
Overview
Pain treatment is best accomplished when a multidisciplinary approach is followed. This would include psychotherapy, medications and lifestyle management. Chronic pain is not only biological but also has emotional and psychological components to it – that must all be treated in order to manage the pain effectively. Moreover, a person with chronic pain may experience insomnia, depression, anxiety about present and future potential discomfort, suicidal thoughts, as well as grief. A counsellor can help explore and address these unresolved feelings that only work to accentuate the pain.
Counselling is an important intervention in treating chronic pain as there are limits to what can be accomplished with medical treatment for people with chronic pain. A person with constant pain may also experience depression, anxiety, anger, and other emotional states that can be resolved with the help of a counsellor. Addressing these emotional issues in a counselling session can be very effective in decreasing the intensity of pain felt as not addressing unpleasant emotional states have been shown to increase a person’s experience of physical pain.








