Our Approach to Treatment | Overview
Our team consists of providers from a variety of disciplines who work with you during individual and group treatment sessions throughout the program hours. We also guide you on how to structure your time outside of the program hours, such as home exercise programs and outings.
We take a biopsychosocial approach, which addresses all aspects of your experience with chronic pain. For this reason, every member of your care team has a special role in helping you reach your goals during the program.
Watch: When does pain become a problem?
Dr. Christine Greco, clinical director of the Pain Treatment Center at Boston Children’s Hospital, discusses how chronic pain may negatively affect a child’s daily life and happiness.
Medical management
Our medical team consists of physicians, nurse practitioners, and a clinical assistant. Together, we support your active involvement in your own care and functional recovery. We ensure every participant receives appropriate diagnostic assessments before and during admission to the Young Adult Pain Rehabilitation Center. The medical team also collaborates with your referring provider and conducts daily assessments to monitor your vital signs and manage your medications.
Physical therapy
Our physical therapists work with you to set individualized treatment goals to help regain your independence in functioning through exercise, education, and collaboration with the rest of your care team. Our approaches include aerobic exercise, strength training, balance training, stretching, movement training, and reintegration into community-based sports or activities. We also help you identify coping strategies and develop plans to manage pain on your own.
Occupational therapy
Our occupational therapists help you reestablish healthy habits and routines so you can continue to participate in daily activities. Our approaches include:
- self-management strategies (active coping strategies, self-regulation, pacing)
- self-care/home management
- sensory retraining (desensitization)
- education/work simulation
- ergonomics
- community reintegration
- home exercise programs
Psychology
Chronic pain isn’t just a physical experience; it’s also an emotional one. Our psychology team focuses on helping you build coping skills and set goals. Our approaches include educating you about the biological processes of pain, the cycle of pain and disability, the role of emotions and memory in pain, and the biopsychosocial factors that can affect your pain experience. We also work with you to develop biobehavioral pain management strategies, manage emotions and behaviors that might impact pain or interfere with treatment, and facilitate and plan for the return to school, work, and other activities.
Recreational therapy
Recreational therapy involves activity-based approaches that help you improve your social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and mental well-being. Our recreational therapists help motivate you to try new leisure activities or return to activities that were enjoyable in the past. Approaches include creativity and self-expression activities, dog therapy, and skill building.
Music therapy
Our music therapists provide music-based interventions that address your physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. We promote the use of music as a coping strategy for pain management and to facilitate self-expression. After assessing your strengths and needs, the music therapist will use techniques including creating, singing, moving to music, and listening to music.
Social work
Social workers are behavioral health providers trained to help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be in life. Our social worker meets with you individually and in groups to identify and work on independent adulthood goals. They can help you and your support system (if needed) address the range of situations and stressors related to coping with chronic pain and the transition to living as an independent adult.