Psychology Week 2020: How psychology can help with pain

Psychology Week is an opportunity for the APS and its members to demystify and communicate the depth, breadth and benefits of psychology to the Australians who benefit from our expertise, training and research every day, in almost every setting.

Now in its eighteenth year, Psychology Week 2020 focuses on how psychologists can help people with pain.

The APS is collaborating with the Australian College of Applied Psychology to conduct an online survey of Australians’ experiences of pain and its treatment. The aim is to examine the level of need for pain treatment in Australia and factors hindering and facilitating access to psychological treatment.

The Psychology Week campaign will promote how psychologists can help with pain. Resources will be developed for members and will include a practice guide, along with a number of public resources featuring tips for coping with pain and information on how psychologists can help.

Media engagement is a key means of enhancing the community’s understanding of how psychologists and psychology are making a difference to the lives of Australians.

Social media will also be a critical part of the campaign – a way to share stories, resources and encourage dialogue around the main issues. By drawing on our combined social media networks, psychologists have the capacity to reach thousands of people.

Members can get involved by liking, sharing and retweeting Psychology Week posts and content or posting using #psychweek

We encourage members to engage in activities in their local area and through their networks during Psychology Week 2020 to spread the word about what psychology and psychologists can contribute to pain management.