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Provided by: Migraine Canada and Migraine Quebec have partnered to ensure every Canadian has access to a supportive, inclusive, and peer-led space for connecting with others living with migraine.
Summary:
These peer-led virtual support groups provide a safe, welcoming environment where individuals can:
Daytime Group are held on the third Thursday of every month at 12:00 PM EST
Evening Group are held on the last Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM EST
West Coast Support Group (PST Timezone) are held on the last Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM PM PST
Provided by: The Chronic Pain Network
Summary: The Action On Pain podcast takes a closer look at the implementation of An Action Plan for Pain in Canada.
Launched by Health Canada to address the needs of people living with pain, the plan set out clear goals for improving prevention, care, education, and research. We review the progress made to date, identify key challenges, and hear from voices across the pain community on what still needs to happen.
Action on Pain is hosted by Jennifer Daly-Cyr, Keith Meldrum, and Virginia McIntyre
Developed by: Alberta Health Sciences
Summary: This Alberta Health Services page explains what CRPS is, its common symptoms, and how it’s treated. You’ll find clear, reliable information about causes, diagnosis, and practical ways to manage pain and regain movement. It also highlights the importance of early care, rehabilitation, and emotional support.Explore trusted guidance to help you understand CRPS and take an active role in your recovery.
Presented by: Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, pain specialist, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.
Summary: In this deeply personal interview, Cheryl Beland recounts her struggle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and how she ultimately found a way through 18 years of relentless pain. The 26-minute video traces the evolution of her condition, the challenges she faced (including misdiagnoses, diminishing hope, and the emotional toll of chronic suffering), and the pivotal turning points that led her toward healing.This video is especially relevant for anyone living with chronic pain seeking inspiration from real-life recovery stories. It offers both an authentic look at the struggle of CRPS and an uplifting account of resilience and transformation.
Summary: In this concise 13-minute video, Dr Furlan explains what CRPS is — how it arises, what symptoms typically present, and why it’s more than just “bad pain.” Viewers will learn:
How CRPS can follow an injury or trauma
Common signs and symptoms (pain, swelling, colour/temperature changes)
What happens in the nervous system
Importance of early treatment and rehabilitation
Hope and practical steps for recovery
Developed by: The Chronic Pain Toolkit was sponsored by Health Canada and created in partnership between Grand Council Treaty #3 Health Transformation team, Transitional Pain Service at the University Health Network, Ganawishkadawe – the Centre for Wise Practices in Indigenous Health at Women’s College Hospital.
Summary: In Chapter 3 of the Chronic Pain Toolkit, you will learn some important things to know about getting medical care for chronic pain:
Access Chapter 3 of the Chronic Pain Toolkit by clicking on the link below or visit https://gct3.ca/social/health/chronic-pain/ for the complete Toolkit and additional resources.
Summary: In Chapter 2 of the Chronic Pain Toolkit, you will learn the most helpful things you can do to lower your pain and live your fullest life through:
Access Chapter 2 of the Chronic Pain Toolkit by clicking on the link below or visit https://gct3.ca/social/health/chronic-pain/ for the complete Toolkit and additional resources.
Summary: In Chapter 1 of the Chronic Pain Toolkit, you will learn how chronic pain is understood from a Western medical approach:1. Why pain happens2. What makes pain worse3. The connection between pain, past experiences, and mental health
Access Chapter 1 of the Chronic Pain Toolkit by clicking on the link below or visit https://gct3.ca/social/health/chronic-pain/ for the complete Toolkit and additional resources.
Note: We acknowledge that this is only one way in which chronic pain can be understood and other ways can also be helpful in managing pain.
Summary: The Chronic Pain Toolkit is for anyone living with chronic pain and for their caregivers. It was created to support community members of the Anishinaabe Nation of Treaty #3 who are living with chronic pain, with the hope that it may also support other First Nations, Inuit and Métis people across Turtle Island living with chronic pain.
The Chronic Pain Toolkit has three chapters:
The resources in the Toolkit combine knowledge from Traditional Anishinaabe and Western medicine with stories from GCT#3 community members about living well when you have chronic pain.
By visiting this webpage on the Grand Council Treaty #3 website, you will be able to read the resources online, download them, or print them.
Developed by: Renowned pain specialist Dr. Angela Mailis, founder of The Pain and Wellness Centre.
Summary: In this series of short videos, Dr. Mailis helps you make sense of chronic pain—breaking down complex science into everyday language. Through real patient stories and easy-to-follow explanations, you’ll learn how your body, brain, and emotions all play a role in how you experience pain.
Whether you’re dealing with ongoing back pain, joint discomfort, or just curious about how pain works, this series is your guide to understanding what’s happening and how to take back control.
Developed by: Pain BC and Pain Canada in partnership with people living with pain and healthcare providers.
Summary: On a good day, our positive mood can help our brain turn down the volume on the pain alarm. On a not-so-good day, our brain is turned up to high alert and is paying extra attention to anything to do with pain. Check out this module from LivePlanBe+ to learn more about the connections between mood and emotions and chronic pain.
Note: You will need an account on LivePlanBe+ to access this module.
Provided by: The 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline in Canada is led and coordinated by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), with funding from the Government of Canada. When you call or text 9-8-8, you will reach a responder at one of nearly 40 local, provincial and territorial, and national crisis lines, who co-deliver the service.
Summary: The 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline is a safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Simply call or text 9-8-8 to get help when you need it most. If you are feeling like you have lost hope and are struggling to cope, if you are dealing with thoughts of suicide, or if you are worried about someone else, 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline is here for you. When you reach out, a trained responder will listen without judgement, provide support and understanding, and can tell you about resources that will help.
9-8-8 is here to provide moments of connection that create hope, support recovery and save lives. They help people connect to their strengths and find new ways to cope, live and thrive. Their vision is a Canada where suicide is prevented because everyone can access help when they need it the most.
Provided by: The app was created based on the therapy manual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Veterans and was developed collaboratively by VA’s National Center for PTSD,
Summary: Coach Insomnia is a free mobile app designed to help you improve your sleep. Through a 5-week step-by-step plan, it teaches you about insomnia, healthy sleep habits, and strategies to break patterns that interfere with rest. You can continue using the app afterwards to track your sleep and maintain progress. Insomnia Coach can be used on its own as a self-care tool or alongside professional care, and it’s grounded in proven, research-based techniques. Features include:
Provided by: Michelle, a peer health navigator and founder of The Happy Pelvis, draws on her lived experience to raise awareness about pelvic health and support those living with chronic pelvic pain. Through community collaboration and resource sharing, she empowers individuals to advocate for themselves and make informed decisions about their care.
Summary: The Support Groups page on The Happy Pelvis offers a curated list of peer-led and community-based groups designed for individuals living with chronic pelvic pain and related conditions. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or have been managing symptoms for years, you will find:
Summary: The Happy Pelvis offers education, resources, and personal insights to help people better understand and manage chronic pelvic pain and related conditions. Visit the website to find:
Provided by: Yoga with Adriene. Yoga With Adriene is a popular YouTube channel led by Adriene Mishler, offering accessible, inclusive, and gently guided yoga practices for people of all levels to support physical and mental well-being.
Summary: In this 25-minute session you will learn how gentle yoga can help ease chronic pain and tension—especially in the back, shoulders, and hips. Adriene guides you through soothing movements and poses that:
Expect a blend of stretching, gentle twists, and restorative holds—all designed to support long-term pain management and well-being. Whether you're starting your yoga journey or coping with chronic pain, this practice will leave you feeling grounded, relieved, and more connected to your body.
Provided by: Knowledge Keeper Melvina Redeagle and Elder Elaine Eagle in collaboration with Dr. Stacey Lovo and her team from the University of Saskatchewan. These resources were developed with support from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, Northern Medical Services and the Saskatchewan Physiotherapy Association.
Summary: This website contains community-directed rehabilitation materials in different Indigenous languages which provides information on how to take care of your back. It includes brochures and educational videos on:
Note: This link will direct you to the materials developed in Dakota. Other Cree languages are available on the same page.
Provided by: Indigenous Elders, Knowledge Keepers and language experts in collaboration with Dr. Stacey Lovo and her team from the University of Saskatchewan. These resources were developed with support from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation, Northern Medical Services and the Saskatchewan Physiotherapy Association.
Note: This link will direct you to the materials developed in Heritage Michif. Other Cree languages are available on the same page.
Note: This link will direct you to the materials developed in Cree TH. Other Cree languages are available on the same page.
Note: This link will direct you to the materials developed in Cree Y-Dialect. Other Cree languages are available on the same page.
Note: This link will direct you to the materials developed in Northern Cree Michif. Other Cree languages are available on the same page.
Note: This link will direct you to the materials developed in Dene. Other Cree languages are available on the same page.
Offered by: Pain Canada in partnership with ManagingLife.
Summary: Pain after surgery is common and usually managed with medications. Evidence shows that learning about pain before their operation helps people undergoing surgery to set realistic expectations about pain, use prescribed medications safely, and improves their well-being and comfort. Managing Pain Before and After Surgery is a free self-paced online program designed to help people undergoing surgery and their families better manage pain after surgery and decrease complications.
The brief course is made up of three modules (about 30-45 min per module):
Note: This course was developed, as part of a research study (the Preoperative Education Initiative: A Prospective Observational Study), to explore how an education program can impact participants’ pain management before and after surgery. While completing the course, consider joining the research study to contribute to advancing the evidence supporting this program.
Hosted by the Chronic Pain Network, our goal is to make sure the voices and experiences of people with pain are included in research and decision-making.
At Pain Connect, we believe that the people who know the most about living with pain are those who experience it every day.
By partnering with researchers, policymakers, and knowledge mobilizers, individuals with lived experience can help shape research studies and contribute to projects that impact the way pain is understood and treated in Canada.
This online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) course is 100% free, created by a fully certified MBSR instructor, and is based on the program founded by Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. More than 7,000 graduates from 100 countries have completed all the course requirements.
Summary: In this 20-minute video, Dr. Andrea Furlan explains why some people will develop chronic pain after a surgical procedure. And what can be done to prevent and treat this kind of chronic postsurgical pain.
Developed by: This guide was updated with permission for online use from "A Patient’s Guide to Total Knee Replacement Outpatient Surgery" developed by the Total Joint Assessment Clinic staff for patients at the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS).
Summary: This interactive guide contains detailed information to help patients prepare for and recover from their Total Knee Replacement Surgery. Divided in 8 modules, the information provided includes:
Click "Go to Resource" to access this interactive guide.
Note: This course is available on the Power Over Pain Thinkific learning platform. You will need to create a free account on Thinkific to partake in the course and keep track of your progress. If you would like an electronic copy of the NLHS original guide, click on the image below.
Developed by: This guide was updated with permission for online use from "A Patient’s Guide to Total Hip Replacement Surgery" developed by the Total Joint Assessment Clinic staff for patients at the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS).
Summary: This interactive guide contains detailed information to help patients prepare for and recover from their Total Hip Replacement Surgery. Divided in 8 modules, the information provided includes:
Developed by: The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).
Summary: BounceBack® is a free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Working with workbooks and a trained coach to guide you and encourage you to reflect, BounceBack® can help you build skills to improve your mental health. Click “Go to Resource” and select your province or territory to find the right program for you.
Note: You can also call 1-855-873-0013 or email bounceback@cmha.ca for more information and/or to get help to determine if BounceBack® is a good fit for you or someone you care about.
Presented by: Dr. Mike Evans, MD, founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital.
Summary: In this 7-minute Visual Whiteboard Lecture, Dr. Evans explains how to prepare for hip and knee replacement surgery.
Summary: Well Central is an accessible and completely free virtual Recovery College. Well Central offers interactive courses that empower individuals to take control of their mental health and well-being. Well Central offers a tailored online journey providing support, resources and guided courses, valuing each visitor’s unique experience. Courses include:
Developed by: Bridge the gapp was co-designed by Canadian governmental and community partners and people with lived experience with mental illness and addictions. Originally developed in Newfoundland and Labrador, it has been recognized nationally and internationally, and has been a trusted source for resources and services since 2015.
Summary: Bridge the gapp is a new way to connect with guidance and support for mental health and addictions. Bridge the gapp offers self-help resources, links to local services and allows Canadians to share their own personal stories and read other’s stories on the Wall of Hope.
Developed by: The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), a nationwide organization that promotes mental health and supports people recovering from mental illness. It is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada.
Summary: CMHA’s mission is to ensure that all people in Canada experience good mental health and well-being. Click “Go to Resource” to find information on:
Developed by: The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH).
Summary: It all starts with knowledge. The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) provides a series of free online tutorials as a starting point for learning about mental health. You can find tutorials on several topics related to mental health, addiction, and depression.
Note: Some of these tutorials will require the creation of a free account on CAMH course site.
Developed by: The Government of Canada.
Summary: Find free, virtually delivered mental health and substance use supports that are available across the country on canada.ca/mental-health. Click “Go to Resource” to find information on:
Presented by: Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, PhD, pain specialist, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.
Summary: In this 23-minute video Dr. Furlan explains how to calculate sleep efficiency and improve sleep quality. Dr. Furlan highlights several important factors to improve sleep efficiency and quality such as how low traffic noise affects cortisol levels, what room temperature is ideal for sleep, sleep routines and much more.
Developed by: The National Overdose Response Service (NORS), a collaborative initiative between people who use drugs, Grenfell Ministries, the Brave Technology Co-op, and Dr. Monty Ghosh.
Summary: NORS is an overdose prevention hotline for Canadians providing loving, confidential, nonjudgmental support for you, whenever and wherever you use drugs.
Click “Go to Resource” to learn more.
Presented by: The Doctors of British Columbia (BC) and the BC Government.
Summary: These videos were created for the BC Patient Prehabilitation Program, as part of the Surgical Patient Optimization Collaborative (SPOC), an initiative of the Doctors of BC and BC Government through the Joint Collaborative Committees. BC Surgical Patient Prehabilitation is designed to assist patients to prepare for an elective procedure, so they experience improved outcomes from their surgery. It focuses on both the mental and physical aspects of surgery, therefore decreasing pre-surgical risk factors so that patients can obtain high quality outcomes from their surgery. With these 14 short videos (1-2 minutes each), you will learn about prehabilitation and all its components.
Developed by: The Transitional Pain Service at the Toronto General Hospital.
Summary: The effective treatment of ongoing pain involves a combination of approaches that focus on the body and mind. This self-directed learning course aims to better prepare patients for transitional pain care or pain after surgery. Access this 7-module course to learn how psychological techniques and strategies can help in managing pain. This course also includes information and resources to help you prepare for an appointment with a pain psychologist at a transitional pain clinic near you.
Summary: Research studies show that learning more about how pain works helps people cope better and manage their own pain. This self-directed learning course aims to better prepare patients for transitional pain care or pain after surgery. Access this 7-module course to learn about pain after surgery, how it can become chronic and how to manage it.
Developed by: eCentreClinic at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia
Summary: The Pain Course is a free, online and internet-delivered pain management program, designed to provide information and teach practical skills for managing the impact of chronic pain on day-to-day activities and emotional wellbeing.
The program consists of five lessons, each containing in-depth reading materials with many practical exercises to help integrate the content, and relatable lived experience stories carried throughout the course:
This self-guided course provides comprehensive and practical information. It is recommended to spread the five lessons over eight weeks, dedicating around four hours per week to get the most helpful experience. Feedback from past participants suggests that spending more time engaging with the materials increases the benefits of the course.
Note: This course is available on the Power Over Pain Thinkific learning platform. You will need to create a free account on Thinkific to partake in the course and keep track of your progress.
Presented by: Dr. Joshua Rash, PhD R. Psych., Director of the Behavioural Medicine Centre at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Summary: People who live with pain commonly report experiencing issues with sleep and, conversely, poor sleep can make it more difficult to manage pain. This 60-minute workshop with Dr. Josh Rash at Memorial University of Newfoundland explores the complex relationship between sleep and pain. Dr. Rash focusses on practical considerations and strategies for managing sleep disturbances among people who live with pain. Dr. Rash also provides insights on how to improve the management of pain by optimizing sleep.
Developed by: Dr. Rosemary Wilson, NP, PhD from Queen's University and Dr. Rachael Bosma, PhD from Women's College Hospital in Toronto, and co-designed with people with lived experience.
Summary: Gain control over your life and participate in the things that are important to you. This course provides you with tools to be an active participant in your pain management. Key concepts and terms coverved include:
Developed by: A multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians along with people with lived experience led by Dr. Brigitte Sabourin and Dr. Renée El-Gabalawy at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and funded by the Health Science Centre (HSC) Foundation.
Summary: The IMPACT program is based on the scientifically proven approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain. There have been over 100 randomized controlled trials supporting the many benefits of ACT for chronic pain including improved mental health, better quality of life, lower disability related to pain, higher self-efficacy and decreased fear of being active.
By completing the IMPACT program,
Developed by: The Royal thanks to a donation by D.I.F.D. The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres. Its mandate is simple: to help more people living with mental illness into recovery faster.
Summary: Life as a student can be stressful - assignments, part-time jobs, sports, clubs, relationships, family responsibilities. In fact, during your years as a student, you will face some of the most intense pressures of any point in your life. Stress can take a toll on your mind, weighing you down and even making you ill, so it’s important to take action to stay healthy. That’s what HealthyMinds is all about. HealthyMinds is a problem-solving tool to help deal with emotions and cope with the stresses you encounter both on and off campus. The goal: Keeping your mind healthy.
Developed by: Psychologists and educators in Australia.
Summary: Smiling Mind is a unique tool developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life. Smiling Mind is Australia’s leading digital-led, prevention focused mental health not-for-profit. Smiling Mind has been helping minds thrive for over 10 years and are the innovators behind Australia’s most trusted mental wellbeing app. Smiling Mind’s evidence-based tools support people to learn the skills to maintain their mental health in fun and interactive ways.
Presented by: Sheena, a yoga teacher with lived experience.
Summary: Watch this 13-minute video where Sheena, a yoga teacher who suffers from fibromyalgia, shares her daily meditation for pain relief.
Presented by: Dr. David Ho, MD, PhD, a pain medicine fellow in the Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Summary: In this 35-minute video, Dr. Ho speaks on mindfulness and pain and how to cultivate mindfulness. Learn the differences between meditation and mindfulness, mindful response to pain, the origin of mindfulness, how to practice mindfulness, and more.
Presented by: Dr. Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy and the Center of Integrative Medicine’s Associate Director of Neuroscience at Wake Forest School of Medicine.
Summary: Dr. Zeidan’s research has uncovered the specific brain mechanisms involved in mindfulness meditation-based pain relief. He is currently developing meditation-based interventions to best target chronic pain. Watch this 18-minute video to learn more.
Summary: Living with pain doesn't mean we have to live without a satisfying and fulfilling sex life. We can have one. When we're willing to try new approaches, define new ways of finding enjoyment and communicate honestly about worries and needs, we'll find it's not as hard as we thought to find a way back to pleasure, fun, and fulfillment.
With this module from LivePlanBe+, learn how chronic pain affects sex and intimacy, how to communicate while in pain, and what is assertive communication and why is it important.
Summary: When we're feeling unwell, balanced food might be the last thing on our minds. It's important for us to follow trusted and credible nutrition advice provided by guidelines such as Canada's Food Guide. Check out this module from LivePlanBe+ to learn more about nutrition.
Summary: Understanding that stress is a natural response that does not automatically mean harm (much like some pain experiences) will help us face stressful events with a more positive approach. This awareness is important for someone living with pain, since a nervous system that routinely copes with pain needs all the resilience possible. Check out this module from LivePlanBe+ to learn more.
Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI).
Summary: Persistent pain can contribute to life stressors, and chronic stress can worsen the pain experience. The good news is that anything that helps you manage stress can also help your pain, and anything to help with pain can also help you cope with stress. Click “Go to Resource” to learn what stress is and why people experience stress, how stress and pain are related, how to identify your stress triggers and warning signs, and how to cope with stress in healthy ways.
Summary: Healthy eating and dietary changes may be one component of your chronic pain self-management plan. Research shows that healthy nutrition has a positive effect on our health. In Canada, dietary risks are one of the three leading risk factors for disease burden. To date, there are no scientifically proven “chronic pain diets”, however healthy eating can benefit people with chronic pain in many ways. Click “Go to Resource” to learn more about healthy eating.
Summary: The Benefits Finder is a tool that can help you find benefits and services that you may be eligible to receive. It asks a few questions and uses your answers to search. It does not collect or track your information. The more questions you answer, the more customized and accurate your results will be.
Developed by: The Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network, the Canadian Sleep Society, Fondation Sommeil and Wake-up Narcolepsy Canada. Sleep On It has a mission to promote the importance of sleep to maintain good health, to demystify sleep difficulties, and to offer solutions to patients.
Summary: Learn about topics such as What is Sleep, Age-Specific Dos and Don’ts, the Why and the How of Dreams, and information on sleep disorders and more. Read special reports such as The Art and Science of Napping, and access resources such as a list of local support groups and online courses to access everything you need to better understand sleep and its importance for your health.
Developed by: The Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA). CAPSA is a national organization of subject matter experts, researchers and educators dedicated to changing approaches to Substance Use Health through training, education and consulting.
Summary: This podcast series was created to talk about substance use health - something that can be hard for many of us. Tune in if you are curious about substance use health or have questions about it. There will be difficult questions about substance use that often don’t have easy answers. CAPSA’s aim is not to be confrontational, but also not to shy away from controversial ideas. Be open to hearing them on their podcast!
Summary: In pain management, opioids are medications that work by blocking pain signals in your brain and spinal cord. Most effective when prescribed to manage acute pain, opioids are sometimes used along with other therapies as part of a chronic pain treatment plan. Safe doses of opioids should only be used in chronic pain patients if they allow the patient to improve function and achieve practical goals. Visit this webpage to learn more about opioids including how to start a trial, managing your opioids, or decreasing your usage.
Note: Opioids do not cure chronic pain and they come with some serious risks. Opioids should not be relied on as an important treatment for chronic pain as there is not a lot of scientific literature that supports the use of opioids for chronic pain. It is important to work with your health care provider to ensure you are using your opioids safely and effectively.
Developed by: The clinical and research team at Michael G. DeGroote Pain Clinic at Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Ontario and pain clinic partners across Canada.
Summary: Using Cannabis to Treat Chronic Pain is an online course with the primary goal is to provide you with an understanding of how cannabis works in your body as well as the benefits and risks associated with using. This course has been developed with a group of medical professionals to support people just like you. Topics covered includes:
Developed by: The helpline is operated by Donna Cona, an Indigenous organization, and funded by the Government of Canada.
Summary: The Hope for Wellness Helpline is available to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are reachable by telephone and online ‘chat’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Both telephone and online chat services are available in English and French. Telephone support is also available upon request in Cree, Ojibway (Anishinaabemowin) and Inuktitut.
Developed by: The Aboriginal Children’s Hurt and Healing (ACHH) Initiative – a broad partnership, consisting of Indigenous community leaders, clinicians, Elders, youth, researchers from Dalhousie University, IWK Health and many more.
Summary: Indigenous children and families are often misunderstood and mistreated by health care professionals – an issue at the heart of the ACHH Initiative. The ACHH Initiative is working with communities and clinicians to bridge the gap in our understanding of Indigenous children’s pain and hurt. Through research and strong community and clinician partnerships we are working to bridge the gap in our understanding of Indigenous children’s pain and hurt and ultimately, improve healthcare experiences.
Developed by: The Health Information Research Unit at McMaster University as a Knowledge Translation initiative of the Chronic Pain Network.
Summary: Updated regularly, PAIN+ CPN provides access to current best evidence from health care research to help inform health care professionals, individuals living with pain and caregivers. All citations are rated by both health care professionals and patients living with chronic pain, to determine clinical relevance and general interest.
Note: Check out the Evidence Summaries section where the latest in pain research is translated into easy-to-understand short abstracts.
Summary: In this video Dr. Andrea Furlan will demonstrate how to dance bolero, which is a slow-tempo music style originated from Spain. The dance has 4 groups of 8 steps each.
Note: You can print the 32 steps from this document: https://bit.ly/DanceBolero
Presented by: Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists at the Brain and Spinal Cord Rehab Program at Toronto Rehab, University Health Network.
Summary: Health professionals share some of their self-management resources with the world. If you have pain, mobility issues, or simply wish to explore being kinder to yourself through gentle movement and relaxation, then this channel is for you!
Presented by: Pain BC. Pain BC aims to enhance the well-being of all people living with pain through empowerment, care, education and innovation.
Summary: Looking for guidance on gentle movement and relaxation for managing pain? Watch Gentle Movement @ Home series by Pain BC. These 1-hour video sessions are led by physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals and are designed to help people with persistent pain learn to feel safe to move again. Topics include breath awareness and regulation, body tension regulation, and movement and relaxation techniques in both seated and standing positions.
Summary: Do you need a reason to walk? In this 11-minute video, Dr. Andrea Furlan will give you 15 reasons to go for a walk outdoors. She will talk about the importance of walking and the benefits of doing it outdoors.
Presented by: painHEALTH and people living with pain. PainHEALTH is an initiaive from the Government of Western Australia, Department of Health aiming to ease musculoskeletal pain through clinically supported information, tips, support and personal stories to help people better understand and co-manage their musculoskeletal pain conditions.
Summary: This video reviews the importance of remaining active while living with pain and offers ideas for increasing your physical activity such as walking with a friend or family member.
Summary: In this module you will find:
Note: While great care has been taken to ensure that these exercises and advice are prepared in a way that is safe and practical for most people, none of these exercises should be considered specific medical advice.
Summary: Activity pacing is an important tool in chronic pain self-management. It is easy to find ourselves in an “all or nothing” cycle when living with chronic pain. Learning to manage your activity by scheduling planned rest periods/breaks can improve your energy and pain levels. Pacing is “an active self-management strategy where you learn to balance time spent on activity and rest for the purpose of achieving increased function and participation in meaningful activities.”
In this module, you will learn about:
Summary: When living with chronic pain it can be easy to stop participating in activity and exercise. Inactivity causes us to gradually lose strength and flexibility. We then find ourselves out of the habit of exercising, which ultimately causes pain levels to increase.
Developed by: People in Pain Network, a registered non-profit charity originating in Nova Scotia. The People in Pain Network are people with persistent pain helping other people with persistent pain improve the quality of their lives by providing them with a greater understanding of the pain they are feeling, how to successfully manage their pain through self-management, education on why we feel pain and how our pain is designed to assist us break the cycle of isolation and hopelessness so often associated with persistent pain.
Summary: The People in Pain Network Virtual Pain Support Group is a safe place for individuals to talk to about their pain with others who understand. Discover the support you need to construct and lead a resilient team, acquire and apply self-management skills, reintroduce meaning and purpose into your life, and, most importantly, regain the confidence to establish your own "new normal”.
Developed by: Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA). CAPSA believes in multiple pathways to increased health including peer support groups and developing your individual substance use health goals.
Summary: This peer-facilitated group offers a few simple practices and tools designed to help those who are questioning their relationship with substances by:
Summary: Sleeping is as necessary to survival as breathing, eating, and drinking. People can cope without sleep for a short period of time, however long-term sleep deprivation can have many negative consequences on the brain and body. By completing this educational module from the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute, you will learn about the benefits of sleep, its connection to pain, developing healthy sleeping habits, and sleep medications.
Developed by: Drs. David Gardner and Andrea Murphy from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and contributed to by psychologists, psychiatrists, family doctors, pharmacists, people who live with insomnia, researchers, and sleep experts to make sure that our recommendations and content are accurate and practical.
Summary: Sleepwell has two main goals: 1) to help people with insomnia get their sleep back without medications; and 2) to help people stop taking sleeping pills safely and effectively. Sleepwell recommends CBTi (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia) because it has excellent evidence that it works. The challenge for many is getting access to CBTi. This is where Sleepwell comes in. The website includes a highly scrutinized short list of recommended CBTi resources to help get you started without delay. Their recommendations take a self-help approach to CBTi rather than requiring that a therapist be involved, which is also a great option but not available to most people.
Summary: Sleep can improve our ability to think, learn, and remember things. It supports our immune system and appetite. Research suggests that good sleep helps us with our daily activities at home and work, making us more efficient and productive. For many of us with chronic pain, getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge. We may find it difficult to fall asleep or we may wake up often throughout the night. Even if we get the right amount of sleep, we can still feel tired in the morning if our sleep quality is poor.
Note: You will need to create an account on LivePlanBe+ to access the modules.
Developed by: The Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans.
Summary: This podcast covers all aspects of chronic pain by presenting evidence-based information that provides better insight into chronic pain. Recent Government of Canada research found that Veterans are twice as likely to suffer from chronic pain compared to others in the Canadian population. We aim to investigate how this impacts Veterans, and their families. We explore topics such cannabis and psychedelics, and do they help treat chronic pain? We also investigate back surgery, military identity and what military and professional athletes have in common with identity. The evidence-based information on the show will help Veterans, clinicians, researchers, and anyone suffering from chronic pain. It is a 360-degree approach to education on chronic pain.
Tune in to Pain BC's Pain Waves podcast to hear leading chronic pain experts and people in pain discuss the latest pain management research, stories, tools, and trends. Episodes are released once per month and can be accessed through iTunes and Spreaker. Pain BC is a registered health charity that has been leading efforts to improve the lives of people in pain through empowerment, care, education and innovation. Learn more at painbc.ca.
Developed by: Dr. Maureen Allen, BN CCFP-EM(PC) FCFP. Dr. Maureen Allen is an Emergency Department Physician practicing in rural Nova Scotia. She’s been a health care professional for 36 years. She is actively involved in continuing education programs and provides clinical support to rural Nova Scotians living with chronic pain, substance use disorders and end-of-life.
Summary: Have you ever wished you could pick the brain of your local pain expert, if you had one, or find the right word or phrase that can shift the mindset of someone living with persistent pain that can improve their function and quality of life? Pain Talk is a podcast dedicated to bringing together experts who study and support individuals living with pain. It is a platform where scientists, health care providers and individuals living with pain can talk pain—pain and simple.
Presented by: George Zaidan, animated by Augenblick Studios. George Zaidan is a science communicator, television and web host, and producer.
Summary: In this 4-minute video, learn about the basic physiology of how humans experience pain, and the mechanics of the medicines we've invented to block or circumvent that discomfort.
Presented by: Dr. Lorimer Moseley, Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy and Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of South Australia, and Senior Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia
Summary: There have been some amazing pain discoveries over the last 20 years, and they've opened new opportunities for people in pain. This talk will explain that when pain persists, your body learns pain and becomes over protected, but you can use proven strategies to slowly retrain your pain system to be less protective. To begin, you need to rethink what pain actually is, what factors contribute to your pain and how you can tailor it to make your own retraining program.
Summary: LivePlanBe+ offers 23 educational modules on key elements of chronic pain management.
Presented by: Dr. Joshua Pate, PhD MRes MPhysio, directed by Artrake Studio. Dr. Pate is a pain scientist, children's book author, clinician and educator from Sydney, Australia.
Summary: In 1995, the British Medical Journal published a report about a builder who accidentally jumped onto a nail, which pierced straight through his steel-toed boot. He was in such agonizing pain that any movement was unbearable. But when the doctors took off his boot, they discovered that the nail had never touched his foot at all. What’s going on? Joshua W. Pate investigates the experience of pain.
Presented by: Dr. Lorimer Moseley, Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy and Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of South Australia, and Senior Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia.
Summary: Pain scientists are starting to think differently about persistent (chronic) pain and its causes, and they're making exciting discoveries - like how you think about your pain can change the way it feels. In this 5-minute video, Dr. Moseley explains how pain works and describes new approaches to help reduce your pain.
Presented by: Dr. Marwa Azab, PhD, an adjunct professor of psychology and human development at California State University, Long Beach.
Summary: Watch this 17-minute video to better understand the neuroscience of pain, both physical and emotional, and how pain might make us stronger.
Presented by: Linda Geddes, Guardian Science Correspondent with The Guardian Australia.
Summary: Sufferers of chronic pain have long been told it's all in their head. We now know that's not true. This series looks at why doctors are playing catch-up on chronic pain conditions like endometriosis, migraine and more – and what they have to do with Covid. For years people with conditions such as fibromyalgia, endometriosis, chronic fatigue or back pain – to name just a few – have been told the pain is all in their head. With no obvious physical symptoms, nociplastic pain can be difficult to diagnose but its effects are very, very real. Research suggests that the immune system plays a role in nociplastic pain, giving people 'feel bad' symptoms including fatigue, anxiety and nausea.
Summary: TAPMI presents 20 educational modules on key elements of chronic pain management to help you: