A Case Study in the Use of Mindfulness-Based Biofeedback for Anxiety Reduction in a Chronic Pain Patient with a Spinal Cord Injury Preparing for Decannulation

Abstract

A clinical approach centered on teaching self-regulation and compassion can assist patients dealing with pain and anxiety to feel more control over their environment. Compassion, found to be a critical variable in the therapeutic benefit of mindfulness-based techniques, can be combined with biofeedback to maximize the advantageous psychological and physical changes that are seen with both. This article will present treatment considerations in a case in which compassion-based strategies within mindfulness-based biofeedback treatment were used with a patient experiencing anxiety related to pain and fear of undergoing a medical procedure for decannulation.