Psychotherapy

People often question whether or not their doctor thinks they are crazy because the person is referred to counseling as a means to helping them deal with chronic pain. We have grown up in a society that seems to ebrace a division of the physical from the psychological. In today's conceptualization of wellness, that division exists no longer. Today we consider not a person's illness as much as a person's wellness, their optimum state of being regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Today we understand that the mind, body and spirit are interconnected and each affects the other. Overemphasizing treatment in one area may not treat the problem, chronic pain, but actually throws the person out of balance creating more distress. In working with clients with chronic pain, I try to help them understand that there is more than just the physical pain involved here. When we have had pain for some time, we feel a sense of grief, longing and resentment. Grief for a lifestyle we may no longer live or for dreams that may never be attained. Longing for the freedom from pain and for people we may have let go of or let go of us. And resentment of doctors, medication, caregivers, the Universe or even God for the unfairness of our pain. When we look at the holistic impact of pain, it's easy to understand why psychotherapy can be helpful in some cases. "How?" you ask. Feeling constant pain can change an optimist into a pessimist in short order if the person isn't aware of what's happening to them. The more negative people are, the more they tend to focus on the evidence that they "should" feel that way (we call that emotional reasoning -- making reason for the way I feel). When a person feeling physical pain becomes depressed and focuses on the loss and catastrophe that they think their lives now represent, they actually can feel the pain more severely. Pain seems to feel stronger when our bodies are tense and tight. Working with a counselor or therapist skilled in working with clients in pain can add value to other medical and therapeutic interventions. Clients can learn to manage stress through relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, guided medications and other psychotherapy interventions that can lessen the subjective experience of pain. Therapists can help clients focus not on the "horribleness" of their plight but to a more realistic experience of co-existing with pain, living life in spite of the pain. "Feel the pain and do it anyway." At least then you don't let pain rob you of an experience you will treasure like a trip with the family or obtaining a long sought goal. Therapists can help you understand what you truly value in life and encourage you set about getting it, or make decisions about what you no longer value and letting that go. The most effective pain management today seems to include three prongs, medical intervention, physical therapy and psychological counseling. If you are experiencing pain and are frustrated with your treatment, ask your pain management specialist about adding ancillary providers such as a physical therapist and a psychotherapist or psychologist. You may not be able to eliminate your pain, but you can co-exist with it and live a life you love. People often question whether or not their doctor thinks they are crazy because the person is referred to counseling as a means to helping them deal with chronic pain. We have grown up in a society that seems to ebrace a division of the physical from the psychological. In today's conceptualization of wellness, that division exists no longer. Today we consider not a person's illness as much as a person's wellness, their optimum state of being regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Today we understand that the mind, body and spirit are interconnected and each affects the other. Overemphasizing treatment in one area may not treat the problem, chronic pain, but actually throws the person out of balance creating more distress. In working with clients with chronic pain, I try to help them understand that there is more than just the physical pain involved here. When we have had pain for some time, we feel a sense of grief, longing and resentment. Grief for a lifestyle we may no longer live or for dreams that may never be attained. Longing for the freedom from pain and for people we may have let go of or let go of us. And resentment of doctors, medication, caregivers, the Universe or even God for the unfairness of our pain. When we look at the holistic impact of pain, it's easy to understand why psychotherapy can be helpful in some cases. "How?" you ask. Feeling constant pain can change an optimist into a pessimist in short order if the person isn't aware of what's happening to them. The more negative people are, the more they tend to focus on the evidence that they "should" feel that way (we call that emotional reasoning -- making reason for the way I feel). When a person feeling physical pain becomes depressed and focuses on the loss and catastrophe that they think their lives now represent, they actually can feel the pain more severely. Pain seems to feel stronger when our bodies are tense and tight. Working with a counselor or therapist skilled in working with clients in pain can add value to other medical and therapeutic interventions. Clients can learn to manage stress through relaxation exercises, breathing techniques, guided medications and other psychotherapy interventions that can lessen the subjective experience of pain. Therapists can help clients focus not on the "horribleness" of their plight but to a more realistic experience of co-existing with pain, living life in spite of the pain. "Feel the pain and do it anyway." At least then you don't let pain rob you of an experience you will treasure like a trip with the family or obtaining a long sought goal. Therapists can help you understand what you truly value in life and encourage you set about getting it, or make decisions about what you no longer value and letting that go. The most effective pain management today seems to include three prongs, medical intervention, physical therapy and psychological counseling. If you are experiencing pain and are frustrated with your treatment, ask your pain management specialist about adding ancillary providers such as a physical therapist and a psychotherapist or psychologist. You may not be able to eliminate your pain, but you can co-exist with it and live a life you love.