Resources

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI).  

 Summary: TAPMI presents 20 educational modules on key elements of chronic pain management to help you:

• Become knowledgeable about chronic pain 
• Focus on goals that are important to you
• Minimize stress
• Identify warning signs and avoid flare ups
• Improve overall quality of life
• Stay active to improve your pain levels
• Pace your activities to reduce your risk of flare up
• Practice daily relaxation techniques
• Learn how to communicate with family, friends, and care providers
• Improve your sleep so you can cope better with your pain

Presented by: Linda Geddes, Guardian Science Correspondent with The Guardian Australia. 

Summary: Sufferers of chronic pain have long been told it's all in their head. We now know that's not true. This series looks at why doctors are playing catch-up on chronic pain conditions like endometriosis, migraine and more – and what they have to do with Covid.  For years people with conditions such as fibromyalgia, endometriosis, chronic fatigue or back pain – to name just a few – have been told the pain is all in their head. With no obvious physical symptoms, nociplastic pain can be difficult to diagnose but its effects are very, very real. Research suggests that the immune system plays a role in nociplastic pain, giving people 'feel bad' symptoms including fatigue, anxiety and nausea. 

Presented by: Dr. Marwa Azab, PhD, an adjunct professor of psychology and human development at California State University, Long Beach.  

Summary: Watch this 17-minute video to better understand the neuroscience of pain, both physical and emotional, and how pain might make us stronger.   

Presented by: Dr. Lorimer Moseley, Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy and Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of South Australia, and Senior Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia. 

Summary: Pain scientists are starting to think differently about persistent (chronic) pain and its causes, and they're making exciting discoveries - like how you think about your pain can change the way it feels. In this 5-minute video, Dr. Moseley explains how pain works and describes new approaches to help reduce your pain.

Presented by: Dr. Joshua Pate, PhD MRes MPhysio, directed by Artrake Studio. Dr. Pate is a pain scientist, children's book author, clinician and educator from Sydney, Australia. 

Summary:  In 1995, the British Medical Journal published a report about a builder who accidentally jumped onto a nail, which pierced straight through his steel-toed boot. He was in such agonizing pain that any movement was unbearable. But when the doctors took off his boot, they discovered that the nail had never touched his foot at all. What’s going on? Joshua W. Pate investigates the experience of pain. 

Developed by: Pain BC and Pain Canada in partnership with people living with pain and healthcare providers.  

Summary: LivePlanBe+ offers 23 educational modules on key elements of chronic pain management. 

1. SKILLS AND STRATEGIES FOR LIVING WITH PAIN. Learn about the everyday things we can do to improve our well-being. This program will help you to develop practical tools and strategies to cope with pain.  
2. LEARN AT YOUR OWN PACE. Choose what topics to focus on, or use the program's customized, self-paced learning plan.  
3. MAKE SMALL CHANGES. Apply your learning by making small, manageable changes to daily habits. The program makes it easier to work on these small changes.  
4. TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE WITH CONFIDENCE. Discover what works best and develop strategies to take back control of life. LivePlanBe+ will be beside you every step of the way. 

Note: You will need to create an account on LivePlanBe+ to access the modules. 

Presented by: Dr. Lorimer Moseley, Foundation Chair in Physiotherapy and Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of South Australia, and Senior Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia  

Summary: There have been some amazing pain discoveries over the last 20 years, and they've opened new opportunities for people in pain. This talk will explain that when pain persists, your body learns pain and becomes over protected, but you can use proven strategies to slowly retrain your pain system to be less protective. To begin, you need to rethink what pain actually is, what factors contribute to your pain and how you can tailor it to make your own retraining program. 

Presented by: George Zaidan, animated by Augenblick Studios. George Zaidan is a science communicator, television and web host, and producer. 

Summary: In this 4-minute video, learn about the basic physiology of how humans experience pain, and the mechanics of the medicines we've invented to block or circumvent that discomfort.  

Developed by: Dr. Maureen Allen, BN CCFP-EM(PC) FCFP. Dr. Maureen Allen is an Emergency Department Physician practicing in rural Nova Scotia. She’s been a health care professional for 36 years. She is actively involved in continuing education programs and provides clinical support to rural Nova Scotians living with chronic pain, substance use disorders and end-of-life. 

Summary: Have you ever wished you could pick the brain of your local pain expert, if you had one, or find the right word or phrase that can shift the mindset of someone living with persistent pain that can improve their function and quality of life? Pain Talk is a podcast dedicated to bringing together experts who study and support individuals living with pain. It is a platform where scientists, health care providers and individuals living with pain can talk pain—pain and simple. 

Tune in to Pain BC's Pain Waves podcast to hear leading chronic pain experts and people in pain discuss the latest pain management research, stories, tools, and trends. Episodes are released once per month and can be accessed through iTunes and Spreaker. Pain BC is a registered health charity that has been leading efforts to improve the lives of people in pain through empowerment, care, education and innovation. Learn more at painbc.ca.

Developed by: The Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans. 

Summary: This podcast covers all aspects of chronic pain by presenting evidence-based information that provides better insight into chronic pain. Recent Government of Canada research found that Veterans are twice as likely to suffer from chronic pain compared to others in the Canadian population. We aim to investigate how this impacts Veterans, and their families. We explore topics such cannabis and psychedelics, and do they help treat chronic pain? We also investigate back surgery, military identity and what military and professional athletes have in common with identity. The evidence-based information on the show will help Veterans, clinicians, researchers, and anyone suffering from chronic pain. It is a 360-degree approach to education on chronic pain.

Developed by: Pain BC and Pain Canada in partnership with people living with pain and healthcare providers. 

Summary: Sleep can improve our ability to think, learn, and remember things. It supports our immune system and appetite. Research suggests that good sleep helps us with our daily activities at home and work, making us more efficient and productive. For many of us with chronic pain, getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge. We may find it difficult to fall asleep or we may wake up often throughout the night. Even if we get the right amount of sleep, we can still feel tired in the morning if our sleep quality is poor. 

Note: You will need to create an account on LivePlanBe+ to access the modules. 

Developed by: Drs. David Gardner and Andrea Murphy from Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and contributed to by psychologists, psychiatrists, family doctors, pharmacists, people who live with insomnia, researchers, and sleep experts to make sure that our recommendations and content are accurate and practical. 

Summary: Sleepwell has two main goals: 1) to help people with insomnia get their sleep back without medications; and 2) to help people stop taking sleeping pills safely and effectively. Sleepwell recommends CBTi (cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia) because it has excellent evidence that it works. The challenge for many is getting access to CBTi. This is where Sleepwell comes in. The website includes a highly scrutinized short list of recommended CBTi resources to help get you started without delay. Their recommendations take a self-help approach to CBTi rather than requiring that a therapist be involved, which is also a great option but not available to most people. 

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI). 

Summary: Sleeping is as necessary to survival as breathing, eating, and drinking. People can cope without sleep for a short period of time, however long-term sleep deprivation can have many negative consequences on the brain and body. By completing this educational module from the Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute, you will learn about the benefits of sleep, its connection to pain, developing healthy sleeping habits, and sleep medications. 

Developed by: Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA). CAPSA believes in multiple pathways to increased health including peer support groups and developing your individual substance use health goals.

Summary: This peer-facilitated group offers a few simple practices and tools designed to help those who are questioning their relationship with substances by:

• Sharing experiences of successes and struggles
• Creating a safe, stigma-free environment
• Offering easy access to multiple sessions each week

Developed by: People in Pain Network, a registered non-profit charity originating in Nova Scotia. The People in Pain Network are people with persistent pain helping other people with persistent pain improve the quality of their lives by providing them with a greater understanding of the pain they are feeling, how to successfully manage their pain through self-management, education on why we feel pain and how our pain is designed to assist us break the cycle of isolation and hopelessness so often associated with persistent pain.  

Summary: The People in Pain Network Virtual Pain Support Group is a safe place for individuals to talk to about their pain with others who understand. Discover the support you need to construct and lead a resilient team, acquire and apply self-management skills, reintroduce meaning and purpose into your life, and, most importantly, regain the confidence to establish your own "new normal”. 

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI). 

Summary: When living with chronic pain it can be easy to stop participating in activity and exercise. Inactivity causes us to gradually lose strength and flexibility. We then find ourselves out of the habit of exercising, which ultimately causes pain levels to increase.

In this module, you will learn about:

• How physical activity can help with pain management
• How to identify what type of physical activity is right for you
• How to use goal-setting and self-management tools to reach your activity goals.

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI). 

Summary: Activity pacing is an important tool in chronic pain self-management. It is easy to find ourselves in an “all or nothing” cycle when living with chronic pain. Learning to manage your activity by scheduling planned rest periods/breaks can improve your energy and pain levels. Pacing is “an active self-management strategy where you learn to balance time spent on activity and rest for the purpose of achieving increased function and participation in meaningful activities.” 

In this module, you will learn about: 

• How over activity and inactivity can increase pain signals
• How pacing can positively impact pain
• How to identify what pacing looks like for you
• Calculations to better manage activity levels
• How to decide on an increase in activity schedule

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI). 

Summary: In this module you will find:

• neck stretches
• low back exercises
• relaxation stretches
• cardio exercises
• strength exercises
• balance exercises

Note: While great care has been taken to ensure that these exercises and advice are prepared in a way that is safe and practical for most people, none of these exercises should be considered specific medical advice.

Presented by: painHEALTH and people living with pain. PainHEALTH is an initiaive from the Government of Western Australia, Department of Health aiming to ease musculoskeletal pain through clinically supported information, tips, support and personal stories to help people better understand and co-manage their musculoskeletal pain conditions. 

Summary: This video reviews the importance of remaining active while living with pain and offers ideas for increasing your physical activity such as walking with a friend or family member.  

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, pain specialist, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. 

Summary: Do you need a reason to walk? In this 11-minute video, Dr. Andrea Furlan will give you 15 reasons to go for a walk outdoors. She will talk about the importance of walking and the benefits of doing it outdoors.    

Presented by: Pain BC. Pain BC aims to enhance the well-being of all people living with pain through empowerment, care, education and innovation. 

Summary: Looking for guidance on gentle movement and relaxation for managing pain? Watch Gentle Movement @ Home series by Pain BC. These 1-hour video sessions are led by physiotherapists and other therapeutic movement professionals and are designed to help people with persistent pain learn to feel safe to move again. Topics include breath awareness and regulation, body tension regulation, and movement and relaxation techniques in both seated and standing positions.

Presented by: Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists at the Brain and Spinal Cord Rehab Program at Toronto Rehab, University Health Network. 

Summary: Health professionals share some of their self-management resources with the world. If you have pain, mobility issues, or simply wish to explore being kinder to yourself through gentle movement and relaxation, then this channel is for you! 

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, PhD, pain specialist, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. 

Summary: In this video Dr. Andrea Furlan will demonstrate how to dance bolero, which is a slow-tempo music style originated from Spain. The dance has 4 groups of 8 steps each. 

Note: You can print the 32 steps from this document: https://bit.ly/DanceBolero 

Developed by: The Health Information Research Unit at McMaster University as a Knowledge Translation initiative of the Chronic Pain Network. 

Summary: Updated regularly, PAIN+ CPN provides access to current best evidence from health care research to help inform health care professionals, individuals living with pain and caregivers. All citations are rated by both health care professionals and patients living with chronic pain, to determine clinical relevance and general interest.  

Note: Check out the Evidence Summaries section where the latest in pain research is translated into easy-to-understand short abstracts. 

Developed by: The Aboriginal Children’s Hurt and Healing  (ACHH) Initiative – a broad partnership, consisting of Indigenous community leaders, clinicians, Elders, youth, researchers from Dalhousie University, IWK Health and many more. 

Summary: Indigenous children and families are often misunderstood and mistreated by health care professionals – an issue at the heart of the ACHH Initiative. The ACHH Initiative is working with communities and clinicians to bridge the gap in our understanding of Indigenous children’s pain and hurt. Through research and strong community and clinician partnerships we are working to bridge the gap in our understanding of Indigenous children’s pain and hurt and ultimately, improve healthcare experiences.

Developed by: The helpline is operated by Donna Cona, an Indigenous organization, and funded by the Government of Canada. 

Summary: The Hope for Wellness Helpline is available to all Indigenous people across Canada. Experienced and culturally competent counsellors are reachable by telephone and online ‘chat’ 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Both telephone and online chat services are available in English and French. Telephone support is also available upon request in Cree, Ojibway (Anishinaabemowin) and Inuktitut. 

Developed by: The clinical and research team at Michael G. DeGroote Pain Clinic at Hamilton Health Sciences in Hamilton, Ontario and pain clinic partners across Canada. 

Summary: Using Cannabis to Treat Chronic Pain is an online course with the primary goal is to provide you with an understanding of how cannabis works in your body as well as the benefits and risks associated with using. This course has been developed with a group of medical professionals to support people just like you.   Topics covered includes:

• Choosing Your Product
• Cannabis and Your Body 
• Using Medicinal Cannabis
• Your Medicinal Cannabis Supply
• Activities of Daily Living
• Conversations and history

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI). 

Summary: In pain management, opioids are medications that work by blocking pain signals in your brain and spinal cord.  Most effective when prescribed to manage acute pain, opioids are sometimes used along with other therapies as part of a chronic pain treatment plan. Safe doses of opioids should only be used in chronic pain patients if they allow the patient to improve function and achieve practical goals. Visit this webpage to learn more about opioids including how to start a trial, managing your opioids, or decreasing your usage. 

Note: Opioids do not cure chronic pain and they come with some serious risks. Opioids should not be relied on as an important treatment for chronic pain as there is not a lot of scientific literature that supports the use of opioids for chronic pain. It is important to work with your health care provider to ensure you are using your opioids safely and effectively. 

Developed by: The Community Addictions Peer Support Association (CAPSA). CAPSA is a national organization of subject matter experts, researchers and educators dedicated to changing approaches to Substance Use Health through training, education and consulting.

Summary: This podcast series was created to talk about substance use health - something that can be hard for many of us. Tune in if you are curious about substance use health or have questions about it. There will be difficult questions about substance use that often don’t have easy answers. CAPSA’s aim is not to be confrontational, but also not to shy away from controversial ideas. Be open to hearing them on their podcast!

Developed by: The Canadian Sleep and Circadian Network, the Canadian Sleep Society, Fondation Sommeil and Wake-up Narcolepsy Canada. Sleep On It has a mission to promote the importance of sleep to maintain good health, to demystify sleep difficulties, and to offer solutions to patients.  

Summary: Learn about topics such as What is Sleep, Age-Specific Dos and Don’ts, the Why and the How of Dreams, and information on sleep disorders and more. Read special reports such as The Art and Science of Napping, and access resources such as a list of local support groups and online courses to access everything you need to better understand sleep and its importance for your health. 

Developed by: The Government of Canada. 

Summary: The Benefits Finder is a tool that can help you find benefits and services that you may be eligible to receive. It asks a few questions and uses your answers to search. It does not collect or track your information. The more questions you answer, the more customized and accurate your results will be. 

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI).  

Summary: Healthy eating and dietary changes may be one component of your chronic pain self-management plan. Research shows that healthy nutrition has a positive effect on our health. In Canada, dietary risks are one of the three leading risk factors for disease burden. To date, there are no scientifically proven “chronic pain diets”, however healthy eating can benefit people with chronic pain in many ways. Click “Go to Resource” to learn more about healthy eating. 

Developed by: The Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI).

Summary: Persistent pain can contribute to life stressors, and chronic stress can worsen the pain experience. The good news is that anything that helps you manage stress can also help your pain, and anything to help with pain can also help you cope with stress. Click “Go to Resource” to learn what stress is and why people experience stress, how stress and pain are related, how to identify your stress triggers and warning signs, and how to cope with stress in healthy ways. 

Developed by: Pain BC and Pain Canada in partnership with people living with pain and healthcare providers.  

Summary: Understanding that stress is a natural response that does not automatically mean harm (much like some pain experiences) will help us face stressful events with a more positive approach. This awareness is important for someone living with pain, since a nervous system that routinely copes with pain needs all the resilience possible. Check out this module from LivePlanBe+ to learn more.  

Note: You will need an account on LivePlanBe+ to access this module. 

Developed by: Pain BC and Pain Canada in partnership with people living with pain and healthcare providers.  

Summary: When we're feeling unwell, balanced food might be the last thing on our minds. It's important for us to follow trusted and credible nutrition advice provided by guidelines such as Canada's Food Guide. Check out this module from LivePlanBe+ to learn more about nutrition. 

Note: You will need an account on LivePlanBe+ to access this module. 

Developed by: Pain BC and Pain Canada in partnership with people living with pain and healthcare providers.  

Summary: Living with pain doesn't mean we have to live without a satisfying and fulfilling sex life. We can have one. When we're willing to try new approaches, define new ways of finding enjoyment and communicate honestly about worries and needs, we'll find it's not as hard as we thought to find a way back to pleasure, fun, and fulfillment. 

With this module from LivePlanBe+, learn how chronic pain affects sex and intimacy, how to communicate while in pain, and what is assertive communication and why is it important. 

Note: You will need an account on LivePlanBe+ to access this module. 

Presented by: Dr. Fadel Zeidan, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Neurobiology and Anatomy and the Center of Integrative Medicine’s Associate Director of Neuroscience at Wake Forest School of Medicine.  

Summary: Dr. Zeidan’s research has uncovered the specific brain mechanisms involved in mindfulness meditation-based pain relief. He is currently developing meditation-based interventions to best target chronic pain. Watch this 18-minute video to learn more. 

Presented by: Dr. David Ho, MD, PhD, a pain medicine fellow in the Division of Pain Medicine at Stanford University School of Medicine.  

Summary: In this 35-minute video, Dr. Ho speaks on mindfulness and pain and how to cultivate mindfulness.  Learn the differences between meditation and mindfulness, mindful response to pain, the origin of mindfulness, how to practice mindfulness, and more.  

Presented by: Sheena, a yoga teacher with lived experience. 

Summary: Watch this 13-minute video where Sheena, a yoga teacher who suffers from fibromyalgia, shares her daily meditation for pain relief.  

Developed by: Psychologists and educators in Australia. 

Summary: Smiling Mind is a unique tool developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life. Smiling Mind is Australia’s leading digital-led, prevention focused mental health not-for-profit. Smiling Mind has been helping minds thrive for over 10 years and are the innovators behind Australia’s most trusted mental wellbeing app. Smiling Mind’s evidence-based tools support people to learn the skills to maintain their mental health in fun and interactive ways. 

Developed by: The Royal thanks to a donation by D.I.F.D. The Royal is one of Canada’s foremost mental health care and academic health science centres. Its mandate is simple: to help more people living with mental illness into recovery faster. 

Summary: Life as a student can be stressful - assignments, part-time jobs, sports, clubs, relationships, family responsibilities. In fact, during your years as a student, you will face some of the most intense pressures of any point in your life. Stress can take a toll on your mind, weighing you down and even making you ill, so it’s important to take action to stay healthy. That’s what HealthyMinds is all about. HealthyMinds is a problem-solving tool to help deal with emotions and cope with the stresses you encounter both on and off campus. The goal: Keeping your mind healthy.  

Developed by: A multidisciplinary group of researchers and clinicians along with people with lived experience led by Dr. Brigitte Sabourin and Dr. Renée El-Gabalawy at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and funded by the Health Science Centre (HSC) Foundation. 

Summary: The IMPACT program is based on the scientifically proven approach called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for chronic pain. There have been over 100 randomized controlled trials supporting the many benefits of ACT for chronic pain including improved mental health, better quality of life, lower disability related to pain, higher self-efficacy and decreased fear of being active.  

By completing the IMPACT program, 

• You will explore what your personal values are and what REALLY matters to you;
• You will learn tools that will help you be less controlled by chronic pain and the suffering that often comes with it; 
• It will help you commit to living a life based on your own personal values; 
• It will help you learn about the role of sleep, communication and relationships, and medications in chronic pain management. 

Note: A Power Over Pain Portal account is required to partake in the course. 

Developed by: Dr. Rosemary Wilson, NP, PhD from Queen's University and Dr. Rachael Bosma, PhD from Women's College Hospital in Toronto, and co-designed with people with lived experience.  

Summary: Gain control over your life and participate in the things that are important to you. This course provides you with tools to be an active participant in your pain management. Key concepts and terms coverved include:

• Setting Expectations: Module 1
• Explaining Pain: Module 2
• Biopsychosocial Approaches: Module 3
• Strategies: Module 4
• Self-Compassion: Module 5
• Values: Module 6
• Goals: Module 7
• Communication: Module 8

Note: A Power Over Pain Portal account is required to partake in the course. 

Presented by: Dr. Joshua Rash, PhD R. Psych., Director of the Behavioural Medicine Centre at Memorial University of Newfoundland. 

Summary: People who live with pain commonly report experiencing issues with sleep and, conversely, poor sleep can make it more difficult to manage pain. This 60-minute workshop with Dr. Josh Rash at Memorial University of Newfoundland explores the complex relationship between sleep and pain. Dr. Rash focusses on practical considerations and strategies for managing sleep disturbances among people who live with pain. Dr. Rash also provides insights on how to improve the management of pain by optimizing sleep. 

Developed by: eCentreClinic at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. 

Summary: The Pain Course is a free, online and internet-delivered pain management program, designed to provide information and teach practical skills for managing the impact of chronic pain on day-to-day activities and emotional wellbeing. 

Note: A Power Over Pain Portal account is required to partake in the course. 

Developed by: The Transitional Pain Service at the Toronto General Hospital. 

Summary: Research studies show that learning more about how pain works helps people cope better and manage their own pain. This self-directed learning course aims to better prepare patients for transitional pain care or pain after surgery. Access this 7-module course to learn about pain after surgery, how it can become chronic and how to manage it.    

Developed by: The Transitional Pain Service at the Toronto General Hospital. 

Summary: The effective treatment of ongoing pain involves a combination of approaches that focus on the body and mind. This self-directed learning course aims to better prepare patients for transitional pain care or pain after surgery. Access this 7-module course to learn how psychological techniques and strategies can help in managing pain. This course also includes information and resources to help you prepare for an appointment with a pain psychologist at a transitional pain clinic near you.  

Presented by: The Doctors of British Columbia (BC) and the BC Government.  

Summary: These videos were created for the BC Patient Prehabilitation Program, as part of the Surgical Patient Optimization Collaborative (SPOC), an initiative of the Doctors of BC and BC Government through the Joint Collaborative Committees. BC Surgical Patient Prehabilitation is designed to assist patients to prepare for an elective procedure, so they experience improved outcomes from their surgery. It focuses on both the mental and physical aspects of surgery, therefore decreasing pre-surgical risk factors so that patients can obtain high quality outcomes from their surgery. With these 14 short videos (1-2 minutes each), you will learn about prehabilitation and all its components. 

Developed by: The National Overdose Response Service (NORS), a collaborative initiative between people who use drugs, Grenfell Ministries, the Brave Technology Co-op, and Dr. Monty Ghosh. 

Summary: NORS is an overdose prevention hotline for Canadians providing loving, confidential, nonjudgmental support for you, whenever and wherever you use drugs. 

• Call or text (Canada only): 1-888-688-NORS (6677), or email NORS at [email protected]. 
• Access NORS through the The Brave App, an app created to confidentially connect people who would otherwise use drugs alone with remote supervision and overdose support, while protecting their privacy, anonymity, and autonomy. No judgment. Just love. 

Click “Go to Resource” to learn more. 

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, PhD, pain specialist, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. 

Summary: In this 23-minute video Dr. Furlan explains how to calculate sleep efficiency and improve sleep quality. Dr. Furlan highlights several important factors to improve sleep efficiency and quality such as how low traffic noise affects cortisol levels, what room temperature is ideal for sleep, sleep routines and much more.  

Developed by: The Government of Canada. 

Summary: Find free, virtually delivered mental health and substance use supports that are available across the country on canada.ca/mental-health. Click “Go to Resource” to find information on:

• Services offered by national mental health organizations;
• Provincial and territorial resources;
• Resources for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples;
• Resources for youth and young adults;
• Resources for mental health and substance use;
• More ways to get help.

Developed by: The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH). 

Summary: It all starts with knowledge. The Centre for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) provides a series of free online tutorials as a starting point for learning about mental health.​ You can find tutorials on several topics related to mental health, addiction, and depression.  

Note: Some of these tutorials will require the creation of a free account on CAMH course site. 

Developed by: The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), a nationwide organization that promotes mental health and supports people recovering from mental illness. It is the most established, most extensive community mental health organization in Canada.   

 Summary: CMHA’s mission is to ensure that all people in Canada experience good mental health and well-being. Click “Go to Resource” to find information on:

• Mental health resources and programs 
• How to find support for you or others
• Find a local CMHA branch near you

Developed by: Bridge the gapp was co-designed by Canadian governmental and community partners and people with lived experience with mental illness and addictions. Originally developed in Newfoundland and Labrador, it has been recognized nationally and internationally, and has been a trusted source for resources and services since 2015. 

Summary: Bridge the gapp is a new way to connect with guidance and support for mental health and addictions. Bridge the gapp offers self-help resources, links to local services and allows Canadians to share their own personal stories and read other’s stories on the Wall of Hope.  

Developed by: The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).  

Summary: Well Central is an accessible and completely free virtual Recovery College. Well Central offers interactive courses that empower individuals to take control of their mental health and well-being. Well Central offers a tailored online journey providing support, resources and guided courses, valuing each visitor’s unique experience. Courses include: 

• Well-being course;
• Recovery 101; 
• Overcoming Loneliness and Isolation;
• Developing Self Compassion;
• Postpartum Emotional and Mental Health.

Presented by: Dr. Mike Evans, MD, founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Associate Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of Toronto, and staff physician at St. Michael's Hospital. 

Summary: In this 7-minute Visual Whiteboard Lecture, Dr. Evans explains how to prepare for hip and knee replacement surgery. 

Developed by: The Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). 

Summary: BounceBack® is a free skill-building program from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) designed to help adults and youth 15+ manage low mood, mild to moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. Working with workbooks and a trained coach to guide you and encourage you to reflect, BounceBack® can help you build skills to improve your mental health. Click “Go to Resource” and select your province or territory to find the right program for you.  

Note: You can also call 1-855-873-0013 or email [email protected] for more information and/or to get help to determine if BounceBack® is a good fit for you or someone you care about. 

Developed by: This guide was updated with permission for online use from "A Patient’s Guide to Total Hip Replacement Surgery" developed by the Total Joint Assessment Clinic staff for patients at the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS). 

Summary: This interactive guide contains detailed information to help patients prepare for and recover from their Total Hip Replacement Surgery. Divided in 8 modules, the information provided includes: 

• Preparation considerations before and after surgery;
• Details about the surgery and what to expect;
• Activities and exercises during recovery;
• Additional useful resources you can explore.

Click "Go to Resource" to access this interactive guide. 

Note: You will need a Power Over Pain Portal account to access this guide. If you would like an electronic copy of the NLHS original guide, click on the image below. 

Developed by: This guide was updated with permission for online use from "A Patient’s Guide to Total Knee Replacement Outpatient Surgery" developed by the Total Joint Assessment Clinic staff for patients at the Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services (NLHS). 

Summary: This interactive guide contains detailed information to help patients prepare for and recover from their Total Knee Replacement Surgery. Divided in 8 modules, the information provided includes: 

• Preparation considerations before and after surgery;
• Details about the surgery and what to expect;
• Activities and exercises during recovery;
• Additional useful resources you can explore.

Click "Go to Resource" to access this interactive guide. 

Note: You will need a Power Over Pain Portal account to access this guide. If you would like an electronic copy of the NLHS original guide, click on the image below.

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Furlan, MD, pain specialist, Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a Staff Physician and Senior Scientist at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. 

Summary: In this 20-minute video, Dr. Andrea Furlan explains why some people will develop chronic pain after a surgical procedure. And what can be done to prevent and treat this kind of chronic postsurgical pain.