The Role of Psychology in Addressing Pain and Related Opioid Dependence
5-part APA Webinar Series (6 hours/6 CEUs). This course expires on May 31, 2024.

Member $78.00
Non-Member $120.00

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 payors to seek nonpharmacologic options to assist with managing pain.

To address this need, the Maine Psychological Association is collaborating with the American Psychological Association to deliver this five-module webinar. Developed by recognized experts in nonpharmacologic pain management, this series will provide practicing psychologists with a strong understanding of the biopsychosocial nature of pain and the use of psychological and behavioral approaches to address chronic pain in adult populations.

Program Description:
Chronic pain affects more than 100 million US adults at a cost of over $500 billion dollars per year. Many individuals seeking psychological treatments may subsequently experience pain as a co-occurring disorder; however, both patients and their clinicians may not be aware of how this can influence the primary presenting problem. The current workshop will provide 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:

1. Develop familiarity with different theories of pain 
2. Understand the evolution of the opioid crisis 
3. List psychosocial variables associated with pain 
4. Describe the components of a pain clinical evaluation 
5. Identify the range of evidence-based psychological approaches to pain management 
6. Explain the role of interdisciplinary care in pain management
7. Discuss the rationale for pain psychology competencies

Unit 1 (1.5 hours)

• Intro to Pain and the Opioid Crisis
• Biopsychosocial Model of Pain Part 1: Pain Theory and Biology
• Biopsychosocial Model of Pain Part 2: Psychological Factors; the Initial Psych Interview; Psychologists Role on an Interdisciplinary Pain Team; More Adverse Childhood/Adult Experiences

Unit 2 (1 hour)

• Biopsychosocial Model of Pain Part 3: Social Factors; Social, Cultural, Racial, and Health Care Disparities As It Relates to Pain

Unit 3 (1 hour)

• Pain Guidelines
• Pain Assessment (Testing), Psychometrics, and Research on Outcome Variables
• Billing (HBAI, Psych Codes, SBIRT)

Unit 4 (1.25 hours)

• Pain Treatment (Behavioral Tools for Pain Management)
• Additional Populations, Conditions, and Considerations
• Telehealth and the Impact of a Pandemic

Unit 5 (1.25 hours)

• Need For All Psychologists to Understand Pain
• Core Competencies to Be a Pain Psychologist
• Case Histories Roundtable

About the Speakers:

Ravi Prasad, PsyD is a licensed psychologist and currently Clinical Professor and Director of Behavioral Health in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine. His clinical work focuses primarily on evaluation and treatment of individuals suffering from acute and chronic pain conditions. He is actively engaged in leadership activities at regional and national levels through which he has been involved with interprofessional core competency, curriculum, and program development; lobbying efforts to change policies related to psychological care; and translation of research innovations into clinical practice. Outside the realm of pain, he has an avid interest in clinician wellness and has led efforts to implement associated initiatives in healthcare settings.

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, GA. Dr. Kelly has expertise in treating disorders that involve the relationship between physical and emotional conditions. Within health psychology, she specializes in Pain Management. Dr. Kelly was the 2021 President of the American Psychological Association. She served as the co-chair of the Advocacy Coordinating Committee of the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. 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 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 CMS. Dr. Bruns has been involved in the development of about 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.