Living with Pain – March 2012
Who are we?
We are Lauren Butcher and Kerri Allen and we work for the West Suffolk IAPT service. IAPT stands for Improving Access for Psychological Therapies. Our service is nationwide and was set up approximately 4 years ago for those suffering from anxiety and depression. We mainly work on a one to one basis with people but have recently branched into the area of chronic pain.
What techniques do we use?
The form of therapy that we use within IAPT is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). CBT works on the basis that the way we think about things and the way we do things can influence the way we feel emotionally. CBT claims that by trying to alter our way of thinking and behaving we can ultimately change the way we feel for the better.
What can we offer those suffering from Chronic Pain?
We recognise that those suffering with chronic pain also tend to suffer from anxiety and depression. Our “Living with Pain” programme aims to offer people CBT techniques to help them manage their pain better. We look at different techniques for managing pain in every session. The groups are very interactive and we try to get people to share their experiences as much as possible. We also welcome feedback from our clients so we can continue to improve our programme as we go along. Our motto is that those with Chronic Pain are experts in their condition. Our job is to marry the clients’ personal experiences with techniques that we are well trained in.
Where and when?
The group takes place at the same time and place for 5 weeks in total. We can take up to 10 people in each group and each session runs for 2 hours.
How can I refer?
You may self refer to our Service by phoning 01284 733100 and asking to be enrolled in the Living with Pain group. A person will then contact you to get some details from you and you will then be put on our list.
*Please note that we are unable to take people who are suffering from degenerative conditions such as MS or terminal illnesses. This is not because we want to exclude people but rather that those people may benefit from more specific treatment that is catered for their conditions.