Chronic pain is a complex condition that requires a holistic treatment approach. As psychologists who specialise in sport and performance we are passionate about working as a team and we understand what is needed to work closely with allied health professionals in complementing their physical treatment plan for patients suffering chronic pain.
Our Approach
- We emphasise treating the whole person with pain rather than the pain itself.
- We teach psychological skills and coping strategies to help individuals become healthy, optimistic, and resilient people.
- We are committed to being a leading provider of performance psychology services in all life areas as we believe training your brain is as valuable as training your body.
Our Goals
- To enhance health-related quality of life.
- To reduce dependency on potentially addictive pain medication.
What We Do + How We Do It
- Challenge unhelpful beliefs and habits
Many individuals suffering chronic pain develop unhelpful beliefs about themselves and their condition, consequently building psychological roadblocks around their daily activities. We are experts in guiding behaviour change that hinges on the development of productive, optimistic thinking.
- Maximise strengths and restore self-confidence
Our specialty lies in identifying and maximising individuals’ strengths towards achieving their goals. We take time to profile an individual’s unique strengths and unrealised strengths that can be concealed by a chronic pain disorder and build action plans that utilise these qualities.
- Guide healing visualisation and mindfulness practice
The mind plays a crucial role in our ability to manage our physiological state in stressful conditions. Self-regulatory therapy involving visualisation techniques and mindfulness practice for pain management is an essential component of our interventions with chronic pain.
- Set goals in collaboration with physiotherapists
We understand the importance of working closely with physiotherapists to build an effective holistic intervention for chronic pain cases. Regular communication and setting goals together that help the patient achieve step-by-step progress physically, emotionally, and behaviourally is an integral part of our practice.
Book an appointment with our Australian-based sport and exercise psychologists at Queensland Sports Medicine Centreto learn more about how we can help with chronic pain.