Psychology. NJ License # SI003252
727 Raritan Avenue
Highland Park, NJ 08904
(732) 572-8848
Dr.Jeff@JeffreyAxelbankPsyD.com
JeffreyAxelbankPsyD.com
Virtual PPD coaching: YES - via Skype

Few things disrupt a person’s life more than being in constant pain. And dealing with a chronic illness can be so devastating to your plans and hopes and dreams – it changes everything. While medical treatment is your doctor’s job, there is always a psychological component to physical issues. If you have a chronic illness, you may feel depressed and demoralized, and it’s tough for your body to fight if your mind doesn’t have enough energy. It is now abundantly clear from research that mind/body interactions affect the course of illnesses.

Similarly, pain always has a mental side. If you focus on your pain, it’s going to hurt more. And some psychological issues can also increase pain, causing PPD/TMS (Tension Myoneural Syndrome). It’s very important to understand that, even if there is a mental component to your pain, this doesn’t mean that the pain is not real. When I help people with chronic pain, I don’t minimize the experience of the pain or doubt that it hurts. Rather, I look for ways that your body may be expressing something on behalf of your mind. I am influenced by the work of Dr. John Sarno with back pain. My patients have had great success in overcoming back and neck pain, as well as other issues such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and bursitis using his techniques and theories.