Episode 65: From Frustration to Flourishing: Helping Patients Navigate Pain Setbacks

In this episode of Le Pub Scientifique: The Pain Podcast, Tim Beames and Bart van Buchem unpack one of the most common—and misunderstood—parts of recovery: the pain setback. Together, they explore why flare-ups feel so derailing, how language shapes recovery narratives, and how to support patients when things go off track.

You’ll learn:

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  Why the word "setback" may be doing more harm than good

  
  


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  How to prepare patients for flare-ups using a proactive “toolbox” approach

  
  


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  How to reframe pain as a protective—not purely negative—experience

  
  


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  Practical ways to build safety, validate struggle, and avoid reinforcing fear or avoidance

  
  

This conversation blends science, clinical wisdom, and compassion—ideal for clinicians helping people with persistent pain, flare-ups, or cycles of progress and pause.

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