American Psychological Association Division 50
In collaboration with Divisions 38 (Society for Health Psychology) and 43 (Society for Couple and Family Psychology), Division 50 is participating in a project to address the intersection of pain management, addiction, and family systems. We are requesting comments from our membership about the most important concepts that psychologists outside the field of addiction should incorporate in their work with patients who struggle with pain and addiction issues.
In addition, we are soliciting responses to the following question: In your work with patients struggling with pain and addiction issues, what is the most challenging issue(s) you have encountered regarding family dynamics and/or pain and health psychology?
Please send your response to Jennifer Buckman, SoAP President at jbuckman225@gmail.com with your responses to the questions.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
There are myriad roles psychologists can play in mitigating the opioid crisis, from prevention via behavioral pain management to family-based interventions for patients struggling with pain and/or addictions. However, few psychologists receive training in pain management, addiction, and family systems or have access to educational resources describing competencies required for practice in these areas. This interdivisional project facilitates medical family psychologists (Division 43), pain psychologists (Division 38), and addiction psychologists (Division 50) to produce webinars to help psychologists develop assessment and intervention competencies to help patients and families who are coping with chronic pain, and have questions and/or concerns about opiate use, misuse and addiction
Resources are available for those struggling with addiction and numerous effective treatments exist. Whether you are looking for help for yourself or a loved one, we encourage you to seek out help.