Supporting someone with chronic pain can be challenging. Fortunately, there are resources available that can be helpful in this journey. We have compiled a list of relevant resources aimed at educating further about pain and pain management.

The Comfort Ability Workshop

The Comfort Ability Workshop is a fun and interactive one-day program to help children (ages 10-17) and their parents or caregivers learn how to better manage chronic pain. The program is run by staff psychologists and psychology trainees from Doernbecher Children's Hospital's Pediatric Pain Management Clinic and introduces cognitive behavioral and biobehavioral pain management strategies. The workshop emphasizes the mind-body connection and offers non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical strategies for improved pain management.

Learn more about the Comfort Ability Workshop

Websites

• It Doesn’t Have to Hurt | Centre for Pediatric Pain Research: A research team focused on tackling the issue of poorly managed pain in children. Many helpful resources and informational content is available on the website.
• The Comfort Ability Website: Provides a rich array of resources to help adolescents and their parents or caregivers learn how to better manage chronic pain. Resources include scheduled online chats with a psychologist for teens and parents.

Books

• Conquering Your Child’s Chronic Pain: A Pediatrician’s Guide to Reclaiming a Normal Childhood.
• Managing your child’s chronic pain.
• When Your Child Hurts: Effective Strategies to Increase Comfort, Reduce Stress, and break the Cycle of Chronic Pain.

Apps

• Headspace: Meditation has been found to be helpful a therapy for managing chronic pain. This free app provides series of free meditations which can even be downloaded offline and accessed at any time. Headspace also offers tools for other needs, such as sleep, depression, anxiety, and improving general functioning.  Learn more about Headspace
• iBeatPain for Teens: The iBeatPain for Teens app was developed by the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation specifically for teens suffering from chronic pain. The emphasis is on incorporating home-therapies into the active management of pain. Relaxation techniques, exercise suggestions, and encouragement for exercise, school participation, and self-care basics are also part of the app. Read more about iBeatPain for Teens
• Smiling Mind: Smiling Mind is an app developed by psychologists and educators which provides a range of mindfulness resources for both children and adults. Mindfulness has been shown to help manage chronic pain in youth. Some of the other topics addressed on the app include dealing with stress, pressure, and the challenges of daily life. Learn more about Smiling Mind