Chronic Pain: The Choices and the Burdens
May 5–6
Chronic illness or severe pain can be like quicksand – we can get overwhelmed and “go under.” Our bodies and minds become entangled in a messy confusion of pain and strong emotions. Many of us have little knowledge on how to find mental or emotional relief from the physical suffering.
Relief can come through understanding the relationship of our body and mind and learning the ability to not add additional mental suffering to physical pain is pivotal to finding ease. This concept is fundamental to mindfulness and can be taught to patients and clients.
This workshop for professionals will be an experiential and didactic exploration of integration and separation. We will examine the reasons why separation of mind and body is not only skillful but also imperative in gaining the capacity to live with mental and emotional ease in spite of the body’s conditions and learn tools to develop self-compassion. We will learn mindfulness-based approaches to working with clients, students, and patients.
Learning Objectives:
• Define the difference between physical pain and mental pain
• Describe abiding with discomfort without reaction or contraction, physically, mentally or emotionally
• Cite reasons for naming sensation as physical phenomena
• Describe various sensations of pain, not all of which are unpleasant
• Define and describe non identification with the body
• Describe visualization practices that can provide ease and respite from pain
• Explain with examples when to offer opportunities to step away as opposed to towards acute pain
• Describe and demonstrate a variety of chair yoga stretches safe and suitable to those with mobility issues