People who experience chronic pain often (understandably) have significant ongoing mental health problems as a result of the pain itself as well as the emotional toll of the loss of functioning and difficulty navigating the mental health system. This seminar is not about how to treat the pain but rather how to help clients navigate the complexities of chronic pain while also maintaining and improving their mental health. We will focus on how chronic illness affects development, particularly looking at cases of adolescents, young adults, and older adults who retire early due to chronic pain

Upon completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Identify how chronic pain and depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders are often comorbid, including examining the hypotheses about how chronic pain and mental health disorders are associated, which is complex, unclear, and has implications on treatment.
• Examine the treatment protocols for depression and anxiety, especially as it interacts with pain management. While we do not discuss the specifics around medication, we will discuss ways and challenges of collaborating with other providers to give clients more holistic and well-coordinated treatment.
• Analyze specific developmentally-related challenges of people who experience chronic illnesses, such as adolescents who may struggle to participate in age-appropriate activities and middle-aged and older adults whose chronic pain challenges can often result in premature retirements or otherwise restrict their freedom.