Managing Psychological Factors in Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is rarely explained by tissue pathology alone. Psychosocial factors such as fear-avoidance, catastrophizing, stress, sleep disruption, and patient beliefs strongly influence pain persistence, disability, and treatment response. This course provides MSK clinicians with a practical, evidence-informed framework for identifying and addressing key psychosocial contributors to chronic pain—without exceeding scope of practice or turning clinical visits into therapy sessions. Participants will learn how psychosocial factors influence pain processing, how to recognize common clinical patterns during evaluation and follow-up visits, and how to integrate communication strategies, education, and graded exposure principles into routine care. Emphasis is placed on actionable tools that improve outcomes, reduce flare-ups, and enhance patient engagement while maintaining professional boundaries and appropriate referral pathways.