"I am here for you. Whether you are struggling with your pain or just want to feel better, I will do my best to move you towards your ideal life.
I am not here to add yet another doctor's appointment to your schedule. On the contrary, I will teach you everything I know about chronic pain and give you the skills to practice at home. We will celebrate your successes and troubleshoot together, and it won't be long before you feel confident in your ability to manage your pain independently.
I look forward to helping you get there."
~Samantha Rafie, Ph.D.
Pain Psychology
Two steps forward.
Your pain is real and it is physical. Every person feels pain differently, depending on their mood, how rested they are, daily habits, and so many other factors. It's important to understand your pain so you know what to do and how to respond to it.
If you learn to respond differently to the pain, the pain itself begins to change. It's a set of strategies and skills combined that result in feeling better. That means doing more and being bothered by pain less.
About
Dr. Rafie
Pain psychologist Samantha Rafie, Ph.D. is on the faculty at the University of California San Diego Health and VA San Diego Healthcare System. Nationally, she is one of a small number of psychologists fellowship trained in chronic pain management and served Veterans of the United States Armed Forces at the only inpatient Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program in the country. Dr. Rafie serves as a consultant to several California Functional Restoration Programs providing specialized care to injured workers. She chairs the Ethics group of the American Pain Society and is a founding member of the Academy of Integrative Pain Management Pain Policy Congress. Dr. Rafie is also a volunteer disaster mental health provider for the American Red Cross, and deployed on a humanitarian mission after Hurricane Harvey to serve the people of Houston, TX.
Dr. Rafie strives to close the existing gaps in pain treatment nationally through her work in these organizations as well as within the local community. She is committed to each and every individual living with chronic pain to support them in their pursuit of suffering less and living their life to its fullest potential.
Low Back Pain
Failed Back Surgery
Tension Headaches
Migraines
Carpal Tunnel
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Colitis, Irritable Bowel
Repetitive Use or Trauma
Work or Sport Injury
You Might Feel
Life Changes
Mood Swings, Snappy
No One Else Understands
Going Through It Alone
Tension at Home
I've Tried Everything
Nothing Helps
It's Never Going to Change
Depressed, Stressed
Hopeless
I'm not living like I used to
Never leave the house
Not active, gaining weight
Struggling at work
Can't focus at school
Rarely see friends, family
Easier to avoid
Don't like talking about me
Chronic Pain and Opioid Management
Strategies for Integrated Treatment
BY JENNIFER L. MURPHY AND SAMANTHA RAFIE
This book presents an integrated healthcare team approach that helps patients manage opioid use in a structured, safe, and supportive environment while also exploring all of the factors that impact the patients’ pain experience. The behavioral treatment strategies in this book can help providers assist patients who are struggling with chronic pain and have relied on opioids at one point. Combining expert clinical guidance with the latest research and practical case examples, the book helps practitioners across healthcare disciplines understand their patients, improve rapport and engagement, and implement treatment strategies to help patients live their best lives.
American Psychological Association | October 2020 | ISBN: 978-1-4338-3256-7
A straightforward, feasible, evidence-based approach . . . . The authors draw on their extensive clinical experience and offer a compelling and compassionate approach for patient engagement and participation in an integrated path toward regaining a sense of control and mastery and achieving valued, personally relevant life goals.
— ROBERT D. KERNS, PHD, PROFESSOR OF PSYCHIATRY, YALE UNIVERSITY
"
"
APA Training Video
