Empowered Relief® is an evidence-based, single-session pain class that rapidly equips patients with pain management skills. Developed at Stanford University.

Empowered Relief® was developed by Beth Darnall, PhD, and has been embedded into clinical pathways at Stanford University since 2013. Early positive scientific results led to major NIH funding to further study the benefits and mechanisms of the single-session pain relief class. In August 2021, JAMA Network Open published results for the NIH-funded randomized trial conducted in adults with chronic low back pain (read the full scientific report here). Findings suggest that the single-session class conferred broad and clinically meaningful benefits across multiple outcomes at 3 months post-treatment (pain intensity, pain interference, pain catastrophizing, pain bothersomeness, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance, and fatigue). Pragmatic comparative effectiveness studies are planned for 2022.

Empowered Relief® is manualized, research-grade, and ready for immediate implementation into your clinic or research study.

Empowered Relief® may only be delivered by certified instructors.

Any licensed healthcare clinician licensed by a state licensing board may become an Empowered Relief® certified instructor.

"Excellent workshop. Perfectly structured. Time flew by so fast. Beth Darnall is one-of-a-kind energizing and inspiring. I highly recommend Empowered Relief®. Great Team, outstanding support. I am very excited to start to provide and disseminate this extremely effective class to patients in Germany." – Mario Zdenko Ostojić 

"Thank you so much again for a wonderful workshop experience - one of the best I've attended in almost 30 years of experience, and for creating such an important program!" – Michelle Marks, PhD

Workshop Content and Structure

All certification workshops involve didactic content, a demonstration patient class, interaction with peers and faculty, and small group skills practice. Attendees finish the two-day event with foundational information and skills, all treatment materials (background scientific articles, the Empowered Relief® therapist manual, instructor slide deck, and all patient materials), as well as an advertising kit.

Workshops Include

1. Two full days of expert-led didactics, demonstration, and skills practice
2. Demonstration of the Empowered Relief® class with actual participants
3. Continuing Education credits/units depending on your profession
4. All materials required for you to successfully implement Empowered Relief® into your clinic or healthcare system

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