**This course is only open to Brooks Employees**
This course will take place on the following dates:
*Please Note: This is a 5 session course and you must attend all 5 sessions to receive full education credit.
- Saturday, July 11, 2026 8:30 AM – 12:45 PM (In Person at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital – University Campus 3599 University Blvd S. Jacksonville, Florida 32216)
- Thursday, July 23, 2026 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM (Virtual)
- Thursday, August 6, 2026 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM (Virtual)
- Thursday, August 20, 2026 4:30 PM – 6:30 PM (Virtual)
- Thursday, September 3, 2026 4:30 PM – 6:30PM (Virtual)
Course Description:
This course will educate rehabilitation therapists to identify and modify their treatment approach based on the presence of psychological factors that may pose a risk for patients with musculoskeletal pain. As musculoskeletal pain comprises a large percentage of the individuals seeking rehabilitation services, providing tailored treatment approaches to match individual patient characteristics is becoming an increasingly important issue. Risk stratification methods provide opportunities to identify subgroups of patients while also allowing for development of individualized treatment tailoring. Therapists will be prepared to interact more effectively with patients and offer additional strategies to maximize their function and reduce pain. Clinicians will become proficient at skills focusing on risk factor assessment, patient-centered communication, pain coping skills, behavioral based intervention, and treatment monitoring.
Course Objectives:
At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:
Physical and Occupation Therapists
- Implement validated screening tools to identify patients at risk for persistent pain.
- Implement communication skills to enhance goal setting and optimize therapeutic alliance.
- Develop treatment plans in alignment with persistent pain risk and tailored for individual patients.
- Understand and apply relevant clinical practice guidelines during clinical decision-making.
- Evaluate and appraise treatment-monitoring data to inform clinical decision-making.
- Appraise and self-reflect on clinical practice based on mentor feedback.
Physical and Occupational Therapist Assistants
- Incorporate psychologically based treatment strategies to reduce pain-related psychological factors such as fear-avoidance, catastrophizing and maladaptive coping to enhance clinical outcomes under the direction of PT/OT.
- Recognize and incorporate patient-centered communication skills as a component of PIPT
- Differentiate the purpose and utilization of graded exposure and graded activity as a component of PIPT
- Provide patient education to decrease pain-related psychological distress and maladaptive coping
- Appraise and self-reflect on clinical practice based on mentored feedback.
Course Education Level: Beginner