Psychology and Behavior

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The impact of chronic pain isn’t just on the physical sensation: it can affect all areas of our life, like exercise, sleep, work, finances, etc. Pain can even affect one’s self-worth and emotional well-being. Pain psychology is a specialty area designed to help individuals approach specific and unique challenges that come with chronic pain.

What is Pain?

You may think of pain as being a negative experience felt in the body alone. However, the International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as being both a negative sensory and emotional experience. That means, psychology is built into the very definition of pain! Furthermore, neuroscience tells us that how we think and feel impacts how we process pain at the level of the brain. This is one of the foundations for the mind-body connection.

How do pain psychologists help?

Pain psychologists can help you learn self-management techniques to better regulate sensory experience. Our goal is to help you build your pain coping “toolkit,” which can include:

Pain science education	Relaxation and mindfulness
Time-based activity pacing	Developing more balanced thoughts

Pain Psychology at Stanford Medicine

At the Stanford Pain Management Center, our psychologists are available to you in several capacities, including psychological evaluations to help build a comprehensive treatment plan with your pain management team, individual pain psychology services, and group classes.

Services and classes offered below are available to current patients of the Stanford Pain Management Center, if you have any quesitons please contact your Stanford pain provider.

Pain Psychology Evaluation

Our pain psychologists conduct biopsychosocial evaluations (typically 60-90 minutes) to help develop comprehensive treatment plans with your pain management team. In all evaluations, we help identify an individual’s current goals and provide recommendations to help meet those goals and maintain well-being. In some situations, pain psychologists help determine an individual's candidacy for certain medical treatments.

*Patients must be referred by their medical provider at Stanford for a pain psychology evaluation.

Individual Pain Psychology

Our pain psychologists practice evidence-based care to help an individual build self-management and pain coping skills. We equip patients with a “toolkit” to manage pain and behavioral support to optimize lifestyle factors such as sleep and physical activity. We adopt treatment from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and mindfulness strategies. We also offer complementary and integrative treatments such as biofeedback and self-hypnosis.

*Patients must be referred to individual pain psychology services by a member of the Stanford Pain Psychology team.

Group Classes

Empowered Relief

Attend this free one-time class led by pain psychologists to learn quick and powerful strategies to improve your pain management. Open to those living with chronic pain and their loved ones. Registration is encouraged, although not required. To register, contact any member of your pain management team to request a referral. Scheduled dates to be announced. Please check back periodically for updates.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Chronic Pain Skills Group

A free 8-week class that teaches non-medication strategies to help you take control of your pain management and improve overall functioning. This class meets once per week for 2 hours. Patients can be referred by any Stanford Pain Management provider.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain and Movement Group

An 8-week class that includes all the above components, plus gentle movement via Tai Chi. This class meets once per week for 3 hours (2hrs of CBT and 45min of Tai Chi). Patients can be referred by any Stanford Pain Management provider.

Pain and Purpose

A 6 class that provides advanced strategies for coping with emotional components of pain from an acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) perspective. This class focuses on continuing to live with meaning and purpose, despite a chronic pain condition. This class meets once per week for 2 hours. Patients must be referred by Stanford Pain Psychology.

All About Sleep and Pain

A 6-week group co-led by a pain psychologist and a sleep psychologist - for two people, utilizing a CBT-based protocol developed by Stanford Medicine psychologists Dr. Heather Poupore-King (Pain) and Dr. Fiona Barwick (Sleep) to address the commonly co-occurring problems of insomnia and chronic pain. This class meets once per week for 2.5 hours. Patients can be referred by Stanford Pain Psychology or Sleep Psychology.

Back in ACTion

A 6-week multidisciplinary group that incorporates pain science education from medical providers, pain self-management and psychology, and a personalized exercise plan with PT. Altogether, the Back in ACTion program is our most intensive and functionally restorative program at Stanford Pain Management. This class meets twice per week for 4 hours (each meeting). Patients must be referred by BOTH Stanford Pain Psychology and Pain Physical Therapy.

Coping Skills Follow-Up Group

Free monthly drop-in group for patients who have completed skills-focused pain psychology treatment at Stanford. Ask your Stanford Pain Psychologist for additional information. Ask your Stanford Pain Psychologist for additional information.

ACT Follow-Up Group

Monthly drop-in group for patients who have completed ACT-based pain psychology treatment at Stanford. Ask your Stanford Pain Psychologist for additional information. Ask your Stanford Pain Psychologist for additional information.

Most group services are offered multiple times throughout the year in a “closed” format, meaning they begin and end with the same participants. Follow-up groups, which require previous participation in Stanford Pain Psychology services, are offered monthly in a “rolling” format, meaning participants can join at any time.

2022 - 2023 Pain Psychology Group Class Schedule

Community Resources at Stanford Medicine

There are also several free community resources offered at the Stanford Medicine Outpatient Center in Redwood City, CA. Explore our classes and lectures for more information about these community resources that are drop-in and free to the public.

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