There are two single-day workshops to choose from focussing on Pain in Children or Pain in Adults.

Workshop Overview: Pain in Children

This workshop is specifically aimed to meet the needs of health professionals who are interested in advancing their knowledge and skills in managing pain in children.  Given the multidisciplinary approach to pain, this workshop is open to all health professionals who work with children who experience pain.  Participants will deepen their understanding of the psychology and neurophysiology of pain and fear and learn how to use Focussed Breathing, Relaxation and Guided Imagery as interventions that can be combined with pharmacological approaches to managing pain.  The workshop integrates the following theoretical and practical components.

The Theoretical Component focuses on: 

•Shifting from the bottom-up sensory appraisal view to a top-down constructivist view of pain;

•Defining pain as a sensory and cognitive experience encompassing memory, emotion, attention, language, thought and consciousness;

•Emotions, particularly waves of fear and feelings of threat and strategies for reducing these before, during and in subsequent pain experiences; and

•Imagery and the top-down modulation of pain and fear.

The Practical Component focuses on:

•Engaging in a focussed breathing and relaxation exercise and taking a colleague through a relaxation session.

•Engaging in Guided Imagery both as the person in the imagery and guiding a colleague through a guided imagery session.

•Putting these skills into practice:

oAdvice on how to approach the notion of using these techniques with children and parents

oWays of maximizing the efficacy of these techniques

oWhat to do when a child is distressed and losing control.

The approach to teaching and learning in this Workshop is interactive not a series of didactic lectures.  Teaching strategies include: demonstration and practice of techniques; audiovisual presentations including PowerPoint and review and group discussion of videos of actual cases using the techniques and, group discussion around illustrative cases and the participant’s experiences.  Feedback from previous workshops can be found at http://www.top-downpaincontrol.com/Feedback.html

Workshop Objectives

Upon completion of the Workshop, the participant will be able to:

•Evaluate his/her role, beliefs, and attitudes, as well as those of other health care professionals, in relation to the management of pain;

•Identify strategies that will aid in preparing the child and the nursing/medical team to use focussed breathing, relaxation and/or guided imagery during a painful procedure;

•Use, at a beginner level, focussed breathing, relaxation and guided imagery as adjuvant interventions for pain management;

•Describe the basic tenets and practical application of a Personal Construct Psychology approach to working with children and adolescents who experience feelings of threat, fear and pain;

•Discuss the five (5) basic emotions: fear, anger, sadness, disgust and joy in relation to pain in children and adolescents;

•Discuss the impact of environmental (setting) and behavioural (staff) factors on emotions and pain in children;

•Discuss ways of increasing the efficacy of distraction techniques in managing pain.

Pain and Guided Imagery Workshop Program

8.30 – 9.15Understanding pain and cognition: why pain is more than nociception.

9.15 – 10.30A Personal Construct view of Pain and Emotion

Basics of a Personal Construct Psychology (PCP) approach to working with children who experience feelings of threat, fear and pain.

Pain and Cognition: The child’s view

This session explores the child’s view of pain and emotion and consequent implications for change in the health professional’s practice.

10.30 – 10.45Coffee break

10.45 – 11.15Getting the most out of distraction: moving from a ‘distractor’ to ‘distraction’ and beyond with children who experience pain.

11.15 – 12.15Relaxation Therapy with Guided Imagery: theory, practice and demonstration.

12.15 – 13.00Lunch break

13.00 – 14.15Guided Imagery Cases: review and discussion of videos

14.15 – 15.30Relaxation Therapy with Guided Imagery Technique: small group practice.

15.30 – 16.20Tea Break and Group discussion and feedback: preparing for clinical practice.

16.20 – 16.30Workshop evaluation and finish