HOW DOES PAST TRAUMA IMPACT CHRONIC PAIN?
After a traumatic event, our brain wants to protect us and avoid future trauma, resulting in mental hypervigilance and a dysregulated nervous system. The brain's threat detection system becomes overactive, sending false alarm signals, and resulting in chronic or prolonged fight, flight, or freeze responses. When the brain is already hypervigilant to threat externally, it is more susceptible to becoming hypervigilant to threat internally (i.e., pain in the body). This is especially common when chronic pain is a result of a traumatic event, such as an accident. Whether or not you develop chronic pain after a traumatic event is dependent on a multitude of biopsychosocial factors that differ person-to-person. In some cases, seeking treatment for chronic pain can be experienced as medical trauma when chronic pain is not believed, accusations of drug seeking are made, or the medical care received is experienced as threatening to one's mental and physical health and wellness.
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In some cases, chronic pain improves after doing trauma work. However, trauma work usually isn't sufficient and other chronic pain-specific interventions are needed. There is nothing wrong with you if you still experience chronic pain after doing trauma work.
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WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH CHRONIC PAIN?
I had 3 years of intensive chronic pain training during graduate school. I worked in a multidisciplinary clinic with physical therapists and occupational therapists for 1 year. Most patients at this clinic presented with back and neck pain, but I worked with a variety of chronic pain conditions. Thereafter, I trained for 2 years at Jefferson Headache Center with a comprehensive team of headache specialists. I continuously update my clinical and scientific knowledge on chronic pain through workshops and trainings on most up-to-date pain science and therapy approaches. 
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WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO MANAGING CHRONIC PAIN?
My approach to managing chronic pain is grounded in self-regulation training (i.e., learning how to identify, monitor, and adjust nervous system activity) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). ACT is a newer form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which is another evidence-based treatment for chronic pain. In comparison studies of CBT and ACT, ACT and CBT have been shown to be equally effective. However, those who receive ACT consistently report greater treatment satisfaction. Research on ACT shows strong evidence that it is effective in terms of:

• Reducing the degree to which pain interferes with your life (i.e., doing the things that matter to you with less flare-ups).

• Reducing depression as a result of chronic pain

• Reducing pain-related anxiety

• Reducing frequency of medical visits

• Reducing disability

ACT is likely very different from any other approach you've tried to manage your pain. If you're tired of trying different medications, natural remedies, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, diet changes, and other means of getting rid of your pain, ACT offers an alternative approach. This doesn't mean that those approaches can't be part of your toolbox, but instead of trying to get rid of your pain, ACT aims to change your relationship to your pain through psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility is built through mindfulness, acceptance processes, and learning behavioral strategies that allow you to engage in meaningful and fulfilling activities. You're probably thinking, "but I really just want to have less pain." Here's the thing - when we stop trying to control and get rid of pain, pain science shows that we are better able to communicate safety to our brain and our pain levels do decrease. Contact me today if you're ready to try something different.