The COPE Center was created to strengthen and elevate psychological education within the injury-illness and rehabilitation-recovery space for (a) client’s who have sustained an acute injury; (b) those navigating chronic illnesses, systemic conditions, and physiological complexities that influence baseline well-being, and (c) the practitioners who serve them.

The reality is that injury, and sometimes illness, is often not a matter of if but when. For anyone who has experienced an injury and/or illness, you already know: it is far more than a physical setback. Injury-illness influences identity [1; 6; 8], self-worth [4], and motivation [2], about what is possible. It can threaten future opportunities, disrupt roles, and introduce fear, doubt, and uncertainty [3; 5; 7-8]. And while rehabilitation systems are built to treat the body, the psychological experience of injury-illness is often overlooked, minimized, or treated as secondary. Too often, strategies designed for healthy clients are assumed to transfer to injured-ill populations, leading to care that can feel inadequate or even exclusionary.

The COPE Center exists to address this gap.

Many injured-ill clients move through recovery feeling isolated, misunderstood, or pressured to “push through.” Meanwhile, the professionals who support them often lack the tools, training, or collaborative structures needed to care for the mental and emotional dimensions of rehabilitation-recovery. The COPE Center delivers psychological expertise, collaborative frameworks, and referral pathways needed for clients to heal more completely and for practitioners to work more cohesively. Whether we are:

• helping an injured-ill athlete navigate fear, uncertainty, or return-to-participation readiness

• consulting with a dietitian on the mental barriers hindering nutritional adherence

• or aiding medical clinics in building integrated care systems

The COPE Center’s purpose remains the same: To ensure every client receives the comprehensive, compassionate, and coordinated support they deserve via both mind and body.

If you’d like to learn more, you’re welcome to explore the main menu sections most relevant to your needs. You may also submit inquires to Dr. Erdner using the contact form below.