Overcoming Chronic Pain: A Self-help Guide Using Cognitive Behavioural Techniques

Take control of your life, take control of your pain

Chronic pain can be extremely debilitating; however, it does not need to dominate your life. This self-help book is based on highly effective self-help methods developed by specialists and used in community and hospital pain management programmes. Your experience of pain can be greatly reduced by pacing daily activities, reducing stress, learning relaxation techniques and effective ways to cope with depression, anxiety, worry, anger and frustration.

This easy-to-follow book sets out:
- Why pain can persist when there's no injury or disease present
- How to become fitter and pace your activities
- Practical ways to improve sleep and relaxation
- Tips for returning to work, study and gaining a life you value

Overcoming self-help guides use clinically proven techniques to treat long-standing and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical.

This book is recommended by the national Reading Well scheme for England delivered by The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians with funding from Arts Council England and Wellcome.

Frances Cole (Author)
Dr Frances Cole was a GP and pain rehabilitation specialist. She developed the first UK primary and community care pain rehabilitation programme based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) principles in 1996. She developed a pain health needs assessment tool that won an NHS Modernisation award in 2005 and gained an NHS National Clinical Leaders Award in 2011. Frances is a past chair of the British Pain Society Pain Management Programme Special Interest Group whose current focus is on multidisciplinary pain management. Her current work is on digital self-management tools for pain including apps.

Helen Macdonald (Author)
Helen Macdonald is a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist and university lecturer specialising in pain management. She obtained a Master's Degree in Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy, with a dissertation examining the effectiveness of assisted self-help for chronic pain. She was recognized as a Chartered Health Psychologist in 2004.

Catherine Carus (Author)
Catherine Carus is a registered physiotherapist currently teaching at the University of Bradford, and she specializes in the assessment and management of musculoskeletal conditions.