We feel pain when our body wants to protect us. Typically, pain will go away once an injury has healed. When pain persists, it has lost its protective function and is over-protecting us and may stop us from doing things that make life more enjoyable.

Conditions such as osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia or chronic low back pain can also lead to overprotective responses. Though we may not be able to eliminate pain, there are many ways to manage pain well and live a more meaningful life.

Chronic pain has different contributing factors. Using a biopsychosocial* approach to pain management, our resident Pain Coach Iris’ goal is to enable you to help yourself.

What to Expect

Pain coaching is a supportive, collaborative process designed to help you understand and manage your pain.

A typical journey includes:
• Five sessions spaced over 2–3 months
• Online pre-assessment using five key questionnaires
• An in-depth chat about your pain in session one, followed by a personalised case formulation shared in session two and beyond

From there, we focus on:
• Gaining a clearer understanding of your pain
• Developing comfort and confidence in working with your pain, not just against it
• Using strategies to calm the central nervous system
• Exploring how personal factors (like fear and avoidance) influence your pain experience
• Session by session, we focus on simple, practical steps to help you realign with your values and build the life you want

Iris Humm is arc’s Pain Coach. She can be booked by contacting us on 0800 272 749 (Press 1 for Physio) or by emailing info@arcphysiopilates.co.nz

Please visit our Pricing Page for information on associated costs

*The biopsychosocial approach considers biological, psychological, and social factors and their complex interactions in understanding health, illness, and health care delivery