ISRounds: A Virtual International Mental Health Educational Series – for FREE!
World class experts share their wisdom and expertise to support the clinical work and professional development of mental health professionals in Israel and around the globe. Other medical and human service professionals are cordially invited.
ISRounds programs will be apolitical, non-commercial, and non-sectarian.
Academic Co-Sponsor: Department of Psychiatry, UMass Chan Medical School
Course Overview
Dr. Otis, author of Managing Chronic Pain (Oxford University Press), will focus the presentation segment of this program on the role of thoughts, emotions and behavior in different psychotherapy patients’ experiences of pain. He will cover the utilization of evidence-based practices such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which includes motivational interviewing, relaxation training, and the use of cognitive restructuring to address cognitive errors, such as catastrophizing. These techniques reduce negative emotions that can contribute to pain. In addition, he will discuss the importance of behavioral activation and goal-setting in therapy. He will also reference his extensive work with military veterans in the United States who suffer from co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and chronic pain.
In the second half of the program, psychologists Anat Marmor and Einat Avraham from Hadassah Hospital’s Rehabilitation Center will present an outpatient case involving co-occurring pain and psychological trauma. The discussion will highlight ways in which psychotherapists can integrate CBT and related strategies into supportive and exploratory paradigms. The goal of this integrated approach is to enhance the psychotherapeutic experience of both the therapist and patient, improving quality of life in conjunction with heightening and sustaining the patient’s functionality.
This webinar is complimentary for those attending live. Access to the on-demand recording will be available for purchase.
John Otis, Ph.D
John Otis, PhD is the Director of the Behavioral Medicine Program at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University, and a Pain Psychologist with the VA Boston Healthcare System Spinal Cord Injury Service. He received his graduate training in Clinical and Health Psychology at the University of Florida with a primary focus on the assessment and treatment of chronic pain. For the past 25 years, Dr. Otis has conducted research and produced scholarly writing on pain throughout the lifespan. Dr. Otis’s clinical research career focuses on the development of innovative approaches to pain management, tailored to specialized patient populations. His most recent research focuses on the development of an intensive integrated treatment for U.S. military veterans who experience chronic pain conditions complicated by PTSD.
As a clinician, teacher and supervisor, Dr. Otis has helped countless individuals gain greater control over their chronic pain. He has lectured and given workshops throughout the United States, helping both clinicians and patients utilize CBT to promote healthier and more productive lives. He is the author of Managing Chronic Pain (Oxford University Press: Treatments that Work Series) – an evidence-based treatment program that includes both a therapist manual and patient workbook.
