Eight Modules of Psychotherapy for Chronic Pain Informed by Hypnosis

Chronic pain is a health issue for millions of people and costs billions of dollars in health care and work productivity. Medical interventions, while sometimes beneficial, often fail, and issues surrounding opioid analgesics constitute a significant concern. Hypnosis has shown great promise in reducing suffering from chronic pain, but it is often applied incorrectly or insufficiently to address this problem. This article discusses using a biopsychosocial model for managing pain centered on hypnosis, based on recent publications. We present eight modules of psychotherapy informed by hypnosis, meditation, and motivational interviewing. The modules include a biopsychosocial assessment, motivational interviewing, cognitive interventions, hypnosis, meditation, activity, psychological factors, and sleep. We stress that a linear progression through the modules is not expected. Further, the proportion of attention to each module will vary from patient to patient. The ultimate goal of this approach is to manage rather than cure pain, and successful treatment outcomes focus on increased movement, productivity, and overall life satisfaction rather than solely pain reduction.