Resources
Use these helpful tools
Relaxation and movement exercises to do
5 of the best exercises you can ever do
Audio Meditation - Visualize your Pain (9:54)
Guided Imagery for Pain Relief (9:55)
Guided Imagery Practice For Pain (9:43)
Mindful Breathing (Mayo Clinic)
Mindfulness Bell - A 5 Minute Mindfulness Meditation (5:24)
Mindfulness exercises
Mindfulness for Physical Pain
Passive Muscle Relaxation (37:28)
Progressive Muscle Relaxation to Manage Anxiety and Stress (15:00)
Sleepy Time Sensation (YouTube channel of soothing sounds)
Tai Chi Chih - Joy Through Movement (50:08)
Yoga For Chronic Pain | Yoga With Adriene (25:33)
Skills to learn
General
Read these books/guides
Back in Control - Dr. David Hanscom (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: Active pain management that helps you get back to the life you love - Evan Parks (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Chronic Pain Won't Stop Me: Tools to Make the Most of Life, Despite Chronic Pain - Tom Bowen (my free e-book) - highly recommend!
Living Well with Chronic Pain - U.S. Pain Foundation (free e-book)
Living well with pain - Ben Cormack (free e-book)
Mayo Clinic Guide to Fibromyalgia - Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain Relief, Second Edition - Mayo Clinic
Nothing To Fear. Just A Noise In My Ear. - Tom Bowen (my free tinnitus e-book for children)
Pain Guide - University of Michigan Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center (free digital guide)
Pain Management Guide Book - The Honest Physio (free e-book)
Pain Toolkit - Pete Moore
Restoring Venus: A Journey from Chronic Pain to Possibilities - Amy Eicher (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Stories of Hope: For those who want to learn to live well with pain - Amy Eicher (Chronic Pain Champions member)
The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens - Dr. Rachel Zoffness (Chronic Pain Champions Member)
The Explain Pain Handbook Protectometer - Dr. David Butler and Professor Lorimer Moseley
The Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain Relief - DVD Course - Mayo Clinic
The Pain-Free Mindset – 7 Steps to Taking Control & Overcoming Chronic Pain - Dr. Deepak Ravindran
The Painful Truth: The new science of why we hurt and how we can heal - Dr. Monty Lyman
The Pain Management Workbook - Dr. Rachel Zoffness (Chronic Pain Champions member) - highly recommend!
Read my articles
A Letter to Pain Providers: 10 Do and Don’t Tips from a Chronic Pain Patient
Five things I wish I knew earlier in my journey with chronic pain
Hopping Off the Pain Merry-go-round
My Time at the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center
Stop Whining and More No-Nonsense Tips from a Chronic Pain Champion
We Have a Chronic Pain Problem, Not a Prescription Opioid Problem
Watch these videos (YouTube)
Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) - Dr. Christopher Sletten (22:19) - highly recommend!
Chronic Pain - Is it All in Their Head? - Dr. Daniel J. Clauw (1:54:18)
Dr. Rachel Zoffness on the Science of Pain: Myths, Truths, and Understanding - Finding Mastery (1:05:44) - highly recommend!
Chronic Pain Management – Non-drug therapies - Dr. Daniel Clauw (18:59)
Dolorology (PAIN) with Rachel Zoffness (1:34)
Getting a Grip on Pain and the Brain - Lorimer Moseley (40:41)
Let's Talk About Pain - Dr. Andrea Furlan (a series of informative videos)
Making Sense of Disabling Back Pain - Peter O’Sullivan Koadlow Lecture 2021 (1:30:29)
Pain and Me: Tamar Pincus talks about chronic pain, acceptance, and commitment (3:06)
Pain Rehabilitation Center: Mayo Clinic Radio (9:44)
Pain, the Brain and Your Amazing Protectometer - Lorimer Moseley (1:23:09)
Protectometer- DIMs & SIMs (10:54)
Tame the Beast – It's time to rethink persistent pain - Lorimer Mosely (5:00)
The Hardest Pill to Swallow | Tracy Jackson | TEDxNashville (18:44)
The Truth About Managing Chronic Pain (w/Dr. Rachel Zoffness) - ZDoggMD (1:39:10) - highly recommend!
Treating Pain Using the Brain - David Butler (1:15)
Understanding pain & what to do about it in less than 5 minutes - VA (5:00) - highly recommend!
Unlocking the Medicine Box in Your Mind - Dr. Beth Darnall (37:42)
What Chronic Pain Has Taught Me About Resilience - Dr. Trung Ngo (16:49)
TEDxAdelaide - Lorimer Moseley - Why Things Hurt (14:32)
Get some help (interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs)
Please review and compare programs before attending - not all programs are the same. Interdisciplinary programs based on the biopsychosocial model with an emphasis on self-management are the gold standard. Learn more about interdisciplinary treatment.
In the U.S.
Brooks Pain Rehabilitation Program - Florida
Cleveland Clinic Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program - Ohio
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Functional Restoration Program - New Hampshire
John Hopkins Pain Treatment Center - Maryland
Mary Free Bed Pain Rehabilitation Program - Michigan (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center - Minnesota, Florida, Arizona (the program I attended) - highly recommend!
MUSC Health Pain Rehabilitation Program - South Carolina
Nebraska Medicine Chronic Pain Management Program - Nebraska
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab - Illinois
Stanford Pain Rehabilitation Program - California
University of Toledo Pain Rehabilitation - Ohio
Outside the U.S.
Australia
Painaustralia - listing of pain therapies, programs, and resources
Albury Wodonga Health Chronic Pain Management Program
Mt Wilga Private Rehabilitation Hospital
Canada
Michael G. DeGroote Pain Clinic
Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute
Transitional Pain Service
England
Guys and St Thomas' Pain Management and Neuromodulation Centre
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital UK Pain Management & Active Back Programmes
St George Chronic Pain Self-Management Pain Service
Download these apps - many are free!
1step2life (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Bellybio (Free - IOS)
Breath2Relax (Free - Android/IOS)
Breathly (Free - Android/IOS)
Calm
Curable
Headspace
iBreathe (Free- IOS)
Mindfulness Bell (Free - Android/IOS)
Mindshift CBT (Free - Android/IOS)
My Health Story
Smiling Mind (Free - Android/IOS)
The Breathing App (Free - Android/IOS)
UCLA Mindful App (Free - Android/IOS)
Get the news
Pain News Network
Practical Pain Management (I'm a patient advocate on the Practical Pain Management Editorial Board)
Relief: Pain Research News, Insights, and Ideas (IASP Pain Research Forum)
Science Daily Pain Control News
Stat
Hear the latest (podcasts)
Airing Pain
Back in Control (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Compass Opioid Stewardship (produced for clinicians, but useful information for patients, too)
Courage for Pain (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Empowered Beyond Pain
Pain Reframed
The 15 Minute Pain Experience (Chronic Pain Champions member)
The Knowledge Exchange (Chronic Pain Champions member)
ZDOGG MD
Listen/read/watch my interviews
Book Plug - Chronic Pain Won't Stop Me (Part of Footsteps Festival 2021)
Compass Opioid Stewardship - Learning to Champion Chronic Pain - highly recommend!
Good Rx
Pain Toolkit
The 15 Minute Pain Experience (The Chronic Pain Experience)
The 15 Minute Pain Experience (Community for the win)
The Knowledge Exchange
Visit these sites
American Chronic Pain Association
American Migraine Foundation
American Sleep Association
American Tinnitus Association
Australian Pain Management Association
Back in Control
British Pain Society
Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center (University of Michigan)
Chronic Pain Ireland
Compass Opioid Stewardship Program
Flippin’ Pain
Institute for Chronic Pain
My Live Well with Pain
National Fibromyalgia Association
Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network (University of Michigan)
Osteoarthritis/Arthritis Association
Pain Guide (University of Michigan)
Retrain Pain
Start Your Recovery
Tame the Beast
The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy
U.S. Pain Foundation
US Association for the Study of Pain
Read these blogs
1step2life blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Back in Control blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Chronic Pain Champions blog (check out the archives and categories from the home page)
Chronic Warrior blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Healthskills blog (written primarily for clinicians, but useful information)
Restoring Venus blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Connect with people
Adelaide Pain Support Network Facebook group (Adelaide, Australia)
Attitude of Gratitude With Chronic Pain Facebook group
American Chronic Pain Association local support groups
Chronic Pain Champions – No Whining Allowed Facebook group (my group)
Exploring Pain: Research & Meaning Facebook group (geared more to clinicians and pain science but open to patients)
Journaling Through Pain Facebook group (Chronic Pain Champions member)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Opioid, Gabapentinoid, Antidepressant Tapering Support Group Facebook group
Pain Reframed Facebook group (geared more to clinicians and pain science but open to patients)
People in Pain Network local support groups (Canada)
The Knowledge Exchange Facebook group (geared more to clinicians and pain science but open to patients - Chronic Pain Champions member)
Use these templates/forms
Medical summary template
Medicine list template
Pain concerns form
Play to win
Chronic Pain Champion word search
(think how each word applies to your pain journey and how you can champion pain)
- Online version
- Print version
Chronic Pain Champion bingo
(mark boxes as you complete them each day or use a reminder of tools you can use to manage pain)
Have a laugh (some of my favorite video clips)
Airplane Classic Scenes
Back to School - Professor Terguson Loses It Scene
Chippendales Audition - SNL
Fire Marshall Bill at Magic Show
Funny signs, headlines and more
Homes for Every Homebuyer: Trolls - Realtor.com®
Monty Python Olympics
More Cowbell - SNL
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Fat
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Like A Surgeon
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Living With A Hernia
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Perform This Way
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Smells Like Nirvana
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Wanna be Your Lover
Relaxation and movement exercises to do
5 of the best exercises you can ever do
Audio Meditation - Visualize your Pain (9:54)
Guided Imagery for Pain Relief (9:55)
Guided Imagery Practice For Pain (9:43)
Mindful Breathing (Mayo Clinic)
Mindfulness Bell - A 5 Minute Mindfulness Meditation (5:24)
Mindfulness exercises
Mindfulness for Physical Pain
Passive Muscle Relaxation (37:28)
Progressive Muscle Relaxation to Manage Anxiety and Stress (15:00)
Sleepy Time Sensation (YouTube channel of soothing sounds)
Tai Chi Chih - Joy Through Movement (50:08)
Yoga For Chronic Pain | Yoga With Adriene (25:33)
Skills to learn
General
- 50 ways to live well, despite pain (my paper)
- Control what you can control (my paper)
- Self-Management of Chronic Pain
- Tips for better sleep (my paper)
- Tips for people living with chronic pain - add your suggestions to the bulletin board (my project)
- Tools for recovery – Plan for Flare ups (Chronic Pain Champions member)
- Hopping Off the Pain Merry-go-round (my article)
- Pain and Me: Tamar Pincus talks about chronic pain, acceptance, and commitment (3:06)
- Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain: Patient Guidebook (Department of Veteran's Affairs)
- Cognitive Restructuring Worksheet
- DIM SIM Therapy
- Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide
- How Cognitive Control Can Boost Well-Being
- How to Stop Your Pain with Your Mind
- Managing Chronic Pain: A Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach
- Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress
- Protectometer- DIMs & SIMs (10:54)
- Replacement Thought Examples
- Top 10 Ways to Reduce Anxiety
- How To Use CBT Thought Records To Change The Way You Feel
- What is CBT?
- Activity Pacing
- Activity pacing: moving beyond taking breaks and slowing down
- Chronic pain self-management: Pacing and goal setting
- Goal Setting for Pain Rehabilitation
- Pacing For Pain
- Pacing – how to manage your pain and stay active
- The role of avoidance, pacing, and other activity patterns in chronic pain
- Tools for recovery – Boom or bust vs pacing (Chronic Pain Champions member)
- What Goals Have You Set Recently? (my blog post)
- 10 Habits of Highly Resilient People
- How to Build Resilience and Boost Your Mental Health
- What Chronic Pain Has Taught Me About Resilience - Dr. Trung Ngo (16:49)
- The importance of forgivenss and gratitude (my blog post)
- How to Forgive in Six Steps
- 13 Most Popular Gratitude Exercises & Activities
- A Grateful Day with Brother David Steindl-Rast (5:22)
- The importance of forgiveness and gratitude
- The power of forgiveness (3:28)
- How to Forgive Someone Who Traumatized You
- Your 5-day gratitude challenge: 5 exercises to increase your gratefulness
- 12 Reasons To Be Happier - Dr. Amit Sood, Mayo Clinic (5:05)
- 13 Most Popular Gratitude Exercises & Activities
- Breathe to Heal | Max Strom | TEDxCapeMay (18:32)
- How to Humor Your Stress | Loretta LaRoche | TEDxNewBedford (20:50)
- Neuroscience shows listening to music has kind of the same effect as meditation
- Self-Compassion Guided Practices and Exercises
- Use mindfulness to cope with chronic pain
Read these books/guides
Back in Control - Dr. David Hanscom (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Chronic Pain Rehabilitation: Active pain management that helps you get back to the life you love - Evan Parks (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Chronic Pain Won't Stop Me: Tools to Make the Most of Life, Despite Chronic Pain - Tom Bowen (my free e-book) - highly recommend!
Living Well with Chronic Pain - U.S. Pain Foundation (free e-book)
Living well with pain - Ben Cormack (free e-book)
Mayo Clinic Guide to Fibromyalgia - Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain Relief, Second Edition - Mayo Clinic
Nothing To Fear. Just A Noise In My Ear. - Tom Bowen (my free tinnitus e-book for children)
Pain Guide - University of Michigan Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center (free digital guide)
Pain Management Guide Book - The Honest Physio (free e-book)
Pain Toolkit - Pete Moore
Restoring Venus: A Journey from Chronic Pain to Possibilities - Amy Eicher (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Stories of Hope: For those who want to learn to live well with pain - Amy Eicher (Chronic Pain Champions member)
The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens - Dr. Rachel Zoffness (Chronic Pain Champions Member)
The Explain Pain Handbook Protectometer - Dr. David Butler and Professor Lorimer Moseley
The Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain Relief - DVD Course - Mayo Clinic
The Pain-Free Mindset – 7 Steps to Taking Control & Overcoming Chronic Pain - Dr. Deepak Ravindran
The Painful Truth: The new science of why we hurt and how we can heal - Dr. Monty Lyman
The Pain Management Workbook - Dr. Rachel Zoffness (Chronic Pain Champions member) - highly recommend!
Read my articles
A Letter to Pain Providers: 10 Do and Don’t Tips from a Chronic Pain Patient
Five things I wish I knew earlier in my journey with chronic pain
Hopping Off the Pain Merry-go-round
My Time at the Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center
Stop Whining and More No-Nonsense Tips from a Chronic Pain Champion
We Have a Chronic Pain Problem, Not a Prescription Opioid Problem
Watch these videos (YouTube)
Central Sensitization Syndrome (CSS) - Dr. Christopher Sletten (22:19) - highly recommend!
Chronic Pain - Is it All in Their Head? - Dr. Daniel J. Clauw (1:54:18)
Dr. Rachel Zoffness on the Science of Pain: Myths, Truths, and Understanding - Finding Mastery (1:05:44) - highly recommend!
Chronic Pain Management – Non-drug therapies - Dr. Daniel Clauw (18:59)
Dolorology (PAIN) with Rachel Zoffness (1:34)
Getting a Grip on Pain and the Brain - Lorimer Moseley (40:41)
Let's Talk About Pain - Dr. Andrea Furlan (a series of informative videos)
Making Sense of Disabling Back Pain - Peter O’Sullivan Koadlow Lecture 2021 (1:30:29)
Pain and Me: Tamar Pincus talks about chronic pain, acceptance, and commitment (3:06)
Pain Rehabilitation Center: Mayo Clinic Radio (9:44)
Pain, the Brain and Your Amazing Protectometer - Lorimer Moseley (1:23:09)
Protectometer- DIMs & SIMs (10:54)
Tame the Beast – It's time to rethink persistent pain - Lorimer Mosely (5:00)
The Hardest Pill to Swallow | Tracy Jackson | TEDxNashville (18:44)
The Truth About Managing Chronic Pain (w/Dr. Rachel Zoffness) - ZDoggMD (1:39:10) - highly recommend!
Treating Pain Using the Brain - David Butler (1:15)
Understanding pain & what to do about it in less than 5 minutes - VA (5:00) - highly recommend!
Unlocking the Medicine Box in Your Mind - Dr. Beth Darnall (37:42)
What Chronic Pain Has Taught Me About Resilience - Dr. Trung Ngo (16:49)
TEDxAdelaide - Lorimer Moseley - Why Things Hurt (14:32)
Get some help (interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs)
Please review and compare programs before attending - not all programs are the same. Interdisciplinary programs based on the biopsychosocial model with an emphasis on self-management are the gold standard. Learn more about interdisciplinary treatment.
In the U.S.
Brooks Pain Rehabilitation Program - Florida
Cleveland Clinic Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program - Ohio
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center Functional Restoration Program - New Hampshire
John Hopkins Pain Treatment Center - Maryland
Mary Free Bed Pain Rehabilitation Program - Michigan (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Mayo Clinic Pain Rehabilitation Center - Minnesota, Florida, Arizona (the program I attended) - highly recommend!
MUSC Health Pain Rehabilitation Program - South Carolina
Nebraska Medicine Chronic Pain Management Program - Nebraska
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab - Illinois
Stanford Pain Rehabilitation Program - California
University of Toledo Pain Rehabilitation - Ohio
Outside the U.S.
Australia
Painaustralia - listing of pain therapies, programs, and resources
Albury Wodonga Health Chronic Pain Management Program
Mt Wilga Private Rehabilitation Hospital
Canada
Michael G. DeGroote Pain Clinic
Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute
Transitional Pain Service
England
Guys and St Thomas' Pain Management and Neuromodulation Centre
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital UK Pain Management & Active Back Programmes
St George Chronic Pain Self-Management Pain Service
Download these apps - many are free!
1step2life (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Bellybio (Free - IOS)
Breath2Relax (Free - Android/IOS)
Breathly (Free - Android/IOS)
Calm
Curable
Headspace
iBreathe (Free- IOS)
Mindfulness Bell (Free - Android/IOS)
Mindshift CBT (Free - Android/IOS)
My Health Story
Smiling Mind (Free - Android/IOS)
The Breathing App (Free - Android/IOS)
UCLA Mindful App (Free - Android/IOS)
Get the news
Pain News Network
Practical Pain Management (I'm a patient advocate on the Practical Pain Management Editorial Board)
Relief: Pain Research News, Insights, and Ideas (IASP Pain Research Forum)
Science Daily Pain Control News
Stat
Hear the latest (podcasts)
Airing Pain
Back in Control (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Compass Opioid Stewardship (produced for clinicians, but useful information for patients, too)
Courage for Pain (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Empowered Beyond Pain
Pain Reframed
The 15 Minute Pain Experience (Chronic Pain Champions member)
The Knowledge Exchange (Chronic Pain Champions member)
ZDOGG MD
Listen/read/watch my interviews
Book Plug - Chronic Pain Won't Stop Me (Part of Footsteps Festival 2021)
Compass Opioid Stewardship - Learning to Champion Chronic Pain - highly recommend!
Good Rx
Pain Toolkit
The 15 Minute Pain Experience (The Chronic Pain Experience)
The 15 Minute Pain Experience (Community for the win)
The Knowledge Exchange
Visit these sites
American Chronic Pain Association
American Migraine Foundation
American Sleep Association
American Tinnitus Association
Australian Pain Management Association
Back in Control
British Pain Society
Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center (University of Michigan)
Chronic Pain Ireland
Compass Opioid Stewardship Program
Flippin’ Pain
Institute for Chronic Pain
My Live Well with Pain
National Fibromyalgia Association
Opioid Prescribing Engagement Network (University of Michigan)
Osteoarthritis/Arthritis Association
Pain Guide (University of Michigan)
Retrain Pain
Start Your Recovery
Tame the Beast
The Foundation for Peripheral Neuropathy
U.S. Pain Foundation
US Association for the Study of Pain
Read these blogs
1step2life blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Back in Control blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Chronic Pain Champions blog (check out the archives and categories from the home page)
Chronic Warrior blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Healthskills blog (written primarily for clinicians, but useful information)
Restoring Venus blog (Chronic Pain Champions member)
Connect with people
Adelaide Pain Support Network Facebook group (Adelaide, Australia)
Attitude of Gratitude With Chronic Pain Facebook group
American Chronic Pain Association local support groups
Chronic Pain Champions – No Whining Allowed Facebook group (my group)
Exploring Pain: Research & Meaning Facebook group (geared more to clinicians and pain science but open to patients)
Journaling Through Pain Facebook group (Chronic Pain Champions member)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Opioid, Gabapentinoid, Antidepressant Tapering Support Group Facebook group
Pain Reframed Facebook group (geared more to clinicians and pain science but open to patients)
People in Pain Network local support groups (Canada)
The Knowledge Exchange Facebook group (geared more to clinicians and pain science but open to patients - Chronic Pain Champions member)
Use these templates/forms
Medical summary template
Medicine list template
Pain concerns form
Play to win
Chronic Pain Champion word search
(think how each word applies to your pain journey and how you can champion pain)
- Online version
- Print version
Chronic Pain Champion bingo
(mark boxes as you complete them each day or use a reminder of tools you can use to manage pain)
Have a laugh (some of my favorite video clips)
Airplane Classic Scenes
Back to School - Professor Terguson Loses It Scene
Chippendales Audition - SNL
Fire Marshall Bill at Magic Show
Funny signs, headlines and more
Homes for Every Homebuyer: Trolls - Realtor.com®
Monty Python Olympics
More Cowbell - SNL
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Fat
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Like A Surgeon
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Living With A Hernia
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Perform This Way
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Smells Like Nirvana
"Weird Al" Yankovic - Wanna be Your Lover
