Broken-Heart-2

CHRONICTALK
COMMUNITY

Finding Wholeness Together Within Illness

Living with chronic illness is all-consuming. It's overwhelming to cope with the complexity of treatments, the challenges of daily tasks and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.

We get it. We, too, deal with chronic illness in our lives and within our families. Doctors and other providers know how to treat the conditions, but they may not offer direction for the emotional trauma of patients who have a chronic illness.

This is why our experiences have brought us to this moment - providing connection and resources for a community of people trying to find wholeness within illness.

“Chronic illness doesn’t take away who you are; it reveals who you have to become.”
— Unknown

YOUR INVITATION

To Join The Community

Let's Talk, Learn and Share.

Living with a chronic illness can be isolating — especially when symptoms are invisible, unpredictable or hard to explain. Our online support group is a gentle, judgment-free space where you can be heard, share what you are carrying and connect with others who understand. You will also have access to resources that provide insight and coping skills. If you are trying to find resilience and seeking wholeness in your chronic illness journey, you are welcome to send us your contact information and talk about becoming part of our community.

What You Get

with your monthly subscription to the CHRONICTALK COMMUNITY.

Online Discussions

Connect monthly via Zoom to our CHRONICTALK GROUP, where our facilitators and a small group of people discuss important and relevant topics related to chronic illness trauma.

Emails

Receive our weekly CHRONICTALK NEWSLETTER with helpful information, follow-ups from group discussions and connections to resources related to chronic illness.

Podcasts

Watch and listen to our CHRONICTALK PODCASTS as our facilitators engage in enlightening conversations about living with chronic illness.

Resources

Get exclusive access and downloads to our CHRONICTALK RESOURCES such as blogs, books for purchase, recommended reading, art for sale and videos.

Social Media

Share information and conversations with others on our CHRONICTALK FACEBOOK channel, which is administered by our facilitators.

Typical Topics

CHRONICTALK COMMUNITY

Examples of topics we cover with our online discussions, podcasts, emails, blogs and other resources.

Chronic Resilience

Nothing Is Wrong With You
Understanding Dysregulation as a Survival Response

Your Nervous System Is Trying to Help
Trauma, Illness and the Body’s Intelligence

Finding the Floor Again
Grounding and Safety in Daily Life

Resilience Isn’t Pushing Through
Pacing, Rest and Sustainable Energy

When the Body Says 'No'
Listening Without Judgment

Small Tools, Big Relief
Everyday Regulation Practices

Chronic Wisdom

Your Body Has a Story
Listening Beneath Symptoms

What You’ve Learned the Hard Way
Wisdom Born of Experience

Letting Go of Who You Used to Be
Grief, Identity and Becoming

Strengths You Didn’t Choose
Skills Forged Through Survival

Shame Is Not the Truth
Reframing Internal Narratives

Carrying Forward What Matters
Integrating Wisdom into Daily Life

Chronic Frustration

You’re Allowed to Be Angry
Normalizing Rage and Resentment

Naming What Was Taken
Grief and Loss in Chronic Illness

When You’re Tired of Being Brave
Emotional Exhaustion and Collapse

Why This Is Unfair
Injustice, Comparison and Isolation

Saying the Unsayable
Truth Without Fixing

What Helps When It Hurts This Much
Safe Expression and Containment

Chronic Conversations

How Do I Talk About This?
Finding Language for the Invisible

When People Don’t Get It
Navigating Misunderstanding

Asking for What You Need
Boundaries Without Guilt

Talking to Doctors Without Freezing
Power, Fear and Advocacy

Who Am I Beyond This?
Identity Outside Illness

Staying Connected Without Explaining Everything
Choosing When and How to Share

Beth Johnson LMFT, LCSW

Beth has been a family therapist for more than three decades and was the founder and clinical director of a family therapy practice.

She has learned therapy secrets that help providers and patients engage in courageous conversations to reinvent possibilities from challenges.

She has helped chronically ill patients become centered and deal with the emotions of their new normal. She is an accomplished artist and published author. Her artwork is featured in our Arete Purpose office and throughout our website

MEET BETH

Beth Johnson LMFT, LCSW l Arête Purpose Consulting

Maria Gray-Gerhart PhD

Maria was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2001, her first year of teaching, and she has battled the chronic illness and its effects more in recent years.

After losing her position due to an employer's lack of support during a difficult season of her illness, she became an informal advocate for those dealing with chronic health conditions.

She is a published author and artist. Always searching out the best in bad situations, Maria writes and creates for herself as much as for others.

MEET MARIA

CHRONICTALKCOMMUNITY