Living with a chronic illness and/or chronic pain creates some unique challenges, as well as opportunities, in the lives of the individual with lived experience and those around them. Many people who live with chronic illness and/or chronic pain find themselves called to give back and it is not unusual for people with chronic illness to seek out professions in healthcare. This allows for a unique intersection of lived experience and professional training. In this article, our chronic pain and chronic illness counselling Calgary therapists offer some insight into living with chronic illness and how this changes lives.