Live - Online Training

Effective Pain Management

Help with chronic pain – learn the powerful psychological and behavioural techniques that alleviate persistent pain and accelerate healing

with pain specialist Dr Grahame Brown

Course Factfile

Pain Management Online Course

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  • Date: Tuesday 1st April

  • Accredited CPD: 6 hours

  • Length: 1 day (9.30am - 4.00pm GMT)

  • Tutor: Dr. Grahame Brown

  • Price: £145 per person

Price includes course notes and access to a recording of the event

£145.00

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Fantastic to have the opportunity to train with this specialist. Thoroughly enjoyed this online course – the best I have attended...

Clincial hypnotherapist

Live online training – Join Dr Grahame Brown on Tuesday 1st April for this practical live online training event via Zoom, you will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Simply book your place and we will email you the Zoom link the day before the event.
BONUS RECORDING – the training is recorded, in case anyone experiences technical difficulties on the day, so you will also get a recording for a limited time afterwards to maximise your learning.
Can’t make this date?  Register your interest and we’ll let you know when there’s another.

> In-person training also available – click here

Why you should attend

CPD Provider LogoPain is endemic in our society and whatever the cause – back pain, migraine, arthritic pain, dental pain, irritable bowel (IBS), labour/menstrual pain, cancer pain, psychogenic pain, psychosomatic pain – it can be incapacitating.

Chronic pain is any pain which lasts for more than three months and it is estimated that between 25–40% of our population suffer from persistent or chronic pain. The sociological and economic costs of this are enormous but it is in the personal human suffering involved – mental as well as physical – that the real costs should be measured. Many are desperate for effective help to relieve their pain and the associated effects, such as insomnia and depression.

This online course – with leading pain and musculoskeletal medicine consultant Dr Grahame Brown – gives you important new information about how we experience pain – derived from the latest neuroscience – and a powerful range of psychological techniques for managing pain naturally, preventing it from escalating and speeding up healing.

You will discover how people can be helped out of the vicious cycle of chronic pain and how, by working holistically through the bio-psycho-social model, suffering can be dramatically reduced.

You don’t need to have any prior medical knowledge to learn from and enjoy the day – you will leave with a much clearer understanding of what is going on in the mind/body system, what you can do to reduce suffering when pain persists and ways to prevent chronic ongoing pain from developing.

It is a key event if you work with people suffering from pain at any stage (from recent onset, recurrent to persistent) or if you would like to find out how to successfully manage pain without medication.

You will learn a wide variety of pain management techniques, which can easily be integrated into your work, to help relieve pain and promote recovery – often in just one session.

Dr Grahame Brown has a real gift for helping people heal themselves – I know: I’m one of them!

Christopher Buckley, Professor of Rheumatology, University of Birmingham

What will you learn

  • An increased understanding of how we perceive pain (from the latest neuroscientific research) and what is happening in the mind/body system
  • A road map for helping people out of the vicious cycle of chronic pain, or to stop it developing in the first place
  • The confidence and skills to help patients suffering from persistent pain of whatever cause – no need to feel ‘heart-sink’ with some patients anymore
  • An understanding of what is going on when pain persists – and what you can do about it
  • How to reduce the risk of chronic pain developing – prevention is better than cure – and identify the factors that make it likely
  • A range of psychological chronic pain management techniques to use with your patients or yourself
  • The importance of the bio-psycho-social model in reducing pain and accelerating healing
  • How to produce significant pain relief by changing the way people think about their pain – in minutes
  • An understanding of the value of pain displacement and how to use the brain’s ‘reality simulator’
  • What the latest neuroscience tell us about the experience of pain
  • How to use guided imagery, relaxation and distraction to promote chronic pain relief
  • How to deal with constant pain and promote healing
  • How healthcare professionals can make their consultations more therapeutic
  • How to avoid labelling patients’ pain as ‘purely psychological’
  • The many myths about pain – and why some well-intentioned pain management techniques don’t work and more…

No prior medical knowledge is needed for you to benefit from the day.

Course Programme

The ‘Effective Pain Management’ live online course starts at 9.15am and runs until 4.00pm. (GMT).

Who is this course suitable for?

  • This course is designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of health care professionals of any discipline who work on a regular or occasional basis with people in pain to improve outcomes, including: • doctors • surgeons • nurses • dentists • neurologists • osteopaths • chiropractors • palliative care workers • psychiatrists • midwives • physiotherapists • occupational therapists • psychologists • health visitors • support/care workers • psychotherapists • counsellors – it is perfect CPD
  • If you personally experience persistent pain then you will gain much from the online course but please be aware the programme is not designed to be a treatment day and the tutor will be unable to give opinions to individuals with pain problems unless (with consent) their problem can be discussed for the benefit of all participants
  • Anyone who would like to understand more about their own experience of pain, or that of someone they care for, and what can be done to manage ongoing pain and alleviate suffering

> London in-person date also available – click here


CPD Provider LogoThis course has been independently assessed by the internationally recognised CPD Standards Office for 6 hours of CPD training.

On completion of this training you’ll receive CPD certificates from the College and the CPD Standards Office.


Register your interest – next date

If you can’t make this course, please complete the form below and we’ll email you when another date becomes available.

Reviews for this course

4.8/5 (160 Reviews)
  1. Priya Amiani, Anxiety Specialist

    I really enjoyed the course, the pace and space to ask questions was great. I also love how all the links and page numbers were being shared on the chat. I have never experienced this on any other courses and loved this. My first experience of Human Givens and I loved it. Will be doing more and may consider the diploma too. The understanding I have gained around pain management will really help me support my clients and myself. A really refreshing approach.

  2. HG Psychotherapist

    Such a fascinating course which explained Pain to me in a way I’d never heard before but which makes complete sense and is such empowering knowledge to have.

  3. Kathleen Sambrook, Charity Worker

    The course was extremely informative and was delivered in a way which was easy to understand. It was brilliantly put together and kept everyone’s interest by including short video clips and by being interactive. Grahame Browne spoke from a place of experience and knowledge. I learned so much from the course which I know will help me to help others.

  4. Claire Stancu, Clinical Psychologist

    I really enjoyed this full-day course. On the theory side, it was a great refresher on recent breakthroughs in understanding the neurophysiology of persistent pain.
    Informations were presented in a clear, simple language, making use of evocative and powerful analogies. It communicated simple, new ways of understanding the complexity of painful conditions and, most importantly, of conveying them to patients. On the practical side of counselling patients who suffer with persistent pain, the course offered some very valuable working models (such as the “readiness to change” model and the “overflowing bathtub”), integrating them nicely into a cohesive treatment plan within the APET and RIGAAR frameworks which underlie the principles of human givens psychology and psychotherapy.
    The exchanges with Grahame and with the other participants were enriching and warm, while the talks, videos and timings of the breaks were well-timed. It was wonderful to be able to exchange and discuss with other therapists who, like me, may have encountered issues of persistent pain conditions in their professional practice and/or in their own personal experience. It would have been great to be able to delve deeper into some of the issues that were touched upon, but there is only so much time, and I appreciate that Grahame took time to touch upon the issues of pharmacology and its shortcomings. I appreciated his choice of language in the matter (i.e. “habituation” rather than “addiction”, in relationships to opioids) about an issue where the lives of patients and families have sometimes been forever changed after medical prescriptions from practitioners basing their decisions on inaccurate science. The overall content and language used throughout the course ties in nicely with the humanistic, client-centred framework that I so appreciate in Human Givens psychotherapy.
    After this course, I feel better resourced on the subject as to be able to make a difference to clients living with persistent pain conditions

  5. Hypnotherapist & NLP & TFT Practitioner

    An insightful and useful course, which will be of great benefit for me to use within my practice, to help clients with pain management, and diagnosis. Helpful to have had the course on playback. Well balanced day with suitable comfort breaks.
    Will definitely be looking to attend more Human Givens courses in the future.

  6. George Bower, HG Psychotherapist Trainee

    A fascinating course which challenges the conventional biomedical approach to chronic pain, and also challenges our biases and prejudices around the subject. HG and modern neuroscience have been on the same track on key distress areas for humans and I’ve learned valuable new assessment and intervention protocols built off the HG organising idea. APET and RIGAAR are nicely extended into an area that many clients can benefit from.

  7. Hypnotherapist

    Very interesting, I enjoyed the talk.

  8. Karys Matthams

    It was a fascinating day, which wove together the science of how humans experience pain with the emotional needs they all have. Learning about the links between them and how people can influence their experience of pain has given me more insight into how to support people who live with pain on a daily basis.

  9. Jeweller & Trainee Reflexologist

    I booked it on the recommendation of my aunt who is a human givens therapist and was slightly unsure about whether it would be useful or not, however it was fascinating! I enjoyed the format and thought the videos were very well chosen. I particularly enjoyed the Ted talks one.

  10. Counsellor & Psychotherapist

    I was very happy with the delivery and pace of this course. It reinforced my learning around the mind / body connection

  11. Counsellor

    Grahame and Arlene were very welcoming and professional. The course content was very informative and has enhanced my knowledge which will assist me in future client work. Many thanks

  12. Scott Read, Osteopath

    Great course. Very informative and interesting. Dr Grahame Brown is very knowledgeable and easy to understand

  13. Structural and Cranial Registered Osteopath

    An important biosocial approach enabling patients to express themselves emotionally, mentally and physically to a practitioner in a way that they feel personally heard and supported during coping with chronic pain.

  14. Hypnotherapist

    Really enjoyed the course, never taken part in on line training before, definitely would do this again. Very interesting and engaging speaker

  15. Counsellor

    Very informative – provided new thoughts and perspective on how to view pain

  16. John Lowings, Retired Photographer

    Full of very useful information and excellent insights into how and why persistent pain becomes established and continues. I now understand why I have persistent pain. This feels very empowering as (using this new knowledge and adapting it for me)I think I can design a plan to improve my situation. I have felt powerless and could feel hopefulness draining away but this has given me hope that things can get better.
    Thank you enormously for this gift.

  17. Unnur Inga Jensen-Wilmot, HG Student and Positive Psychology Practitioner

    The course notes are brilliant and informative, thank you 🙂
    The course was excellent, very insightful, and inspiring. It left one with more understanding of how the process of persistent pain operates, and with the hope of potentially being able to acquire skills to assist oneself and others in the future who live with such conditions.

  18. Trainee HG Therapist

    This was my favourite HG course I’ve attended so far. The perfect blend of theory, case studies / stories from Grahame’s vast experience and useful takeaway tools! The course delivery was also fantastic, with plenty of time for questions / sharing stories / further discussion. A really enjoyable and useful course!

  19. Denise Pearce, Hypnotherapist

    Great insight into the psychology and physiology of pain.

  20. Joy Cherkaoui, Community Development Worker

    A really excellent course packed full of useful information and tips in easily understandable language. Grahame shared his wealth of experience and allowed us to add questions and stories of our own. I feel like I really learned so much from the day. Just one thing I’d add in is one or two small group exercises in breakout rooms to allow us to engage with some of the learning during the session. I would thoroughly recommend this course to anyone with an interest in pain whether as a practitioner or as someone experiencing pain.

  21. Anni Williamson, Welfare Officer

    Grahame explained, using examples, the foundations of pain, its causes and what happens in the body. This he delivered at a level that all could understand. He then built on this to include how to diagnose and treat a client displaying pain long after the initial pain site has healed.

  22. Human Givens Trainee

    Dr Grahame Brown was excellent teaching this course. And I probably shouldn’t say it, as all HG courses are great, but I would rate this course as being my favourite HG course so far. So much fascinating information was passed onto us, wonderful story examples, and great short videos

  23. Helena Perry, Occupational Therapist

    Really enjoyed this course.

  24. Occupational Therapist

    Enjoyable, engaging. I found the whole day online tiring & would have liked more practical interaction, eg practicing tools to aid people experiencing pain

  25. Occupational Therapist

    The course was really interesting, Dr Grahame Brown was extremely knowledgable.

  26. Latania Kennard, School Psychotherapist

    Very informative and interesting day.

  27. Laura Culley, Hypnotherapist

    A very interesting and enlightening day, especially with regard to the mysteries of chronic pain and its link to past pain and emotional trauma. I was particularly interested in the information about the overuse and subsequent addiction to prescription medication, too, having been down this path myself many years ago. I feel Dr Brown’s passion there and can totally relate to what he was saying. I was also reminded of the power of the current benefit system when it comes to keeping people trapped in the pain and illness cycle. It causes so much internal conflict. Thank you so much, Grahame Brown, you’ve reignited my passion for helping to free people from their chronic pain. There’s always a better way than to simply medicate the masses and cause even more long-term problems. If you have chronic pain, or work with people who do, this course is well worth your time. So much to think about.

  28. HG Trainee

    A very useful and informative course on how applying the organising ideas and protocols of the Human Givens psychotherapy approach can help people with long term chronic pain. When combined with a more holistic bio-social-medical approach to chronic pain it can be very effective in helping a client regain control of their lives. I was expecting protocols and complex interventions but was impressed by Dr Brown’s experience and empathy for his patients. His manner and style are very connecting and I can immediately see how using up to date neurological knowledge about what pain is and how it’s generated alongside the HG approach can be immensely powerful. The questions, discussions and sharing of experience from a wide range of participants (many in pain related fields like physiotherapy, OT, etc) made for a very interesting day. I heartily recommend this course.

  29. Karen Lesley Hudson, Health & Wellness Business and former lecturer in FE in Business Management

    I found the course very interesting and informative. This has really helped me also on a personal level of suffering at present in my right foot/ankle and also of the left side of my back. I also feel I can use the information to help my own existing clients who struggle with pain, in particular the elderly ones. Really enjoyed the course and I have played it back twice and read through all of the notes again. Thanking Grahame so much for delivering such a wonderful workshop, even though I was in the Algarve on our very last day of our 3 week break. I am open to future workshops/training that may come up in the future.

  30. Lorraine

    I thought the course was very interesting and I am pleased that I took the course and learnt a lot. Everyone was friendly and a nice team with lots of feedback with some interesting links which I was not expecting. I will be attending another course in the future and would like to thank you. I look forward to receiving my CPD certificate.

  31. HG Therapist

    Unfortunately I couldn’t attend the live course, however I have just been able to view the recording. Dr Grahame Brown has joined up the dots so to speak in that his insight and extensive knowledge of the body/brain function, as well as HG experience, coupled with the known HG approach to getting fundamental needs met, makes perfect sense in understanding recovery from Pain. We are pattern matching beings and our emotional responses can hijack us unexpectedly. It resonated with an experience I had a few years ago and it’s funny how we can be ignoring these things when all the metaphors and answers are there when you’re ready to see them.

  32. Occupational Therapist

    It’s a good introductory session into pain management. There should be a follow up course to get into the details of Pain Management through the Human Givens philosophy. I don’t know if this is only accessible through having HG training.

  33. Pauline West, HG Therapist

    Excellent day – learnt so much from the psycho-education to the many videos and treatment interventions.

  34. MH Nurse/Hypnotherapist

    Loved Grahame’s teaching. He seems passionate about the subject and does out of the box thinking. Refreshing and rewarding course to do. Would recommend to anyone interested in a holistic approach to well being.

  35. Margot MacDonald, HG Young Person Counsellor

    Excellent training with life experience and case study reflection. Similar teaching to Lightning Process by Phil Parker. We need more medical doctors who are open minded and less drugs to treat pain, CFS, Fibromyalgia etc. etc.

  36. Sue Haswell, Trainer, Coach, Therapist

    An excellent, high-quality course, with loads of valuable insights. A great pace, and a trainer that was evidently specialised, experienced and willing to share. Brilliant!

  37. Occupational Therapist

    I really enjoyed this course – thank you.

  38. Retired

    The course provided an overview of the interplay involved in understanding felt pain, including physical, emotional, relational aspects. Research undertaken and experience learnt was highlighted, providing objective perspective to the topic, alongside a number of holistic treatment interventions.

  39. Jane Schindler-Ord, Psychotherapist

    This workshop exceeded my expectations! Grahame imparted his knowledge and experience in an engaging manner that made it an easy day to attend. I have tools and knowledge now that I gained from this workshop to help me work with my clients and on a personal level too. Thank you!

  40. Health & Wellbeing Coach – Chronic Pain

    Very informative day of training and highly recommended to all working with patients in pain. Have had previous training in neuroscience for manual therapy and with NOI group on explaining pain. I found the training day brought all the most up-to-date knowledge together in a more comprehensive manner with more take-homes for immediate application. Using already on my patients.

  41. Julie Lowe, Trainee HG Therapist

    This was a very informative course which was of particular interest to me. I have taught dance and pilates for many years, frequently dealing with students experiencing persistent pain. The knowledge I have gained from this course will enable me to help my students to understand their pain.

  42. Michelle Buckles, Trainee Psychotherapist (Human Givens)

    Such an interesting and fascinating subject. It was taught in a really accessible and friendly way where the questions were encouraged and answered fully. I gained such an insight into pain and effective methods for dealing with this for accessible use with clients. I really enjoyed seeing the Human Givens overarching ideas put into practice and underpinning this subject and gained a new way of seeing pain and therefore new ways of helping people to understand it and therefore take control and manage it more effectively. I will be using this learning going forward in my own practice.

  43. Marcus Webb, Osteopath

    A very engaging course taken by a highly experienced and interesting practitioner. We covered many aspects of the pain process with focus on practical and modifiable areas that could easily be incorporated into clinical practice to complement the scope of my work.

  44. Liz Stafford, Counsellor

    Just the introduction was worth attending this course. Wonderful work, enlightening and informative. I will use all the tools and skills I have picked up today. Thank you.

  45. Helen Tomasi, Occupational Therapist

    Really interesting course, insightful to hear more about the concept of pain, our understanding of how pain is experienced, amplified or downgraded. Useful analogies and diagrams to help see the bigger picture of factors influencing pain, positively and negatively and reassuring to see how the fundamental essence of Occupational Therapy sits comfortably within this framework. Dr Grahame Brown is an engaging speaker, excellent at explaining and very calm and measured in his approach. Examples from his clinical work used well to bring the subject to life. An interesting and thought provoking day. Thank you!

  46. CPN with a mental health crisis and home based treatment team

    Very informative – gave me a wealth of knowledge with my client base which is vast, as you can imagine. It went at a relaxed pace with lots of invaluable tools, renewed perception and great clarity such as helpful and not so helpful ways of engaging with clients.

  47. Sarah Lewis, Occupational Therapist

    Interesting course on pain management – reaffirmed my thoughts on current neuroscience and my current approach when working with clients.

  48. Occupational Therapist

    Reassuring for those already working actively in pain management and good handy/helpful hints for those looking for ideas and support. You are in inspiration and good motivator.

  49. Sharon Wilton, Occupational Therapist

    Could have done with more focus – perhaps more slides to keep on track of key points. It felt more like a promo for human givens and the work that Graham has done. A bit pedestrian for people looking at working with people with complex pain issues.

  50. Occupational Therapist

    It supported my view of pain as brain triggered and gave some practical strategies to help deal with chronic pain – defined as persisting after 6 weeks of original injury.

  51. Amy Hayes, Counsellor

    I found the course very informative and interesting. I would have liked more information on trauma and its effect on the brain and how pain conditions can be worsened by trauma. I found the host of the course to be knowledgeable and open to questions. The course had a good pace and the breaks felt suitable for the day.

  52. Lamia Houmrani

    Dr Graham took us through a wonderful journey where he put in his own professional experiences from which I really learnt a lot, even if I am not a professional in the field of pain management. Very useful and informative course. Just brilliant!

  53. Occupational Therapist

    Interesting and informative day. Some good tools to use with patients.

  54. General Practitioner

    Very informative.

  55. Emily Saunders

    I had attended the workshop in person a couple of years previously and was so impressed that I decided that I wanted to do it again. The live online workshop consolidated my knowledge (which had already altered my practice benefiting patients) and I got just as much out, if not more than the first time. I am looking at turning my learning into a more effective pain clinic at my GP practice. I can not recommend it highly enough. Frankly, more of the healthcare profession needs to pay attention to this stuff!

  56. Psychologist USA

    I initially took this course about 1 year ago, and decided to take it again, as a refresher, as I have had recently an upsurge of clients with chronic pain. I found listening to the class a second time, increasing my understanding of pain’s protective purpose, our brain’s role in pain, and more. The metaphors from our personal pain stories, how the medical model can increase our pain, reinforcing negative beliefs about pain, and impacting hope for healing.
    The HG model teaches how our needs out of balance can contribute to greater pain and suffering, emotional and physically. Reminders of the readiness for change, was very helpful, etc…and more. I am sure I will be redoing this course another time, so packed with opportunity for relearning.

  57. Sarah Swanton

    I signed up for this workshop because I have had pain in my lower back on and off for ten years, and it has been particularly bad this year, and I didn’t know why. I had stopped exercising, gardening, going on long car journeys because of the pain, as well as doing physio exercises every hour of every day to try to reduce the pain.
    I was fed up!
    Within the first hour of Grahame’s talk, I had a lightbulb moment. I ‘brace’ and hold my breath with every transitional movement. This perpetuates the issue. I didn’t know this…until the moment that I did, and then it seemed obvious! There were other lightbulb moments throughout the day (and I wasn’t always fully present at the workshop, because I was doing my physio exercises!) but I heard enough to give me a whole new perspective on this. If you’ve been in any kind of pain (and you’ve exhausted everything else and still don’t know why it hurts) I recommend coming on this different workshop. You will feel heard. I came away feeling hopeful, optimistic, and heck – even excited! Plus, it’s early days but my body has been free from pain since.

  58. Music Teacher & Coach

    This course was packed full of very useful information and insights. I took the course in order to help a couple of friends who suffer from neuropathic pain and I am sure this information will help them.

  59. Nigel Filer

    Mind blowing stuff! This will be the first course replay that I will watch again in its entirety as it’s so packed with great info. I know I didn’t get it all down first time.

  60. Retired Community Paediatrician

    The structure of the day worked well. The morning session showed us the origins of pain very clearly and the afternoon showed us what can help and what does not help or even makes things worse.
    Grahame made everything very clear and the use of anecdotes, film clips and metaphor only added to that clarity and kept my interest going all day. In fact the time seemed to fly by. I had attended the same course some years ago and this one added greatly to my knowledge on pain and how to help.
    Altogether a well constructed and very enjoyable course from which I learned a lot.
    Thank you very much Grahame

  61. Diana Thornton

    I feel that I have a secure knowledge of how pain is generated and its function. I can use this knowledge to help my clients. A real eye-opener.

  62. Matthew Hopkins

    Grahame’s approach is very thoughtful and considered. He communicates, explains and teaches with great clarity and expertise. You feel in safe hands thanks to his years of competent and reflective practice.

  63. Debora Riscado

    I found this course extremely helpful, and cannot recommend it enough!

  64. Pete Allison

    Very knowledgeable tutor who presented the course clearly and concisely – thoroughly enjoyed the day.

  65. Nicola Vitkovich

    This course was a great source of information for me. Lots of AH-HAH’s.

  66. Fiona Laing

    This was an enlightening and very informative webinar.
    Dr Grahame Brown was very generous in sharing his wide experience in such an honest style. Explaining his belief in the power of the bio-psycho-social model and how he developed this into a very beneficial programme for his patients.
    Very useful exercises, reframing techniques and the power of relaxation. Excellent explanation of the nervous system in relation to understanding pain.
    As a therapist, my ethos is built on mind-body connection of having been a remedial and sports massage therapist for almost 20 years and now focusing on my hypnotherapy practice online I found it both reinforcing and enlightening. Thank you so much for a very worthwhile webinar

  67. Psychologist

    Overall I think it was very valuable information. Interesting perspective on pain and how to manage it.
    It wasn’t as dynamic as I expected, so at times it became really hard to follow, especially for so many hours and being online.

  68. Human Givens Therapist

    Excellent information shared throughout the day, with some useful simple video resources.
    It reinforced knowledge I’d already gained, including how a holistic approach is most effective.

  69. Accountant

    To be honest, I’ve heard most of this before in my 55 years of being in pain, but its the first time I’ve heard it in one place.

  70. HG Therapist (Volunteer Sosad Ireland)

    A lively and informative presentation using RIGAAR and APET. Will be helpful with clients suffering from Fibromyalgia.

  71. Social Worker, Psychologist

    As a student in the Human Givens Diploma course, I was pleased to see how its organising ideas can be used to reduce physical pain rather than just treating mental health conditions.
    I am surprised again and again, how powerful it can be using the client’s metaphors to help them identify other factors /experiences that cause the problem and reminding them about the natural resources we have to solve the problem.

  72. Counsellor, Team Leader at a mental health service

    A very informative and interesting course. I would recommend it to all health professionals.

  73. Lynne Kirkwood, GP

    Well structured training day on theory and practical approach to chronic pain. Good course material and communication in advance. Good balance and flow between talk, discussion and slides/ videos
    with a good opportunity for questions and comments.
    The material was well presented in a very interesting way and based on experience of managing patients with pain. The presenting style was very relaxed and engaging. Practical examples were used which was very helpful.
    The amount of information covered was just about right. I learnt a lot and found the training day very thought provoking and it is also something I could use in practice. Would be good to have this sort of presentation available to trainee GPs – lots of absolute key points covered on how to engage a patient in managing their own pain.

  74. Palliative Care Counsellor

    Really interesting workshop with Grahame. I was really keen to learn more about pain and what exacerbates it. Many of the patients that I work with are struggling with ongoing pain and it was useful to learn some strategies to be able to help them with this. Thank you.

  75. Alicia Dawson, Social Worker

    The link between emotions/needs and pain is so interesting. I know we do not think of it as the medical versus social model, however, to see the combination of both in treating pain is progressive.
    I loved the simple approach, making it about the person and what feels right for them.

  76. Self-employed facilitator and trainee HG practitioner

    A fascinating reframe of pain, using sound research and personal stories. An informative and enjoyable day.

  77. Counsellor

    I did enjoy the mix of the day which kept it fresh and interesting. I learned a lot about pain and the way mind and body work. I liked the videos which helped crystallise the areas Grahame was speaking about. I enjoyed the interaction with the group and it was great that we were from different parts of the UK.

  78. Pat Capel, Teacher / HG therapist

    Interesting. And for those of us who know the model, good to see the links. My only critique would be that I think it could have been a little shorter.

  79. Occupational health nurse

    Inspirational informative and thought provoking.

  80. Tim Lyttle, GP

    Writing as a GP this course is exactly what is needed to help us understand recent advances in the understanding of the science of pain and the art of helping patients use less potent drugs.

  81. Edward McEvoy, Hypnotherapist

    The course was presented well with good humour, I thoroughly enjoyed it as it was very informative, and l left with a lot of good ideas on how to apply the techniques in my own practice.

  82. Martin Dunlea, HG Therapist

    This was a fascinating course that explained the complex experience of pain and its successful treatment from a bio-psycho-social perspective. Highly recommended.

  83. Retired

    Dr. Grahame Brown has a chatty style of delivery that made his subject matter easily accessible. He has a deeper understanding of his patients’ symptoms and approaches to their own state of health than many GPs seem to do. Many patients feel that visiting their GP is often pointless and Dr. Brown reminded us that there are still some members of the medical profession who are curious about why things go wrong and are prepared to spend time and effort in extending their own knowledge and expertise. This in itself is a reason for feeling more hopeful after taking this training. In addition Dr. Brown was not afraid to set the record straight regarding approaches that either don’t work or may cause harm, clarifying the often confusing messages we are all subjected to these days.

  84. Karen Rowlands, Counsellor

    An excellent ‘must’ course for those working in the physical and mental health field. Also useful for anyone experiencing persistent pain related symptoms and/or diagnosed with any pain related disability.

  85. Lis

    This course connected and rationalised information and understanding about pain management that I have already through my own experience to enable me to move forward with a more coherent approach. I woke up the next day determined to make changes that will improve my quality of life and the enthusiasm to communicate this to my clients.

  86. Nurse

    Very knowledgeable instructor. Very informative session if only the NHS would adopt this strategy and steer away from the medical model. Some very useful animations that I will be sharing with patients.

  87. Valerie L. Moss, Existential Psychotherapist

    I so wish this had taken place last year. I learnt so much simple but useful information that for some reason I keep forgetting. Checking the messages my brain is giving me and concentrate on breathing into a more comfortable position instead of tensing my body is invaluable. Learning that adverse childhood experiences can cause so much damage to the body was an epiphany for me. I can now hopefully reframe those experiences and …… Retrain the brain and tame the beast! Thank you Dr. Grahame Brown!

  88. Course attendee

    The course was well structured and suitable for pain sufferers as well as professionals treating patients experiencing persistent pain. Dr Browne started by clearly explaining what pain was and how a psychologically approach could be helpful. He next discussed how someone experiencing pain could be helped using the APET and RIGAAR models. He then covered techniques that could be used and the ineffectiveness of drugs in treating persistent pain. The day concluded with some relaxation exercises and guided visualisation.

  89. Complementary Therapist

    Loved this course as it tied my understanding of pain through being a bodyworker with the psychological underpinnings.

  90. Julia Ellis, Retired LA Housing Advisor / HG Student

    So much to take away from this online course. To anyone interested in in Effective Pain Management, I would highly recommend this fascinating insight into how the Mind/Body connection can accelerate healing. I found the psychological techniques for reducing persistent pain interesting, powerful and with practice achievable. This is an engaging and most informative course with techniques I will continue to use personally and professionally going forward. Thank you

  91. Marcus Webb, Osteopath

    A good overview of bio-psychosocial aspects of pain and pain management offering a tested support framework for those working with persistent pain cases.

  92. Retired criminal justice reform consultant

    I thought the course was fascinating, with scientific information about the complex nature of chronic pain and the best treatment strategies made easy to understand by Dr Grahame Brown, with plenty of time for discussions and questions. The course was well balanced in terms of lectures, audio visual content, small group discussions and relaxation / exercises, and very well organised.

  93. Laura Franklin, Physiotherapist

    Excellent course. Grahame is very personable, knowledgeable and had a great way of explaining things in a way that was easy to follow. There was a huge range of people on the course from different backgrounds and I think he managed to speak to all of us.

  94. Sarah

    An excellent course. The leader presented the information in a clear and relatable way. It was thought provoking and I could see how I could use the information with a client but it will also make a big difference to my journey with chronic pain.

  95. Nurse

    It was most interesting to hear about a more holistic approach to pain management moving beyond the medical model and its over reliance on medication. Understanding how Human Givens ideas and therapeutic interventions can help us understand the meaning of ‘pain’ and how best to empower us to take back control of our lives.

  96. Counsellor and supervisor

    I enjoyed the course today and found it very interesting.

  97. Leila Gardiner, Hypnobirthing Doula & Sonographer

    The science behind pain was profound and incredibly powerful. Empowering to gain knowledge on how to reduce persistent pain. Insightful to hear opiate medications not being effective for persistent/ chronic pain.

  98. Stephanie James, Sports massage and Pilates

    It gave a great overview of how the pain cycle works, based on the most up to date neuroscience.

  99. Counsellor/End of Life Doula

    Really useful and insightful. Graham just made perfect sense! Thank you Graham 😊

  100. Counsellor

    I felt the course was interesting and thought provoking.

  101. Sue Archer, Ex-teacher,soon-to-be Hypnotherapist

    This course was life changing for me. Not only is it useful for professional work (which everyone in the caring profession should do), it is brilliant for self reflection and to realise what is going on in your own life when dealing with pain, past and present.

  102. Debby Duffield, Counsellor

    I found this course very Informative, not for just my clients but for myself too. Dr Grahame Brown, teaches in an understanding way without the Psychobabble. Which for me was a much better way to learn. I also liked his honesty and being kind enough to share some of his own stories. Thank you!

  103. Jill Dighton, Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor

    Grahame explained this intervention extremely comprehensively with obvious in-depth, practical knowledge. The day was not clouded with difficult terminology and this aided the clarity and the prospect of being able to use this intervention with the clients who experience pain as part of their narrative. This teaching can be a vital component of any therapists repertoire, along with the suggestions made on how to apply and explain it. It was very helpful to hear course members views and experiences, all which endorsed the efficacy of this course. Essential training. Thank you Grahame and the HG team.

  104. Homeopath/hypnotherapist/life coach

    I’ve wanted to attend this course for 10 years and am delighted to have finally seen Dr. Grahame’s presentation. It was great. The information-rich material was well presented, it was paced nicely and the notes provided, comprehensive.
    The tutor is clearly a compassionate and experienced doctor/healer. We need more like Dr.Grahame, taking an holistic approach and treating his patients with respect. It was a very good day today. Thank you.

  105. Jenny Annetts, Local government officer

    I was really looking forward to the course on both a personal & professional level and it exceeded my expectations. Grahame was an extremely knowledgeable course presenter and I have begun to understand why pain occurs and what happens in the body and the brain. There were lots of hints and tips on how to reduce an individual’s experience of pain which will be really useful. It was great to interact with everyone through the break out groups and Arlene was a good facilitator.

  106. julie searle, still working it out:)

    I’ve been on an emotional journey and as a result of this a huge learning curve for the past year or so. This course was hugely beneficial in helping to marry so many ideas/tried and trusted concepts together, seamlessly. Pain affects us all in so many different ways and one of the unexpected pluses of today has been giving myself a pat on the back for having learned so much through listening to my body and mind over this recent short period of time; probably for the first time in 27 years. Thank you Grahame and Arlene for a thoroughly enjoyable and hugely empowering day.

  107. Joy Gilson, Therapist

    Learned some useful additional strategies for helping clients with persistent pain. Also good to keep reminding myself of general HG principals and theory.

  108. Kat Marlow, Psychotherapist

    I find that many of the clients that I work with who have experienced complex and prolonged trauma also have diagnoses of persistent pain, often fibromyalgia. This course has provided me with some valuable insights into the way that pain works, the way that pain is perceived and have given me some additional tips on how to work with clients metaphors associated with pain and how to help them to help them feel less in pain through encouraging them to focus on what they can do, looking for and addressing boom and bust behaviour and providing supportive language that doesn’t leave them feeling that restoration isn’t possible. And it was lovely to be on the receiving end of some guided imagery … I’m usually the one doing the guiding with my clients

  109. Artist, Book Editor and Designer

    A useful and thought-provoking course presented in a straight-forward way.

  110. Human Givens Therapist

    A most useful day full of psychological tips for reducing persistent pain and accelerating healing. As well as being applicable to my own situation, it will be useful in any future work with clients who suffer from ongoing physical pain.

  111. Karen Harmer, Hypnotherapist

    This course was excellent in describing how the body experiences pain. It was explained in a way that anyone could easily understand and was suitable for both lay people and therapists of all levels.

  112. DR. E. Sydney Okojie, Medical Practitioner, MHGI

    This course delivered on what it set out to do; Provided an understanding of pain as well as empower attendees with skills to manage it. The added bonus is that participation in the course is therapeutic for attendees.

  113. Sarah Hopkins, Occupational Therapist

    Training this way was a first for me but went well, I thought. It was useful to have the opportunity for discussion in the separate rooms which almost gave the same opportunity for discussion and some networking as attending an event, especially as the mix was varied. The video snippets were engaging and entertaining and might be useful to share further in some formats.
    I liked the idea of the strength of linguistics in terms of determining outlook. I was not expecting the exploration of metaphorical thinking so much though it is a useful point that some people may speak in metaphor and find a physical focus easier to broach in conversation. I think accepting what people say and talking in their terms is helpful whilst exploring the origin of described pain may be necessary. What I really learnt was the way the brain gets its heckles up in preparation for pain to guard the body in terms of interpreting pain in the perspective of lived experience and thereby grading it before it is encountered even. This really demonstrates the power and therefore the usefulness of reinterpreting the pain experience.
    I think the proactive message was also well emphasised so not to deter activity detrimentally but encourage movement and also things that can be done to help, such as learning relaxation techniques.
    I also liked some of the thinking points like thinking what sort of person has this condition instead of what sort of conditions does this person have. Drawing in helpful/unhelpful thinking patterns was helpful too and the need to challenge thoughts/reframe thinking like that of pain. It is more helpful to think of as a danger warning and so it as a message to protect yourself. The overall challenge to optimism, highlighted by quotes also like everyone makes links with things (you are not alone) and it is possible to make positive links or interpret things as you need (the power of mind over matter), made the subject matter more palatable. Also I liked the quote of looking for a focus on what is okay and that this could help you overcome what is wrong like a holistic perspective (so, for instance, that even someone being managed in bed with enduring pain may have the power of communication to get their basic needs met or, someone without clear communication may still give out a positive vibe by the way they try to communicate and attempt some politeness and be positive in non verbal cues so that they gain good rapport).
    So ultimately I found the information has great empowerment potential and I like the narrative examples provided to explain (like the snake bite story.)

  114. Pippa Adamson, NLP Coach

    I would recommend this course to anyone interested in knowing more about how pain works and how to resolve it.

  115. Iakovos Flaskis, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Psychotherapist, Company Owner

    A concise introduction of dealing with pain through the Human Givens model. Professional, sensible and fresh. Whether you’re a health professional or you’re experiencing chronic pain yourself, you will find valuable information of how to tackle pain through physical and psychological intervention that work.

  116. Catherine Nixon, Psychotherapist and health researcher

    As a psychotherapist and a health researcher this course was particularly useful for both areas of my work. Grahame was an engaging speaker and he was able to balance pain theory and neurobiology with real life examples really well. I now feel more prepared for working with clients who are struggling with persistent pain, and sharing with them some of the tools that can help them see pain in new ways – ways that offer clients’ insight and hope. I will be returning to the course notes, recommended videos and publications over the coming months and I highly recommend this 1-day course.

  117. Mike Barry, Psychotherapist

    I found Grahame’s style most accessible. Clearly a man who has an in-depth knowledge of his area. I really appreciated his pedagogical style, with a mixed blended of learning. The interactions with colleagues in the other rooms also proved to be a enlightening and I learned something from each room session. Thank you also to Arlene for the very smooth running of the day. You certainly organised the day most effectively. I would definitely be recommending this course to colleagues here in Ireland.

  118. Clare Hancock, Solution Focused Hypnotherapist

    The course was very interesting and enjoyable, and nicely broken up through the day with breakout groups and some gentle movements and exercises.

  119. Gemma, Sports therapist

    Great informative course, with skills I can bring to my clinic treating people with chronic pain. Great to connect the brain and psychological to physical. Thank you.

  120. Chartered Surveyor

    This knowledge can change lives, it should be available on the NHS!

  121. Michael Mcculloch, Alexander Technique teacher

    What stands out about this course is the demonstration of the use of joint thinking processes developed with ownership gifted the to patients that Graham works with. The preliminary print out of the workshop set out the template for the day and Graham used this impeccably. The use of video helped reinforce the route for the workshop. There were well presented and extensive helpful sets of tools to be potentially shared and worked with in the future. The inclusive way the course is presented keeps all the participants active and thinking which seems to be the way the whole process is designed. We were invited to use the content of the course with each other with Graham helpfully monitoring.

  122. Counsellor

    Excellent course. Very informative, engaging and valuable. Very knowledgeable tutor – always happy to answer questions and provide real life case histories. Has really helped boost my confidence in this area.

  123. Linda Hollick, Counsellor and hypnotherapist

    Very easy to understand – makes complete sense. Very well delivered. An excellent facilitator.

  124. Dr Emily Saunders, GP

    Vital education for healthcare professionals, empowering and exciting. I look forward to putting it into practice and helping both myself and patients.

  125. Liz Matthews, Counsellor

    Thoroughly enjoyed the session and will take so much away with me – not only to enhance practice but also for self.

  126. Sharon Herriot, Art Psychotherapist

    Excellent, full of information and very thought provoking.

  127. Lorna Bell, Specialist practitioner district nurse

    Everything made absolute sense – why did I not think of this before?! Frustrated I was not effectively able to support persons I visit (housebound) and now feel I can make a difference.

  128. Training Consultant

    Fantastic – I’ve learnt so much with such valuable learning. Grahame is great and so knowledgeable

  129. Mental Health Nurse

    All concepts were explored in terms of how to best use with our patients – it was excellent, thought provoking and my ideas have been well and truly reframed. Absolutely brilliant!

  130. Practice Therapist

    Very useful – this workshop has hugely increased my confidence in helping with all sorts of pain.

  131. S. O’Brien

    All concepts were explored in terms of how to best use with our patients. It was excellent, thought provoking and my ideas have been well and truly reframed. Absolutely brilliant!

  132. Civil Servant

    I feel genuinely hopeful for the first time in years that a life of chronic pain doesn’t have to be inevitable for me.

  133. Occupational Therapist

    Fantastic course – fascinating. Really good trainer.

  134. Brian H.

    Thank you so much for such an enlightening day.

  135. Civil Servant

    This course covered all aspects of the subject – biological, social and psychological. No aspect was neglected.

  136. RGN

    My understanding of pain is now much improved.

  137. Clinical Hypnotherapist

    Thoroughly enjoyed this course – the best I have attended. Fantastic to have the opportunity to train with this specialist.

  138. Nurse

    A refreshingly different approach to managing pain, moving away from the medical model.

  139. Hospital Doctor

    Some really useful metaphors and expressions to use when explaining concept to patients and simple explanations that make sense. A great day!

  140. Counsellor

    Very useful, it was packed with so much information I can use in my practice

  141. Counsellor

    CounsellorVery useful, it was packed with so much information I can use in my practice

  142. Cognitive Hypnotherapist

    Great explanation of the pain process between brain and body, and the different elements of helping a person from suffering pain to no/lesser pain within a holistic approach.

  143. Assistant Nurse Practitioner

    Learning how empowering patients to self help themselves can be paramount in their recovery/pain management was a particularly useful idea for me.

  144. Graduate HG Practitioner

    My back pain disappeared in the course! helped by using the HG approach in pain management

  145. Training Consultant

    Fantastic – I’ve learnt so much with such valuable learning. Grahame is great and so knowledgeable.

  146. Therapist/Personal Trainer

    All the information was so useful and an eye-opener. Will be a huge help with the veterans I work with.

  147. Nurse

    Although I’ve read the pain management book, having Dr Brown draw the diagram at the start of the day, I felt was the best explanation I had heard and I will use this to explain to my patients in the future.

  148. Therapist

    I feel much more confident working with people with pain now

  149. GP trainee

    Thank you so much for such an enlightening day. Learnt a lot.

  150. Medical Consultant

    Very interesting. Good supporting scientific evidence.

  151. Osteopath

    Excellent speaker, held my attention all day – and I’m leaving far more practically equipped.

  152. Psychotherapist in Primary Care

    Invaluable information – an empowering day.

  153. Resettlement Worker

    Incredibly sensible and user friendly

  154. Nurse

    Wonderful! Jam-packed with information, research and real-life cases.

  155. Psychological Therapist

    Really helpful. A fascinating day – thank you!

  156. Patient Involvement co-ordinator

    Fantastic course – fascinating.

  157. Practice Nurse

    The day has been fascinating and enjoyable; I would like more time with complex patient presentations and the opportunity to work with an interdisciplinary team approach.

  158. Psychotherapist

    Excellent neuro-scientific explanation of persistent pain – great to have the opportunity to ask questions and learn from the tutor’s extensive knowledge and practical experience.

  159. RG Nurse

    My understanding of pain is now much improved – thank you.

  160. HG Therapist

    The whole day was helpful and useful! It was also a great refresher for HG, as almost everything could be applied to psychological as well as physical pain.

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