Paige Garcia Akiyama

My name is Paige Garcia. I received my Masters in Medical Social Work/Clinical Social Work from the University of Michigan. My speciality is focused on supporting individuals who have experienced trauma, as well as those experiencing chronic illness, chronic pain, anxiety and/or depression. After a personal battle with Chronic Lyme Disease, I recognized the need for and lack of mental health support for those with chronic illness and pain. The connection between trauma/mental health and chronic illness/pain is incredibly strong, with research focusing on the mind-body connection and the ways in which the body "keeps the score". I take a whole body-whole person approach to therapy, with a focus on the ways in which our emotions, life experiences, and physiological state are intertwined. Trying to adapt and cope with a life involving chronic illness and chronic pain can be incredibly lonely, scary, and frustrating. My therapeutic approach involves supporting the grief that comes with chronic illness/pain, working towards coping skills to support pain management, and supporting the impact that stress and emotions have on illness/pain. I use multiple modalities to support trauma processing, trauma trigger identification/management, and trauma healing; all modalities have a focus on mind-body connection and healing. My goal is to be a safe space for individuals who are seeking support, a place for knowledge to be gained surrounding the mind-body connection, and a practicing ground for development of coping skills to support higher levels of well-being.