Finally, a therapist who gets it.
Living with chronic illness changes more than how you feel in your body.
It changes your relationships, your identity, your confidence, and sometimes your hope.
You don't have to carry that alone.
Why Untamed Iona is different
Most therapists understand anxiety.
Few understand:
CIRS
Lyme
Long COVID
Chronic pain
Mast cell activation
Medical gaslighting
Repeated loss
Nervous system injury
Years of searching for answers
You deserve support from someone who understands the whole of your experience. Because healing is different when your therapist understands the complex relationship between chronic illness, the nervous system, and emotional well-being.
Let’s meet.
THERAPIST, COACH - LMHC, NCC
Brenda Stewart
I I have lived with CIRS, tick-borne illness, and chronic pain myself. I understand firsthand how chronic illness can affect every part of your life—not only your health, but your relationships, identity, work, parenting, and sense of self. That lived experience shapes the way I support others. I know the frustration of not feeling understood, the grief of losing the life you expected, and the challenge of rebuilding trust in your body and yourself.
As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, I combine personal understanding with specialized clinical training. My work integrates trauma-informed approaches. I support individuals navigating chronic illness, trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and disordered eating with compassion, curiosity, and a whole-person approach. I also offer coaching and Community Support Circles for those seeking connection, education, and support beyond traditional therapy.
And yes—I’m also a dog lover. I know firsthand how our four-legged companions can become some of our greatest sources of comfort and resilience during difficult seasons.
Chronic Illness Changes More Than Your Health. It Changes Your Life.
A complex illness doesn’t just affect your body—it touches every part of who you are.
The hardest part is often not only the symptoms, the cost, or the uncertainty. It’s the invisible losses that happen along the way.
The life you thought you would have.
The person you used to be.
The relationships that changed.
The dreams you had to put on hold.
Living with conditions like CIRS, Lyme disease, Long COVID, chronic pain, and other complex illnesses can bring a grief that is difficult to explain to people who haven’t lived it. You may be grieving your former self, your independence, or the version of yourself you feel you lost along the way.
You may feel isolated—even surrounded by people.
You may have experienced the pain of not being believed, misunderstood, or dismissed by others. Years of searching for answers can create a deep sense of medical trauma, frustration, and exhaustion. When your body becomes unpredictable, it can be difficult to trust yourself, trust your future, or feel safe again.
Chronic illness can reshape your closest relationships. It can create stress in friendships, marriages, and partnerships. It can change how you parent, work, socialize, and participate in the life around you. It can bring questions that are not easy to answer:
Who am I now?
Will I ever feel like myself again?
How do I move forward when my life looks different than I imagined?
At Untamed Iona, we understand that healing is not only about managing symptoms. It is about supporting the whole person—the emotional, relational, and human experience of living through illness and finding your way forward.
You deserve a space where you do not have to explain why this is hard.
A space where your experience is understood.
A space where you can process what you’ve lost, rebuild what has been shaken, and reconnect with hope, purpose, and the life you are creating now.
You are more than your diagnosis. You are more than your losses. We are here to help you rebuild amidst the wreckage.
Work with Brenda
Depending on your needs, there are several ways we can work together.
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A compassionate space for those navigating complex CIRS and environmental illness.
Living with complex chronic illness can feel incredibly isolating—especially when your experience does not match typical recovery stories. This Community Support Circle is designed for those who need a space where their reality is honored without comparison, pressure, or the expectation to “push through.”
This is a peer-based support space focused on connection, validation, nervous system safety, and shared understanding. You do not need to be in a particular place in your healing journey. You are welcome exactly as you are.
This Circle May Be Right For You If:
You are living with complex CIRS or environmental illness
Your environmental tolerance or daily capacity is limited or unpredictable
You feel disconnected from typical recovery conversations
You are experiencing grief, frustration, uncertainty, or isolation
You want support that honors your experience rather than focusing on productivity or outcomes
What You Can Expect:
A compassionate, confidential, and respectful environment
Connection with others who understand the complexity of chronic illness
Gentle facilitation grounded in nervous system safety
Freedom to participate in the way that feels right for you—sharing, listening, or simply being present
Tuesdays at 11:00 AM PDT / 12:00 PM MDT / 1:00 PM CDT / 2:00 PM EDT
Investment: $249 for six sessionsSpace is limited.
Please note: This is a community support circle, not a therapy group. Brenda facilitates this space as a Life Coach and not within a patient/provider relationship.
To register, contact Candace at connect@untamediona.com.
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A monthly nervous system reset for those navigating chronic illness and life’s challenges.
At Untamed Iona, we created the Replenish Retreats as the space we wished existed during the hardest seasons of healing—a place to pause, reconnect, and experience moments of safety and restoration.
Each virtual 2-hour retreat is designed to help you step out of survival mode and into a more regulated, supported state. Led by Dr. Lauren Sparks and Brenda Stewart, these gatherings combine nervous system practices, meaningful reflection, creativity, and community connection.
This is not a lecture or educational session. It is a space to rest, receive, and be with others who understand.
Each Retreat Includes:
Guided nervous system regulation practices
Reflective experiences using art, poetry, music, and written word
A supportive community space where you can feel seen and understood
Opportunities to share inspiration and encouragement with others
You do not have to arrive feeling “better.” Come exactly as you are—with a blanket, a journal, and whatever helps you feel comfortable.
Selected Fridays | 9:30–11:30 AM MST | Virtual via Zoom
2026 Retreat Dates:
August 28
September 25
October 23
November 20
December 18
Investment: $150 per retreat*
*Bundle option: Purchase three retreats and receive 15% offSpace is limited. Registration is first come, first served. To register, email Candace at connect@untamediona.com.
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Available nationwide.
Initial Coaching Session (50 minutes): $250
Follow-Up Coaching Sessions (50 minutes): $200
An 8.44% surcharge is applied to coaching fees to cover applicable Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) and service fees.
Coaching is ideal for those outside Brenda's therapy states who want structured support around:
adjusting to chronic illness
nervous system regulation
boundaries
relationships
burnout
navigating complex medical care
emotional resilience
Email Candace at connect@untamediona.com to schedule coaching with Brenda.
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INDIVIDUAL THERAPY
Brenda provides individual therapy for clients navigating complex chronic illness, trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and the emotional impact of long-term health challenges.
Therapy is available via telehealth for clients located in Florida, Texas, and South Carolina. Availability is limited.
Initial Therapy Session (50 minutes): $250
Follow-Up Therapy Sessions (50 minutes): $200
An 8.44% surcharge is applied to therapy fees to cover applicable Gross Receipts Tax (GRT) and service fees.
EMDR THERAPY
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a trauma-focused therapy that helps the brain process and heal from distressing experiences, memories, and patterns that continue to impact your life.
Brenda is certified in EMDR and provides individual EMDR therapy via telehealth for clients located in Florida, Texas, and South Carolina. EMDR can be helpful for trauma, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, depression, and other experiences where the past continues to shape the present.
EMDR Therapy Rates
50-minute session: $200
90-minute session: $300
EMDR Intensives
EMDR Intensives offer a focused opportunity for deeper therapeutic work over a concentrated period of time. Options include:
Half-day intensives
Full-day intensives
3-day intensive formats
Pricing varies based on the intensive package selected.
EMDR treatment is personalized to your needs and follows a structured eight-phase approach. Treatment begins with understanding your history, building skills for regulation and safety, and moving into processing when appropriate. Longer 90-minute sessions are typically offered once clients reach the processing phase of treatment.
Availability is limited. Reach out to connect@untamediona.com to request care. If Brenda’s schedule is currently full, you may request to be added to her waitlist.
Can’t wait until the first meeting?!
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