Lisa Elliott Schumacher, LPC, CPCS, M.Div. License verification available here
Medical Trauma Recovery Therapy for Women in Georgia
Heal from Medical Gaslighting and Reclaim Trust in Your Own Body
If you've been dismissed, disbelieved, or made to feel like a burden in a medical setting, it can leave you doubting your own body, your own judgment, and your own reality. Whether it happened during a long diagnostic journey, a traumatic hospital stay, or a single appointment where you weren't believed, that experience can stay with you long after you leave the exam room. Therapy offers a space to process what happened and begin trusting yourself again.
You Might Be Experiencing This
Medical trauma can be disorienting because it involves people you were taught to trust with your health and your life. The impact often lingers long after the appointment, test, or hospital stay is over.
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You've been told your symptoms are "just anxiety" or "all in your head"
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You've been labeled "non-compliant" or "difficult" for asking questions or advocating for yourself
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You've been accused of drug-seeking when you were simply in pain
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You second-guess your own symptoms before you even walk into an appointment
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You feel anxious, dismissed, or unsafe in medical settings
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You've spent years chasing a diagnosis no one would take seriously
These responses are valid. Healing from medical trauma doesn't mean you have to distrust every doctor or avoid the care you need — it means giving yourself space to process what happened and rebuild trust in your own body at your own pace.
How Therapy Helps You Heal
Process What Happened
Openly explore your medical experiences without judgment — the dismissal, the mislabeling, the moments you weren't believed — and begin to make sense of their impact.
Reclaim Trust in Your Body
Rebuild your ability to trust what your body is telling you, even after being told for so long that you couldn't.
Reclaim Your Voice
Learn to advocate for yourself in medical settings without fear, shame, or having to brace for dismissal — so you can walk into appointments feeling grounded instead of guarded.
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I provide in-person therapy for women in Middle Georgia (near Macon, GA) and secure telehealth therapy across Georgia for women healing from medical trauma, medical gaslighting, and the emotional toll of the diagnostic journey.
A Simple, Supportive Process
Book a Consultation
Share your story in a safe, supportive space without pressure or expectation
Create a Safe Plan
We build a therapy approach that respects your experiences, values, and pace
Heal and Rebuild
Process what you've been through and begin rebuilding trust in your body, your instincts, and your voice.
Why Women Choose Life By Design Counseling
You deserve a space where your medical experiences are taken seriously and where healing can happen without judgment, minimization, or being asked to just "move on."
Specialized in Medical Trauma Recovery
I spent years working as a hospital chaplain in a Level I trauma center, sitting alongside patients and families through medical crisis, diagnostic uncertainty, and, at times, the emotional weight of not being believed. I understand the medical system from the inside — and I don't take your experience in it lightly.
Trauma-Informed and Client-Centered
Therapy that prioritizes your autonomy, your voice, and your healing process — never treatment decisions made for you.
Safe, Non-Judgmental Space
A place where you can process anger, grief, fear, and mistrust without being told you're overreacting.
FAQs About Healing from Medical Trauma
How do I know if what I experienced was medical trauma or gaslighting?
Medical gaslighting often involves being dismissed, disbelieved, or made to feel your symptoms weren't real or valid. If you left an appointment, procedure, or hospital stay feeling confused, unsafe, or like you couldn't trust your own experience, it deserves to be explored with care.
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Will this therapy tell me to avoid doctors or distrust the medical system?
No. This work isn't about demonizing doctors or medical care — it's about processing what happened to you and rebuilding your ability to trust yourself, so you can engage with medical care from a place of confidence instead of fear.
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What if I still need ongoing medical care and it feels overwhelming?
That's common, and it's okay. Therapy can help you develop tools for advocating for yourself, managing anxiety around appointments, and feeling more grounded during ongoing treatment.
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Do I need a formal diagnosis or documented history for this to apply to me?
No. Whether you've been through a long diagnostic journey, a single traumatic experience, or an ongoing pattern of feeling dismissed, your experience is valid and worth exploring in therapy.
You Are Allowed to Trust Yourself Again
Healing from medical trauma doesn't mean you have to have all the answers, a formal diagnosis, or a clean resolution. You can learn to trust your body, your instincts, and your voice again — even after being told for so long that you couldn't.
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Serving women across Georgia with therapy for medical trauma, medical gaslighting, and the emotional toll of navigating a broken or dismissive medical experience.