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Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community

Chronic pain (CP) affects millions of people and costs billions of dollars a year (Koch, 2012). The biopsychosocial approach understands that CP is caused by a complex interaction between cognitive, emotional, physical and social factors (Young, 2010). However modern health care is often fragmented...

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Main Author: Laskey, Joanne Margaret
Other Authors: Learmonth, Despina
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Psychology 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Laskey, Joanne Margaret
author2 Learmonth, Despina
author_browse Laskey, Joanne Margaret
Learmonth, Despina
author_facet Learmonth, Despina
Laskey, Joanne Margaret
author_sort Laskey, Joanne Margaret
collection Thesis
description Chronic pain (CP) affects millions of people and costs billions of dollars a year (Koch, 2012). The biopsychosocial approach understands that CP is caused by a complex interaction between cognitive, emotional, physical and social factors (Young, 2010). However modern health care is often fragmented leaving choices to clients (Scott, Ruef, Mendel, & Caronna, 2000). Often clients with CP don't receive or seek psychological interventions for a DSM 5 (APA, 2000) classifiable condition. This study focused on an independently operating physiotherapist in the planning phases of developing a holistic intervention at her wellness centre. The goal of the research was to capture a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early phases of planning transdisciplinary teamwork. Thus a qualitative research design was employed to capture the rich subjective experiences and insights of the participants. The physiotherapist selected the sample of: 5 clients, 4 health professionals, and 3 supportive professionals. Together they attempted to create a holistic strategy for CP. Three types of qualitative data collection were used namely: interviews, focus and collaborative learning groups. Data analysis followed Braun and Clark's (2006) six-phase guide. The aim of this study was to encourage change in the local context and to inspire others in different context to attempt holistic practice. The study found that implementing holistic teamwork was a lengthy and challenging process. Theory underlying treatment needed to be defined first and it was hard to reach consensus. Strategizing for holistic work was challenging, as it did not just involve combining treatments but creating an individual systemic non-linear process. Good communication was vital to the process and this again involved time, which was is not covered by medical aids. In terms of strategy what was highlighted is that the client needed to change their way of relating to their CP, as although sensory pain may not be diminished the suffering of the client would decrease. Of interest was whether CP was a new culture bound form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) resembling our modern trauma's as much of the descriptions about CP matched PTSD symptomology. Further more focused study on each of the broad areas covered as well as the involvement of specialised expertise in the areas of ethics, and business management would be needed to commence transdisciplinary holistic teamwork.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:27.580Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
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publisher Department of Psychology
publisherStr Department of Psychology
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/20721 Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community Laskey, Joanne Margaret Learmonth, Despina Clinical Psychology Chronic pain (CP) affects millions of people and costs billions of dollars a year (Koch, 2012). The biopsychosocial approach understands that CP is caused by a complex interaction between cognitive, emotional, physical and social factors (Young, 2010). However modern health care is often fragmented leaving choices to clients (Scott, Ruef, Mendel, & Caronna, 2000). Often clients with CP don't receive or seek psychological interventions for a DSM 5 (APA, 2000) classifiable condition. This study focused on an independently operating physiotherapist in the planning phases of developing a holistic intervention at her wellness centre. The goal of the research was to capture a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early phases of planning transdisciplinary teamwork. Thus a qualitative research design was employed to capture the rich subjective experiences and insights of the participants. The physiotherapist selected the sample of: 5 clients, 4 health professionals, and 3 supportive professionals. Together they attempted to create a holistic strategy for CP. Three types of qualitative data collection were used namely: interviews, focus and collaborative learning groups. Data analysis followed Braun and Clark's (2006) six-phase guide. The aim of this study was to encourage change in the local context and to inspire others in different context to attempt holistic practice. The study found that implementing holistic teamwork was a lengthy and challenging process. Theory underlying treatment needed to be defined first and it was hard to reach consensus. Strategizing for holistic work was challenging, as it did not just involve combining treatments but creating an individual systemic non-linear process. Good communication was vital to the process and this again involved time, which was is not covered by medical aids. In terms of strategy what was highlighted is that the client needed to change their way of relating to their CP, as although sensory pain may not be diminished the suffering of the client would decrease. Of interest was whether CP was a new culture bound form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) resembling our modern trauma's as much of the descriptions about CP matched PTSD symptomology. Further more focused study on each of the broad areas covered as well as the involvement of specialised expertise in the areas of ethics, and business management would be needed to commence transdisciplinary holistic teamwork. 2016-07-25T11:35:24Z 2016-07-25T11:35:24Z 2016 Master Thesis Masters MSocSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20721 eng application/pdf Department of Psychology Faculty of Humanities University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Clinical Psychology
Laskey, Joanne Margaret
Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
thesis_degree_str Master's
title Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
title_full Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
title_fullStr Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
title_full_unstemmed Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
title_short Holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain (CP) using transdisciplinary communication : a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
title_sort holistic strategies for clients suffering from chronic pain cp using transdisciplinary communication a portrait of the insights and experiences of participants in the early stages of developing a chronic pain program by collaborating between independently operating practitioners in a local community
topic Clinical Psychology
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20721
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