Hi, I’m Avi Criden
Licensed therapist specializing in insomnia, chronic pain, and men's mental health.
I know what it feels like when your body won’t cooperate with your life. When sleepless nights bleed into foggy mornings, chronic pain dictates what you can and can’t do, and unexplained symptoms make you feel unmoored from the person you used to be.
These issues are invisible, but they’re exhausting.
I work with people navigating chronic pain and insomnia using evidence-based approaches like CBT-i and Pain Reprocessing Therapy. I also have a particular interest in working with men who are tired of white-knuckling their way through and handling things on their own.
Together, we’ll get to the root of symptoms that often get minimized and help you sleep through the night, reduce pain, and enjoy your life.
My Journey
From educator to therapist by way of chronic illness
Chronic Lyme disease upended my life, and I had to step away from my 15-year career as an educator. Suddenly, the life I’d built no longer fit who I was or what my body could handle.
As I worked toward healing, I started learning how my nervous system, stress, emotions, and physical symptoms were all connected. I found tools and approaches that no doctor had mentioned, and they worked in ways traditional treatment hadn’t.
That experience pulled me into therapy work. I retrained, earning my MSW from the University of Kentucky and completing certification in CBT-i and PRT, and now specialize in chronic pain and insomnia. These conditions are frustrating yet often overlooked and left unresolved for far too long.
I also focus on men’s mental health, which was the center of my MSW studies. So many men try to push through pain and handle things on their own while struggling on the inside. I wanted to create a space where that pressure could lift.
If you’re struggling with chronic symptoms that feel misunderstood or minimized, I can help you rewire your brain so you can live a fulfilling, enjoyable life again. My approach is warm, thoughtful, and direct.
Outside of work, I enjoy hiking, camping, taking things apart to understand how they work, and spending time with my family. I’ve also been exploring cooking over fire, which brings both curiosity and occasional concern to my wife.
LMSW (MD)
Master of Social Work (MSW), University of Kentucky
Master of Arts in Education, Columbia University – Teachers College
Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley
Certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)
Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) Certification
Live a life where you wake up rested and move through your day without pain.
You’ve tried managing this on your own long enough.