| A single 2-hour pain relief skills class continues to reduce pain catastrophizing, pain intensity, and pain bothersomeness in people with chronic low-back pain after 6 months and is no less effective than an 8-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program, according to a study from Stanford University, partly funded by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. These results, published in the journalPain Reports,extend the findings of a3-month evaluationand show that the effects of the pain skills class dont deteriorate significantly from 3 to 6 months. CBT programs have been recommended as a first-line treatment for patients with back pain and may help to improve multiple symptoms. However, because there is a need for multiple sessions with trained practitioners, it can be difficult for health care systems to provide these relatively lengthy treatment programs and for patients to participate. The Empowered Relief program, evaluated in this study, is a briefer option that might reduce barriers to care and enable more people to participate. It consists of a 2-hour single-session pain relief skills class that includes cognitive behavioral skills, mindfulness principles, and pain neuroscience education. | 
