Date of Award

Spring 2009

Project Type

Thesis

Program or Major

Counseling

Degree Name

Master of Arts

First Advisor

David J Hebert

Abstract

Millions of Americans live with chronic pain as the result of traumatic injury. These individuals face countless challenges as they attempt to cope with daily pain and grieve the many losses caused by their injuries. The physical and emotional stresses associated with chronic pain and traumatic injury place these survivors at significant psychological risk and contribute to the perpetuation of their chronic pain. Group counseling with a grief model emphasis is a cost effective way to meet the specific needs of survivors living with chronic pain. These needs include: the establishment of a social support system, an opportunity to grieve losses since the injury, the development of self-care skills, and the learning of skills and strategies to move through pain and grief toward empowerment and self-esteem. An eight week psychoeducational support group is described.

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