January 17, 2004
Pain Management Class Moves to Los Altos Center
Classes Provide Hope to Individuals Suffering from Chronic, Debilitating Pain
Classes aimed at providing support and relief to individuals suffering from chronic and debilitating pain, titled Pain Management Training and Support, will now be held at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation's (PAMF) Los Altos Center to make arrival to the classes more convenient for participants. The classes are held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. every second and fourth Wednesday of the month.
The classes, which were previously conducted at PAMF's Palo Alto Clinic and are offered by a Mountain View-based non-profit organization called For Those In Pain, Inc., teach individuals to manage the sensations, suffering and disability associated with their chronic or acute pain. Participants are also taught coping mechanisms and have the opportunity to share their experiences in a safe, encouraging environment.
"Most people do not know how to deal with these issues because they are too busy suffering," said Beto Telleria, executive director of For Those In Pain, Inc., who teaches the classes along with trainer Susan Huntley, R.N. He said participants have to learn pain management like any other skill in order to overcome the psychological suffering, self-criticism and disability issues that the health care system does not address.
"As a society, we do not know how to deal with pain or those suffering from pain," he said. "And our health care system often ignores chronic pain, leaving the patient with nowhere to turn. We hope to fill in those gaps and provide some hope."
Telleria said the classes are a hybrid between psychotherapy groups and traditional support groups, and the main goal is to provide participants with the tools to self-initiate pain problem-solving, and provide an open, safe forum for pain recovery and management.
The organization offers Spanish translation at select classes and welcomes drop-in participants. However, Telleria said it is best if someone interested in the class calls and speaks to him beforehand.
"It is much more beneficial if I can find out about the person's experience and what they would like to take away from the class."
For more information, contact Beto Telleria at (650) 968-2323, the Los Altos Center at (650) 254-5200 or e-mail For Those In Pain, Inc. at elfenix@forthoseinpain.org.
The Palo Alto Medical Foundation for Health Care, Research and Education is a not-for-profit health care organization that is a pioneer in both multispecialty group practice of medicine and outpatient medicine. The foundation has three divisions: the Palo Alto Division, the Camino Division and the Santa Cruz Division. The Palo Alto Division, staffed by 290 physicians of the Palo Alto Medical Clinic, has provided a full range of care for Peninsula residents since it was founded in 1930. It operates satellite clinics in Fremont, Los Altos, Redwood Shores and Portola Valley. PAMF is part of the Sutter Health family of not-for-profit hospitals, medical foundations and physician organizations that share resources and expertise to advance health care quality. Serving more than 100 communities in Northern California, Sutter Health is a regional leader in cardiac care as well as care of women and children, and is a pioneer in advanced patient safety technology. For more information, visit www.pamf.org.