Psychology and Pain

Our December Pain Science Lecture highlighted how psychological approaches can alleviate pain symptoms, improve coping strategies, and enhance overall quality of life.

Jennifer Lynne Stephens, PsyD, is a Pain Psychology Fellow in the Stanford Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Pain Medicine. She completed her PsyD in Clinical Psychology at the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium and her APA-accredited internship at VA Northern California. Dr. Stephens is passionate about helping individuals make meaningful health behavior changes to improve their quality of life. She is excited to share this passion at the Stanford Pain Clinic, offering patients tools and strategies to manage pain, enhance emotional well-being, and lead healthier, more fulfilling lives.

0:00 Introduction — The Psychology of Pain
0:39 Pain as a Biopsychosocial Experience
6:07 A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pain
8:21 Acute vs. Chronic Pain
10:09 Why Pain Persists
12:34 The Brain’s Role in Pain
17:57 Mythbusting Pain Misconceptions
23:27 What Amplifies or Reduces Pain
31:05 How CBT Helps Retrain the Brain
38:13 Psychological Treatments and Resources


Stanford Division of Pain Medicine
https://med.stanford.edu/pain.html

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