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The role of psychology in addressing pain and related opioid dependence

Last updated: October 24, 2023 Date created: June 1, 2022 2 min read
APA Style leaf logo Cite This Article in APA Style
American Psychological Association. (2023, October 24). The role of psychology in addressing pain and related opioid dependence. https://www.apa.org/health/pain-opioid-dependence-video-workshop

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Video workshop

Continuing Education credits: 6.5 hours*

Chronic pain affects approximately 20% of the U.S. adult population. Our nation’s opioid epidemic—which intensified during the Covid-19 pandemic—has encouraged patients, clinicians, and payers to seek nonpharmacologic options to assist with managing pain.

Psychological interventions for chronic pain can reduce or eliminate the use of prescription opioids and improve patient functioning and recovery, and the U.S. Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force has recommended educating patients, clinicians, and the public about the role of psychological pain management interventions and expanding access to these services.

To address this crisis, APA is pleased to offer The Role of Psychology in Addressing Pain and Related Opioid Dependence to our State, Provincial, and Territorial Psychological Association (SPTA) partners for local delivery. This video workshop provides information on the role of psychology in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of pain for psychologists practicing both inside and outside clinical health settings.

Learning objectives

  • Understand the fundamentals of chronic noncancer pain and its relationship to the opioid crisis.
  • Learn to incorporate basic pain evaluation and evidence-based treatment into an existing practice.
  • Learn when to refer to a pain specialist.
  • Understand pain theories and biopsychosocial approaches to care.
  • Approach pain treatment with a focus on coping and function, rather than analgesia.
  • Recognize the importance of patient and social factors.
  • Discuss ethical considerations and future directions in the field.
  • Review billing and reimbursement.

About the speakers

Ravi Prasad, PhD

Ravi Prasad, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and recently joined the Division of Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) School of Medicine, as a clinical professor and director of behavioral health. His clinical work focuses primarily on evaluation and treatment of individuals suffering from nonmalignant and cancer pain conditions. Prior to joining UC Davis, he was the program director of the Stanford Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Pain Program, developed a pain psychology postdoctoral fellowship program that is presently fully accredited by APA, and was the chief of psychological services for the Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University.

Jennifer F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP

Jennifer Kelly, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed psychologist and is board certified in clinical health psychology. She is the director of the Atlanta Center for Behavioral Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Kelly has expertise in treating disorders that involve the relationship between physical and emotional conditions. Within health psychology, she specializes in pain management. Kelly was the 2021 APA president. A past president of the Georgia Psychological Association, she has served as the federal advocacy coordinator for 20 years. She is a recipient of APA’s State Leadership Award, Karl F. Heiser Advocacy Award, Legislative Award by the Georgia Psychological Association, and the APA Practice Organization’s Federal Advocacy Award.

Daniel Bruns, PsyD, FAPA

Daniel Bruns, PsyD, FAPA, received his PsyD from the University of Northern Colorado. He has been a practicing health psychologist for 34 years and specializes in the assessment and treatment of chronic pain. He is a senior clinical instructor for the University of Colorado Medical School and has served as a technical expert for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Bruns has been involved in the development of approximately 20 medical treatment guidelines. He is the coauthor of numerous articles and book chapters about chronic pain and led a 15 year-long longitudinal study of 29 million patients testing the effects of the biopsychosocial model.

Details

  • The Role of Psychology in Addressing Pain and Related Opioid Dependence workshop is available exclusively to SPTAs for local delivery via agreement with APA.
  • Along with source video files, APA is responsible for providing SPTAs with marketing materials and a customizable certification of completion for attendees.
  • SPTAs will be asked to provide access to registrant email list for pre-, post-, and 6-month follow-up. APA also requests members have access to the recording for two months after the event.

To learn how you can access these materials and deliver The Role of Psychology in Addressing Pain and Related Opioid Dependence workshop to practicing professionals in your region, please contact Toni Vincent via email or by phone at (202) 572-3005. 

The following SPTAs have agreements to offer the workshop. Please visit their website for more information.

*SPTAs will be responsible for delivering necessary continuing education materials and obtaining approval from the state. Credit hours are estimates based on the source material and do not include additional continuing education activities provided by SPTAs.

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