Los Angeles Group Therapy: spoonies thriving
A therapy group for chronically ill folks wanting to go from barely surviving to leading the full, connected life that you deserve
Living with a chronic illness often means navigating an invisible world—one where pain, fatigue, and unpredictability are daily companions, even when others can’t see them. It can feel lonely, frustrating, and deeply disorienting to live in a body that doesn’t “bounce back,” especially in a culture obsessed with productivity, positivity, and ‘pushing through.’
This group is a space to let go of all that pretending.
If you’re tired of feeling like you have to prove your pain to be taken seriously—or like the medical system sees you as a mystery at best and a burden at worst—you’re not alone. Maybe you’ve felt dismissed, gaslit, or even traumatized by the very professionals who were supposed to help. You might be carrying shame about needing more rest or support than others seem to, mourning the version of yourself from before the diagnosis or flare-ups. It can feel like your whole identity has been swallowed by your illness, or like you’re constantly battling the internalized pressure to push past your limits and to smile and say “I’m fine,” when you’re actually anything but.
Living with chronic illness can be profoundly isolating—especially when friends and family don’t understand (or worse, don’t believe) what you’re going through. You might wonder if it’s okay to feel angry, to stop being the “resilient one,” or to finally admit that you’re running on borrowed spoons. If you’re craving a space where you don’t have to explain, defend, or downplay your reality—a space where your experience is met with understanding instead of advice—Spoonies Thriving is here for you. This group offers support and connection for disabled and chronically ill folks navigating pain, fatigue, identity shifts, and the everyday realities of living in a body that doesn’t play by the rules.
We created this group for folks who are managing chronic physical illness, autoimmune conditions, long COVID, chronic pain conditions, or ongoing health challenges that affect daily functioning & quality of life. Whether you’ve had a diagnosis for years or are still searching for answers, this group welcomes the full spectrum of experience—with space for grief, rage, humor, resilience, and everything in between.
Spoonies Thriving will start in September 2025. If you’re interested in joining this group, please click the button to fill out the interest form below and we’ll reach out as the start date gets closer!
No need to have it “all figured out”
come just as you are—There is room here for rage, grief, numbness, hope, and joy.
OUR Spoonies thriving therapy Group for disabled & chronically ill folks will HELP YOU:
Talk openly about what it’s like to live in a body that others often don’t understand
Name the emotional labor that comes with being “the strong one,” “the good patient,” or constantly explaining yourself
Explore identity shifts, grief, and moments of resistance that come with long-term illness
Build community with people who get it—no need to downplay, sugarcoat, or act like you’re ‘fine’
Practice self-compassion, boundary-setting, and care strategies that actually meet your needs
Grieve the losses—big and small—of a life that hasn’t gone as planned and a body that doesn’t work the way you hoped
Untangle your self-worth from productivity and external validation
Share what helps, what hurts, and what healing really looks like (it’s not linear)
Learn to navigate relationships when friends or family don’t “get it” or struggle to support you
Explore anger, guilt, and medical trauma in a space where those feelings are welcome
Build tools to help you better advocate for yourself with medical practitioners and in you personal relationships
Find solidarity in the daily struggles—canceling plans, navigating flare-ups, asking for help
Build true acceptance of your symptoms, diagnoses, and daily limitations to move out of daily grappling and struggling with what is
Celebrate moments of resilience, rest, or even just making it through the week
Start thriving despite your chronic illness/pain and get to have the fulfilling life you want. You deserve it!
Hello,
I’m Dani. I look forward to helping you feel more seen, understood, & thrive!
the deets
This is an ongoing group that will begin September 2nd and will meet every other Tuesday for 90 minutes from 6:00-7:30pm.
The group is facilitated by Dani Marrufo, LMFT. Dani is a queer, Spoonie therapist who brings warmth, humor, and deep understanding to her work with chronically ill clients, drawing from her own lived experience and expertise in working with grief & cancer patients to create a space where all parts of you are welcome.
This group meets in-person in our office in Highland Park, Los Angeles.
Group fees
The Spoonies Thriving therapy group is an investment of $190 per month, which covers all bi-weekly sessions and ensures that your spot is reserved in the group. A reduced-fee rate of $115 per month is available with documented financial need. If you are seeking a reduced fee spot, there are a limited number available, so book your info session now!
who we welcome
This group is open to adults of all genders living with chronic illness. We especially welcome BIPOC, queer, trans, and disabled community members who often feel overlooked or excluded by mainstream medical and mental health systems.
what can i expect from group therapy?
Did you know that research shows that group therapy can be equally as effective as individual therapy?
What is Group Therapy?
Group therapy is when a small number of people meet together under the guidance of a therapist to help one another. It provides a place where you come together with others to share problems or concerns, to better understand your own situation, and to learn from each other. Group therapy can help you improve your interpersonal relationships. It addresses feelings of isolation, aloneness, depression and/or anxiety, and helps you to make significant changes to improve the quality of your life. The insights gained in weekly group therapy can support you to have more satisfying relationships, be more comfortable with yourself, with your feelings, with others, and in the other groups in which you participate every day.
Who Can Benefit from Group Therapy?
Like individual therapy, group therapy can benefit almost anyone. Members have the opportunity to discover how they think, why they react the way they do, and understand how they are perceived by others in the group. Members talk about what goes on in their lives outside the group, but also highlight what happens between members in the present moment, providing valuable feedback and learning by witnessing and resonating with each other. Our hope is that group members find healing and an increased ability to make conscious choices that impact how they feel in the moment. This supports members to learn about themselves and take interpersonal risks in the service of living their lives more authentically, more honestly, and more fully emotionally engaged.
We’re here to help you decide if this group will be the right fit for you. Use the link below to book your free discovery call below to secure your spot in the group.