Elysia Bronson, Registered Clinical Counselor, Chronic Pain Therapist, Online Therapy & Traumatologist

Abbotsford, British Columbia

VerifiedTelehealth Available

Professions: Counselor, Mental Health Counselor, Psychotherapist

Languages: English

My Approach to Therapy

If you've spent years being told your pain isn't real, your fatigue is "just stress," or your symptoms don't fit a neat diagnosis you don't have to start from zero with me. You don't have to make your illness make sense before we can do something useful. I work with adults living with chronic pain, MECFS, fibromyalgia, Long COVID, POTS, EDS, medical trauma, and the kind of burnout that builds up from years of fighting to be believed. You're allowed to be tired. You're allowed to be angry. You're allowed to want your life back and to grieve the one you've had to set down. I pace therapy the way I'd pace any decent day with chronic illness: deliberately. We don't push through flares. We don't move faster than your nervous system can keep up with. And we don't pretend the rest of your life is optional scenery while we meet. I draw on Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), DBT, CBT, and somatic, nervous-system-informed work. The modality matters less than the fit the point is to give your body something it can actually use, not another framework you have to translate.

My Practice & Services

My practice is online only, across British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland & Labrador, Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut. Sessions are 50 minutes, $150 CAD (therapy-integrated SSP $180). Most extended health plans reimburse RCC services in Canada; ICBC and WorkSafe BC claims accepted. Free 20-minute consultation no commitment, just a conversation. Beyond one-on-one therapy, I also offer the Safe and Sound Protocol (Unyte-certified provider), Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT-certified), Extra Weekly Support for clients who want non-clinical co-regulation between sessions, and self-paced DBT and psychoeducational courses for chronic illness. I sit on the Board of the Canadian Pain Society and co-chair its Interprofessional Special Interest Group, and work with Pain BC on chronic pain education. I write and speak on pacing, nervous system regulation, and chronic pain care.

My Role as a Therapist

My job isn't to hand you a workbook or push you through a protocol. It's to help your nervous system feel safe enough to stop bracing. We pace together. We name what the medical system has cost you. We build back your trust in your own body ? at whatever speed that actually takes.

On the Fence About Going to Therapy?

Therapy isn't going to cure chronic illness. I want to be honest about that. What it can do ? when it's paced right and actually informed by how chronic illness works ? is loosen the tension your system carries around the illness. Less fight-with-your-body, less shame, fewer flares triggered by stress you can't otherwise put down. That's the work.

How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist

I live with chronic illness myself. That's not a credential, but it's the reason I built the practice I couldn't find when I needed it. It means I understand the math of a bad pain day, the cost of a phone call, the absurdity of being told to "just exercise." You don't have to explain the basics to me. We can start from somewhere actually useful.

Expertise & Specialties

Age Groups I Work With

ChildrenTeensAdults

Groups I Work With

Specific Populations I Work With: Individuals with Chronic Pain: I work with clients navigating chronic pain conditions, helping them understand the connection between their mind, body, and nervous system. Together, we explore how trauma, stress, and past experiences can manifest as physical symptoms, and we create pathways for healing. Adults and Children with Trauma: I support individuals of all ages who are struggling with trauma-related symptoms, including those with complex or developmental trauma. Using a combination of trauma-informed therapies and Polyvagal Theory, I help clients reclaim safety, regulate their nervous systems, and restore a sense of agency in their lives. People with Chronic Illnesses: Whether dealing with autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, or other long-term conditions, I work with individuals who are living with chronic illness to help them manage stress, reduce flare-ups, and find new strategies for coping and healing. Individuals with Anxiety and Depression: If youre feeling overwhelmed by anxiety or persistent sadness, I can help. My approach integrates mind-body therapies to address the root causes of these feelings, working with your nervous system to create balance and a sense of calm. People Seeking Stress Reduction and Self-Regulation: Clients who feel burned out, overwhelmed, or caught in a cycle of stress can find relief in our work together. I use somatic techniques and Polyvagal-informed therapy to help you develop the tools for self-regulation and emotional resilience. Individuals Seeking Mind-Body Connection: For clients interested in exploring the connection between their body, mind, and nervous system, I offer a safe space to uncover how emotional and physical experiences are intertwined and provide strategies for healing through body-based therapies. Clients with Sleep Difficulties: Many of my clients struggle with sleep disturbances due to stress, trauma, or chronic illness. Through somatic approaches and nervous system regulation, I help clients reclaim restful, restorative sleep. Those Interested in Somatic Therapy and Polyvagal Theory: If youre looking for a therapeutic approach that works with your bodys wisdom, I offer somatic therapy that is informed by the Polyvagal Theory. This method helps you understand and regulate your nervous system to achieve long-term healing and well-being.

Therapy Services & Specialties

Coaching Individual Therapy & Counseling Telehealth

Concerns & Challenges Addressed

Abuse / Abuse Survivor IssuesAdjusting to Change / Life TransitionsBullyingCancerCaregiver Issues / StressChild and/or Adolescent IssuesChronic Illness / DisabilityChronic Pain

Therapeutic Approaches & Evidence-Based Methods

CoachingCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Cognitive Processing TherapyDialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)Existential PsychotherapyIntegration of different therapy modelsMindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)Somatic Experiencing (SE)

Industries & Communities

BIPOCEducationEntertainment IndustryFirst Responder/Medical ProfessionalsLGBTQ+Military/Law EnforcementProfessional SportsSelf-Employed and Freelance Professionals