Psychophysiologic Disorders
Info for Mental Health Professionals
Millions of people cope with chronic painful conditions or functional syndromes such as fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome. Recent research has shown that a significant proportion of these individuals do not have clear evidence of structural abnormalities that explain their symptoms.
Patients become frustrated when diagnostic tests are normal and they fall into a blind spot in the healthcare system. Biomedical treatments such as medications, injections or surgery are the usual recommendation though these are typically ineffective when psychological processes are responsible for symptoms.
Though mental health practitioners often help chronic pain patients cope with the stress of their symptoms, they can do much more. Psychotherapists actually can help treat the pain directly.
Because psychotherapists are not trained to diagnose a Psychophysiologic Disorder (PPD), it is important to recognize which symptoms might be PPD and refer to a physician who can confirm this diagnosis. Physicians who are familiar with this condition can be found in the Practitioner Directory. If the client's physician is unfamiliar with PPD they can still evaluate diagnostically for other causes.
There are certain signs that can help determine whether the PPD diagnosis fits. These clues to PPD include symptoms that increase during times of emotional turmoil and symptoms in more than one area (e.g. headaches, fibromyalgia and back pain). Once a physician has confirmed that it would be safe to pursue a conservative, mindbody approach for your client’s symptoms, there are many ways to educate yourself and receive training on treatment protocol.
How to Talk with Your Patients About PPD
Our guide “How to Talk with Your Patients About Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD)” is a must-read for all health professionals - your patients will thank you for it! Developed by Alicia Batson, MD (former PPDA Board) and David Clarke, MD (PPDA President).
Continuing Education
The 2023 PPDA Conference
This year, we had new topics and an impressive lineup of 29 speakers. Our conference was held virtually, and the good news is that on-demand access with enduring credit is still available until October 31, 2024. Register today and enjoy the sessions at your own pace. We're proud to offer 12 Enduring CE/CME hours for physicians, nurses, psychologists, and social workers.
2021 Conference On Demand
We are delighted to announce that we have recently hosted the largest mind-body conference to date. Even if you were unable to attend the event, you can still register to access the conference and watch the recording at your convenience. Twenty-two experts share how to eliminate chronic pain, migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, pelvic pain, eczema, and other chronic or medically unexplained symptoms through an evidence-based, biopsychosocial approach.
Online course
A 6-hour online course on trauma-informed diagnosis and treatment of PPD led by Dr. David Clarke and Jessica Shahinian. Based on experience with over 7000 patients and taught in two graduate schools to hundreds of students since 2013. CE credits are not available for this course.
Read Our Textbooks
From this innovative book, medical and mental health professionals will learn to relieve (not just manage) physical symptoms by assessing for and treating current life stresses, past traumas, suppressed emotions and the prolonged impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). The sixteen authors from five countries are among the most experienced (averaging 20 years) PPD clinicians in the world. They are also remarkably diverse, practicing in the fields of Adolescent Medicine, Family Medicine, Gastroenterology, Health Journalism, Integrative Medicine, Internal Medicine, Movement Therapy, Neuroscience, Orthopedic Spine Surgery, Pain Medicine, Physiotherapy, Psychiatry, Psychoanalysis, Psychology, Psychotherapy, and Sports Medicine. From this wide range of backgrounds, the authors reached consensus on a core set of practices that were a revelation for them and their patients. These concepts are practical and can readily be implemented by any healthcare professional. Buy on Amazon.
Did you know that one in six adults and 40% of primary care patients suffer from medically unexplained symptoms, chronic functional syndromes, or psychosocial factors responsible for chronic pain? Collectively these are called Psychophysiologic Disorders or PPD. As recent research has confirmed, a trauma-informed approach to diagnosis and treatment can transform these patients from among the most frustrating to the most rewarding and give them a far better chance for a full recovery. This process was described in detail in the previous volume from the PPD Association titled Psychophysiologic Disorders (KDP Publishing, 2019).
A key barrier to implementing this approach is that most medical clinicians lack formal training in assessing for PPD and most mental health professionals lack knowledge of medical diagnoses. This book addresses that blind spot with a table of hundreds of medical diagnoses that are common in PPD patients. The table explains each diagnosis and describes the contribution from PPD without jargon or technical terms. It is based on published evidence and the authors’ experience diagnosing and treating PPD in thousands of patients.
Also included is an introduction to the diagnostic process for PPD that includes the authors’ most recent recommendations. There is also a detailed self-assessment questionnaire for patients that is designed to provide insight into how well their condition fits the biopsychosocial context commonly associated with PPD. As in the companion book Psychophysiologic Disorders, the concepts are practical and can readily be implemented by any healthcare professional.
Learning this approach is more than just clinically effective. As one family physician who learned these concepts said: “It put the joy back into my practice.” Buy on Amazon.
Resources
We have a comprehensive, curated list of evidence-based resources that are helpful for health professionals and patients alike. From books to videos, webinars to treatment programs, we have it all!