Chronic Pain: Psychological & Somatic Strategies for Relief: 6-hour course
Presented by
Dreya Blume, LCSWIn this interactive and experiential training, we will explore non-pharmaceutical ways to address chronic pain. You will learn practical, evidence-based tools and strategies to share with clients.
Overview
6 CEs Recorded: Winter, 2025
Chronic pain is not only physically debilitating – it also causes mental, emotional, and spiritual suffering. It is easy to become hopeless. To feel betrayed by one’s own body, to feel overwhelming grief and anger. Moreover, when the root of chronic pain is a mystery, that sense of confusion and helplessness can be overwhelming. Thankfully, there is hope.
In this interactive and experiential training, we will explore non-pharmaceutical ways to address chronic pain. You will learn practical, evidence-based tools and strategies to share with clients. We’ll examine how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach pain management. I will introduce you to the Emotional Freedom Technique, a research-based somatic modality that is highly effective in mitigating the emotional distress associated with chronic pain. We will also discuss how clients can use mindfulness techniques to change their relationship with their physical distress. In addition, we will explore the pain management benefits of yoga, hypnosis, guided imagery, somatic tracking, and more. Clients with chronic pain can feel powerless about their situation. What you learn in this training will empower your clients as they discover that chronic pain doesn’t have to be a life sentence.
**Objectives: **
- Identify the emotional, mental, and spiritual impacts of living with chronic pain
- Understand at least ten non-pharmaceutical ways to manage chronic pain.
- Become familiar with the emotional issues surrounding chronic pain.
- Discuss the role of grief and anger in living with chronic pain.
- Practice somatic modalities such as the Emotional Freedom Technique and Mindfulness tools.
- Explore newer pain management tools such as somatic tracking.
- Identify how to introduce pain management techniques.
About the Presenter
Dreya Blume (she/her) is a licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, author, and educator. Dreya began working in the mental health field in 2004 in southwest Virginia, where she spent almost two decades serving the local transgender community as a gender therapist. She recently moved to Durham, NC, where she focuses on offering continuing education training to therapists and coaching for private practice clinicians who want to expand their business uniquely. Dreya loves to write and is the author of several books, including, “The Tarot Activity Book: A Collection of Creative and Therapeutic Ideas for the Cards,” “Journaling the Tarot,” “Everyone Has a Story: Using the Hero’s Journey and Narrative Therapy to Reframe the Struggle of Mental Illness,” and “Tarot for Transformation: Using the Major Arcana to Discover Your Best Self and Create a Life Worth Living.” All of Dreya’s books (under her former name, Andy Matzner) are available here: https://dreyablume.com/books. Dreya is also passionate about teaching. Before becoming a mental health clinician, she spent many years teaching English as a Second Language in places such as Japan, Australia, Thailand, and Hawaii. Once in Virginia, Dreya worked as an adjunct professor for almost twenty years at Hollins University, teaching gender studies and sociology in their Master of Liberal Studies program. In addition, she spent twelve years teaching future social workers in the human services program at Virginia Western Community College. Learn more about Dreya on her website: https://dreyablume.com/.