As one of the foremost causes of healthcare resource consumption and disability among Canadian adults, chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) requires significant attention within healthcare delivery and research. While CNCP treatment is typically guided by pharmacotherapeutics, current literature illustrates that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a CNCP treatment can promote effective pain coping strategies, thereby improving pain and psychosocial outcomes. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy services are constrained, in particular due to limited access and referral to mental health professionals who provide these services. To improve access to CBT services and close gaps in CNCP care, primary care providers could offer brief CBT in their practices. Brief CBT (bCBT) delivered in primary care settings would provide active treatment for CNCP as well as interim treatment for patients awaiting referral to full-service CBT, should that service be required.
