On Monday I will be delivering an Understand Pain Workshop in Newport. This is one of the UP social initiatives, whereby when I run a Pain Coach Workshop for clinicians and other professionals, I the run one for the people locally for free. It is a 1 for 1 model.
There are several avenues that I am pursuing to drive social change and a new understanding of pain: The Pain Coach Workshops for clinicians, Understand Pain Workshops for the people in society, and 2 free places for local undergraduates at each Pain Coach Workshop (see some recent comments by a student about the day).
Both the workshops and my clinical work is informed by the latest thinking in pain science and associated fields, delivering the pinnacle of understanding in a practical way. As with any problem, when we understand it, it is no longer a problem but something we must transform using tools that work. As an example, last week I spent 3 days in the company of some of the greatest contemporary thinkers about consciousness and life. Pain is arguably the best example of a conscious experience, and hence understanding this is a key aspect of understanding pain. For those of you who are interested, this included Dan Dennett, Karl Friston, Andy Clark and Anil Seth. In the room though, were many brilliant brains (whole people!).
Brilliant brains!
The basis of a workshop is that people leave with practical skills and a working knowledge of pain so that they can go about implementing and integrating these into their life. I am an avid believer in living life as a main purpose. What I mean by this is that many people suffering chronic health and pain will put their lives on hold and await a change. The science and I argue that the way to get back to living, it to actually get out there and live. Of course there are ways to do this and the purpose of the workshop is to show people how they can; emphasis always on the word ‘can’.
It is worth noting that the Newport workshop (call 01633 820321) is for anyone suffering chronic pain. There are also specific workshops for conditions, for example complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). There is a CRPS workshop on Tuesday in Bath — see here
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Whether you are a clinician who works with people in pain, a professional such as a lawyer or case manager, a patient or carer, I hope to see you soon!
RS
understand pain 