On Oct. 20, more than 60 pain warriors from the greater Chicago area attended U.S. Pain’s eighth Take Control of Your Pain event. Take Control of Your Pain is a series of free educational days for people with pain and their caregivers. The events, held in locations across the country, bring together pain warriors with experts in a variety of fields related to pain management. The events also are a chance for people with pain to connect with one another and meet with U.S. Pain representatives.

The Chicago event featured seven different presentations and workshops:

• “Coping with the Psychological Impact of Chronic Pain” with Melissa Geraghty, PsyD, a clinical health psychologist;
• “Pain, Science, and Self-Efficacy: Understanding and Changing Pain” with Kandra Hilton, PT, DPT, MS. a physical therapist at Entropy Physiotherapy and Wellness;
• “Be Heard: Tips from a Policy Geek and Pain Warrior” with Katy Brennan
, an intern with state government and an INvisible Project participant;
• “Using Your Voice to Impact Change” with Tiffany Westrich-Robertson, CEO and Founder, International Foundation for Autoimmune & Autoinflammatory Arthritis;
• “Yoga and Movement for Pain” with Rachel Horcher, LMT, a licensed massage therapist and yoga teacher;
• “The Transformative Power of Words and Story” with Elizabeth Turner, a journalist and therapeutic writing facilitator at e3 (*encourage* empower* equip); and
• “Medical Marijuana For Pain Management” with Jose Gonzalez Jr., executive director of Educated Alternative.

More information about the speakers can be found here. A recording will also be available in the coming week.

The day was cohosted by the International Foundation for Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Arthritis, the Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, the Global Healthy Living Foundation, and the National Infusion Centers Association.

The next Take Control of Your Pain event will be in Boston on Nov. 10. To register, click here.