Chronic Pain

Millions of people suffer from chronic pain. When people suffer from pain, their attention is usually placed solely on the physical sensations. However, pain is also influenced by psychological factors. As such, there are ways to help yourself feel better in spite of your pain. Developing the skills to manage, function, and cope with pain helps to reduce pain-related anger, depression, anxiety and disability.

Psychological intervention for pain management is unique to each individual. When engaging in therapy for pain management, your therapist will likely work with you to explore and challenge your thoughts around pain. Therapeutic work might also include helping you to understand your limitations and how to stay active and engaged in the face of those limitations. You might work to develop valuable relaxation tools to reduce stress and ease muscle tension. You might be encouraged to find ways to distract yourself from your pain and to rely on the social network in your life for support. Overall, consulting with a therapist may help you feel more empowered around your pain management, and may help you to re-engage in your life in a way that will minimize your pain and reduce your distress.