How our pain experiences relate to our spirituality/religion is a special interest of mine.  Spirituality was an important way of coping for me when I was suffering due to pain, and one of the most important ways I grew as a person because of the difficult time I had.
This is Part 7 in a series […]

Is mindfulness the new hip trend?  Is the core of mindfulness being lost as it becomes a superficial practice?
I talk with my patients about mindfulness, about being wherever they are in terms of pain, and about accepting their state, including pain.
So an interesting article in Utne magazine about what mindfulness really is caught my eye.  The […]

(I was reading The National Pain Foundation’s website this week, and liked this article.  I’ve modified it for you).
How did you do during this holiday season??
Holidays can magnify feelings of happiness, joy, and hope, making it easier to ignore your pain.  Visiting loved ones can increase your feelings of being supported and loved.  The converse can be true […]

Part II: “Fear Avoidance”
We know that 2 types of thinking can make your pain worse and cause greater disability:  1) catastrophizing and 2) fear avoidance.  We previously looked at “catastrophizing,” or seeing your situation as a catastrophe, and learned ways to change that type of thinking.  Today we’ll look at “fear avoidance.”  This is a tendency […]

Part I: “Catastrophizing”
Your pain is bad enough, but yes, some types of thinking can make it feel worse and cause greater disability. 2 types of thinking can make your pain worse, 1) catastrophizing and 2) fear avoidance. Today we’ll look at “catastrophizing.” This is a tendency to:

focus more so than necessary […]