Chronic / Persistant Pain
Chronic / Persistent Pain…endless tests, medical appointments, physiotherapy, psychologists, reduced work hours, trying to get comfortable, all your energy taken from you just trying to be understood and managing your pain. No one really understands you. Your humour isn’t as good as it was, and you doubt whether life will ever be normal again. And if you’re a guy, your culture might have taught you that you’re weak if you give in to it! Sound familiar? ……… Be strong! It’s all in your mind! Get over it!
We all experience pain differently…and yet we’re expected to explain pain the same way we’ve been taught to explain it… Even when it doesn’t really express what that pain is like! Professionals may offer suggestions eg. is it dull, sharp, numb etc but maybe you have other sensations? Sometimes we feel misunderstood by others for our reactions to pain…often no-one has explained your diagnosis to you properly and then we doubt the diagnosis. Maybe you don’t feel validated…others think you’re exaggerating and if you’re not back to normal after 6 weeks, they lose interest in supporting you…and you can’t chat to them about anything because your life’s filled with appointments.
Doctors are guided by others who look at X -Rays, MRI’s, CT Scans and Ultrasounds to explain what the problem is, and to guide us in a way that helps us to manage our pain. But it doesn’t always work, and the wait to see someone to help our situation can take ages.
A Thought…if we’re relying on images to explain and treat our pain, eg. X-rays etc. then why not consider exploring our own images that we’ve created in art therapy to explain our pain? It makes sense. Sometimes words aren’t enough!
As a qualified Rehabilitation Counsellor, and Creative Art Therapist, I have been involved in or run art therapy workshops for people with chronic pain since 2017 with 80% improvement rate as reported by my clients. They said the strategies I used and art therapy techniques, along with working in a small group, made them feel more connected, and able to manage their pain better. They also said it was good to know there were others who felt the same as they did.
“I admit I was a sceptic, but somehow the art works” – Kate
“Interesting to visualise what the pain looks like and then use words to reinterpret how it feels” – Lily
“I like the idea of me being able to create new pathways in my brain” – Chris
“Inclusive gentle welcoming space; calming, enjoyed using pastels” – Di
I’ve been there. Taken years to work through the pain, and still have pain. I had a substantial back injury in 1986 caused by a worker in a bad mood, which required me having years of physiotherapy, back brace etc, and a big change to my lifestyle…and I remember thinking at the time, that if I couldn’t do the work I’d been employed to do anymore, I would study and become a Rehabilitation Counsellor: not because I had been impressed by any of them, but because they didn’t have any idea what it was like to have pain.
People in pain need to be validated
I’m passionate about being able to help you. Creative activities like this change the neural pathways, and can change our experience of pain.
What kept me focused and distracted me from the pain all the time, was painting, writing and drawing…taking photographs and doll-making. It provided me with something different to do. It helped me to achieve. It gave purpose to the pain. I was in pain, whether I did something or not, so I decided I might as well do something and have something to show for my day….Something else to talk about. So I tried doll-making. I felt useful. I had something other than my pain to talk about. When we get an opportunity to return to work or the community, we need interesting topics of conversation. Others aren’t interested in our pain journey. We need to go through a transition period which is why art therapy workshops succeed. It’s a transition between pain, isolation & anxiety… to living life.
I’ve created what I call THE CHAMELEON MODEL OF MANAGING PAIN, using Art Therapy and my lived experience of pain and my studies.
Join me:
Phone: Diana 0403 080 643 or Email: diana@artfusion.net.au
Take the opportunity to arrange a complimentary visit with me to discuss how I can support you
Why a Chameleon (model)… Because they are always trying to blend into their surrounding!
If you want to discuss your situation please do not hesitate to phone.
If you want to discuss your situation please do not hesitate to phone.
I am also a qualified Rehabilitation Counsellor who has worked with clients with work-related injuries and found that they were often lost for words when it came to explaining their pain, or dealing with their lives because their pain was all consuming. This is the reason I decided to study Arts Psychotherapy and I believe it helps greatly. When I had my own substantial back injury I decided to try porcelain doll making and loved it. It took my mind off the pain, and I got out and mixed with others.
I believe the true results come through the experience of using Art Therapy. This is an opportunity to explore new ways to decrease the pain, and boost your energy and endurance.
Complete article on chronic pain from quote https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ930794.pdf