Therapy for Chronic Illness and Women's Health in Ventura, CA

Does Your Day Feel Defined by Pain, Fatigue, and Uncertainty?

Dread and anxiety surge through you as you run through what appointments or work deadlines you have that day. Within minutes, you’re already recalculating which plans to cancel—or bracing yourself to push through the pain because life keeps moving forward even when your body is begging you to pause.

It’s not just the physical challenges. It’s the crushing loneliness of feeling like life is moving on for everyone else while you’re left behind, tethered to the unpredictability of your health.

And beneath it all is the lingering grief—mourning the future you imagined and the daily things that now take more energy than you ever thought they would. Tasks that once felt automatic—getting dressed, making a meal, even taking a shower—now demand careful planning and drain more from you than most people could ever understand.

You wake up, hoping today will be a “good” day…. but when you open your eyes, the aches and fatigue remind you that your body has other plans.

Even when the road ahead feels uncertain, you deserve care that makes the burden feel lighter and the hard moments easier to carry.

Specialized Support for Medical Conditions and Women’s Health

  • Women's Health & Hormonal Conditions

    Hormonal shifts, reproductive health challenges, and diagnoses like PCOS or endometriosis can feel like they take over your life. The pain, fatigue, and unpredictability can leave you feeling disconnected from your body and frustrated by a medical system that doesn’t always listen. Therapy offers a space to process the emotional weight of these experiences while helping you reconnect with your body and your life in meaningful ways. Let’s explore how our work together can support your hormonal health journey.

    Soft pink flower symbolizing strength in women’s health therapy for PCOS, endometriosis, and hormonal care.

  • Autoimmune Disorders & Other Chronic Health Conditions

    Chronic and autoimmune conditions can be isolating. I work with adults experiencing chronic diagnoses such as fibromyalgia, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Whether it’s the constant fatigue, pain, or frustration of titrating off your medications, it can feel like life is passing you by while you’re stuck managing symptoms. Therapy provides a space to navigate grief, reduce stress, and rediscover what brings ease and fulfillment—always in a way that respects your body’s needs. Together, we’ll focus on creating small, meaningful shifts that feel sustainable for you

    Person in sun hat sitting with dog at sunset, symbolizing support and balance in therapy for autoimmune and chronic illness care

  • Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders

    Living with EDS, POTS, or related conditions often feels like navigating an unpredictable body. From pain and fatigue to constant medical appointments, it can be exhausting to advocate for yourself in a system that doesn’t always understand. Having a psychologist on your care team can help you process the emotional toll, manage medical burnout, and build coping strategies to navigate daily challenges. You’ve put in so much work to care for your body—therapy can help you balance that effort by supporting your emotional resilience, pacing your energy, and finding ways to live more fully, even in the face of uncertainty.

    Person resting on a couch, symbolizing mindful pacing and emotional support in therapy for EDS, POTS, and hypermobility care

Living with Chronic Illness: A Constant Balancing Act

You might know these feelings all too well:

❥ Living with Unpredictability and Constant Uncertainty:

Waking up each day feels like a guessing game—wondering how much energy you’ll have and what plans you’ll need to cancel or rearrange.
You want to show up for your life, but your body keeps rewriting the script.

❥ Grieving the Life You Imagined:  

You quietly mourn the career paths, goals, and dreams that now feel out of reach because of relentless symptoms like fatigue, pain, or brain fog.
It’s hard to explain to others the weight of grieving a future that once felt possible.

❥ Feeling Isolated and Misunderstood:

Friends stop checking in, and invitations slowly disappear.
It’s exhausting trying to explain how much effort it takes just to get through the day, so you stop trying—and the loneliness deepens.

❥ Burnout from Fighting for Care:

You’ve spent so much time navigating the medical system, hoping for answers.
But too often, you leave appointments feeling dismissed, unheard, and more exhausted than when you walked in.
Advocating for your health shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. Yet despite the exhaustion, you keep advocating—for answers, for relief, for yourself. That kind of persistence takes strength most people will never understand.

❥ When You Feel Stuck and Overwhelmed

There are days when you quietly wonder… How do I move forward when my body feels like it’s working against me?

And sometimes, you feel frustrated with yourself—for needing so much rest and for canceling plans again. You wonder if you’re doing enough. But the truth is, you’re doing the best you can in a body that needs things done differently. 


You’re exhausted—physically, emotionally, and mentally. Feeling stuck is understandable.

You deserve care that truly honors your experience and supports you through the hard days with more compassion and less overwhelm—so you can reconnect with the parts of life that still bring you meaning.

Dr. Kristine Pickwith specializing in therapy for chronic illness and coping strategies.

Hi, I’m Dr. Kristine Pickwith

As a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY33158), I specialize in helping adults navigate the unique emotional challenges of living with chronic health conditions. My practice focuses on women’s health concerns (such as PCOS, endometriosis, and vulvar conditions), hypermobility spectrum disorders, autoimmune diseases, and other complex medical conditions. I know how exhausting it can be to advocate for yourself—especially when you feel unheard by medical professionals or misunderstood by those around you.

That’s why I dedicate myself to staying up to date on the latest research and advancements related to the medical conditions I work with. This ensures our sessions focus on you—your feelings, your goals, and the strategies that help you manage the physical and emotional weight of chronic illness, rather than needing to explain your condition at every step.

In our work together, you’ll find a space where your voice is valued, your experiences are validated, and your strategies are tailored to fit your life. We’ll collaborate to adjust, refine, and personalize tools that support you—not just in managing symptoms, but in reconnecting with the people and moments that bring meaning to your life.

You don’t have to face this journey feeling unseen or unheard. Let’s create a path forward that feels grounded, manageable, and uniquely yours.

When every day feels like a battle, it’s hard to imagine things being any different...

But what if even small shifts could bring a little more ease into your life?

❥ Processing the Emotional Weight of Chronic Illness

Grief for the life you imagined, frustration with your body’s limits, and anger at its unpredictability can feel overwhelming. In therapy, you’ll have space to acknowledge and honor these emotions—without feeling pressured to “fix” them. Together, we’ll work on responding to difficult feelings in ways that align with your values and help you feel more grounded.

❥ Finding Grounding in Uncertainty

Living in an unpredictable body can feel like walking a tightrope, constantly bracing for the next flare or setback. We’ll focus on building stability by creating practical, manageable steps that help you stay present and focus on what matters most—without getting lost in the "what ifs."

❥ Managing Pain and Emotional Struggles

Pain—both physical and emotional—can feel relentless. I’ll help you explore ways to shift how you relate to pain, so it doesn’t take over every part of your life. Through mindfulness techniques and coping strategies, we’ll focus on what’s within your control, freeing up more energy for what brings you comfort and joy.

❥ Rediscovering Your Sense of Self

Your illness may have changed how you move through the world, but it doesn’t define the whole picture of who you are. Therapy can help you reconnect with your identity, rediscover your strengths, and create a life that feels fulfilling—even with the challenges you’re facing.

❥ Advocating for Your Needs Without Guilt

Speaking up for yourself—with loved ones, doctors, or even in your own mind—can feel intimidating. Together, we’ll develop tools to help you clearly and confidently communicate your needs and set boundaries that protect your energy and reflect your values, without the weight of guilt.

❥ A Space to Feel Seen and Supported

There’s no “right” way to live with chronic illness, and you don’t need to have it all figured out. In our work together, you’ll have space to explore what healing and self-compassion can look like for you, at your own pace.

The Support You Deserve: How We’ll Work Together

Let’s Work Through What’s Holding You Back—Here’s What You Might Be Thinking

  • I understand how exhausting it is to juggle medical appointments, treatments, and daily responsibilities. Therapy doesn’t need to feel like another obligation. With flexible telehealth options, we can find a session schedule that fits into your life without adding extra stress. This space is here to support you, not overwhelm you.

  • Therapy should never feel like just another thing on your to-do list. We can move at a pace that honors your energy levels—whether that means shorter sessions, positioning your body in a way that feels supportive, and doing our best to schedule appointments at a time in the day when you have more “spoons” available. This space is here to support you, not drain you.

  • Not all therapy experiences are the same. My approach is grounded in truly understanding the unique challenges that come with living with chronic illness. Together, we’ll focus on strategies that feel realistic, supportive, and adaptable—even on the hardest days.

    Therapy with me is a collaborative process. I regularly check in to understand what’s working and what isn’t, so we can adjust strategies to fit your needs. Your feedback matters, and we’ll move forward at a pace that feels supportive and sustainable for you.

  • Your Well-Being Is a Worthy Investment—At a Pace That Works for You

    I understand that managing the costs of chronic illness can make investing in therapy feel overwhelming, especially when you're already balancing medical expenses. It’s okay to be thoughtful about where your resources go.

    Therapy isn’t about rushing to “fix” everything—it’s about creating meaningful progress, even in small steps. We can focus on what feels most urgent and impactful for you right now, so you can start feeling more supported and grounded as early as possible.

    If financial concerns come up, I’m always open to having a thoughtful conversation about how we can create a plan that feels sustainable for both of us.

It’s Okay to Want More Than Just Getting Through the Day

You’ve been carrying more than most people realize, and it’s okay to want support. Chronic illness can make even the simplest moments feel heavy, but you deserve care that meets you where you are and helps you move through the hard days with more balance and less overwhelm.

Investing in therapy is a meaningful step toward prioritizing your well-being and building a life that feels more manageable and fulfilling.

Let’s take this one step at a time—starting now.