Chronic pain doesn't just hurt your body. It wears down your patience, your mood, your sleep, and your sense of who you are. When pain sticks around long after an injury should have healed, it can start to feel like this is just your life now. Like nothing is going to change. That feeling makes sense. But it's not the full picture. Chronic pain counselling in Red Deer at Patterson Counselling Services helps you deal with what persistent pain does to your mind, not just your body. We work with adults living with long-term pain after workplace accidents, surgeries that didn't go as planned, and injuries that changed the way they move through daily life. About 90% of the chronic pain clients we see come through Workers' Compensation Board (WCB) claims, and we hold a direct WCB contract, which means accessing our services through your claim is straightforward.
When Chronic Pain Becomes More Than Physical
Most people who come to us have already been through the medical side. They've had all the scans, different surgeries, and are on some prescription medications. They may be working with a physiotherapist or a pain specialist. But somewhere along the way, the emotional weight of living with constant pain has started to pile up, and nobody was addressing that part.
You might recognize some of this as trouble sleeping because the pain won't let you get comfortable. Irritability that comes out of nowhere and strains your relationships. Anxiety about whether the pain will ever get better. Depression that creeps in when you realize the activities you used to enjoy are no longer possible. A growing sense of isolation because people around you don't understand what you're going through.
These are not signs of weakness. They are a normal response to an abnormal situation. When your body is stuck in a pain cycle, your brain adapts in ways that can make everything feel harder. Chronic pain counselling helps you interrupt that cycle.
The National Institute of Mental Health notes that people with chronic pain are significantly more likely to experience depression and anxiety, and that addressing both conditions together leads to better outcomes.
Who We Work With
The majority of our chronic pain clients are WCB claimants dealing with workplace injuries. That includes accidents on the job, injuries sustained during physically demanding work, and surgeries related to those injuries that didn't produce the expected outcome. Some clients come to us after one traumatic incident. Others have been dealing with cumulative wear from years of heavy labour.
We also see clients whose chronic pain isn't connected to a workplace claim but whose lives have been turned upside down by persistent pain from other causes.
One thing we hear often is that younger clients have the hardest time. When you're in your 20s or 30s and suddenly need a cane, a walker, or other assistive devices, the adjustment isn't just physical. It's an identity crisis. Your self-image, your career plans, your social life — all of it gets disrupted. We help with that transition too.
How We Treat Chronic Pain
We use a trauma-informed approach built on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). In practical terms, that means we work with you on pain management strategies, help you examine and restructure the beliefs you have about your pain, and address the depression and anxiety that almost always come with it. A big part of the work involves acceptance and commitment: learning to build a meaningful life even when pain is part of it.
Where Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) Fits In
ART is not the only tool we use, but it plays a specific and powerful role. Many of our chronic pain clients carry unresolved trauma from the accident or incident that caused their injury. The event itself can stay lodged in the nervous system, replaying in the background and making the pain feel even more overwhelming.
We use ART to do two things. First, we process the original incident, the accident, the workplace event, whatever caused the injury. This helps your brain file the memory in a way that reduces its emotional charge. Second, we use ART to reshape how you perceive the pain itself. Chronic pain on its own can be traumatic, separate from whatever caused it. ART helps change the way your brain responds to that ongoing signal.
This combination of trauma-informed CBT and ART is what sets our approach apart. Most chronic pain counselling addresses the symptoms. We go after the source.
More Than Talk Therapy: Coordinating Your Care
Counselling is one piece of a bigger puzzle. Part of what we do, and it's not always part of a standard counselling contract, is make sure your other needs are being met too.
That can mean reviewing your medications and sending you for a pharmacist-led medication review to make sure your prescriptions are working together properly. It can mean coordinating with your family doctor about pain management or requesting a referral to a pain specialist when the medical side needs more attention. It can also mean connecting you with community supports in Red Deer and central Alberta that can help with the practical side of living with a disability.
We do this because chronic pain doesn't exist in a vacuum. If your medications aren't right, no amount of counselling will help enough. If you don't have the supports you need at home, coping strategies fall apart. We look at the whole situation.
When Pain Changes Your Whole Life
Many of our chronic pain clients receive a diagnosis of Adjustment Disorder. That's the clinical term for what happens when a major life change, like a permanent injury, overwhelms your ability to cope. It's not a character flaw. It's your mind struggling to adapt to a reality that is genuinely difficult.
The younger you are when this happens, the harder the adjustment tends to be. Accepting that you may need mobility aids, that your career path has changed, that you can't do the things you used to do, this is heavy work. And it's work that most people can't do alone.
Counselling provides a space to grieve what you've lost, rebuild your sense of identity, and develop real strategies for living well with the limitations you're facing. That doesn't mean pretending the pain isn't there. It means learning to live fully alongside it.
WCB Clients: How to Access Our Services
Patterson Counselling Services holds a direct contract with the Workers' Compensation Board of Alberta. That means WCB covers the cost of your sessions as part of your claim.
Getting started is simple. Contact your WCB adjudicator or case manager and let them know you'd like psychological counselling as part of your treatment plan. They can refer you directly to our practice. If you're unsure who your case manager is, call WCB Alberta and they can point you in the right direction.
If you're already an active WCB claimant and want to know whether counselling is covered under your current claim, we're happy to help you figure that out. Call us at 587-457-7101 or reach out through our contact page.
What to Expect in Your First Session
Your first session is about understanding where you are right now. We'll talk about your injury, your pain, how it's affecting your daily life, and what you've tried so far. There's no pressure to share everything at once. We move at your pace.
From there, we build a plan together. That plan might include CBT work on thought patterns around pain, ART sessions to process the traumatic event behind the injury, medication coordination with your other providers, or practical strategies for managing the day-to-day challenges of living with chronic pain. Usually it's a combination.
Sessions run 50 minutes. Most clients start with weekly appointments and adjust the frequency as things improve. If you're a WCB client, your session schedule is part of your approved treatment plan.
The American Psychological Association highlights that cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic pain is one of the most effective psychological approaches for reducing pain intensity and improving daily functioning.
Chronic Pain Counselling Cost in Red Deer
For WCB clients, sessions are covered as part of your approved claim. For private clients, we discuss fees before your first appointment so there are no surprises.
Sessions with a Registered Psychologist are covered by most employer benefits plans. We accept Alberta Blue Cross, Manulife, Sun Life, and other major providers.
Why Choose Patterson Counselling Services
Chronic pain is exhausting. Dealing with it alone makes it harder. If pain has been running your life and you're ready for something to change, we can help.
Patterson Counselling Services is located at 3939 50a Ave #306, Red Deer, AB T4N 4E6. We serve clients from Red Deer, Lacombe, Sylvan Lake, Innisfail, Ponoka, Blackfalds, and communities across central Alberta. Online sessions are available for clients anywhere in the province.
Frequently Asked Questions About Chronic Pain Counselling
Can counselling actually help with physical pain?
Yes. Counselling doesn't replace medical treatment, but research consistently shows that cognitive behavioural therapy reduces pain intensity, improves daily functioning, and decreases the depression and anxiety that make pain feel worse. When you change how your brain processes and responds to pain signals, the experience of pain itself can shift.
I'm already seeing a physiotherapist and a doctor. Do I need counselling too?
Physiotherapy and medical care address the physical side. Counselling addresses what chronic pain does to your mental health, your relationships, your identity, and your ability to cope. These work together. Many of our clients find that counselling makes their physical rehabilitation more effective because they're in a better headspace to do the work.
Is chronic pain counselling covered by WCB?
Yes. Patterson Counselling Services holds a direct contract with WCB Alberta. If you have an active WCB claim, ask your adjudicator or case manager about adding psychological counselling to your treatment plan. WCB covers the cost of sessions.
What if my chronic pain isn't from a workplace injury?
We see clients with chronic pain from all causes, not just workplace injuries. If you have private insurance or extended health benefits, those typically cover sessions with a Registered Psychologist. Contact us and we can help you figure out your coverage options.
How is this different from regular talk therapy?
Our approach is specifically designed for chronic pain. We use trauma-informed CBT to address the thought patterns and emotional responses that come with persistent pain, and we use Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) to process the traumatic events behind the injury. We also coordinate with your medical team, which most general therapists don't do. This isn't open-ended conversation. It's targeted work aimed at changing your relationship with pain.
How long does chronic pain counselling take?
It varies depending on your situation. Some clients see meaningful improvement within 8 to 12 sessions. Others with more complex injuries or long-standing pain may benefit from a longer course of treatment. For WCB clients, the treatment timeline is part of your approved plan and is reviewed as you progress.