help even if my pain is physical?

Yes. Chronic pain is both a physical and neurological process. Psychotherapy helps re-train the pain response, reduce stress, improve functioning, and support long-term recovery.

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Do you coordinate with physiotherapy, OT, or medical teams?

Absolutely. We regularly collaborate with your rehab team, adjuster, or physician when consent is provided.

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What if my MVA was years ago?

Pain lasting longer than 3–6 months often becomes a nervous-system-based condition. You can benefit from counselling regardless of when the accident occurred.

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