Pain is not an isolated phenomenon. Both its neurophysiology and its psychology rely on connections and contexts. When clients and caregivers approach pain as if it were a self-contained concept, as if it were a carbuncle to be cut out by mechanical interventions, it does not matter whether the treatment is pharmacological or psychological: well-meaning efforts will be hobbled by myths and misunderstandings. The resulting misery leads to overdoses and under treatments, failures of compassion and imagination, all of which can worsen rather than alleviate the hurt.
This workshop will introduce the different ways pain presents across body regions, sensory modalities, age, gender, and ethnicities, and how the neurophysiology of pain points not to locations, but to systemic processes. Participants will learn to identify the difference between pain and suffering, how to assess the many systemic dimensions of pain, and explore factors underlying the alarming rise in overdose deaths, and methods to ameliorate the epidemic. Additionally, self-acupressure, imagery, movement and meditation interventions for coping with pain will be explored.

This workshops is presented by Robert Rosenbaum (USA) as part of The Bouverie Centre International Guest Speaker Series held in conjunction with the 3rd International Single Session Therapy and Walk-in Services Symposium. 

Robert Rosenbaum (USA), PhD, has 30 years’ experience as a neuropsychologist, psychotherapist, and behavioural medicine specialist. Robert worked for over 26 years at Kaiser Permanente clinics in California, in various roles including Chief Psychologist and Head of Neuropsychological Assessment Program. He developed the mindfulness based behavioural portion of the chronic pain management program in Kaiser Oakland and introduced the Dayan Qigong program (subsequently adopted by medical clinics throughout California). He has also conducted research on brief psychotherapy, single-session therapy and psychotherapy integration. In addition, Robert has been a Fulbright Professor at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (India), and a consultant on brief psychotherapy in Australia, Japan, and Canada.