Mindfulness–Based Cognitive Therapy for Chronic Pain: A Clinical Manual and Guide

A proven approach to integrating Mindfulness with CBT to manage chronic pain

In this unique guide, Dr. Melissa Day seamlessly integrates recent advances in the biopsychosocial understanding of chronic pain with state–of–the–art cognitive therapy and mindfulness techniques to offer a fresh and highly–effective Mindfulness–Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) approach to helping patients manage chronic pain. While much available information in this area can be theoretical or speculative in nature, this manual provides everything a therapist needs to integrate MBCT into a practice and optimise its delivery. Readers get detailed, step–by–step guidance on how to teach patients MBCT skills, a complete, eight–session MBCT programme structure, illustrated patient and therapist handouts, guided meditation audios and other powerful tools. 

There is high interest in mindfulness worldwide, and the demand for effective approaches to managing chronic health conditions has never been greater Teaches practitioners how to deliver MBCT for chronic pain management in practice; includes real–world examples to help avoid common pitfalls and optimise delivery Provides a complete, manualised session structure, combining established mindfulness theory and practices with traditional cognitive–behavioural therapy approaches Features links to guided meditation audios, downloadable client and therapist handouts and other powerful clinical tools

Foreword ix

Acknowledgments xi

About the Companion Website xiii

Introduction 1

Part I Chronic Pain 5

1 Defining Chronic Pain and its Territory 7

2 Psychosocial Chronic Pain Management: Current State of the Theory and Evidence 39

3 The Development of MBCT for Chronic Pain 63

Part II MBCT for Chronic Pain 87

4 Overview of the Eight Session Treatment 89

5 Session 1: Stepping Out of Automatic Pain Habits 115

6 Session 2: Facing the Challenge 135

7 Session 3: The Breath as an Anchor 153

8 Session 4: Learning to Stay Present 163

9 Session 5: Active Acceptance 179

10 Session 6: Seeing Thoughts as Just Thoughts 191

11 Session 7: Taking Care of Myself 203

12 Session 8: Harnessing the Power of the Mind for Chronic Pain Management 215

13 Integrating MBCT for Chronic Pain with Existing Treatments 225

Conclusion 239

Index 000

Melissa A. Day, PhD, is a NHMRC Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. Dr Day completed her MA (Clin) and PhD in clinical health psychology, with a research focus on pain. Currently her research focuses on optimising mindfulness–based and cognitive–behavioural interventions for chronic pain.