Changing Your Pain Pathways

Book excerpt: Changing Your Pain Pathways offers simple yet compelling strategies that you can use to live an active and rewarding life with pain. Filled with practical advice, this workbook breaks down pain science, clinical best practice and research to help guide you along the path of change with kindness and compassion. Explore the possibilities for a richer quality of life through straightforward worksheets, examples and accessible resource ideas. You will get a deeper understanding about how pain works and how to foster pain self-management techniques that will work as part of your daily life. Use these techniques to: - Discover how pain works in the mind and body - Clarify what matters most to you and how to live a more satisfying life - Change how you deal with stress, sleep struggles, difficult thoughts and emotions - Explore ways to move gently and safely - Enjoy stronger relationships through assertive communication - Feel more in control of pain "Changing Your Pain Pathways succeeds in bringing the theory and practice of pain management together with the difficult task of making the information easily understood, relevant and practical. It is a user-friendly guide to a difficult topic. Key topics are well researched and the use of clinical examples personalizes the information making it more relevant to the reader. The authors have done a remarkable job and should be commended for it. I highly recommend it." - A. Snaiderman, M.D., F.R.C.P (C) Director, Neuropsychiatry Clinic, Brain and Spinal Cord Program, Toronto Rehab - University Health Network Assistant Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, University of Toronto The authors, Bonnie Cai-Duarte (B.Sc.P.T., M.Sc.), Cara Kircher (B.Sc.O.T.), Bronwen Moore (B.Sc.O.T., M.A) and Sarah Sheffe (B.A., M.Sc.O.T.), created this book as part of their ground-breaking work with the Toronto Rehab Brain and Spinal Cord LEAP Service at the University Health Network. This team of occupational and physiotherapists has 55 years of combined experience in working with clients with neurological conditions and pain. Cara Kircher, Bronwen Moore and Sarah Sheffe hold lecturer status appointments with the University of Toronto Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. Bonnie Cai-Duarte holds a lecturer status appointment with the University of Toronto Department of Physical Therapy.