The Psychology Service at AlleviO₃
Psychological counselling is intended for adults and includes an initial introductory consultation, the shared definition of goals and, when appropriate, a structured pathway through supportive psychological counselling or psychotherapeutic intervention, in accordance with the Code of Ethics of Italian Psychologists regarding informed consent, professional competence and confidentiality.
- Supportive psychological counselling and consultations
- Psychodiagnostic assessment when indicated
- Programmes for managing anxiety and stress
- Support during life transitions and periods of personal difficulty
- Psychological support in cases of chronic or physical illness
- Support for family members and caregivers of people with chronic conditions
Psychologists do not prescribe medication and do not replace psychiatric assessment. When appropriate, the case is discussed with or referred to the most suitable specialist, in accordance with the professional boundaries established by the Code of Ethics.
The care pathway
- Assessment consultation
An initial in-depth consultation to understand the person’s history and needs and to define the goals of the therapeutic pathway.
- Personalised plan
The psychological pathway is defined together with the patient. Psychological support may be coordinated with the medical team when the care pathway requires collaboration between several healthcare professionals, as in the case of chronic pain.
- Monitoring and integration with the team
Periodic assessment of progress, with the possibility of coordinated work with the pain specialist, physiotherapist/osteopath and other specialists involved in the care pathway.
When to consult a psychologist: time and space to regain your balance
Everyday life can expose us to periods of intense emotional strain, unexpected changes or times when we simply feel overwhelmed. The AlleviO₃ Psychology Service offers psychological support programmes for adults who wish to address and overcome difficulties related to their personal, emotional or relational life, as well as chronic pain. A psychological pathway offers an opportunity to gain clarity, develop new coping strategies and strengthen personal resources. We provide support in particular for people experiencing:
- Persistent anxiety and stress: difficulty managing everyday worries, work-related tension, feelings of exhaustion or emotional overload.
- Life transitions and change: turning points such as a career change, separation, entering a new stage of life or facing complex personal decisions.
- Coping with grief and loss: support in dealing with a recent or past bereavement or the end of a significant relationship.
- Relationship and emotional difficulties: communication problems and conflict management within the family, with a partner or in the workplace.
- Low self-esteem and insecurity: focused support aimed at rebuilding confidence in one’s abilities and establishing healthy personal boundaries.
- Chronic pain: when persistent pain significantly affects mood, sleep or everyday activities.
- Living with a diagnosis: difficulty accepting, processing or reorganising one’s life around a chronic illness.
- Support for family members and caregivers: a supportive space dedicated to those caring for someone with chronic pain or a complex medical condition.
Starting a psychological pathway does not mean that there is “something wrong” with you.
It means giving yourself the time and space to understand what is happening and to regain serenity and well-being in everyday life.
This service is not intended for psychiatric emergencies.
In the presence of thoughts of self-harm, an acute crisis or a risk to one’s own safety or that of others, it is essential to contact the Emergency Department or emergency medical services immediately.
Psychology and chronic pain
Chronic pain is not only a physical symptom: it is an experience involving the body, the mind and the person’s everyday life. International guidelines describe chronic pain through the biopsychosocial model, according to which biological, psychological factors — thoughts, emotions and behaviours related to pain — and social factors interact with one another and may maintain or amplify suffering over time. For this reason, in the most up-to-date pain management programmes, psychological support is considered an integral part of multidisciplinary treatment, alongside medical assessment and physiotherapy/rehabilitation. At AlleviO₃, the Psychology Service works in close collaboration with Pain Medicine and Manual and Instrumental Therapies, within an integrated approach consistent with the principles of Italian Law 38/2010 on access to palliative care and pain therapy.
The biopsychosocial model of pain
According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), chronic pain should be understood as the result of a dynamic interaction between physiological, psychological and social factors. These factors may maintain or worsen the condition even when the original biological cause has diminished or resolved. This does not mean that pain is “all in your head”. It means that thoughts, emotions, stress levels and a person’s life circumstances can genuinely influence how pain is perceived, experienced and managed.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Chronic Pain is currently the psychological intervention supported by the strongest evidence. The American Psychological Association’s 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline on psychological and other nonpharmacological treatments for chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults recommends CBT compared with standard treatment or other active interventions. CBT-CP works through psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, relaxation techniques and active pain-management strategies for everyday life.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a third-wave psychological approach that, rather than focusing exclusively on reducing pain intensity, works on psychological acceptance of pain and commitment to actions that are consistent with the person’s values. A 2024 systematic review including 21 randomised controlled trials found significant medium-to-large effects on pain interference, functioning, pain acceptance, psychological flexibility and depressive symptoms.
Pain Neuroscience Education
Pain Neuroscience Education consists of explaining to the patient, in accessible language, how the pain system works and why chronic pain may persist even when there is no ongoing tissue damage. Available reviews indicate positive effects on perceived pain, disability, fear of movement or fear-avoidance, and pain catastrophising, with more consistent effects in the short term than in the long term.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
The MBSR programme teaches mindfulness meditation and stress-management techniques applied to living with chronic pain. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses from 2024–2025 show benefits for pain intensity and quality of life in conditions such as chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia and chronic headache, although the available studies show a degree of heterogeneity.
An important clarification: recommending psychological support to someone living with chronic pain does not mean suggesting that the pain is “not real” or that it is “only psychological”.
Chronic pain is a genuine and complex experience.
Psychological support complements, rather than replaces, medical assessment and pain treatment.
Areas of intervention
- Chronic musculoskeletal pain, alongside Pain Medicine
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic headache and migraine
- Chronic low back pain and persistent spinal pain
- Psychological adjustment to chronic illness and functional limitations
- Anxiety and stress related to illness or pain
- Sleep difficulties associated with chronic pain
- Support for family members and caregivers
Support that goes beyond the symptom
In supportive psychological counselling, the person can explore the pain within their personal history and lived experience, paying attention to how pain is experienced and expressed in everyday life through signs, symbols or actions that reflect inner suffering. Expressive activity can help the person come into contact with this deeper dimension of pain and learn to acknowledge and accept it. The aim is to reduce stress, improve anxiety and fear, and promote positive emotional activation, which may help reduce the affective component of the pain experience.
The AlleviO₃ Psychology Service supports the person — not only the pain — through an integrated approach and ongoing collaboration with the rest of the centre’s clinical team.
Scientific references
Verification carried out during this session: the existence and content of the APA 2024 guideline on psychological and nonpharmacological treatments for chronic musculoskeletal pain was confirmed, including its recommendation of CBT compared with standard treatment; the guideline was summarised in APA Monitor in June 2025. A 2024 systematic review of ACT for chronic pain was also confirmed, including 21 RCTs and reporting medium-to-large effects on pain interference and pain acceptance. Reviews published in 2024 on Pain Neuroscience Education were confirmed, with stronger evidence for short-term effects, as were 2024–2025 reviews on MBSR for chronic low back pain, fibromyalgia and chronic headache, with heterogeneous findings across studies. The biopsychosocial model was verified through IASP resources. No specific search was conducted for dedicated Italian guidelines — for example from SIP or the Italian Society for the Study of Pain — regarding the role of psychologists in pain therapy.
