Hypnotherapy · Coaching · Personalised support
Support with chronic pain and daily life
Explore the emotional demands of living with persistent pain and the practical resources that may support your day-to-day experience.
English · Français · Español
Catherine Laberge
Trauma-Informed Humanist Hypnotherapist, Nervous System Practitioner & Relationship Coach. Canadian and based in Málaga, supporting expats, international clients and multicultural couples.
My work brings together humanistic and Ericksonian hypnosis, coaching, NLP, emotional release techniques and somatic and polyvagal-informed tools. I am also a Reiki Usui Level 2 practitioner.
Your pain is real. So is the effect it has on your life.
Living with chronic pain or fibromyalgia can affect far more than the painful area. Planning a day, sleeping, working, seeing friends or explaining your limits can become exhausting. You may feel caught between wanting to do more and fearing the cost afterwards.
We make room for that experience without suggesting that pain is imagined or caused by a lack of positive thinking. The starting point is what life with pain is like for you and what you would like help navigating.
Support alongside your medical care
Pain can involve physical, emotional and nervous-system processes. Hypnotherapy, body awareness and regulation practices may be used to explore the experience of pain, stress and coping. These sessions do not identify the medical cause of pain or replace assessment, rehabilitation or prescribed treatment.
We can work on the distress around a flare, a fear attached to an activity or the difficulty of communicating your needs. Any changes to medicines or medical treatment belong with your healthcare professional. New or changing symptoms should be medically assessed.
Does this sound familiar?
Tell me what you would like to change. The free 15-minute call lets us discuss your situation, ask questions and see whether this approach fits. You do not have to choose a technique before we speak.
A pace that respects your capacity
Some days it may be appropriate to focus on comfort, attention or rest. At other times you may want to explore grief, frustration, identity or the effect of pain on relationships. We adapt the session and discuss what feels useful.
Between sessions, a practice should be manageable rather than become another obligation. We review its effect on your daily life. The aim is personalised support and greater choice; a cure, a reduction in pain or a return to a particular activity cannot be guaranteed.
A space for your experience
Persistent pain can affect routines, relationships, mood and confidence. We can make space for those experiences without assuming that pain is imaginary or simply caused by your thoughts.
Support alongside appropriate care
Coaching, hypnotherapy and body-awareness practices may form part of a personalised process. The focus is on your experience, coping resources and choices. This is not a diagnosis or a promise to remove pain.
Medical assessment and treatment remain important. New or changing symptoms should be discussed with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Keeping the work practical
We can consider how you recognise overwhelm, communicate needs, adapt expectations and use manageable practices. We adjust the process to what feels useful and appropriate, without implying that symptoms are your fault.
Practical details & investment
- Individual sessions: the current published rate is €120, or €350 for three sessions.
- Couples sessions and Reiki: contact me directly to confirm the appropriate format and fee.
- In person in La Malagueta, Málaga, or online where suitable. English, French and Spanish.
- Start with a free 15-minute call. We discuss your needs before deciding on a first session.
Your questions
Does this replace my medical treatment?
No. This accompaniment is intended to sit alongside appropriate medical care, not replace it.
What happens before we start?
The free 15-minute call is a conversation about what brings you, what you have already tried and what you want to change. You can ask about my approach and decide whether a first session feels appropriate. It is a call, not a shortened therapy session, and there is no obligation to continue.
Will I have to be hypnotised?
No. Hypnotherapy is one of the tools available, alongside coaching, body awareness and nervous system regulation. We discuss what an exercise is for before you decide. You remain able to speak, ask questions and stop; you do not have to surrender control or tell me anything you prefer to keep private.
How many sessions should I expect?
We agree on priorities and review how the work is progressing. A focused concern and a longstanding pattern may need different plans. I will discuss what seems realistic for your situation rather than promise a fixed result or a set number of sessions before we have met.
Can I work with you as an expat or online?
Yes. I am Canadian and based in Málaga, and work in English, French and Spanish. Sessions can be in person in La Malagueta or online where suitable. For online sessions, we discuss privacy, a comfortable setting and whether this format fits your needs. Living abroad and multicultural relationships are welcome parts of the conversation.
Does this mean the pain is all in my head?
No. Your pain is real, and working with the experience of pain does not make a statement about its medical cause. These sessions address support, distress, attention and coping alongside your healthcare. You should not have to prove the reality of your symptoms to be heard.
Can I attend during a flare?
We can discuss whether the format, duration and setting are manageable that day and whether to adapt or postpone. New, worsening or unexplained symptoms need medical assessment. A session should respect your current capacity and should not require pushing through symptoms to demonstrate commitment.
A first conversation
If this sounds relevant to what you are experiencing, the free 15-minute call is a chance to ask questions and discuss the next step.