When Doctors Dismiss You: Validating Your Experience in Therapy
Emily Ladyman
Chronic Illness & Chronic Pain Program Director
If you live with a chronic illness or chronic pain condition, you’ve likely been in a doctor’s office where something didn’t feel right. Maybe you were told your symptoms were “normal,” or “just stress,” or that there was nothing more to be done. Maybe you walked out of an appointment feeling worse than when you walked in—not because of the illness, but because of how you were treated.
Being dismissed by medical providers leaves more than just frustration. It leaves shame, self-doubt, and emotional pain that lingers long after the appointment ends. Over time, this kind of dismissal can cause real harm, making you question your own body and experience.
Therapy is not a replacement for medical care, but it can help you make sense of what happened, rebuild trust in yourself, and reconnect with the parts of you that felt erased.
Medical Gaslighting Is Real
Many clients tell us stories like these:
“They said my labs were fine, so I must be imagining things.”
“The specialist barely looked at me before deciding nothing was wrong.”
“They told me it was anxiety, but I’ve had these symptoms for years.”
“They made me feel like I was exaggerating, or being dramatic.”
This is called medical gaslighting, and it happens more often than it should—especially to women, people of color, queer and trans individuals, neurodivergent people, and those with rare or complex conditions. It leaves people feeling small, invisible, or “too much.” And it makes it harder to speak up the next time.
In therapy, you don’t have to explain away your pain. You don’t have to convince anyone it’s real. We believe you.
What Happens When You Stop Trusting Yourself
When your concerns are dismissed over and over, you may begin to second-guess everything. You might downplay symptoms, avoid appointments, or stop asking questions. You may even start to feel detached from your body, as if your own signals cannot be trusted.
This is a common trauma response. And it makes perfect sense.
Therapy can help you rebuild that connection by exploring how these experiences shaped the way you see yourself and your body. It can help you name what happened, hold space for the emotions that come with it, and start to reestablish trust with yourself.
Therapy as a Space for Validation, Not Judgment
Therapy will not tell you to push through, pretend you are fine, or stay quiet to avoid being “difficult.” It is a place where you can say what happened and how it made you feel—without being interrupted, minimized, or redirected.
We take you seriously. We care about your story. And we believe that healing is not just about managing symptoms, but about restoring your sense of agency, dignity, and self-trust.
You Deserve to Be Heard
At Nashville Therapy Group, we work with many clients who have been dismissed, invalidated, or hurt by the medical system. We understand how isolating and disorienting that can feel. If you’re looking for a place where your experience is honored and your voice matters, we are here.
We Are Here For You
At Nashville Therapy Group, our team of clinicians is here to help you work through what’s hard and move toward meaningful change. Connect with us today to get started. We’d be honored to help you heal.
