Parenting Youth With Chronic Pain
Supporting an adolescent or young adult with chronic pain comes with unique challenges. At CHYP, we’re here to help. Our programs offer resources, guidance, education, and community support designed specifically for parents and caregivers navigating these challenges.
Breaking the Pain Cycle
We know that the brain and body are connected.
We know that physical symptoms can affect emotions and thinking. If you have a headache, it is hard to study or work. If your stomach hurts, it may be hard to eat. If you feel dizzy, it is difficult to engage in sports. We don’t often realize that our thoughts and emotions can physically impact our bodies. This can cause a pain cycle that creates a loop between anxiety and pain.
The key is learning how to externalize the anxiety and pain (from the neurofeedback loop, aka “Sticky Neural Loop”) for teens to confront it and gain back a “say” in their brains and bodies. Youth in pain can feel powerless and helpless, leading to an additional loop between parent or caregiver and child, where the adult also begins to feel that powerlessness. In this state of parallel helplessness, the pain and anxiety both grow.
Parenting for chronic pain is challenging
We have programs just for you
Monthly open Zoom meetings for parents, providing discussion and community with peers in similar circumstances. Held the first Friday of every month, from 1-2 pm PT.
An eight-week program designed for parents and caregivers of youth navigating chronic pain and other medical, developmental, or emotional challenges. This intimate group, facilitated by a licensed therapist, provides a safe and supportive space to connect with others who understand the unique struggles of parenting with these challenges.
Free, live, educational webinars via Zoom with esteemed medical professionals, who provide parents and caregivers unique insights into a variety of topics related to chronic pain and related conditions, with opportunities for Q&A.
Fresh content provided weekly covering a broad range of topics essential to parenting a child or young adult with chronic pain, including related conditions, expert guidance and practical tips. Includes a searchable database of all past topics.