This is Your Story…
Pain Doesn’t Get to Be the Main Character

Online mind-body therapy for adults ready to reclaim balance & emotional resilience from burnout, fatigue, or chronic pain

Hi there, I’m
Dr. Kalianivala

(but you can call me by my first name, Anahita. Hear how to pronounce my name.)

I’m a licensed clinical psychologist and chronic pain specialist.

I work with people facing chronic pain, fatigue, and illness, as well as those carrying invisible burdens, like overthinking, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the weight of always being “on.”

I want to help you reconnect with yourself (mind, body, and spirit), find relief (and release) from pain and pressure, and reclaim your agency with more ease and confidence.

If you’re struggling with…

  • Stress, anxiety, and overthinking

  • Burnout and exhaustion from doing it all

  • People-pleasing and perfectionism

  • Difficulty setting boundaries

  • Feeling disconnected from yourself or your values

  • Chronic pain, chronic illness, fatigue, and health challenges

I can help.

Therapy with me is grounded in compassion, science, and soul—and centered around your lived experience.

You’ve Tried Everything …
But the Pain and Pressure Are
Still There

Chronic pain or illness isn’t just about discomfort—it’s exhaustion, frustration, and the creeping doubt that life will always feel this hard. And even without physical pain, stress and pressure can take the same toll. They affect how you sleep, how you work, how you move, and even how you think.

You feel unheard, dismissed, or like you’re constantly justifying your experience to people who don’t get it.

Or maybe you’ve been pushing through for so long that no one even sees how much you’re carrying.

(Woof.)

If any of this sounds familiar, you’re in the right place.

  • I know you’re not making it up.

  • I know you’re not overreacting.

  • And I know you don’t have to suffer in silence.

Here at Alcove Mental Health, you’ll find care that validates your experiences and helps you reclaim control over the pain and pressure and rediscover your sense of balance and well-being.

With over a decade of deep clinical experience, I’m fiercely committed to helping folks heal and step into their most confident, fulfilled, lit-up selves.

  • "Anahita is like a diamond in the rough. When you get a therapist that awesome, you don’t want to lose them"

    - Privately disclosed

  • “...she puts me at ease. I’ve never been so honest in sessions with other therapists as I can be with Anahita.”

    - Privately disclosed

  • “I knew if I did everything Anahita told me, I’d be ok....she’s kind, patient, and very helpful. She’s definitely helped me.”

    - Privately disclosed

Therapy Can Help With . . .

  • rewiring pain pathways

    Rewiring the brain’s pathways so you’re not stuck in loops of stress, pain, or self-doubt.

  • stress can make pain worse

    Managing the stress, anxiety, and pressure that make life harder (and pain worse).

  • pain coping strategies

    Learning mind-body strategies that actually work—to ease pain, calm your nervous system, and restore balance.

  • get back to living your life

    Figuring out how to live your life with more ease and clarity—instead of letting pain or pressure calling the shots.

Schedule your free consult

Therapy won’t magically erase the pain, but it can help loosen its grip—and help you step out of survival mode and into a life that feels more like you.

Our work together will help:

  • Untangle the emotional weight of pain, stress, or burnout

  • Break free from patterns that keep you stuck—like overthinking, perfectionism, or people-pleasing

  • Find new ways to reclaim your autonomy and live with more balance and ease

mind body therapy for chronic pain with anahita kalianivala

Science-Backed, Soul-Aligned Methods

From well-researched techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and pain neuroscience education to insight-oriented and integrative tools like Internal Family Systems (IFS or “parts work”) and nervous system regulation:

I’ve got you.

I offer a range of evidence-based strategies that support healing—not pushing—so you can move forward with more ease, clarity, and self-trust.

integrative therapy for chronic pain management

Available services include:

  • CBT helps calm the brain’s pain-related thoughts and patterns. Together, we’ll build skills to reduce the cycle of fear, worry, and physical tension so you can regain a sense of control and ease.

  • ACT offers tools to step out of struggle and into a values-based life. Instead of fighting symptoms, you’ll learn how to focus on what matters most—creating more meaning and less pressure.

  • These practices support your nervous system in settling down from chronic stress or overdrive. You’ll learn techniques to restore balance, improve sleep, and create more moments of calm in daily life.

  • Hypnosis is an evidence-based way to work with pain, anxiety, and stress. Using guided focus, we can reduce symptoms, shift unhelpful patterns, and tap into your mind-body connection for healing.

  • PRT integrates what we know works from other approaches—like CBT, mindfulness, and somatic awareness—into a focused method for retraining the brain’s response to pain. By shifting how the brain interprets signals, PRT can reduce chronic pain and also support improvements with mood and anxiety.

  • Somatic approaches help you reconnect with your body as a source of wisdom and healing. By tuning into sensations and releasing stored tension, you’ll learn how to regulate your nervous system, process stress, and feel more grounded in yourself.

  • Parts work (IFS) helps you understand the different “parts” of yourself—like the inner critic, the overachiever, or the protector—and create more harmony between them. This process builds compassion, clarity, and a deeper sense of self-leadership.

Specialized Care for Pain, Stress & Burnout

While my background is rooted in the complex world of chronic pain, the same skills I bring to that work — nervous system regulation, mind-body integration, and evidence-based therapy — are just as powerful for stress, burnout, and the invisible weight of overdoing.

anahita kalianivala is a chronic pain specialized who is always striving to provide you with the best care for chronic pain

As a recovered overachiever turned authentic feeler, I get where you’re at.

I’ll break down the neuroscience behind what you’re feeling, show you why nervous system tools actually work, and teach you how to use them in a way that fits your life.

I’m here to hold space for the real, raw, human stuff—the messy, meaningful, and rewritable. If your brain can wire into survival mode, it can rewire out of it.

And I’m here to help you do just that.

anahita kalianivala, clinical psychologist, creating a tailored plan for therapy for chronic pain

Online Therapy across PSYPACT States

As a licensed psychologist, I offer online therapy across PSYPACT states to help adults manage stress, anxiety, burnout, and fatigue, as well as chronic pain, chronic illness, and other long-term health conditions.

Our session format will be via secure video telehealth via Google Meet. It’s expected that you’re in a safe, private space with internet access at the times of our scheduled appointments. (You can also check out our blog to learn more about how to prepare for a telehealth appointment.)

Sessions typically last 45-60 minutes, depending on your needs that day. Shorter sessions—minis in the Alcove—are also available at a discounted rate. Learn about session fees here.

How often we meet is up to you—we can meet weekly, biweekly, or on a more personalized schedule, based on your needs and preferences.

Virtual therapy is available in over 40 states*, including:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

(*Last updated July 2025. Please see PSYPACT website for updates.)

You deserve more than survival mode.

Let’s get you back to living.

Schedule a Free Consultation

Book a 15-minute call to see how I can help you move forward with more ease, confidence, and control—whether you’re navigating pain, stress, or the pressure of always being on.

Find a time that works for you and schedule directly in the calendar below.

Our secure booking system sometimes takes a second to load. Thanks for your patience.

DISCLAIMER: The above scheduling form is not appropriate for accessing urgent care or emergency services. If you are experiencing a crisis, please call 911 or seek emergency care. 

Clinical Experience You Can Trust

Dr. Kalianivala earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she received broad training in cognitive behavioral therapy across the lifespan. Since completing her generalist training, she has focused her career on supporting adults navigating chronic pain, health-related stress, burnout, and other complex life challenges.

Professional Highlights

  • Throughout her career, Dr. Kalianivala has emphasized collaboration within interdisciplinary medical teams to ensure comprehensive, patient-centered care. While her recent focus has been on chronic pain, she has also provided psychological support in primary care, medical weight loss, and inpatient rehabilitation settings.

  • Dr. Kalianivala completed a postdoctoral clinical fellowship at the Stanford Pain Management Center (Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine), with advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and biofeedback for chronic pain. The latter half of her fellowship was conducted via telehealth during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking her long-term integration of virtual care for individuals managing chronic pain.

  • Dr. Kalianivala has worked in the VA system both as a trainee and staff psychologist, including a pre-doctoral internship in Health Psychology at the Memphis VA. As a staff psychologist with the Ioannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center (Reno, NV) and the VISN 12 Clinical Resource Hub (based out of Jesse Brown VA in Chicago, IL), she provided specialized psychological services for Veterans managing chronic pain and co-occurring mental health concerns, while collaborating closely with interdisciplinary providers.

    • Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT): Completed Basic Training with the Pain Reprocessing Therapy Institute, enhancing skills in treating chronic pain through neuroplasticity-based methods.

    • Empowered Relief Instructor: Certified to deliver this evidence-based, single-session pain management class developed at Stanford University.

    • CBT-I Consultation and Training (VA): Participated in national training initiatives for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), a gold-standard, non-medication approach to improving sleep.

This means you’re working with someone who not only understands the science of healing, but also honors the tenderness of your lived experience.

You don’t have to minimize, mask, or explain it all away. And you don’t have to keep managing alone. I’ve got you.