You're Helping Me Find Myself Again: Addressing Acute Pain Through the Power of the Biopsychosocial Model

Course overview

Occupational therapy practitioners work with many clients who are affected by acute pain. Studies show that if acute pain is not adequately addressed it can lead to an increased risk of transition to chronic pain. In addition to physiological effects, inadequately controlled acute pain is also associated with a high incidence of psychological complications, including acute stress disorder, adjustment disorder, substance abuse and depression (Jones, Southerland, & Catalani, 2017). This course explains the treatment of acute pain within the biopsychosocial model as applied to the scope of occupational therapy. During the course, OTs and OTAs will grow their understanding of how to decrease their client's fear, anxiety, and stress regarding pain by utilizing graded exposure for occupation-based tasks. This course will provide recommendations for integrating therapeutic use of self when training clients to strategies that they can use to promote wellness and pain management. This interactive self-paced course will facilitate a dialogue around a case study threaded through the course. OTAs and OTs will have the opportunity to reflect on their own practice and how to translate the knowledge from the course straight into their own OT practice to help clients have successful outcomes. This introductory level course is targeted at occupational therapy assistants and occupational therapists.