Clinical Cases Podcast Series-FREE NO CME-Behavioral Medicine for Pain

Behavioral Medicine for Pain - Resources for Clinicians and Patients

Pdf Summary

The document is a “Compass Opioid Prescribing Treatment Guidance Toolkit” resource list focused on Behavioral Medicine for Pain. It provides clinicians and patients with curated educational and self-management tools to support chronic pain care and reduce reliance on opioids.

It highlights recommended <strong>videos</strong> for use in clinic and at home, including the American Chronic Pain Association’s “Four flat tires” video and a large collection of Pain Toolkit videos (about 50) covering pain self-management for both patients and providers, with free or low-cost downloadable materials.

The toolkit lists <strong>websites and online columns</strong> offering peer support, education, and practical tools: the American Chronic Pain Association website (support groups, tools, treatment resource guides), The Pain Toolkit site (patient and clinician resources), and Psychology Today’s “Empowered Relief” column by Beth Darnall, PhD, which teaches mind-body strategies for pain relief.

It includes <strong>free online patient modules</strong>, such as the Retrain Pain Foundation, and a set of <strong>relaxation, mindfulness, and meditation resources</strong>. These include the free Breathe2Relax mobile app (Department of Defense), PainTrainer (a free, self-paced online program based on CBT principles), a free online 8-week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction course (Palouse Mindfulness), and free guided mindfulness/meditation resources from the University of Utah and UCLA (including English and Spanish options). The document briefly explains that mindfulness meditation is evidence-based for chronic pain and may reduce pain intensity by changing brain responses to pain.

Additional entries cover <strong>community self-management courses</strong> (6-week evidence-based programs such as Chronic Disease and Chronic Pain Self-Management), advice on finding local offerings, and <strong>clinical training</strong> for providers, including certification in the “Empowered Relief” single-session pain relief class.

Finally, it recommends <strong>patient books</strong> (CBT and ACT-based) and <strong>clinician manuals</strong>, including a free VA CBT treatment manual and a free online book on pain management in low-resource settings. The document credits Beth Darnall, PhD (2020) and notes CMS-related preparation and non-endorsement disclaimers.

Keywords

chronic pain

opioid prescribing

behavioral medicine

pain self-management

mindfulness meditation

cognitive behavioral therapy

patient education

relaxation resources

empowered relief

pain toolkit