A Balancing Act of Danger and Safety
Webinar 4 Jun, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM (AEST)
This series is ideal for GPs seeking to deepen their understanding of pain, enhance their communication with patients, and improve the quality of care for individuals experiencing chronic pain.
Pain is not just about injury—it emerges from the brain’s interpretation of danger and safety signals. Through predictive processing, the brain constantly weighs these signals, shaping the pain experience. This session unpacks the pain-fear cycle, the incredible complexity of pain, and why it often persists. The good news? There are countless ways to influence pain beyond medication. GPs have a much broader toolkit than they might realize, and this session will explore practical, evidence-based strategies to shift the balance toward safety and relief. A lot of this session is dedicated to the latest on stress
Learning outcomes
- Describe how the brain processes pain through predictive processing, weighing danger and safety signals.
- Explain the pain-fear cycle and its role in pain persistence.
- Discuss strategies beyond medication that promote safety and reduce threat perception.
Educational Activities
1.5
hours
This event is part of Practical Pain Neuroscience for GPs: Tools for Everyday Practice. Events in this series are:
Speaker
Dr Adele Stewart
Chair, RACGP Specific Interests Pain Management and Accredited Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Teacher
Dr Adele Stewart MBBS FRACGP has been a GP for over 30 years in the Illawarra. Adele has gained Recognition of Extended Skills in Psychological Medicine for Fellows of the RACGP. Her special interests include pain neuroscience, complex trauma, mindfulness and chronic pelvic pain. Adele is a certified Mindfulness Teacher and has co-created a successful mindfulness programme for patients experiencing chronic pain “Pain to Peace”.