People with chronic pain want to know what actually helps.

What strategies work? What actually makes a difference?

Find answers, hope, and community in this eight-week chronic pain self-management course.

Learn skills to reduce physical pain and emotional distress, connect with other people going through similar health struggles, and explore how to build a meaningful life during long-term suffering.

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People with chronic pain want to know what actually helps.

How Can This Course Help You?

  • Get Connected

    Many people with chronic pain list loneliness as a top struggle. In response, this course provides two possible options to connect with other class participants. First, through an optional Facebook discussion group. Second, you will have the option to be paired with another class participant who will be your discussion partner throughout the course.

  • Reduce Pain Levels

    Many people can reduce physical pain through strategies that calm down an over-reactive nervous system. Learn the science behind this concept and discover how to use pacing, energy allocation, relaxation techniques, and stress reduction skills to reduce pain levels.

  • Cope with Flares and Unrelenting Pain

    Learn over a dozen coping skills that will help you manage the emotional impact of long-term physical pain. Skills include acupressure, tapping, mindful breathing, goal-setting, habit-building, and various strategies derived from Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

What People Are Saying

 "I loved this course! So many genuinely helpful tools and resources that have changed and improved the way I manage life with chronic pain!" - Danielle Bacon 


"When I started this chronic pain course, I thought I had a pretty good handle on chronic pain; since I have chronic pain, and have helped treat others with chronic pain as a registered nurse. I was wrong. Esther has provided a very well thought out, and practical class on managing chronic pain." - Kathy Forsyth


"I highly recommend this course to anyone who lives with Chronic Pain. The Weekly sessions are well laid out and discussions are facilitated by the Instructor in a group setting. You have many opportunities to share your thoughts and to participate in ways that make you feel comfortable and heard. Excellent content and a dedicated caring Course Leader."  - Pamela Jessen

What Is Included?

The following material and more is covered.

• The #1 Key to Chronic Pain Self-Management

• Energy Allocation and Pacing for Reduction of Pain

• An Introduction to Brain Neuroplasticity, Unlearning Pain, and Rewiring Your Brain

• Grounding Exercises, Relaxation Strategies, and CBT Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety

• Acupressure, Tapping, and Mindful Breathing to Reduce Muscle Tension

• Coping Skills for Flares and Unrelenting Pain

• How to Explore Possibilities for Post-traumatic Growth

• Goal Setting and Habit Forming Strategies to Help You Plan for the Future

• Extensive Resource List for Further Learning
What Is Included?

What Can You Expect?

• Eight weeks of class

• 2-3 hours worth of material presented each week in an online classroom environment in the form of articles, videos, assignments, and discussion questions

• Weekly conversations with a discussion partner via email the other means of communication. (Participating with a discussion partner is optional, but recommended).
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• Several discussions per week in a closed Facebook discussion group. (A Facebook account is not required to register for this class. You will still be able to participate in partner discussions should you choose to sign up but don’t want to use Facebook.)

• Access to material at any time and from any time zone.
What Can You Expect?

Registration is Currently Closed

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Hi, I'm Esther.

I am a counselor and writer, and I created What Really Helps People With Chronic Pain based on my personal experience managing various chronic pain conditions.

My goal in this self-management course is to help you draw on what you already know, combine it with new strategies from pain science, and bring it all together into a set of goals and habits to carry into your future. 

More than that, I want you to feel less alone. I want you to meet other people going through similar health struggles, find the support you need, and feel hopeful that life doesn’t have to be over, even if your pain doesn’t completely go away. 

I hope you will join me on this eight-week course towards less pain and more peace.