2 Day Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for Chronic Pain

Client Psychosocial Concerns Related to Chronic Pain

• Loss of physical functioning: identity, coping, mentality, and distress
• Role changes, self-esteem, and confidence
• Loss within relationships: social connectedness, sexual connection, autonomy, and more
• Loss of quality of life: Risk factors
• Co-occurrence with depression, anxiety, and other mood concerns
• Lack of acceptance/decreased self-worth

ACT and Chronic Pain Fundamentals: Core Processes, Case Conceptualization, and Setting the Stage for Treatment

• Psychological flexibility & General aims of ACT
• ACT’s 6 core processes: Overview
• Why the theoretical approach of ACT fits well with chronic pain
• The key role of pain acceptance
• Reducing the dominance of pain in one’s life through psychological flexibility
• Role of self-compassion in psychological flexibility and distress
• General clinical goals
• Research, limitations and risks
• Indications and contraindications

Uncover Your Clients Unique Pain Experience: Creating a Client- Centered Treatment Plan

• How to identify your client’s unique pain concerns
• Defining what health, well-being, and quality of life mean to the client
• Identifying the client’s values and what is important to them

Tackle Chronic Pain’s Grip: ACT Tools to Address the Change Agenda and Limits of Control

• Chronic pain history and recovery attempts
• Short and long-term benefits and costs of previous pain treatments
• “Clean” and “Dirty” pain exercise - confronting avoidance patterns
• Breaking down the pain chain exercise
• Shift from pain control to values-driven living

Acceptance & Willingness Skills to Thrive Amidst Chronic Pain

• ACT-based definitions and how client defines them
• Goals of building willingness skills
• Passengers on the bus metaphor: creating detachment from pain
• General willingness exercise to reduce pain anxiety
• Chinese finger trap exercise: accepting pain as an unavoidable sensation
• Welcoming pain mindfulness exercise: Observing without judgment

Cognitive Defusion Interventions: Using ACT to Separate Client’s Thoughts from Suffering

• Understand cognitive defusion
• When cognitive defusion is helpful
• The rules governing pain perception
• Create a painful thinking diary: track and analyze thoughts about pain
• 3 cognitive defusion exercises to:
  • Reduce the intensity of pain-related emotion
  • Distance clients from pain related thoughts
  • Shift from pain avoidance to proactive management

Mindfulness Techniques for Chronic Pain Management

• When to use mindfulness and with whom
• Mindful breathing for pain-related tension and stress
• Mindful notice and name – label pain sensations for better pain management
• Quick techniques for immediate pain relief
• Anchor in the present moment when pain becomes overwhelming
• S.T.O.P. exercise – assess your pain experience and respond

Other Applications and Clinical Takeaways of ACT for Pain

• The observer self and its role in pain management
• Values and carrying pain
• How values related to pain tolerance
• Committed action: identify and address barriers
• The costs of pain and the coin metaphor
• Acceptance of pain every day as an active choice