Photo of Dr. Andrew Wong, Psychologist in M9B, ON
Dr. Andrew Wong
Psychologist, PhD, CPsych
Verified Verified
Etobicoke, ON M9B
I am a doctoral level psychologist with 12 years of clinical and research experience. I provide assessment, therapy, and consultation to help children, adolescents, and adults through academic, social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. By building a genuine and caring therapeutic relationship, I help clients adapt and grow when faced with challenges. I also guide my clients to tap into their strengths so that they can make the most comfortable choices in order to move forward. Along the way, we work together to create new strategies while modifying existing ones so that clients and their families will become more resilient.
I am a doctoral level psychologist with 12 years of clinical and research experience. I provide assessment, therapy, and consultation to help children, adolescents, and adults through academic, social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. By building a genuine and caring therapeutic relationship, I help clients adapt and grow when faced with challenges. I also guide my clients to tap into their strengths so that they can make the most comfortable choices in order to move forward. Along the way, we work together to create new strategies while modifying existing ones so that clients and their families will become more resilient.
(877) 571-3037 View (877) 571-3037
Photo of NKS Therapy, Counsellor in M9B, ON
NKS Therapy
Counsellor
Verified Verified
1 Endorsed
Etobicoke, ON M9B
Voted Top 5 in Toronto for Best Psychotherapists in 2021, NKS Therapy is a team of psychotherapists, marriage/family therapists, counsellors and life coaches in Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, and Oakville who specialize in mental health support for adults, couples, teenagers, and families. With multiple experts on the NKS Therapy team, we will help you achieve your goals through a deeper understanding of yourself, and help you make conscious choices today. We offer sessions virtually & in-person. Start living a better life today with a FREE 15-minute therapy consultation! A Happier, Healthier, Better Version of Yourself awaits.
Voted Top 5 in Toronto for Best Psychotherapists in 2021, NKS Therapy is a team of psychotherapists, marriage/family therapists, counsellors and life coaches in Toronto, Etobicoke, Mississauga, and Oakville who specialize in mental health support for adults, couples, teenagers, and families. With multiple experts on the NKS Therapy team, we will help you achieve your goals through a deeper understanding of yourself, and help you make conscious choices today. We offer sessions virtually & in-person. Start living a better life today with a FREE 15-minute therapy consultation! A Happier, Healthier, Better Version of Yourself awaits.
(289) 206-7074 View (289) 206-7074

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How does chronic pain therapy work?

Engaging with a psychotherapist to help treat chronic pain does not mean that one’s pain is all in their head. Therapy for chronic-pain patients has been shown to benefit both the mind and the body, targeting physical symptoms and increasing daily functioning. In other words, for many, addressing their emotional health through therapy affects their physical health. A therapist can help a client challenge unhelpful thoughts about pain and develop new ways to respond to it, such as distraction or calming breathing techniques. Studies have found that therapy can be as effective as surgery for certain cases of chronic pain and many doctors recommend trying psychotherapy in advance of considering invasive surgery.

What are the most effective treatment options for chronic pain?

Stress, anxiety, depression, catastrophising, ruminating, lack of activity, and social withdrawal all make chronic pain worse. Addressing these issues, research shows, can help people gain control over their pain symptoms. Therapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioural therapy, biofeedback, and mindfulness-based stress reduction, along with greater pain-management education, have been found to help people reduce fear and disability.

Are there new treatments for chronic pain?

Many cases of chronic pain, particularly those involving back pain, remain medically unexplained. But there is evidence that changes in the brain or nervous system are caused by previous physical ailments such as tissue damage; in such cases, the brain may continue to send out pain signals despite the physical cause having healed. To aid patients under these circumstances, a recently developed treatment known as pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) is designed to help the brain “unlearn” this response. A PRT practitioner helps individuals to reduce the “threat value” of their ongoing pain signals until they can reappraise them as less threatening and fear-inducing. They also help an individual to develop new emotional regulation skills.

How long does therapy for chronic pain take?

There is no set timeline for recovery from chronic pain, especially as there may be a range of physical and psychological causes for any individual’s discomfort, but most patients should expect to see a therapist for a number of weeks or months, typically spanning at least 12 sessions. Studies of pain reprocessing therapy found that many individuals’ experience of pain lessened in eight sessions over four weeks.