• Pain science basics: Pain is BOTH physical + emotional (Psychology Today)
•  A Tale of 2 Nails: Why context matters (Psychology Today)
• What you don't know about pain WILL hurt you (Kevin MD)
• Tame the Beast (Moseley, video + info)
• Pain is biopsychosocial (Gatchel + Howard)
• Pain treatment is biopsychosocial (Bevers et al)
• Neuroimaging pain (Martucci & Mackey, great paper)
• What is pain? (UCSF Pain & Addiction Research Center)
•  A history of pain theories: Why pain is biopsychosocial (StatPearls)
•  15 years of explaining pain (Moseley & Butler, 2015 - great paper!)
• Psychosocial factors that contribute to chronic pain (Meints & Edwards)
•  Psychosocial processes affect the development & maintenance of chronic pain (Edwards et al 2016)
• A biopsychosocial formulation of pain communication - great academic paper
• Biopsychosocial assessment and formulation of pediatric pain (Liossi & Howard)
• Evidence-based psychosocial interventions for pediatric pain management (Coakley & Wihak)
• How treatment changes neurophysiology (Flor - click the PDF link)
• Pain is NOT biomedical: An expose of the opiate epidemic and Big Pharma (NPR, Lembke)
• Moseley's take on the biopsychosocial model (podcast + article)
• Research Uncovers Potential Treatment for Chronic Pain (Zoffness)
•  Why is my doctor sending me to a Psychologist for PAIN? (Harvard Health)
•  Evidence for Psychological Treatments for Pain (Vox)
•  The neuroscience of nonpharm treatments (J Neural Science)
•  Pain education + treatment need to be biopsychosocial, according to SCIENCE (J. Loeser MD - great article)
•  To reduce pain, treatment MUST BE BIOPSYCHOSOCIAL (J. Loeser MD, Washington Medical Commission)
•  Pain treatment is about money. Treating pain as biomedical is a mistake. (J. Loeser)

•  Think Pain is Purely Medical? Think Again (Psychology Today)
•  A Tale of Two Nails: What Changes Pain? (Psychology Today)
•  What is pain? (Moseley)
•  Why we need to target the brain in pain treatment: Evidence from neuroscience (Moseley & Flor)
•  Neuroimaging pain: A guide to pain neuroscience (Martucci & Mackey)
•  Brain imaging of pain: The Pain Matrix (J Pain Res)
• The role of emotion networks in pain processing (ACC: Fuch, Peng, et al 2014)
•  Pain Chats features amazing pain education written by some of my favorite pain nerds.
•  Pain & the brain (U Wisconsin, brief handout)
•  Neuromatrix theory of pain (Chronic Pain Institute)
•  Pain control techniques (article)
• Distraction strategies for pain (Journal: PAIN - PDF article download)
•  Mood & attention regulate the experience of pain (NPR)
•  Pain catastrophizing: Negative mood states and negative thoughts affect pain (Journal: Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics)
•  The power of "brain training" (HA magazine)
•  The impact of mood on pain: Laughter as Medicine (Scientific American)
•  The Neuroscience of pain (The New Yorker)
•  A list of pain education websites
‍•  NIH's update on the opioid epidemic (2021)
•  A seriously great handout on how pain works (VA.gov)
•  The funniest ever version of the pain scale, in case you need to laugh.

• A Magical Cure for Pain? Nope. It's Jut CBT. (Psychology Today)
•  What you don't know about pain WILL hurt you (KevinMD)
•  Research Uncovers Potential Treatment for Chronic Pain (Psychology Today)
•  The neuroscience behind biobehavioral treatments/CBT for pain (Flor + Moseley, phenomenal article)
•  Why is it critical to treat emotional health as part of pain treatment?: Pain, Anxiety, Depression LINK (Harvard Health) -- great read
• Effective biobehavioral treatments for pain: A review of the literature (Psychol Res Behav Manag.)
• The neurophysiology of pain psychology (American Psychologist)
•  The neuroscience of nonpharmacological treatment (J. Neural Plasticity)
• Effective biobehavioral treatments for pain: A review (Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol.)
•  Evidence-based psychotherapy for chronic pain has established efficacy and improves QOL (Int J Psychiatry Med)
•  A review of CBT: highly efficacious in treating fibromyalgia, headaches, low back pain, osteoarthritis, & rheumatoid arthritis (PPM)
• The science of biobehavioral treatments for fibromyalgia, IBS, headache, TMDs, pelvic pain (Curr Rheumatol Rev.) -- great read
• CBT effective for low-back pain: A meta-analysis (Health Psychology)
•  American Headache Society: cognitive behavioral therapy, biofeedback + relaxation therapies are effective
• Evidence for behavioral treatments for chronic migraine (Medscape)
•  CBT for chronic pain: A therapeutic approach for the opioid epidemic (J Psych Prac)
•  Mind-body therapies for opioid-treated pain (Garland)
• Biobehavioral Strategies for Acute Pain Management (SPPM)
•  CBT can improve quality of life for people with pain (Everyday Health)
•  Biobehavioral treatments are effective for low-back pain (J Health Psych)
•  CBT is effective for depression (NIH National Library of Medicine)
•  CBT effective for reducing stomach/abdominal pain (J of Pain)
• Relaxation training reduces clinical pain in adults (J of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine)
• What is pacing for chronic pain? (Pain Res Manag)
•  Stanford's chronic pain pacing plan (FREE HANDOUT)
•  CBT is effective for co-occurring trauma + chronic pain (PPM)
• CBT has effectiveness for treating arthritis pain, cancer pain, back pain (Cochrane Database Syst Rev.)
•  CBT for chronic pain: A review (Edhe)
‍
Books Using CBT Strategies:
• The Pain Management Workbook (Zoffness, for patients + providers)
• CBT for Chronic Pain Therapist Manual (Murphy, for providers)
• Managing Chronic Pain: A CBT-Approach Workbook (Otis)
• Managing Pain Before It Manages You (Caudill)
• Why Do I Hurt? (Louw)
• CBT for Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents (Palermo, book for providers)
• Mayo Clinic Guide to Pain Relief
• Anything by Lorimer Moseley, Moseley & Butler, or Adriaan Louw
• See also the "BOOKS" sub-tab on this page for additional resources

• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction: Free course for patients + providers, evidence-based & awesome
• Research Uncovers Potential Treatment for Chronic Pain (Zoffness)
• Mind-Body Therapies for Opioid-Treated Pain (JAMA)
• Mindfulness Can Help Ease Pain (U.S. News & World Report)
• The neural mechanisms of mindfulness-based pain relief: a functional magnetic resonance imaging-based review and primer (Zeidan et al)
• Mindfulness meditation-related pain relief: Evidence for unique brain mechanisms in the regulation of pain (Zeidan et al)
• Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account (Zeidan et al)
• The role of heart rate variability in mindfulness-based pain relief (J of Pain)
• Brain Mechanisms Supporting the Modulation of Pain by Mindfulness Meditation (J of Neuroscience)
• Neurophysiological Mechanisms Supporting Mindfulness Meditation–Based Pain Relief: An Updated Review (Current Pain & Headache Reports)
• Mindfulness for managing chronic pain (PsychCentral)
• Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR): How mindfulness changes pain in the brain
• Mindfulness reduces pain intensity among cancer patients (European J of Pain)
• Nonpharmacological approaches to pain management  (NY Times)
• Mindfulness & distraction are effective for pain (IASP)
• SEE ALSO: Guided Audio tab for mindfulness audio + meditations

• Find a biofeedback provider near you: BICA (enter zip code only for best results)
• Biofeedback and relaxation therapy: definition (MHNI)
• Biofeedback for pain, Mayo Clinic
• Biofeedback for migraine + headaches (Amer. Migraine Foundation): "Biofeedback and relaxation training typically yield a 45-60% reduction in headache frequency and severity. This is equivalent to the reduction in headache achieved by many headache medications, such as propranolol (Inderal) and amitriptyline (Elavil), but without any of the negative side effects."
• Biofeedback improves chronic back pain (Int.J. Behav. Med)
• Biofeedback reduces jaw pain + TMJ symptoms (J Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback)
• Biofeedback effective for arthritis (Georgian Med News)
• Meta-analysis of 55 studies: Biofeedback effective for migraine
• Biofeedback for pelvic pain (Clin Colon Rectal Surg)
• Efficacy of biofeedback for headaches
• How biofeedback works: The Skin You're In (Dr. Erik Peper)
• Additional articles on biofeedback for pain‍

‍•  Stomachaches are one of the MOST COMMON signs of stress & anxiety in kids. This scientific article helps explain why.
•  The gut-brain connection (Harvard)
•  Your gut is your "second brain": Your enteric nervous system (Johns Hopkins)
•  Relationship between your gut and depression/anxiety (Journal: Molecular Psychiatry)
•  How your gut and mood influence each other (Scientific American)
•  Multiple areas of the cerebral cortex influence the stomach (National Academy of Sciences)
•  How stress & anxiety cause GI pain & diarrhea (article)
•  What causes IBS? (International Foundation for GI Disorders)
•  Effective biobehavioral treatments for IBS (article)
•  IBS and RAP (video)
•  Enteric Nervous System (GI tract) and serotonin (CalTech)
•  IBS and serotonin (Canadian Society of Intestinal Research)
‍• CBT effective for reducing stomachaches + GI sx (J of Pain)

• Tips for improving sleep when you have pain (Govt of W AU)
• The interrelationship between sleep + pain (PPM)
• Sleep hygiene: 5 tips for sleeping well, with or without pain (Palermo & Law)
• Over-the-counter sleep meds are BAD for you (Harvard Health)
• Why sleeping pills do more harm than good (TIME)
• Risks of sleeping pills include early death, outweigh benefits (TIME)
• The association between sleep and pain (J Pain)
• Screens disrupt sleep cycles: melatonin & sleep (Scientific American) - good read!
• Treatment for sleep issues = CBT-i (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia)
•CBT-i is better than pills for sleep (NPR)
•How CBT for insomnia works
• How to find a CBT-i provider near you (option 1)
•How to find a CBT-i provider near you (option 2)
• APP for phones: CBT-i Coach

‍• NO ASSOCIATION between back scans and pain: Before you have surgery to fix those findings on your scan, note that those abnormalities may NOT be the cause of your pain. (J Neurol Neurochir Pol)
‍• MRI findings are *not* associated with Lower Back Pain (LBP, PLoS): When your doctor tells you that your back pain is due to an abnormal MRI finding,    you may want to think again.
‍• Degenerative changes in the lumbar spine are frequently found on MRI scans, but they do not correlate with the intensity of pain and do not predict    pain. (Detecting a theme here...? J of Medicine)
‍• Movement might be the best medicine for back pain. Not moving/exercising can delay healing. (Harvard Health)
‍• Language matters: "abnormal" scans might actually be NORMAL. Just like faces, backs get "wrinkles" over time (Athletico PT)
‍• An integrative behavioral approach to back pain (wisdom + research from Peter O'Sullivan, a brilliant PT)
‍• "Spinal degeneration" is COMMON in asymptomatic, healthy populations (Spine, via Mayo Clinic)
• Failed Back Surgery Syndrome: A Review (2018)
‍• Pain catastrophizing impacts back pain: Thoughts MATTER 
‍• Understanding and reducing fear around pain decreases back pain (A. Louw PT)
• Opioids NOT effective or recommended for chronic back pain (Krebs et al 2018)
‍• Book recs: Everyone Has Back Pain, by Adriaan Louw + The Pain Management Workbook, by Zoffness

• ACES = Adverse Childhood Experiences: studies indicates that early exposure to environmental stressors is associated with the development of chronic pain & illness.
• CDC ACES report: how stress & traumatic experiences in childhood lead to health issues later in life
• Relationship between stress and pain (VMC)
• Link between anxiety and pain tolerance (NY Times)
• Relationship between chronic pain and anxiety: Institute for Chronic Pain
• Anxiety and catastrophizing mediate the experience of adolescent pain (journal article)
• Physical effects of stress on the body (APA)
• Sources of childhood stress that can trigger/maintain pain (KidsHealth)
• Stress and time management tips for teens (Sutter Health)
• Anxiety and stress negatively affect pain: 50 signs of stress in the BODY
• Anxiety in children (AACAP)
• Explaining anxiety to kids (Dr. Angoff)
• School refusal is often a sign of anxiety (ADAA)
• Try CBT before drugs for childhood insomnia (American College of Physicians)
• Child Mind Institute (CBT effective for childhood anxiety)
• Mayo Clinic (CBT for anxiety explained)
• Why are more American teenagers than ever suffering from anxiety? (NYT magazine)
• Mindfulness & distraction are effective for pediatric pain (Int Assoc for the Study of Pain)

• Mental health is biopsychosocial, but Big Pharma doesn't want you to know that (Allen Frances MD)
• The relationship between Depression + Pain (Mayo)
•  Pain amplifies depression, and depression amplifies pain (J of Neural Plasticity)
•  The link between depression and physical symptoms (J Clinical Psych)
•  Depression and pain comorbidity (JAMA)
•  Symptoms of depression in youth (Mayo Clinic)
• Serotonin & endorphins: increase "happy hormones" to improve mood
• Parent guide to teen depression & suicide warning signs (Help Guide: Harvard health)
• Exercise, nature & being social  can improve mood and self-esteem (journal)
• CBT for childhood depression  (Society of Child & Adolescent Clinical Psych)
• Self-injury: Why do people cut? (Mayo Clinic)
• The best articles on depression have been written by Hyperbole And A Half author Alie Brosh. Pt I is here, Pt 2 is here. Brilliant 🌟

• Adverse Childhood Experiences Studies (Felitti et al, 1998)
Seminal research reports that trauma - aka, adverse childhood experiences (ACES) - are major risk factors for chronic illness, pain, depression, and disability. ACEs include: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, parental mental illness, parental substance abuse, witnessing violent crime.
• Childhood trauma is vulnerability factor for developing chronic pain (Harvard Health - great article)
•  Chronic pain and trauma co-occur in up to 80% of patients (Psych Trauma)
•  Up to 80% of those seeking treatment for PTSD have chronic pain (Br J Pain)
•  The relationship between trauma and pain, and how CBT can help (PPM)
•  PTSD and chronic pain (Otis et al)
•  The importance of pain psychology in the treatment of trauma + pain
•  Trauma increases sensitivity to pain (Clinical J of Pain)
• Research on the comorbidity of trauma + pain (Perspectives in Psychiatric Care)
• Trauma matters: psychological interventions for comorbid psychosocial trauma and chronic pain (J Pain)
•  Thoughts amplify pain post-trauma (Clin J of Pain)
•  Book rec: The Body Keeps the Score (van der Kolk)
•  A physician's take on the Mind-Body Connection
• For trauma survivors seeking resources, check this website (the clinic has closed, but there's a list of websites + programs)

• For kids in pain, going to school HELPS (Harvard/ Boston Children's ComfortAbility)
• Getting kids in pain to school (Darling)
• Helping kids with pain get out of bed (Darling)
• Returning to school helps the brain recover from pain, headaches and concussions (getschooledonconcussions.com)
• School Refusal (ADAA)
• How missing school makes anxiety, stress and pain worse: Why are more teenagers than ever suffering from severe anxiety? (NY Times)
• School refusal: How to help (Harvard Health)

• How screens are hijacking your dopamine-reward-pathway (Harvard)
• What screens do to the brain (Psychology Today)
• Social media use increases anxiety and decreases self-esteem (Child Mind Institute)
• Kids and smartphones (TIME mag)
• Tips for taking control of smartphones (Humane Tech - this website is GREAT!)
• The LIKE movie (show it to your kids)
• Apps ranked by how happy/unhappy they make people feel
‍‍‍

‍•  ComfortAbility: Boston Children's Hospital
•  Seattle Children's Hospital: Dr. Tonya Palermo's lab
•  ChildKind (resources)
•  APP for kids with pain: WEBMap Mobile (found in your phone's "app store")
•  Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP)
•  Creative Healing for Youth in Pain (CHYP @ UCLA)

• The Chronic Pain & Illness Workbook for Teens, by R. Zoffness
• Be the Boss of Your Pain: Self-Care for Kids, by Kajander & Culbert
• Treating Somatic Symptoms in Children & Adolescents, by Williams & Zahka
• Imagine a Rainbow: A Child’s Guide for Soothing Pain, by B. Miles
• GrrrOUCH!: Pain is Like a Grouchy Bear, by C. Morgan
• Biobehavioral Strategies for Pediatric Pain (free PDF, Mayday Fund)

• The science of placebo + nocebo NEJM 2020 - beliefs + expectations change PHYSIOLOGY.
• Clinical application of placebo + nocebo Transl Psychiatry 2022
• Sham/fake surgery as effective as actual surgery in reducing pain + disability Pain Medicine 2017
• Antidepressant effects may be largely placebo Zeitschrift für Psychologie 2015 (Note: there are many articles on this)
• Placebo surgery just as effective as knee surgery for pain. NEJM 2002
• 74% of placebo (faux) surgeries reduce pain. BMJ 2014
• Placebo treatments treat Parkinson's Disease Nature 2016 (Note: there are many articles on this)
• Placebo pain relief occurs via endogenous opioid systems J Neurosci 2005
• Open-label PLACEBO opioids can reduce opioid use & assist tapering, Front. Pain Res. 2021 (Note: this study is ASTONISHING.)
• Placebo and nocebo effects are mediated by innate opioid and dopamine systems JAMA Psychiatry 2008
• Placebo-responsive neurotransmitter systems regulate immune function Nature 2022
• Placebos effective for ADHD in children Child Care Health Dev 2008

• The Pain Management Workbook (Zoffness)
• The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens (Zoffness)
• Why Do I Hurt? (Louw)
• Anything and everything by Lorimer Moseley
• Managing Chronic Pain: A CBT-Approach Workbook (Otis)
• Managing Pain Before It Manages You (Caudill)
• A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook (Stahl)
• CBT for Chronic Pain in Children and Adolescents (Palermo, for providers)
• Managing Your Child's Chronic Pain (Zeltzer, for parents)

FOR MORE, visit the "Books" tab (above) on this Resources page!