According to a study from the Centers for Disease Control in 2021, “an estimated 51.6 million U.S. adults (20.9%) experienced chronic pain, and 17.1 million (6.9%) experienced high-impact chronic pain.” Chronic pain can be caused by a variety of factors but one consistent is the strain it puts on those it affects. In the Castle Country Area, there is hope to better manage this pain through Utah State University Extension HEART’s Living Well with Chronic Pain Workshop.
Dr. Ashley Yaugher joined the KOAL newsroom to discuss the workshop series and what participants can gain from the six-session course.
“It’s a really great evidence-based workshop that targets anybody with a chronic health condition. It can be any health condition; it doesn’t have to be anything specific,” explained Yaugher of the course. “It’s a six-session workshop based on building practical skills for managing some of those day-to-day challenges or things that come with having a chronic or a health condition that is limiting in some way on our lives.”
The series is hosted online on Thursdays from noon to 2 p.m. beginning on April 16. In addition to the practical skills attendees will gain, participants will also receive a workbook to help continue developing the skills taught in the class after its conclusion.
“Because we talk for two hours a week for six weeks, we couldn’t possibly cover everything, so we have a really amazing workbook that people get as part of this workshop series that they get to take with them and continue to build on those skills,” shared Yaugher.
The workshop also furthers USU Extension’s goal of uniting the community: “I think that’s one of the most powerful things that comes out of this. Each time we do this, people make connections, right? They find things in each other and learn from each other throughout this series, and it’s really amazing to see those connections made and not feel so alone or so isolated. It’s really heartening and builds some of that hope that we have.”
Registration for the Living Well with Chronic Pain Workshop is currently open and available online at Compasshp.org. Registration must be completed by April 14. For questions regarding the event, contact 385-268-6543.
“If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us and follow our Facebook page,” closed Yaugher. “If this series might not work for you. But we will have lots of other events and series coming up soon.”
Utah State University Extension HEART’s Living Well with Chronic Pain Workshop kicks off on Thursday, April 16, with a 30-minute informational session, followed by regular sessions on Thursdays from April 23 to June 14.
