PainWISE art classes help Gold Coasters brush pain aside

After several spinal surgeries Jason Czypull had to learn to walk again. And as surprising as it might seem at first glance, he’s literally drawing recovery inspiration by trying his hand at Indigenous painting for the first time.

He, like others in the art class, which is part of the PainWISE Turning Pain into Gain Persistent Pain Program, are discovering their restoration to health is as much about managing mental health as physical wellbeing.

“A lot of people think the physical recovery from surgeries like mine are the main game, but it’s only part of it. I joined the program in 2019 after my physiotherapist and I did some hunting around for programs that might help me heal more completely, and here I am,” Jason said.

Turning Pain into Gain is funded by the Gold Coast Primary Health Network to help chronic pain sufferers explore a range of different strategies through education programs, individual case management, peer support, goal setting and better understanding of community health services. It also offers psychological support to people experiencing anxiety because of pain.

“I’ve undertaken physio and mental counselling, nutrition and art therapy classes like these and it’s good to work with groups of people coping with similar struggles. There’s always something different with the programs and the art classes are as much a social thing than anything; a few friends getting together as a distraction from our pain,” Jason said.

“It makes you realise there are more people out there going through what you’re going through and there’s comfort in that,” he said.

Exercise physiologist and clinical facilitator Katherine Ma said the program, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in June 2024, is all about better pain self-management. And she says there are important distinctions to be made.

“Chronic pain is quite different to acute pain and how most people interpret pain; it’s quite complex, involving changes within the body physically and neurologically,” Katherine said.

“Chronic pain is also invisible and people who have lived with it for years are very good at masking it, and that’s one of the reasons it’s quite often misunderstood.”

People wanting more information on the persistent pain programs should visit their GP to discuss what’s best for them.

Watch the program video.