Q and A with Tracey Chester, Founder

Why did you start this clinic?

I want every patient to feel the best they can and save them years of wandering around a broken medical system. Chronic Illness is a complicated  issue, and having experienced it myself as both a patient and therapist, I saw a huge gap between mental health treatment and primary care physicians. While I know that every doctor wants a better outcome, there is a certain proportion of patients that frustrates them, and this often comes across in their interactions. What doctors perceive as a “non-compliant” patient, may actually be a very capable, intelligent  person whose trauma symptoms are so severe that it interferes with their ability to relay their symptoms, which, in turn, negatively affects their treatment, and their quality of life.

Ideally, as a therapist, I would collaborate with my patients’ medical providers, but prior to this clinic, I found that most providers didn’t think they had any reason to hear my assessment. But now, with PTI, having gathered a multi-disciplinary collaborative team of physicians and therapists, we are able to work together for each individual.

What are some the most common problems that you can help with?

Most of my patients  have had some type of trauma, whether that be related to Adverse Childhood Events (ACE), or Illness Induced PTSD from the chronic illness itself.  “Classic” PTSD is related to a past event, while Illness Induced PTSD is experienced as an ongoing threat to the  safety of the body. Sometimes that can present itself as agitation or anger. Misdiagnosis, confusion and isolation can make the situation worse. If the trauma is significant, it can obfuscate meaningful conversations with health providers. I’ve seen successful, smart patients curl up in a ball and give little information to their doctors, yet be able to relay their experiences to me cohesively and openly. Patients are frustrated. Doctors are frustrated. Often, at some point, a physician will disengage, feeling they have  nothing else they can do for the patient. Or they view the complications as “emotional,” and may simply recommend therapy, but this can leave a patient confused. “Do they think it’s in my head?” I say, “Yes it’s in your head, but not in the way you think”.

How do you help ?

I serve as both emotional support and medical “translator” for patients with complex conditions. I’m a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, and I understand the emotional effects of illness on the patient as well as their whole family. 

There is no formula for getting to the bottom of a patient’s illness experience. It is a skill to be able to see what is happening and put all the pieces together while maintaining confidentiality in a psychotherapeutic relationship, but that is my strength. Improving outcomes involves frequent meetings with team members, 1:1 counseling or family counseling, and other complementary treatments. I rely on experience and current research on pain and trauma to do this well. It’s a lot of work, but truly rewarding to see the positive outcomes.

What direction do you envision for PTI in the future?

I would like to advance the study of trauma and pain by putting together educational programs, conducting research, and ultimately initiating new protocols for the mental and physical health treatments of chronic pain. I am especially interested in developing  training programs for doctors regarding trauma and illness and how it affects their treatment outcomes. I have partnered with like-minded physicians to develop programs that empower patients and relieve physician fatigue and frustration.