Chronic Pain Ireland

Guided Mindfulness & Meditation for Chronic Pain
2025-06-04 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-05-07 19:00 - 20:00 (Europe/Dublin) | online, Ireland
Guided Mindfulness & Meditation for chronic pain

How can mindfulness help chronic pain?
There is now a growing body of research to show that mindfulness programmes, often referred to as Mindfulness-Based Interventions or MBI’s, can have a positive effect in a range of situations, one example being that MBI’s have been found to reduce pain intensity (Paschali et al 2023)
During Brain Awareness Week 2024 we are delighted to launch our newest online support service in collaboration with Alfie Golden (see bio below) who will facilitate a small group of CPI members through a mindfulness and meditation session with time at the end for reflection and questions. These events are safe, inclusive, open and engaging and we hope that you enjoy the experience. Alfie explains that ‘in the context of mindfulness, we might speak of two types of pain – primary and secondary. Primary pain is the physical sensation we experience with illness or injury. Secondary pain relates more to the thoughts and emotions that accompany primary pain. For example, we might label the physical feeling of a broken bone or a cut as primary pain and the accompanying worry (“How am I going to work with a broken arm?”, “What if this doesn’t heal properly?”) would be secondary pain.
Mindfulness can’t directly help get rid of the primary pain but can drastically reduce our secondary pain, which often has a longer lasting impact on us.
Mindfulness can help us to manage the mental/emotional side of long-term illness by changing our relationship to our symptoms, reducing the amount of worry, anxiety or stress that goes with them. This can then actually lower the amount of primary pain we perceive.
We may not have control over what is happening to our bodies but by developing a sense of kindness and compassion towards ourselves, along with the ability to clearly see our experience, we can change our experience of pain and learn to live well with it.
These stand alone sessions will run on the following Wednesday’s at 7pm however it is vital that you register in advance as places are limited. To register please log into your account via https://chronicpain.ie/my-account/

Not a member – Join today

Facilitated and guided by Alfie Golden a graduate member of the Psychological Society of Ireland and accredited by the Mindfulness Teachers Association of Ireland. Having graduated from UCC with both a degree in Applied Psychology and a master’s degree in Mindfulness-Based Wellbeing, he has been practicing mindfulness meditation for over 10 years and is passionate about helping others to discover the benefits for themselves of following evidence-based training in mindfulness.

Alfie offers courses in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Mindfulness in the Workplace, talks and workshops along with one-to-one mindfulness training and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Chronic Pain 5-week Self-Management Course
2025-06-02 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-05-26 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-05-19 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-05-12 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-04-28 10:30 - 12:30 | online, Ireland
Chronic Pain Ireland is holding our 5-week Self-Management Course for people living with chronic pain. This 5 session course is delivered online over a 5 week period and is a 2 hour session. The course focusses and looks at key ideas in the self-management of chronic pain and encourages participants to explore ways to both manage their condition and cope better. The course offers a special kind of flexible interactive experience in which questions, feedback, discussion and mutual support are an important part of the process.
There are key topics that will always be covered and there is a ‘direction of travel’ (per topics listed) but the exact order in which topics are discussed and the focus given to each area, depends on the needs and interests of the group at the time. The course is delivered in a non-linear way such that topics overlap and ‘inform’ each other. A good example would be how Pacing for instance requires that we also look at the effects of stress, beliefs
and issues around acceptance.
The topics covered during the course will be:

Introduction â€“ in which participants will be asked what they want to achieve and a big picture of pain management is shared including an explanation of the bio-psycho-social model
Understanding chronic pain
Boom-Bust, Pacing, Baselines, goal setting
Stress awareness and management ideas, breaking the pain stress cycle
Anxiety
Sleep
Social aspects
Acceptance & emotions
Flare ups

Live notes from each session will be e-mailed along with more formal pre-prepared materials including audio recordings for relaxation practice. This means that people wanting to explore a focus specifically on a topic can do so in-between sessions and the sessions can help explain things further and deal with questions and challenges.
Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and are support by way of a Hospital Saturday Fund grant.
To avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

Chronic Pain Mental Health support group
2025-05-29 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-04-24 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-03-27 19:00 - 20:00, 2025-02-27 19:00 - 20:00 | online, Ireland
Mental Health and Chronic Pain support group
Chronic Pain Ireland has partnered with Turn2Me an Irish online mental health charity that provides free, anonymous and confidential online professional health services to anyone that needs it. They provide a range of online services which anyone can access via their website www.Turn2Me.ie
Chronic Pain Group Counselling
Chronic Pain is invisible, you cannot show it to your doctor, friends, or family. There isn’t always a scar or any visual cues to the pain you are suffering. This support group is a place where you can seek support from others who can empathise with what you are going through, and your experience will resonate with other Chronic Pain Ireland members. Empower yourself to take control and arm yourself with ways to improve your quality of everyday life, strengthen your resilience, prioritise your mental health and self-care. The support group is facilitated by an experienced Psychotherapist who lives with Chronic Pain.
Turn2Me in partnership with Chronic Pain Ireland will facilitate a specific ‘chronic pain group counselling support group’ on the last Tuesday evening of every month. Please note that while the above group is open only to Chronic Pain Ireland members at this time however all other mental health services are available to the general public and you can sign up directly via www.Turn2Me.ie
If you would like to learn more about CPI membership see here
About Turn2Me:
Turn2Me is supported by the HSE’s National Office for Suicide Prevention to deliver counselling online. Turn2me is a national mental health charity that was founded in 2009 by Oisin and Diarmuid Scollard, who tragically lost their brother, Cormac, to suicide in 2003. Turn2me offers adult counselling and support group services to adults and young people aged 12 plus. Turn2Me has helped over 120,000 people since it was set up in 2009. Turn2Me offers up to six free counselling sessions to adults living in Ireland. To sign up, go to www.Turn2Me.ie

Pain Management: Chronic Pain Booster & Implementation Workshop
2025-05-29 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-04-09 10:30 - 12:30, 2025-03-25 14:00 - 16:00 | online, Ireland
Pain Management: Chronic Pain Booster & Implementation Workshop
Our series of courses and workshops look at ways to manage and cope with the challenge of chronic pain. As you will know, pain management involves adapting to change by adopting a new set of habits that are often the opposite of what we are used to. It’s no surprise that it’s hard to do!
People often fly high for a while after a course or workshop, but it’s easy to lose momentum and slip back into those old unhelpful habits. With this in mind, we are pleased to offer a bi-monthly session which focusses on helping you to regain the motivation to get back in to the habit of pain management.
These sessions are open to anyone who has completed any of the following: Living Well courses, CPI “5 week” course, all 12 CPI workshops or a hospital run pain management programme. The sessions are there for you to bring your questions and to explore whatever is needed to help you to re-invigorate your pain management habit. The aim is to give you a boost, perhaps to re-assure, to re-motivate or just to know it’s ok to keep doing what helps.
The sessions are not so much about new information, rather they’re about finding ways to put what you know back into practice. The sessions will be friendly and interactive. The topic(s) and focus are set at the start of each meeting within the group.
Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and are supported by way of a Hospital Saturday Fund grant.
To avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

CPI Members Network meeting
2025-05-13 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-04-08 11:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-11 11:00 - 12:00
Each month CPI holds our peer to peer network meetings which are facilitated by our current Chairperson. It’s a safe, inclusive space to meet others, to chat, share and support each other. Our membership feedback regularly mentions the importance of speaking with others where they can chat openly without judgement and connect with others.
This event is open to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and if you would like to join, membership is €22.00 per year. See here for more details.
Many of our members have formed life long friendships as a result of attending CPI events, workshops and taking part in research. Please, consider becoming part of our community.

Working and living with chronic pain
2025-05-08 18:00 - 20:00 | online, Ireland
Working and living with chronic pain
We are pleased to announce that we will be running a programme of self management sessions in the evening aimed especially to help people who are at work and unable to attend our day time workshops.
The focus of the evening workshops is to find ways to manage and cope with chronic pain by understanding and addressing the non-medical issues that drive pain and make it hard to accept and cope. In the first session being held on Thursday 08th May from 18:00-20:00 hrs, it will be an introductory session. The facilitator and group will look at the big picture of chronic pain and self management. The main focus will be on topics including:

understanding chronic vs acute
pain, stress, boom-bust cycles and how we react to change.

In the following sessions there will be a focus on a specific topic for each meeting together with the opportunity to discuss things more widely. The style of the sessions is friendly and interactive with the opportunity to ask questions and benefit from the support of others in a similar situation.
To be straight, we can’t offer a cure, but engaging with this work can give a positive way forward and hopefully a way to help you to stay in work and get back in charge, rather than
pain being in charge of you.
Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland only. If you would like to become a member and avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

Chronic Pain, Hope & Acceptance workshop
2025-05-08 14:00 - 16:00
Chronic Pain, Hope & Acceptance
Acceptance is the big idea in pain management, but it’s hard to do!
In the session we will look at:

Understanding acceptance
Making sense of where you are
Magic question
Reframing acceptance
Can vs can’t
Percentages
First step

Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partnering with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland only. If you would like to become a member and avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

Sleep, racing minds and chronic pain
2025-04-10 10:30 - 12:30 | online, Ireland
Sleep, Racing Minds and chronic pain
Poor sleep is common in chronic pain, but it’s often overlooked as seen as a secondary issue. Lack of sleep can build up over time which makes everything worse. Rather than sleep being a side issue, it’s a crucial part of pain management.
Throughout this 2-hour interactive workshop we explore the following:

Understanding the cycles of sleep,
What happens when we can’t get to or back to sleep
Simple techniques to improve sleep
How to deal with a racing mind and ideas from ‘sleep hygiene’.

Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and are supported by way of a Hospital Saturday Fund grant.
To avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

Working and living with chronic pain
2025-03-13 18:00 - 20:00 | online, Ireland
Working and living with chronic pain
We are pleased to announce that we will be running a programme of self management sessions in the evening aimed especially to help people who are at work and unable to
attend our day time workshops.
The focus of the evening workshops is to find ways to manage and cope with chronic pain by understanding and addressing the non-medical issues that drive pain and make it hard to accept and cope. In the first session being held on Thursday 13th March from 18:00-20:00 hrs, it will be an introductory session. The facilitator and group will look at the big picture of chronic pain and self management. The main focus will be on topics including:

understanding chronic vs acute
pain, stress, boom-bust cycles and how we react to change.

In the following sessions there will be a focus on a specific topic for each meeting together with the opportunity to discuss things more widely. The style of the sessions is friendly and interactive with the opportunity to ask questions and benefit from the support of others in a similar situation.
To be straight, we can’t offer a cure, but engaging with this work can give a positive way forward and hopefully a way to help you to stay in work and get back in charge, rather than
pain being in charge of you.
Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and are supported by way of a Hospital Saturday Fund grant.
To avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

HSE Living Well with Chronic Pain
2025-03-13 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-03-06 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-27 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-26 14:00 - 16:30, 2025-02-20 10:00 - 13:00, 2025-02-19 14:00 - 16:30 | online, Ireland
HSE Living Well with Chronic Pain programme
The HSE Living Well with Chronic Pain programme is open for registration. This free, online 7 week programme can help you develop skills and confidence to manage your condition.
Workshop Topics
Techniques to deal with symptoms of chronic pain conditions, such as fatigue, sleeplessness, stress, and emotional problems such as depression, anger, fear, and frustration, with emphasis on cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for managing pain.
Topics include:
ï‚· Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength and endurance
ï‚· Balancing activity with rest
ï‚· Tools for overcoming worst-case thinking
ï‚· How our minds affect pain and how we can use our minds to lessen pain
ï‚· Negative emotions
ï‚· Healthy eating
ï‚· Appropriate use of medication
ï‚· Working more effectively with health care providers
ï‚· Communicating with friends and family
ï‚· Communicating with the health care system
ï‚· Communicating with oneself
ï‚· Action-planning, problem-solving, decision-making
Why join the Living Well with pain programme?
People who are supported in this way increase their knowledge, skills and confidence to better manage their health in partnership with their health care provider(s).
How: For more information or to register, contact the Living Well Team via Email LivingWellDNCC@hse.ie

Dealing with Stress workshop
2025-03-07 14:00 - 16:00 | online, Ireland
Dealing with Stress workshop
Dealing with stress is central to pain management, but it’s often treated as a side issue. In this session we’ll look at understanding stress and ways to deal with it.
The plan is to:

Understand what stress is and the different forms it comes in (Stress as a defence)
Eustress, distress
Stress awareness (spotting signs)
The relationship between pain and stress (cycles)
Breaking the pain stress cycle
4 P’s of stress
PEA model
Relaxation

Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and are supported by way of a Hospital Saturday Fund grant.
To avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here

Understanding Pain The Science, Pharmacology, Emerging Treatments, including Cannabinoids
2025-03-06 19:00 - 20:00
Join us for an upcoming webinar with Prof. David Finn where he will present on the topic of “Understanding Pain: The Science, Pharmacology, and Emerging Treatments, Including Cannabinoids”.
Specifically this event will focus on the following:

The basic science behind pain mechanisms, offering attendees a foundational understanding of how chronic pain manifests and persists.
An overview of pain pharmacology, detailing how different medications work to alleviate pain and why certain treatments may be more effective than others.
A special focus on cannabinoids, with insights from research at Galway as to how cannabinoids work in the context of pain management, their potential benefits, limitations, and future directions in this field.

Please join us for this significant, informative event with the latest global updates and please feel free to share this event as it is open to all. Details of how to register are below.
About:
David Finn is Established Professor and Head of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Principal Investigator and Founding Co-Director of the Centre for Pain Research at University of Galway, Ireland. Professor Finn graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Biotechnology from University of Galway and a PhD in Neuroscience from University of Bristol, and he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Nottingham. His research focuses on the affective and cognitive dimensions of pain, stress-pain interactions, and neuroinflammatory processes, with an emphasis on the endogenous cannabinoid system.
He is Past-President of the International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) and of the Irish Pain Society. He has been a member of the Presidential Task Forces for Cannabis, Cannabinoids and Chronic Pain of both the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and the European Pain Federation (EFIC), and leader of the Basic Science Work Package for the IASP Task Force. He is a member of the EFIC Working Groups for Translational Pain Research and Pain Research Strategy, the IASP Task Force for Use of Animals in Pain Research, a member of the Scientific Programme Committees for the IASP 2026 and 2024 World Pain Congresses, NeuPSIG 2025, EFIC 2022, and a member of EFIC Council.
Professor Finn is a member of the Editorial Boards of multiple international scientific journals including Pain, Journal of Psychopharmacology, Frontiers in Neuropharmacology, Frontiers in Pain Research, and the Scandinavian Journal of Pain. He has published over 190 peer-reviewed journal papers and book chapters and frequently lectures at international conferences.
To Register: CLICK HERE

Pacing and baselines workshop
2025-02-19 14:30 - 16:30 | online, Ireland
Pacing and baselines workshop
Pacing is central to pain management and it’s a topic that most struggle with.
Our Pacing and baselines workshop examines how pacing is central to pain management. Pacing is about adapting to change and accepting the need to work differently, to work within your limits. It means re-writing our old rule book about expectation and nobody wants to do that.
Baselines give a surprisingly helpful way to apply the principles of pacing. A realistic baseline can reduce fear, allow you to plan and ultimately help you to increase activity level. This workshop should help by reminding you of the principles and perhaps exploring some ways to do things differently.
Chronic Pain Ireland has for many years offered self-management training for all living with chronic pain and are partners with the Pain Association Scotland, who (having pioneered the development and delivery of self-management training) have run community programmes for over 20 years. Both CPI and PAS share mutual aims of helping to improve the quality of life for all living with chronic pain. The focus of these interactive workshops is therefore on introducing people to, and quickly building, self-management skills, thereby creating practical, positive change leading to an improved quality of life and well-being. Our trained facilitator has delivered over 10,000 workshops to date.
These nationwide online workshops are offered to members of Chronic Pain Ireland and are supported by way of a Hospital Saturday Fund grant.
To avail of all our chronic pain support services including: self-management workshops, telephone support line, chronic pain courses and programmes, online meetings, webinars and networking opportunities â€“ Join here
