Imagery for Pain Relief

David Pincus, PhD, is an assistant professor of psychology at Chapman University.Anees A. Sheikh, PhD, is a professor of psychology at Marquette University and a clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

"Effective treatment of pain still is a challenge, and it is for that reason that this volume will be welcomed by health care professionals. It will unlock the neglected potential of mental imagery for clinicians who are faced with the pervasive and often baffling problem of pain." - Barbara Dossey, author of Holistic Nursing: A Handbook for Practice and Florence Nightingale: Mystic, Visionary, Healer"This is a welcome addition to a field dominated by drugs and procedures that have limited value. If providers and patients would use the techniques so well presented in this book, both groups would be infinitely more successful." - Errol R. Korn, author of Visualization: Use of Imagery in the Health Profession, and Former Director, Pain Rehabilitation Center, Scripps Memorial Hospital, San Diego, USA"This volume is an eminently readable, evidence-based compendium of powerful tools for dealing effectively with pain. It presents an excellent account of the remarkable discoveries about mechanisms underlying pain and out perception of it and is essential to every library of healing techniques." - Emmett Miller, author of Deep Healing, and Director: Cancer Support and Education Center"Pincus and Sheikh provide a timely, comprehensive, and well researched look at the power of imagery for reducing pain, and how to best use this simple but potent modality in the clinic with adults and children. Clinicians will find themselves dipping into this valuable resource frequently." - Belleruth Naparstek, author of Invisible Heroes: Survivors of Trauma and How They Heal, and Creator, Health Journeys Guided Imagery Audio Series"This excellent and much needed volume will provide psychotherapists with the scientific rationale for healing and a humanitarian service for the general public." - Ernest L. Rossi, author of Psychobiology of Mind-Body Healing and The Psychobiology of Gene Expression"Fascinating... comprehensive but lucidly written." -Jerome L. Singer, Yale University, in the journal of Imagination, Cognition and Personality"[This book] is more than a guidebook for clinicians. It is a short, concise, comprehensive treatment of this history of pain theory, it's psychological beginnings, and the importance of perception and imagery in understanding pain and its potential treatments. This is an extraordinary book. the book reflects its title...it is that and much more. I was more than pleasantly surprised in these days when clinicians, regardless of their discipline, claim to be evidence-based in their practice. A model of the critical evaluation of the use of imagery for pain relief. A great example of scientifically grounded clinicians exploring, researching, and therapeutically addressing a clinical issue such as pain. Pincus and Sheikh can be proud of their efforts and their book. They have shown us the science and practice of clinical psychology at its best." - Barry A. Hong in PsycCRITIQUES, June 2010, Vol. 55, Release 23

• Rossi, Foreword. Pain: A Primer. Imagery: More Than Make-believe. Imagery for Pain Relief: How Does it Work? The Process of Image Therapy. Pain Management: Simple Techniques. Pain Management: Deeper Techniques. Pain Management: Deepest Techniques. Imagery for Children in Pain. The Gift of Pain and Suffering.