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Topic

Understanding Experiences of Self-Acceptance and Embodiment Among People with Chronic Health Conditions

Department of Psychology

Date & location

• Monday, April 14, 2025

• 1:00 P.M.

• Cornett Building

• Room A228

Reviewers

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Danu Stinson, Department of Psychology, University of Victoria (Co-Supervisor)

• Dr. Paweena Sukhawathanakul, Department of Psychology, UVic (Co-Supervisor) 

External Examiner

• Dr. Chrstine Ou, School of Nursing, University of Victoria 

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Helen Kurki, Department of Anthropology, UVic 

Abstract

Individuals with chronic health conditions experience greater psychological distress than those without (e.g., Brady et al., 2021). However, much of the existing research relies on quantitative methods that overlook lived experiences, leaving gaps in understanding distress and pathways to healing. This study addressed these gaps by adopting a critical, trauma-informed approach to chronic illness, examining how power structures and societal narratives shape health and well-being. In particular, I explored how individuals with chronic health conditions relate to their bodies and engage in healing for self-acceptance and embodiment (i.e., practices that promote healing from the experience of dissociation and disconnection). Participants aged 18 or older (n = 74; Mage = 25 years) who identified as having any kind of disability completed an online survey which asked about their perceptions of public and internalized stigma, embodiment, self-compassion, and self-esteem. This thesis assessed two open-ended questions, which asked participants about their process of self-acceptance for their disability, as well as what embodiment practices they currently use to stay in-tune/connected to their bodies in a subset of participants who identified as having a chronic health condition. Using both reflexive and codebook thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2021), one overarching theme was identified among participants’ responses which depicted dissociation and disconnection from the body, and four main themes that illustrate the complex relationship between chronic health conditions, embodiment, and psychological distress. Participants described dissociation, grief, and disconnection, yet also highlighted moments of resistance, self-care, and embodiment, challenging the dominant medical model. Additionally, the codebook analysis examined responses to two research questions: (1) whether individuals described bolstering self-integrity, social support, and embodiment practices in their process of accepting illness, and how they articulated these processes, and (2) what specific embodiment practices they used to connect iv with their bodies. Findings suggest that recovery is not a fixed outcome but an ongoing praxis, countering deficit-based narratives that frame chronic illness as inherently detrimental. Integrating perspectives from critical disability studies and critical health psychology, this research advocates for a compassionate, human-centered understanding of chronic health conditions, calling for a shift toward an approach that acknowledges chronic illness as deeply embedded in social and psychological contexts. Ultimately, this study amplifies the voices of people with chronic health conditions who often feel unseen or misunderstood and acknowledges the profound challenges that underly this experience.