About
I've been blessed to be able to turn my chronic pain journey into a new purpose to help educate others about pain and pain rehabilitation. It's this transformation that has been valuable in my personal recovery.
Chronic Pain Champions provides evidence-informed chronic pain education for people living with chronic pain, their families, and healthcare professionals. Through modern pain science, practical strategies for self-managing chronic pain, and lived experience, we help people better understand persistent pain, reduce fear, improve function, and build meaningful lives.
Chronic Pain Champions provides evidence-informed chronic pain education for people living with chronic pain, their families, and healthcare professionals. Through modern pain science, practical strategies for self-managing chronic pain, and lived experience, we help people better understand persistent pain, reduce fear, improve function, and build meaningful lives.
Professional highlights
Education
What makes my approach different
Why I do what I do
I created Chronic Pain Champions as an educational hub for everyone affected by chronic pain to help lessen the suffering, improve quality of life, and shorten our journeys.
My story
Hello, I'm Tom Bowen.
My journey with chronic pain started in January 2009 after surgery left me with nerve pain.
When I first experienced symptoms, I had a tough time adjusting to them and became distressed. I let the pain and distress control me instead of taking control. They affected my life, my family, my friends, my job, and my activities. No different than others facing the same challenges.
After many unsuccessful attempts to make the pain stop, including all sorts of medicines, injections, and other interventions, including risky denervation surgery, I attended the 3-week outpatient Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC) in the fall of 2012 at the recommendation of my doctor.
I was doing better after attending the Mayo PRC program, self-managing the pain until a fall in 2013 brought an onslaught of new symptoms, including a 24/7 headache, neuropathy in my extremities, random widespread pain, and a whistle in my ear that made my original nerve pain worse. It seemed like all the tools I learned at the PRC couldn't help me, and I jumped back on the pain merry-go-round, doctor shopping for causes and cures for the new symptoms — letting the pain control my life instead of me controlling it.
After numerous failed medical attempts to stop the pain or even manage it, I gave up hope, questioning what life was going to be like with the pain and if I wanted to live it.
That changed in 2018 when I decided I needed a reset after the pain led me to quit the job I loved and file for disability because I was unable to work due to the stress of working. I returned to the PRC for a second stint in the fall of 2018.
Being at the PRC a second time was like flipping a switch. It all came back to me. I was able to begin changing the way I was thinking about the pain, feeling about the pain, and behaving about the pain. I was also able to find a new purpose and a source of distraction for the pain by serving as a pain advocate and educator.
Through pain rehabilitation, I've been able to routinely stop the use of medicines for the pain, including opioids, benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxers, amphetamines, beta-blockers, antidepressants, and over-the-counter analgesics, as well as other passive interventions like supplements and periodic injections with the support and guidance of my healthcare team.
Do I still experience pain?
Of course I do. But the chronic pain is often unnoticeable or drifts in the background as an uncomfortable noise.
I don't focus on the pain or worry about it because I know it means no harm.
Some days are tougher than others, but I remind myself that ups and downs are normal and use self-management strategies such as pacing, self-compassion, and cognitive restructuring. My goal is to move forward and not let tough times define me.
I'm more than the pain. The pain and other conditions don't define me. Instead, I'm defined by who I am and what I do. I'm a husband, a father, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a mentor, a past coworker, a writer, and a clown.
Have I stopped hoping for a miracle solution for pain? No. There are always advancements. I'm just not actively seeking a cause and cure. Instead, I focus my time on living well despite the pain.
I'm driving the car. Pain and the other accompanying symptoms, like anxiety, anger, and depression, are in the backseat.
Books
Pain course
This 5-hour video course explains pain and the importance of changing the pain narrative – teaching active self-management skills and strategies to help people living with chronic pain become more empowered to have a more positive life.
Published Articles
Podcasts & Interviews
Healthcare Collaboration
Speaking & Presentations
Social Media
- Patient Partner, Compass SHARP Program (statewide interdisciplinary initiative)
- Author, Trapped by Chronic Pain? Break Free and Take Back Your Life
- Founder, Chronic Pain Champions
- Published writer on chronic pain and pain neuroscience
- Speaker for healthcare organizations and patient groups
- Chronic pain advocate and educator
Education
- Lived chronic pain experience — 15 plus years of hard-won results
- 300-plus hours of formal pain rehabilitation training: Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center and Mayo Clinic Fibromyalgia program
- 5 plus years leading a support group
- Countless hours of research
What makes my approach different
- Evidence informed by modern pain science and personal experience
- Practical strategies that people can use right away
- Hope without false promises (no gimmicks or miracle cures)
Why I do what I do
I created Chronic Pain Champions as an educational hub for everyone affected by chronic pain to help lessen the suffering, improve quality of life, and shorten our journeys.
My story
Hello, I'm Tom Bowen.
My journey with chronic pain started in January 2009 after surgery left me with nerve pain.
When I first experienced symptoms, I had a tough time adjusting to them and became distressed. I let the pain and distress control me instead of taking control. They affected my life, my family, my friends, my job, and my activities. No different than others facing the same challenges.
After many unsuccessful attempts to make the pain stop, including all sorts of medicines, injections, and other interventions, including risky denervation surgery, I attended the 3-week outpatient Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center (PRC) in the fall of 2012 at the recommendation of my doctor.
I was doing better after attending the Mayo PRC program, self-managing the pain until a fall in 2013 brought an onslaught of new symptoms, including a 24/7 headache, neuropathy in my extremities, random widespread pain, and a whistle in my ear that made my original nerve pain worse. It seemed like all the tools I learned at the PRC couldn't help me, and I jumped back on the pain merry-go-round, doctor shopping for causes and cures for the new symptoms — letting the pain control my life instead of me controlling it.
After numerous failed medical attempts to stop the pain or even manage it, I gave up hope, questioning what life was going to be like with the pain and if I wanted to live it.
That changed in 2018 when I decided I needed a reset after the pain led me to quit the job I loved and file for disability because I was unable to work due to the stress of working. I returned to the PRC for a second stint in the fall of 2018.
Being at the PRC a second time was like flipping a switch. It all came back to me. I was able to begin changing the way I was thinking about the pain, feeling about the pain, and behaving about the pain. I was also able to find a new purpose and a source of distraction for the pain by serving as a pain advocate and educator.
Through pain rehabilitation, I've been able to routinely stop the use of medicines for the pain, including opioids, benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, muscle relaxers, amphetamines, beta-blockers, antidepressants, and over-the-counter analgesics, as well as other passive interventions like supplements and periodic injections with the support and guidance of my healthcare team.
Do I still experience pain?
Of course I do. But the chronic pain is often unnoticeable or drifts in the background as an uncomfortable noise.
I don't focus on the pain or worry about it because I know it means no harm.
Some days are tougher than others, but I remind myself that ups and downs are normal and use self-management strategies such as pacing, self-compassion, and cognitive restructuring. My goal is to move forward and not let tough times define me.
I'm more than the pain. The pain and other conditions don't define me. Instead, I'm defined by who I am and what I do. I'm a husband, a father, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, a mentor, a past coworker, a writer, and a clown.
Have I stopped hoping for a miracle solution for pain? No. There are always advancements. I'm just not actively seeking a cause and cure. Instead, I focus my time on living well despite the pain.
I'm driving the car. Pain and the other accompanying symptoms, like anxiety, anger, and depression, are in the backseat.
Books
- Chronic Pain Champions Starter Guide - a practical introduction to modern pain science and self-management. (FREE)
- Trapped by Chronic Pain? Break Free and Take Back Your Life - science-informed strategies to help you reclaim your life. (AVAILABLE ON AMAZON)
- Nothing To Fear. Just A Noise In My Ear. - an easy-to-read book for children (FREE)
Pain course
This 5-hour video course explains pain and the importance of changing the pain narrative – teaching active self-management skills and strategies to help people living with chronic pain become more empowered to have a more positive life.
Published Articles
- How to Move Patients from Passive Management to Active Self-Management - published in MedCentral
- A Letter to Pain Providers: 10 Do and Don’t Tips from a Chronic Pain Patient - published in HealthCentral
- We Have a Chronic Pain Problem, Not a Prescription Opioid Problem - published in HealthCentral
- Are You Missing Two-Thirds of Your Potential Pain Treatment Plan? - published in HealthCentral
- Five things I wish I knew earlier in my journey with chronic pain - published in StatNews
- Hopping Off the Pain Merry-go-round - published in Practical Pain Management
- My Time at the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center - published in HealthCentral
- Stop Whining and More No-Nonsense Tips from a Chronic Pain Champion - published in Practical Pain Management
- 25 Tips to Get the Best Treatment - published in National Pain Report
- Tinnitus: Part of a Larger Puzzle and Challenge - published by American Tinnitus Association
Podcasts & Interviews
- Fighting Pain Made It Worse — Here's What Finally Worked (Podcast episode hosted by Mark Kargela, DPT)
- A Path to Peace with Chronic Pain (Part of a Peace Talks Radio episode about what people do to seek peace with chronic pain)
- Compass Opioid Stewardship interview - Learning to Champion Chronic Pain (Podcast episode hosted by Don Stader, MD, and Rachael Duncan, PharmD)
- Living With Chronic Pain: ‘Suffering Is a Choice, and I Choose Not to Suffer’ (GoodRx article about my experience)
Healthcare Collaboration
- Project team member: Compass Surgical & Healthcare Alliance for Enhanced Recovery and Pain Management (SHARP). Worked as a team member with an interdisciplinary group of healthcare professionals (including physicians, pharmacists, and nurses) as a patient partner in this year-long project, helping develop and review patient education resources to improve perioperative pain management, opioid stewardship, and patient-centered care.
- Presenter: IPRO ECHO: When the Pain Won't Stop - Whole Person Care Addressing Chronic Pain educational series for healthcare providers
- Member: United States Association for the Study of Pain Patient Involvement Task Force
Speaking & Presentations
- Conference co-presenter: 2026 Compass Patient Safety Conference & Annual Forum
- CME presenter: Compass SHARP Program (A Patient's Perspective: Pain After Surgery)
- Presenter: 3rd Pain Supported Self Management - Online World Conference
- Presenter: Footsteps Festival (Live Well with Pain)
Social Media
- Chronic Pain Champions - No Whining Allowed Facebook support group with over 3,400 members (since 2019)
- X (5,500+ posts and 3,000 followers - since 2019)
- YouTube channel
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©2026
Chronic Pain Champions, LLC
All rights reserved.
For personal, non-commercial use.
Chronic Pain Champions, LLC
All rights reserved.
For personal, non-commercial use.