Abstract
Chronic pain is the fate of many people, and accepting adversity is necessary because there is no sufficient treatment. Teaching mindfulness to chronic pain patients entails being with them. The most important role you can have as a teacher is to really be present. You cannot remove pain, neither can your patients, but you can be there with them. Through wise effort and practice you can work on exercises known to target fundamental issues of living with and managing pain. Practice is essential. However, knowledge and our experience working with chronic pain patients may be helpful too. We describe pain from scientific, educational, and clinical perspectives. [Ed: For contributor bios: Else-Marie Elmholdt Jegindø is a neuroscientist with a PhD in cognitive pain modulation. Lone Fjorback, MD, holds a PhD in mindfulness and bodily distress, and she is also a yoga and MBSR teacher. Papers, film, and workbook on their work are available for free at www.mindfulness.au.dk].
There is no
greater joy than
when a person is
suddenly freed
from pain.
—Unknown
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Fjorback, L.O., Jegindø, EM.D.E. (2016). Teaching Individuals in Chronic Pain. In: McCown, D., Reibel, D., Micozzi, M. (eds) Resources for Teaching Mindfulness. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30100-6_16
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