7-Week Group · Living with Chronic Illness & Pain
Befriending the Body
A chronic pain group for people ready to stop fighting their body and start listening to it.
In-person in Ithaca, NY. 75-minute weekly sessions with Laurie Buehler, MFT. Body-oriented techniques, mindfulness, guided imagery, and somatic work.
A doorway into Living with Chronic Illness & Pain
Chronic pain is a threshold. It changes who you are.
Persistent pain does not just hurt. It rearranges your relationship to your body, your future, your sense of self. People stop asking how you are because the honest answer is too long. The life you had before pain begins to feel like it belonged to someone else.
This group is not a course in pain management. It is a small circle for the quiet, threshold work of moving from fighting your body to listening to it. Befriending what is not going away. Becoming someone new on the other side of that turn.
Chronic pain changes everything. And nobody really gets it.
“I can’t relax or feel comfortable in my own body.”
The tension never fully releases. You brace for pain before it comes, and your body has forgotten what ease feels like. Sleep is a negotiation.
“I can’t do what I want anymore.”
Plans cancelled. Activities abandoned. The life you had before chronic pain feels like it belongs to someone else. Frustration turns into depression and anxiety.
“I feel completely alone in this.”
People say they understand, but they don’t. You’ve stopped talking about it because the blank stares hurt almost as much as the pain itself.
If any of this sounds familiar, you're not broken. You're in pain, and you deserve more than being told to “manage it.”
The Program
7 weeks of learning to live with your body, not against it.
Each 75-minute session combines body-oriented techniques, mindfulness, guided imagery, and somatic work in a small group setting. You will be seen, heard, and held, by a therapist who has walked this road herself.
Arriving
Orientation to the group. Establishing safety. Beginning to notice what your body is actually telling you.
Listening
Body scanning and awareness techniques. Learning to be with sensation without bracing against it.
Softening
Guided imagery and breath work. Finding the places where your body can still release.
Moving
Gentle somatic practices. Exploring what movement is available to you right now, without judgment.
Connecting
The relationship between emotions and pain. Processing grief, anger, and fear held in the body.
Rebuilding
Reclaiming activities and identity. Developing a personal body-mind practice for daily life.
Integrating
Bringing it all together. Building resilience. Planning for life after the group.
Program Details
What the program includes.
The program begins with an individual intake session to make sure the group is the right fit for you and to understand your unique pain experience.
Individual Intake Session
A one-on-one meeting to discuss your pain history, goals, and whether the group is the right next step for you.
$1507-Week Group Series
Seven 75-minute weekly sessions. Body-oriented techniques, mindfulness, guided imagery, and somatic work in a small group.
$350Approximately $71 per session when you include the intake. Payment plans available upon request.
This group is for you if you are ready to stop fighting your body and start befriending it.
This program may be right for you if:
- You have been living with chronic pain for months or years
- You have tried medical treatments and still feel stuck
- You feel isolated by your pain and want to be around people who truly understand
- You are curious about the connection between your emotions and your physical pain
- You want practical, body-based tools, not just talk
- You are ready to stop fighting your body and start collaborating with it
This program is not designed for:
- You are currently in acute medical crisis (please consult your physician first)
- You are looking for a purely medical or pharmacological approach
- You are not ready to participate in a group setting
Not sure? Reach out, and we'll figure out together whether this is your right next step.
What Changes
People leave this program feeling different in their bodies.
Reduced Isolation
Connect with others who truly understand your experience. You will not have to explain or justify your pain here.
Increased Hope
Witness others making progress. Discover that change is possible, even when you have been told otherwise.
Decreased Suffering
Learn the difference between pain and suffering. Develop tools to reduce the emotional amplification of physical sensation.
Enhanced Body Comfort
Build a new relationship with your body through mindfulness, guided imagery, and somatic practices you can use daily.
Why I Created This Program
I know what it feels like to live inside a body that hurts.
For over two years, I couldn't work. I couldn't move freely. Chronic pain had taken over my life. I saw specialist after specialist. I tried every treatment I could find. And for a long time, nothing changed.
What finally healed me was not one thing. It was an approach. Body-mind-spirit interventions that helped me stop fighting my body and start listening to it. Slowly, patiently, I was fully and completely healed.
That experience changed the course of my career. I couldn't un-know what I had learned: that chronic pain is not just a physical problem, and the path through it is not just a medical one.
I created Befriending the Body because the thing I needed most during those years, a room full of people who actually understood, guided by someone who had walked the same road, didn't exist. Now it does.
“The cure for the pain lies in the pain.”
— RumiQuestions
Everything you need to know before you decide.
How do I enroll in the program?
Start by booking a free 15-minute consultation. If the program seems like a good fit, we will schedule your individual intake session ($150). Once the intake is complete, you are enrolled in the next available 7-week series.
What if I miss a session?
Life happens, especially when you live with chronic pain. If you miss a session, Laurie will provide a brief summary and any materials from that week. However, because the group builds on shared experience, consistent attendance is strongly encouraged.
Is this program covered by insurance?
The program is not billed through insurance directly. However, Laurie can provide a superbill (detailed receipt) that you can submit to your insurance for potential out-of-network reimbursement. Many clients receive partial reimbursement this way.
Do I need a referral from my doctor?
No referral is required. The individual intake session serves as our assessment process. That said, we encourage you to keep your medical team informed about all aspects of your care.
What is the group size?
Groups are intentionally kept small, typically 4 to 8 participants, to ensure everyone has space to be seen and heard.
Can I do this program via telehealth?
The Befriending the Body program is currently only offered in-person in Ithaca, NY. However, Laurie hopes to facilitate a remote group within the next six months. Book a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if the group is your right next step.
What kind of chronic pain does this address?
The program is designed for any persistent pain condition, including but not limited to fibromyalgia, back pain, migraines, neuropathy, autoimmune-related pain, and medically unexplained pain. The approach focuses on your relationship with pain, not the diagnosis.
Is there a payment plan available?
Yes. If the full cost is a barrier, please mention this during your consultation. We can discuss a payment arrangement that works for you.
Take the Next Step
Your body has been trying to tell you something. Let's listen together.
Book a free 15-minute consultation to see if Befriending the Body is your right next step.
In-Person
950 Danby Road, Suite 245, Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone
(415) 944-8677
Schedule
75-minute sessions, once per week for 7 weeks
I respond within 48 business hours. Your information is kept strictly confidential.