Therapy for Chronic Illness and Medical Trauma in Chicago

Specialized Care from Chicago, Serving 40+ States

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When Your Chronic Illness Won’t Let You Live the Life You Planned

Living with a chronic illness or medical trauma affects every aspect of your life, from your relationships and daily functioning to your sense of identity and emotional well-being. While others may see you “handling it well,” the internal struggle of coping with a health condition can feel isolating and overwhelming.

At Healthy Life, we specialize in therapy for chronic illness and medical trauma, offering evidence-based treatment including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you manage the emotional and psychological impact of your diagnosis. Our experienced therapists work with individuals navigating chronic pain, life-altering diagnoses, health anxiety, and adjustment to illness, helping you rebuild a sense of peace, purpose, and deeper connection with the people you love.

If you’re ready to stop just surviving and start thriving, contact us today for a free consultation and take the first step toward healing your mind alongside your body.

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A therapy space where you do not have to be the “strong one.”

If you’re living with cancer, diabetes, POTS, EDS, an autoimmune condition, chronic pain, long COVID, dementia, another serious illness, or even a caregiver, it can touch every part of your life, not just your body.

You might:

  • Remember a clear “before” and “after”

  • Wake up exhausted, dreading a “normal” day

  • Constantly brace for symptoms, test results, or the next flare

  • Feel like your body is a full-time job: appointments, meds, tracking symptoms, pushing providers to listen

  • Grieve the version of you who could work, make plans, travel, or parent without thinking about pain or fatigue

Therapy can help you:

  • Have a place to set all of this down

  • Name the anxiety, shock, and grief you’re carrying

  • Feel safe being “not okay”

  • Build practical tools to live with an unpredictable body — without doing it alone.

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About us

We’re so glad you found us.

Finding good support takes energy, especially when you’re already worn out. Reaching out is a big step.

At Healthy Life:

  • Every therapist on our team has experience with and/or has been personally affected by medical issues or the healthcare system.

  • We understand how a diagnosis can shake your identity, relationships, and hope for the future.

  • We specialize in therapy for people living with chronic illness and medical conditions.

  • We use evidence-based approaches, like CBT, to help you find more peace, connection, and joy — within the reality of your body and limits.

We believe healing and growth are still possible, and we’d be honored to support you.

Meet Our Chronic Illness Providers

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See All Bios

Dr. Michelle Williams, PhD

Post-Doctoral Health Psychology Fellow; Speciality: Chronic Illness and Sleep
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Mary Maraventano-Stried, LPC

Dr. Cassandra Kandah, PhD, LCP

Speciality: Chronic Illness and Medical Trauma
Speciality: Chronic Illness and Respiratory Conditions

Are you feeling lost since your new diagnosis?

If the answer is, “Yes,” then you are in the right place.

Download out free Guide to Navigating Your New Diagnosis: A Health Psychology Guide

Discover simple ways to help you better navigate your health condition.

Free Guide to Your New Diagnosis
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What People Are Saying.

  • "Cassie is one of the warmest and most genuine providers I have had the pleasure of working with. She has a unique ability to connect with people and help them feel at ease even when discussing difficult or challenging situations. Cassie is invested in client's personal growth and helps clients improve their mental and physical health. I highly recommend working with Dr. Kandah!"

  • "Working with a provider from Healthy Life, has made accessing therapy both convenient and comfortable. Their user-friendly platform allowed me to easily connect with a compassionate therapist who provided personalized support tailored to my unique needs. I truly appreciated the flexibility of scheduling sessions from the comfort of my home, making it much easier to prioritize my mental health."

  • "Dr. Williams is one of the most compassionate, warm, and approachable providers I have ever worked with. In addition to being easy to talk to, she has extensive expertise in clinical health psychology and works effectively with patients managing chronic illness. She provides evidence-based treatments and has extensive experience in cognitive behavioral therapy and even knows CBT-I for insomnia. But she isn't just a robot going through a manual. She meets her patients where they are and is great at adapting interventions to patients' lives. Even when the work is tough, she is a sincere pleasure to work with!"

  • "I feel confident referring patients to Dr. Kandah as I know they will be good hands. She is caring and compassionate and easy to talk to."

Therapy Services

Therapy for Chronic Illness

Therapy for Medical Trauma

Together, we outline a path forward that’s realistic, strategic, and tailored to your specific needs with your chronic health condition.

Therapy to help you better navigate your medical trauma and learn how to better live your life with your diagnosis.

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Anxiety and Depression are common responses to the adjustment to your health condition. We are here to help if your anxiety and/or depression was impacted by your condition as well.

It is common for sleep to be impacted following your diagnosis. We know that sleep is a behavior and there are things that we can do to help improve your quality of sleep.

Therapy for Anxiety/Depression

Therapy for Sleep

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • We currently accept Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO, Medicare, and Aetna insurance plans for therapy services at Healthy Life.

    For clients with out-of-network mental health benefits, we partner with Mentaya to make insurance billing easier. We can:

    This helps make using your insurance for therapy more straightforward and less stressful, so you can stay focused on your health and wellness.

    We also offer self-pay therapy options. Session fees are based on your provider’s license and experience level, and typically range from $70 to $350 per session.

  • We provide evidence-based therapy for chronic health conditions and medical trauma, including:

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)‍ ‍

    • Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills Training‍ ‍

    • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)‍ ‍

    • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD

    Our therapists specialize in helping you manage the stress, anxiety, depression, and emotional challenges that often come with chronic illness and long-term medical conditions.

    In addition to advanced clinical training, our providers bring deep expertise and genuine passion for supporting people who are struggling with the emotional impact of chronic health conditions, so you don’t have to navigate this alone.

  • If you are struggling, don’t wait, contact us today to schedule an appointment or ask a question. You can reach our team anytime through our contact page or by email, and we typically respond within one business day.

    • Autoimmune disorders‍  ‍

    • Diabetes & endocrine disorders‍  ‍

    • Heart disease‍  ‍

    • Chronic pain‍  ‍

    • Headaches

    • Traumatic Brain Injuries

    • Gastrointestinal conditions‍ 

    • Cancer‍  ‍

    • Long COVID & post‑viral syndromes‍  ‍

    • POTS & dysautonomia‍  ‍

    • Connective Tissue Disorders like EDS

    • Lung & kidney disease‍  ‍

    • Pre and post transplant‍  ‍

    • Respiratory Conditions

    • Neurological disorders‍  ‍

    • Fertility, reproductive health issues‍, perimenopause and menopause 

How to Get Started

Schedule Your Appointment at Healthy Life Today

Getting started on your wellness journey is quick and easy. Contact our Chicago team through any of the following options:

  • 📧 Email us at info@healthylifechicago.com

  • 📞 Call us at 312-736-2903 to speak with a team member during regular business hours

  • 📅 Book online by clicking the button below to select a convenient time to meet with one of our trusted providers

We look forward to helping you achieve your health goals!

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Request Further Information

Submit the inquiry form to discuss opportunities to work with one of our providers.

For those who use Out-of-Network Benefits

We have partnered with Mentaya to help clients use their out-of-network benefits to save money on therapy. Use this tool below to see if you qualify for reimbursement for our services.

Schedule your Free Consultation