Review
“The Pain Management Workbook is an unmatched resource for pain sufferers. This brilliantly lucid book is written in an easily comprehensible, conversational style that is unlike any other, and fills a huge void in the understanding of pain. Rachel Zoffness’s book will become a standard text offering millions of pain sufferers the tools to manage their pain.”
—Jack Stern, MD, PhD, professor of neurosurgery at New York Medical College; author of Ending Back Pain; editorial review board member of Spine and The Spine Journal; and past president of the board of governors at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
“This book challenges the reader to take a science-based, potentially transformative journey toward recovery from chronic pain, surely one of the most burdensome health problems we face. Rachel Zoffness has captured that precious sweet spot where scientific discovery, clinical expertise, compassion, and respect overlap. If you are ready for a journey that may well change your life, then pack this book.”
—Lorimer Moseley, DSc, PhD, FAAHMS, HonFFPMANZFA, HonMAPA, professor of clinical neuroscience, and director of IIMPACT in Health at the University of South Australia; and CEO of Pain Revolution
“This workbook is a must-have for anyone experiencing chronic pain. Based on science, Rachel Zoffness provides easy-to-follow strategies to understand and change the experience of pain while infusing humor, compassion, authenticity, and courage throughout. Each chapter introduces a new skill, so by the end of the workbook you have everything needed to reclaim your life.”
—Heather Poupore-King, PhD, clinical assistant professor in the department of anesthesiology and perioperative pain medicine, and director of the Pain Psychology Fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine
“Rachel Zoffness has done it again. In The Pain Management Workbook, she skillfully describes how negative emotions, stress, and anger can impact pain. More importantly, she provides a range of evidence-based, behavioral approaches, including mindfulness, relaxation, and healthy choices—as well as a plethora of exercises to promote transformation. If you are in pain or work with those who are, this workbook contains welcome recipes for self-care and healing.”
—Robert Bonakdar, MD, FAAFP, FACN, director of pain management at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, coeditor of Integrative Pain Management, and 2018 Mayday Pain Advocacy Fellow
“If you feel pain will never end or want alternatives to opioids, The Pain Management Workbook provides solutions for taking control of your pain. It’s grounded in science, based on extensive clinical experience, and integrates the power of mind and body to mobilize health. The guided practices are actually doable—and promote healing. It’s the best self-care workbook that I can recommend.”
—Erik Peper, PhD, professor of holistic health at San Francisco State University; coauthor of Tech Stress; and producer of the blog, peperperspective.com
“Treating chronic pain is one of the most vexing medical challenges that physicians ever confront. In a field offering many approaches to care, Rachel Zoffness’s workbook stands out for its comprehensive and scientifically grounded approach to pain management. Her step-by-step, collaborative method promises a clear path toward healing that is realistic and effective. As a physician, I am thrilled to have this valuable tool to recommend to my own patients.”
—Jacob M. Appel, MD, PhD, JD, MPH, assistant professor of psychiatry and of medical education, and director of ethics education in psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
“Rachel Zoffness skillfully unravels the complexities underlying chronic pain, and presents the reader with an approachable way of conceptualizing the condition. She provides a clear, scientifically based pathway to break free from its firm grip and reclaim quality of life. This empowering book is an excellent resource for anyone in pain, or for people wanting to help those living with painful conditions.”
—Ravi Prasad, PhD, clinical professor and director of behavioral health in the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine
“If you are in chronic pain, want to understand why you have it and what you can do for it, you need not look beyond Rachel Zoffness’s excellent book. She has highlighted many of the difficult, important-to-understand concepts of chronic pain, including the biopsychosocial aspects of pain, and offers a mechanism for people to work through their pain.”
—Avinash Ramchandani, MD, MBA, FAAPMR, board-certified pain management physician specializing in pain medicine at Redwood Pain Institute, part of the Neurovations Group
Review
“The Pain Management Workbook is an unmatched resource for pain sufferers. This brilliantly lucid book is written in an easily comprehensible, conversational style that is unlike any other, and fills a huge void in the understanding of pain. Rachel Zoffness’s book will become a standard text offering millions of pain sufferers the tools to manage their pain.”
—Jack Stern, MD, PhD, professor of neurosurgery at New York Medical College; author of Ending Back Pain; editorial review board member of Spine and The Spine Journal; and past president of the board of governors at Albert Einstein College of Medicine
“This book challenges the reader to take a science-based, potentially transformative journey toward recovery from chronic pain, surely one of the most burdensome health problems we face. Rachel Zoffness has captured that precious sweet spot where scientific discovery, clinical expertise, compassion, and respect overlap. If you are ready for a journey that may well change your life, then pack this book.”
—Lorimer Moseley, DSc, PhD, FAAHMS, HonFFPMANZFA, HonMAPA, professor of clinical neuroscience, and director of IIMPACT in Health at the University of South Australia; and CEO of Pain Revolution
“This workbook is a must-have for anyone experiencing chronic pain. Based on science, Rachel Zoffness provides easy-to-follow strategies to understand and change the experience of pain while infusing humor, compassion, authenticity, and courage throughout. Each chapter introduces a new skill, so by the end of the workbook you have everything needed to reclaim your life.”
—Heather Poupore-King, PhD, clinical assistant professor in the department of anesthesiology and perioperative pain medicine, and director of the Pain Psychology Fellowship at Stanford University School of Medicine
“Rachel Zoffness has done it again. In The Pain Management Workbook, she skillfully describes how negative emotions, stress, and anger can impact pain. More importantly, she provides a range of evidence-based, behavioral approaches, including mindfulness, relaxation, and healthy choices—as well as a plethora of exercises to promote transformation. If you are in pain or work with those who are, this workbook contains welcome recipes for self-care and healing.”
—Robert Bonakdar, MD, FAAFP, FACN, director of pain management at the Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, coeditor of Integrative Pain Management, and 2018 Mayday Pain Advocacy Fellow
“If you feel pain will never end or want alternatives to opioids, The Pain Management Workbook provides solutions for taking control of your pain. It’s grounded in science, based on extensive clinical experience, and integrates the power of mind and body to mobilize health. The guided practices are actually doable—and promote healing. It’s the best self-care workbook that I can recommend.”
—Erik Peper, PhD, professor of holistic health at San Francisco State University; coauthor of Tech Stress; and producer of the blog, peperperspective.com
“Treating chronic pain is one of the most vexing medical challenges that physicians ever confront. In a field offering many approaches to care, Rachel Zoffness’s workbook stands out for its comprehensive and scientifically grounded approach to pain management. Her step-by-step, collaborative method promises a clear path toward healing that is realistic and effective. As a physician, I am thrilled to have this valuable tool to recommend to my own patients.”
—Jacob M. Appel, MD, PhD, JD, MPH, assistant professor of psychiatry and of medical education, and director of ethics education in psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
“Rachel Zoffness skillfully unravels the complexities underlying chronic pain, and presents the reader with an approachable way of conceptualizing the condition. She provides a clear, scientifically based pathway to break free from its firm grip and reclaim quality of life. This empowering book is an excellent resource for anyone in pain, or for people wanting to help those living with painful conditions.”
—Ravi Prasad, PhD, clinical professor and director of behavioral health in the department of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine
“If you are in chronic pain, want to understand why you have it and what you can do for it, you need not look beyond Rachel Zoffness’s excellent book. She has highlighted many of the difficult, important-to-understand concepts of chronic pain, including the biopsychosocial aspects of pain, and offers a mechanism for people to work through their pain.”
—Avinash Ramchandani, MD, MBA, FAAPMR, board-certified pain management physician specializing in pain medicine at Redwood Pain Institute, part of the Neurovations Group
About the Author
Rachel Zoffness, MS, PhD, is a thought-leader and leading global expert in pain management. She is a pain psychologist, medical consultant, author and educator. Dr. Zoffness is a Visiting Professor at Stanford, an Assistant Clinical Professor at the UCSF School of Medicine, and pain education faculty at Dartmouth. She is author of The Pain Management Workbook and The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens, and writes the Psychology Today column Pain, Explained. Dr. Zoffness serves on the boards of the American Association of Pain Psychology and Society of Pediatric Pain Medicine, and is a 2021 Mayday Fellow. She was trained at Brown University, Columbia University, UCSD, SDSU, and Mount Sinai Hospital. She provides lectures, trainings, and consults for medical professionals and hospitals around the world.
Foreword writer Mark A. Schumacher, MD, PhD, is professor and chief of the division of pain medicine in the department of anesthesia and perioperative care at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Schumacher is director of the UCSF Pain and Addiction Research Center; recently served on the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Committee; and coauthored a report on the opioid epidemic. Throughout his career, he has sought ways to communicate the science and practice of pain medicine, including previously directing an NIH Center of Excellence in Pain Education at UCSF.
