Pain Psychology Assessment

Manage Pain and Reclaim Quality of Life

At CPC Clinics, we offer thorough pain psychology assessment in Calgary for those facing persistent pain. These evaluations explore both physical effects and emotional patterns, using evidence-based tools to clarify coping challenges and provide practical strategies for better daily functioning and quality of life.

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Your evaluation is thorough, collaborative, and tailored to your goals. Here’s what our pain psychology assessment in Calgary typically includes:

Comprehensive Assessment

Comprehensive Assessment: The process begins with a comprehensive assessment that looks at your…
Comprehensive Assessment: The process begins with a comprehensive assessment that looks at your pain history, flare patterns, triggers, sleep quality, mood, movement, current medications, and existing supports. By carefully mapping both what tends to worsen symptoms and what seems to soothe them, your clinician can build a clear picture of how pain affects your life and where the most effective changes can begin.
Pain Diary and Early-Warning Signs
Pain Diary and Early-Warning Signs: You will be supported in using a pain diary to track daily experiences…
Pain Diary and Early-Warning Signs: You will be supported in using a pain diary to track daily experiences and identify early-warning signs that indicate stressors or subtle shifts before a flare escalates. This practice not only increases self-awareness but also provides concrete guidance for making timely course corrections so that you can take action before symptoms become overwhelming.

Pacing and Graded Activity Planning

Pacing and Graded Activity Planning: Together we will develop pacing strategies and graded…
Pacing and Graded Activity Planning: Together we will develop pacing strategies and graded activity plans that allow you to gradually rebuild stamina while avoiding the common “boom-and-bust” cycle of overexertion followed by setbacks. By balancing effort with rest in a structured way, you learn to engage in daily activities with more confidence and stability.
CBT-CP Skills
CBT-CP Skills: Cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic pain (CBT-CP) provides tools to reduce…
CBT-CP Skills: Cognitive behavioural therapy for chronic pain (CBT-CP) provides tools to reduce catastrophizing thoughts and fear-avoidance behaviours that can limit your functioning. These skills help you practice more flexible ways of thinking and responding, which in turn support healthier behaviours, steadier routines, and greater overall resilience.

Medication and Medical Collaboration

Medication and Medical Collaboration: With your consent, your therapist will collaborate with your…
Medication and Medical Collaboration: With your consent, your therapist will collaborate with your physician, pain team, or physiotherapist to ensure that all strategies are aligned and consistent. This coordination prevents mixed messages, promotes shared goals, and creates a unified approach to your care across different providers.

Relapse-Prevention & Values-Based Goals

Relapse-Prevention and Values-Based Goals: The process concludes with a relapse-prevention plan…
Relapse-Prevention and Values-Based Goals: The process concludes with a relapse-prevention plan that is anchored in your personal values and long-term goals. Together you will set meaningful objectives for home life, school, work, and relationships, with practical strategies to maintain progress during high-stress periods such as exams, deadlines, or travel. This ensures that gains are sustained and continue to support your quality of life over time.

The Benefits of Our Pain Psychology Assessment

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Our expert-led pain psychology assessment in Calgary blends clinical expertise with compassionate care. Using evidence-based tools, we assess how chronic pain affects thoughts, emotions, and daily life, while also providing practical strategies to build resilience, improve coping, and enhance wellbeing.

1. CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP):

 Explain how CBT-CP targets unhelpful pain thoughts (catastrophizing), fear-avoidance, and… read more

2. ACT & Mindfulness:

Describe acceptance of difficult sensations/urges, present-moment attention, and values... read more

3. Pacing & Graded Exposure to Activity:

Detail balancing rest and movement, gradually increasing tolerable tasks, and… read more

4. Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE):

Briefly explain learning how the nervous system amplifies or calms pain (sensitizat...read more

5. Relaxation & Biofeedback-Informed Strategies:

Note breathing, muscle relaxation, and (when appropriate or by referral) biofeedback approaches… read more

Meet Our Calgary Pain Psychology Assessment Psychologists:

Zarrin Tasneem

MACP — Registered Provisional Psychologist

Julie Miazga

M.Psych (Hons)
Registered Provisional Psychologist & Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Expert

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Flexible & Accessible Counselling Options :

Pain psychology assessments use evidence-based tools to examine how pain affects thoughts, emotions, and behavior. In Calgary, costs vary by time and case complexity. Below is a guideline of typical fees.

Pain Psychology Assessment
$2000 – $4000

IQ Test and Cognitive Assessment $1000 – $1500

Insurance billing available under specific conditions

In-person sessions available in Calgary

Let’s find a time and format that works best for you.

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Blogs:

Pain Psychology Assessment: Could It Help You?

Discover how chronic pain can impact mood, sleep, and daily functioning, and learn how our pain psychology assessment in Calgary offers clarity and strategies for better coping.

Read More

Ans : No referral is required to contact us. If another provider referred you, we’ll incorporate their questions and, with your written consent, share a summary or full report back to them

Ans : Counselling isn’t a cure and we don’t offer timelines. Many people report less distress, steadier routines, and more confidence doing important activities—even when pain persists. Approaches like CBT, ACT, and mindfulness can reduce pain interference and improve function versus usual care. (Harvard Health)

Ans : Yes. We’ll slow the session, use gentler skills, and tailor homework to your current energy. Virtual appointments are available. Flare-aware plans protect sleep and recovery while keeping momentum with small, doable steps.

Ans :  With your consent, we can share plans and updates with your physician, physiotherapist, or specialist. Combining movement-based rehab with psychological approaches (pain education, CBT) often supports function more than either alone.(Harvard Health)

Ans : Our Registered Psychologists issue detailed receipts that many extended health plans reimburse. Coverage varies by insurer and policy; please confirm with your provider. If direct billing is available, we’ll let you know at booking. We can discuss access options if cost is a barrier.

Location :

Macleod Place II, 5940 Macleod Trail SW, Suite 500 Calgary AB T2H 2G4

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Take the first step toward turning struggles into strength through compassionate psychological and counselling services.
 
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Do you agree to receive text messages from CPC Clinics Inc. sent from +1 888 567 2722? Message frequency may vary based on communication needs and may include scheduling, confirmations, reminders, and updates related to appointments or customer assistance. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP or CANCEL at any time to opt-out of further text message communications. For assistance, reply HELP or contact support at: +1 888 567 2722.
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CPC Clinics

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1. CBT For Pain:

What It Is :

CBT helps you notice pain-related thoughts, test them against daily evidence, and pair new thinking with behaviour shifts like graded activity. Over time, this breaks the fear-avoidance loop and builds confidence in routine tasks and movement. Evidence shows CBT helps reduce pain interference and distress. (Harvard Health)

Key Benefits:

  • You’ll map patterns like “If I move, I’ll make it worse,” then test those thoughts with small experiments. We pair cognitive tools with simple behaviour changes—micro-walks, stretch timers, task-chunking—to reduce avoidance and increase confidence that daily life can be navigated safely. (Harvard Health)
  • We also plan for setbacks. When flares happen, you’ll have scripts, pacing blocks, and recovery routines that protect sleep and energy. Over time, people notice less distress, more stable routines, and improved participation at home, work, and in community.

2. ACT & Mindfulness

What It Is :

Describe acceptance of difficult sensations/urges, present-moment attention, and values-aligned action. Emphasize reducing struggle with pain while expanding life roles; mention emerging evidence for ACT in diverse chronic pain groups.

Key Benefits:

  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with mindfulness shifts the focus away from fighting pain or urges. Instead, you learn to notice sensations, thoughts, and impulses without judgment. Techniques like urge surfing, brief attention practices, and values checkpoints reduce automatic reactions and free up the energy that would otherwise be drained by constant inner struggle.

  • The goal isn’t to erase pain or “think it away,” but to expand life around it. Together, we clarify what matters most relationships, hobbies, study, or work and practice gentle, values-aligned actions even alongside discomfort. This allows you to keep showing up for the people and projects you care about, building a life of meaning without relying on false promises of a cure.

3. Pacing & Graded Exposure to Activity

What It Is :

Detail balancing rest and movement, gradually increasing tolerable tasks, and rebuilding confidence in feared activities (e.g., lifting, commuting). Connect to reduced flare severity over time.

Key Benefits:

  • Pacing replaces the exhausting boom and bust cycle with gradual, confidence-building routines. Through a pain psychology assessment, you learn to set tolerable baselines, slowly increase activity, and use gentle exposure to reduce fear around movement. This approach helps rebuild trust in your body and prevents the setbacks that come from overexertion.
  • Alongside pacing, strategies such as consistent sleep anchors, calming wind-down routines, and small environmental adjustments help reduce nervous-system reactivity and lower the risk of flares. Your personalized plan may also include micro-breaks, smarter task sequencing, screen curfews, and brief relaxation practices. Together, these tools create a daily rhythm that feels sustainable on ordinary days and resilient during times of added stress.

4. Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE):

What It Is :

Briefly explain learning how the nervous system amplifies or calms pain (sensitization, stress, sleep). Clarify that understanding pain biology supports safer behaviour change and less fear.

Key Benefits:

  • Pacing replaces the exhausting boom and bust cycle with confidence-building routines. By setting tolerable baselines, gradually increasing activity, and using gentle exposure, you can rebuild trust in your body and reduce fear around movement. This creates steady, sustainable progress without the setbacks of overexertion.

  • Pacing is paired with supportive strategies such as consistent sleep anchors, short wind-down routines, and small environmental changes that calm the nervous system and lower the risk of flares. Your plan may also include micro-breaks, smarter sequencing of tasks, screen curfews, and brief relaxation practices—tools that integrate seamlessly into home, school, or work life. Together, these approaches establish a daily rhythm that is sustainable on ordinary days and resilient when challenges arise.

5. Relaxation & Biofeedback-Informed Strategies

What It Is :

Note breathing, muscle relaxation, and (when appropriate or by referral) biofeedback approaches that help down-shift stress reactivity and muscle tension for some pain conditions. Avoid promising universal results.

Key Benefits:

  • Clear, consistent language within the family helps reduce stress and miscommunication. By learning simple ways to talk about pain, align expectations, and plan for daily challenges such as exams, travel, or shift work, support becomes more predictable and less chaotic.

  • With your consent, we also work alongside your family doctor, pain clinic, physiotherapist, or other providers to keep strategies aligned. This may include concise summaries, shared treatment goals, and early-warning steps for flares. When everyone understands the plan and their role in it, mixed messages decrease, and you receive more practical, day-to-day support.