Episodes

Episode 1: Tackling the Challenges of Pain and Pain Management

Managing a life with pain can be overwhelming, whether it's dealing with acute pain from injury or surgery or pain that is long-lasting. This segment addresses barriers and challenges to treating pain, such as finding the right treatment approach, dealing with treatment-related side effects and addressing stigmas that can have a negative impact on the management of pain. Guests include Eugene R. Viscusi, M.D.,an anesthesiologist specializing in pain management, and Kathy Church, a clinical social worker and patient advocate.

In-Depth Profile: Kathy Church

As a woman who has experienced chronic pain for more than 15 years, Kathy Church, a clinical social worker, mother and advocate for improved pain care, shares her experience with pain, lessons she’s learned through her journey and how she has reached an almost pain-free state.

Episode 2: Communicating about Pain: For Healthcare Practitioners

Pain is complicated. This episode focuses on challenges patients face when communicating with health care professionals about living with pain and different strategies that help both parties make the most of their time during a patient's visit. Guests include Terry Altilio LCSW, ACSW, a clinical social worker in pain medicine and palliative care, and Micke Brown, BSN, RN, a pain management nurse and advocate.

Episode 3: Communicating about Pain: For People with Pain

Guests Terry Altilio LCSW, ACSW, a clinical social worker in pain medicine and palliative care, and Micke Brown, BSN, RN, discuss available resources for people with pain to better manage their condition. By employing effective communication with one’s health care provider and tapping health professionals who can help advocate for improved pain care, this episode offers people tips and tool to help manage their pain.

In-Depth Profile: Denise Coleman

Denise Coleman gives insight into how she maintains a positive outlook despite the great challenges she has faced for more than 40 years due to chronic pain. A volunteer leader for the Power Over Pain Action Network in New York, Denise advocates for improved care for people with pain.

Episode 4: Thinking and Feeling about Pain

Managing the psychological aspects associated with pain can be as important as managing the pain itself. This show offers expert insight into how pain sufferers can address depression, anxiety or relationship issues they may experience due to their pain and the importance of voicing these issues with their family, friends and health care providers. Guests include Laurie Ferguson, Ph.D., a psychologist specializing in chronic diseases, Denise Coleman, a patient advocate, and world-renowned family psychologist and sex therapist, Ruth Westheimer, Ph.D.

Episode 5: Maintaining an Active Life with Pain: Integrative Pain Management

Pain can affect virtually every aspect of a patient's life, including work, sleep, exercise and social activities. This episode provides tips for coping with pain and will explore how integrative and holistic approaches to pain management can help maximize treatment outcomes. Guests include Roberta Lee, M.D., an expert in integrative medicine, and Melanie Thernstrom, an author and patient advocate. This episode will air in January 2010.

Kathy Church, MSW, Eugene Viscusi, MD and Ruth Westheimer, EdD received compensation from PriCara,® Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., supporter of the Let’s Talk Pain Coalition, for their participation in this video program.

Let's Talk Pain Show Host

Carol Martin is a TV journalist with over 30 years of experience in broadcast television news, cable, corporate branding and advertising, and print journalism. For 20 years, she was a principal anchor and correspondent for WCBS-TV-Channel 2 News, the CBS flagship station in the nation’s top television market.

As co-anchor of Channel 2 News at Noon, Five and Six O’Clock, Carol earned two Emmy awards for outstanding news reporting, and also was honored with hundreds of commendations from tri-state area viewers during her years at Channel 2 News.

Since 2002, she has worked as an independent contractor for Johnson & Johnson, the healthcare company based in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She has a recurring role as in-studio anchor for J&J’s global on-line network. Carol has reported on pharmaceutical and philanthropic news for the company, traveling throughout the United States and in Europe and South Africa.

Also, from 2002 to 2007, Carol commuted between New York and Chicago, working as vice president for operations at Making History, Inc., a start-up business co-founded with her husband. Making History produced video mementos of family histories, corporate milestones and DVD remembrances for Alzheimer’s patients. At her company, Carol wrote, produced and provided voice-overs while supervising a staff of 12 editors, writers and video personnel.