ABSTRACT
Chronic pain is a significant problem in the United States, with up to one-quarter of adult Americans experiencing some significant disruption to their daily lives due to pain. For most people with chronic pain, primary care services are their first and, in some cases, only setting within which they receive intervention. Unfortunately, primary care providers often lack the time and expertise to adequately address chronic pain on their own. Integrated mental health providers in primary care can serve as valuable consultation and treatment resources. This chapter provides an overview of psychological treatment options for chronic pain in primary care (e.g., brief psychotherapies, complementary and integrative health strategies, basic relaxation techniques, assistive technologies such as biofeedback). This chapter then discusses the models and mechanisms of behavioral health integration that have shown the most promise for successful treatment uptake and effectiveness. By also exploring factors that contribute to pain management treatment failure in primary care settings, this chapter establishes a rubric for explaining how brief psychotherapeutic interventions can be implemented in order to maximize positive outcomes in this unique environment.
