Chronic Pain and the Role of Mindfulness with Amy Hondronicols: An Evening Workshop with Amy Hondronicals Oct 5 2021

This will be an interactive workshop with a number of mindfulness practices and time for Q&A

Amy will define chronic pain and mindfulness, from the context of her approach to practice of physiotherapy.  

She will discuss: 

• The existence of pain with and without damage, the example of phantom limb pain, and how the context affects pain perception.
• Neuroplasticity and how is that related to mindfulness. She will discuss brain maps, how they are affected by pain and injury, use, and mindfulness.
• The stress response in pain and the acute and long-term changes that can happen. 

• The connection between thoughts, emotions and pain 
• Mindful strategies to help cope with chronic pain: movement, graduated challenges, breathing practices, progressive muscle relaxation, positive self-talk, and education 

Amy is a physiotherapist working in a public setting. She encounters people dealing with chronic pain on a daily basis, and this has shaped her practice to be aware of the factors that affect pain in every interaction. She thinks that mindfulness plays a key role in how physiotherapy can help people move better, and cope with pain. In particular, she is interested in how mindful movement can power change in the nervous system. Some of her favourite ways to move are sailing on the Bay or biking through Hamilton!