Whole Person Pain Service

Our goal is not to take your medications away. Our goal is to help you manage your pain safely and in the best way possible. Changes to your medications are made with your input and based on your needs. We often do not change medications unless it is needed or you ask for a change.

No. All WPPS visits are video visits (telehealth).

You will still need to see your primary care provider (PCP) in person at least once a year for your yearly checkup and any other visits your PCP recommends.

WPPS visits usually happen at least once every 3 months for medication check-ins. Visits may happen more often if needed.

We prescribe medications to help manage long-term (chronic) pain.

If you have new pain from an injury or surgery, we will work with the doctor who started those medications to help manage them safely.

Common pain medications include:

• Opioids
• Nerve pain medications
• Antidepressants (used for some pain conditions)
• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs)
• Muscle relaxants
• Creams or gels used on the skin
  

We will talk with you about what medications you have tried, how well they worked, and any side effects you had.

Together, we may:

• Change a medication
• Try a different treatment
• Add other services, like physical therapy or pain psychology
  

Pain psychology helps people learn skills to live better with chronic pain.

These skills can help with:

• Coping with pain
• Sleeping better
• Staying active
• Improving mood
• Doing daily activities

Pain psychology also helps calm the nervous system so it processes pain in a more manageable way. Sometimes and for the right conditions, that can be dramatically reducing pain for the long-term.

No. Your pain is real.

Pain is affected by the body, the brain, and daily life. Pain psychology helps the nervous system become less sensitive to pain and helps people function better each day.

Some pain medications, especially opioids, are closely monitored to keep patients safe.

These medications can help with pain, but they can also cause problems, such as:

• Side effects
• Dependence
• Needing higher doses over time
• Dangerous interactions with other medications
• Hyperalgesia: A condition where the nervous system becomes more sensitive to pain signals (lowers the threshold to signal pain). This can happen from taking opioid pain medication long-term.
  

We do not provide these services directly in WPPS. However, we can refer you to providers and help coordinate your care.

These services are not currently offered within the UCHealth system. We can talk with you about whether they may help and help you find providers in the community if needed.

The WPPS works closely with your PCP.

We:

• Share the same medical record
• Communicate regularly
• Work together on your care plan

WPPS does not replace your PCP.

WPPS hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

If you need help outside these hours:

• Call your primary care clinic
• Go to an urgent care clinic
• Go to the nearest emergency department
  

Most insurance plans cover WPPS services, including pain psychology visits. If you have questions about your coverage, contact your insurance company.

WPPS Core Groups are group visits that happen once every 3 months.

In these visits, you will:

• Learn about pain and how it works
• Review your medications
• Learn skills to manage pain

A pain psychologist leads the group. A medical provider will also check in with you privately about your medications.

These groups are educational. They are not traditional therapy groups and do not require a lot of personal sharing.

No. Due to legal restrictions on telehealth appointments, you must be in Colorado during your telehealth appointments. Please let the WPPS team know if you need to reschedule an appointment due to traveling out of state during a scheduled appointment.

• Stronger pain coping skills – using coping skills to respond to pain more effectively
• Less pain-related distress – lowering related fear, anxiety, and emotional suffering
• Improved daily function – doing more of the things that matter and pacing activity
• Better emotional regulation – handling tough thoughts and feelings with more ease
• Improved sleep and energy – breaking cycles of poor rest and fatigue
• Less avoidance – feeling safer to move, engage, and rejoin life roles
• Greater sense of control – shifting from hopelessness to confidence in pain management
• Better quality of life – reconnecting with meaning, purpose, and joy in life
• Recalibrate how the nervous system processes pain – address sensitization of pain processing, decreasing the impact of pain on quality of life and physical function
  

CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP): 6-12 sessions
Skills-based therapy to improve activity pacing, sleep, relaxation, and helpful thought patterns.

→ For pain that limits activity, causes distress, or disrupts sleep

ACT for Chronic Pain (ACT-CP): 6-12 sessions
Helps patients do what is meaningful, even with pain, through mindfulness, activity pacing, and values-driven flexibility.

→ For patients feeling stuck, limited, or disconnected from meaningful roles and activity

Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs): 8 sessions
Structured meditation, movement, and body awareness practices.

→ For reducing mind-body reactions to stress and pain. Helpful for most chronic pain conditions

Self-Hypnosis for Pain: 6-8+ sessions
Teaches guided imagery and relaxation to reduce pain and calm the nervous system.

→ For muscle tension, bodily stress, or interest in non-medication pain and stress relief

Emotional Awareness & Expression Therapy (EAET): 8+ sessions
Supports recognition and expression of emotions linked to chronic pain and contributing to nervous system sensitization with pain processing.

→ For chronic pain with history of significant stress related to pain or other life experiences, as well as those struggling with self-compassion with those experiences 

Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT): 8-12 sessions
Retrains the central nervous system to view pain as less threatening through pain education and gradual exposure to feared or avoided movement and activity.

→ For chronic pain with fear of pain impacting pain severity, movement, and activity

Allison Costello, MD, MPA

Medical Director

Jennifer Corliss, MD, FAAFP

Interim Medical Director

Dustin Goerlitz, PhD

Clinical Psychologist and WPPS Behavioral Health Lead

• Specialty in Pain Psychology

Julie Przekwas, PA

APP/PA

Amanda Ramirez, NP

APP/NP

Emily Rodgerson 

Virtual Health Profession (VHP)/MA and Virtual Front Desk