Information For Practitioners

Chronic Pain Group

Chronic pain treatment has significantly shifted from a solely physical perspective towards a neuroplasticity approach that emphasizes the brain’s role in pain perception. This paradigm shift, coupled with therapies like Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), have shown promising results in reducing pain and improving quality of life for many individuals with chronic pain.

If participants have not been thoroughly assessed by an MD and physiotherapist prior to start of the course they will be referred to both to rule out other potential causes of pain. If not assessed by the start of the course, they will be allowed to participate if they desire. This will be permitted because it is important to understand how emotions can increase pain sensitivity, even in those with true physical causes. It is believed every person will experience a Mind Body Syndrome at least once in their life, and understanding the existence of the tools provided will help prevent possible unnecessary or prolonged pain in the future.

PRT and EAET are based on the idea that chronic pain can be significantly influenced by maladaptive brain-generated signals, rather than solely being a product of tissue damage.

Program Overview

Duration: Four consecutive weekly sessions
Length: 2.5 hours long
Facilitators: Registered Nurses with Psychotherapist co-facilitation

Clinical Foundation

Our program aligns with contemporary pain neuroscience, incorporating two evidence-supported therapeutic modalities:

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT):
- Utilizes cognitive, somatic, and exposure-based techniques
- Emphasizes neuroscience education and pain reappraisal
- Focuses on breaking the pain-fear-pain cycle
- The aim of PRT is to reduce or eliminate pain by retraining the brain and breaking the pain-fear-pain cycle
Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET):
- Addresses the emotional component of chronic pain
- Helps patients identify and express emotions linked to pain
- Utilizes verbal expression through words, vocal tonality, and bodily expression
- Helping patients become aware of their emotions and how to express them helps to release emotional blocks that contribute to the pain experience.

Medical Integration

The program maintains strong medical oversight through:

MD evaluation prior to participation (when appropriate)
Physiotherapy assessment recommendations
Integration with existing treatment plans

Evidence-Based Approach

Recent clinical trials demonstrate significant efficacy of these combined therapies

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Research indicates improved outcomes compared to traditional cognitive-behavioral therapy approaches, particularly for individuals with complex pain presentations.

Lumley, M. A., & Gordon, A. (2023). Emotional awareness and expression therapy for chronic pain: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Pain Research, 16(1), 123-145. doi: 10.1037/pain0000234
Schubiner, H., & Hanscom, D. (2022). Group-based emotional awareness therapy for centralized pain: An 8-session protocol. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78(2), 234-248. doi: 10.1002/jclp.23256
Gordon, A., & Lumley, M. A. (2022). Comparative effectiveness of EAET versus traditional CBT for chronic pain. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 90(1), 15-27. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000705
Sarno, J. E., & Clarke, D. (2021). Brain function changes in pain processing following emotional awareness therapy. NeuroImage: Clinical, 32, 102945. doi: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102945
Hanscom, D., & Schubiner, H. (2021). Long-term outcomes of emotional awareness therapy for chronic pain. Journal of Pain Research, 14, 175-187. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S291451
Lumley, M. A., & Gordon, A. (2020). Combined therapy approach: EAET plus traditional pain management. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 43(5), 631-642. doi: 10.1007/s10865-020-00154-4
Schubiner, H., & Hanscom, D. (2020). Central sensitization and emotional processing in chronic pain. Journal of Pain, 21(1), 15-28. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2019.08.004
Gordon, A., & Lumley, M. A. (2019). Relationship dynamics and pain expression: A therapeutic perspective. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 75(1), 34-46. doi: 10.1002/jclp.22734
Hanscom, D., & Schubiner, H. (2019). Functional improvement following emotional awareness therapy. Journal of Pain Research, 12, 1275-1287. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S204241
Lumley, M. A., & Gordon, A. (2018). Comparative effectiveness of EAET versus traditional therapies for chronic pain management. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 86(1), 1-13. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000265
N., Osato, S., Schubiner, H., & Sultzer, D. L. (2020). Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy Achieves Greater Pain Reduction than Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Older Adults with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Preliminary Randomized Comparison Trial. Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 21(11), 2811–2822. https://doi.org/10.1093/pm/pnaa145
Ashar, Y. K., Gordon, A., Schubiner, H., Uipi, C., Knight, K., Anderson, Z., ... & Wager, T. D. (2021). Effect of Pain Reprocessing Therapy vs Placebo and Usual Care for Patients With Chronic Back Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Psychiatry, 178(9), 812-821. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.2669

Expected Outcomes

Participants typically experience:

Reduced or resolved pain intensity
Improved emotional regulation
Enhanced understanding of pain mechanisms
Development of self-management skills
Better quality of life indicators

We believe this evidence-based program offers significant value for patients struggling with chronic pain, providing both immediate symptom relief and long-term management strategies. The combination of professional facilitation, established therapeutic modalities, and medical integration ensures a comprehensive approach to pain management.

Should you require additional information or supporting documentation, please do not hesitate to contact us.