Parts 1 & 2. Treating Chronic Pain
Parts 1 & 2. Treating Chronic Pain
Friday, March 14, 2025
Live Webinar via Zoom
11 am-1:00 pm
This two-hour presentation (2 CEs for Maine psychologists, social workers, and counselors) includes both Part 1 (11 am-Noon) and Part 2 (Noon-1 pm).
Part 1. Working with Chronic Pain
Patients with chronic pain are often clinically complex, sometimes presenting with multiple behavioral concerns as well as problematic relationships with addictive substances. These patients have been ill-served by a health care system using models of chronic pain narrowly focused on pain’s biological aspects while minimizing pain’s complex psychosocial aspects. Especially given the dearth of available specialty care, this workshop will challenge community therapists to more actively engage their clients to help them with chronic pain. This workshop will introduce participants to practical concepts and strategies for treating chronic pain with an emphasis on adapting existing proficiencies and skills.
Part 1 of this presentation includes a live introduction from the presenter, portion of a videorecorded presentation from 2022, followed by a live discussion and Q&A.
Part 2. Treating Chronic Pain with ACT and CBT
Chronic pain presents a significant challenge for both patients and healthcare professionals, often leading to physical, emotional, and psychological distress. Traditional pain management approaches primarily focus on symptom reduction, but an emerging body of research supports the effectiveness of contextual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) in improving patients' quality of life by fostering psychological flexibility. This workshop is designed for mental health and healthcare professionals seeking strategies to help patients manage chronic pain effectively. Participants will learn how to apply ACT principles—such as acceptance, mindfulness, values-based living, and cognitive defusion—to help individuals shift their relationship with pain. The training will also integrate contextual behavioral approaches that emphasize functional rather than symptom-focused interventions. By the end of this workshop, attendees will have a deeper understanding of how to help individuals with chronic pain move from a struggle-based model to an acceptance-based, values-driven approach. They will leave with practical skills to enhance patient well-being while reducing the psychological burden of chronic pain.
Part 2 of this presentation includes a live presentation followed by a discussion and Q&A.
Objectives
By the end of this presentation,
Participants will be able to summarize the difference between “hurt” and “harm” as it relates to chronic pain.
Participants will be able to describe key limitations of symptom-reduction approaches to treating chronic pain and summarize an alternative approach.
Identify behavioral strategies and techniques from their current repertoires that can be readily adapted to help patients with chronic pain.
Summarize the role of avoidance and control in exacerbating pain-related suffering.
Describe cognitive defusion and acceptance techniques to change the impact of emotions around pain.
Summarize how the loss of contact with values fuels the “vicious cycle” of pain-related suffering.
Presenter Bio:
Joel Guarna, PhD is a licensed psychologist in the state of Maine. He earned his PhD from Bowling Green State University in 2000 and trained at the Boston Consortium in Clinical Psychology. He later served as a staff psychologist in the VA Healthcare System in Boston. He has worked in a variety of medical settings including Maine Medical Partners Endocrinology and Diabetes Center in Scarborough and as Behavioral Health Faculty Lead in the MMC Family Medicine Residency Program. He co-directed the Living Life Well Pain Rehabilitation Program at the Mercy Pain Center in Portland for 7 years. Joel ran his private practice in Portland for 18 years. In 2024, he joined Psychology Specialists of Maine (PSM) and serves as the Director of the Center for Education and Training. In this role, he coordinates a variety of educational experiences and PSM’s postdoctoral residency and externship programs. He continues to see a caseload of clients, working as a generalist but also specializing in addictions, chronic health and chronic pain, and serving professionals who work as “helpers” in healthcare and related settings (e.g., first responders). Joel has been a student of ACT since 1999 and has given over 50 presentations on ACT both locally and at regional and international conferences from Seattle to London. He is a founding member of the Southern Maine ACT (SMACT) community and remains active in leading study groups and providing consultation through SMACT.