Ranjan Roy

Chronic Pain and Family

A Clinical Perspective

Chronic pain affects every facet of a patient's life, and nowhere is this more evident than in the complex arena of family life. Chronic Pain and Family: A Clinical Perspective examines typical family issues associated with prolonged illness, offering realistic ways to approach them in therapy.

Informed by current practice and his own experience, noted author/clinician Ranjan Roy brings fresh insights to common pain scenarios and therapeutic impasses, and provides a framework for assessing marital and family relationships when chronic pain is a defining factor. Clinicians will get not only a clearer understanding of sensitive issues, but also effective strategies for engaging clients without turning them off.

Coverage includes:

• Meanings of pain in relationships
• "Who does what?": Exploring changes in family roles
• Resistance to treatment: Why it occurs and how to work through it
• Health concerns and other burdens on well spouses and children
• Sexuality, domestic abuse, and other "silent" issues
• Case examples demonstrating therapy step by step with a range of couples and families

For therapists, psychologists, and social workers who deal with this growing population of patients, Chronic Pain and Family: A Clinical Perspective stands at a unique intersection of pain/disability and family resources. Roy's recognition of the family's changing demographics together with his synthesis of clinical knowledge make the book suitable for graduate-level courses as well.