About Beth Darnall, PhD

Dr. Darnall has been working with adults with chronic pain for more than 10 years, and since 2005 is an Assistant Professor and pain psychologist at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Dr. Darnall treats people with chronic pain at the OHSU Comprehensive Pain Center at and at OHSU Hospital. She enjoys helping people with chronic pain learn to live their best life possible.

Living with chronic pain is often challenging and stressful. When we are stressed, our pain increases, so good stress management is essential for good pain management. Dr. Darnall helps people learn and use scientifically informed and scientifically proven methods to lessen the physical, mental, and emotional stress that comes with chronic pain. Often people are not aware that their thoughts, daily choices, and behaviors have a big influence on their pain. Most people don’t know that many of their daily choices are making their pain worse. She arms people with information so they can make better choices and have less pain. Using her approach, most people find they need less pain medication as their pain is better managed.

Specialty areas include:

Women with chronic pain. See Dr. Darnall describe some of the specific challenges faced by women with chronic pain. She was a recent expert guest on the topic for KATU TV’s AM Northwest morning talk show! Watch the show on the KATU website. Learn more about her expertise on pain in women on the research page.

Limb loss & phantom pain. Dr. Darnall’s research was recently featured in The Oregonian newspaper. Learn more about her expertise on home-based self-delivered mirror therapy for phantom pain in persons with amputation.

Improving patient access to pain care. A major focus of Dr. Darnall’s clinical work and research is devoted to helping improve patient access to speciality pain care. She has four active projects that target improved access for people with pain world-wide at low or no cost.

Board of Directors and Pain Advocacy:

Pain Society of Oregon
Elected Board Member (January 2010)
Chair, Portland Education Committee (2010 - present)
Portland Steering Committee Member (November 2009 - present)

End the Pain Project
(non-profit organization dedicated to the global reduction of phantom pain)
Advisory Board Member (December 2009-present)

For Grace
(non-profit organization dedicated to promoting equal and ethical pain treatment for all women).
Invited expert member of the For Grace Leadership Circle (2010-present)