Ravi Prasad, PhD

“…this faith [I have] in our inherent strength is also what draws me to the field of pain psychology…”

GPS San Francisco Bay Area, California

Typical Day “I start each day at the hospital working alongside a team of colleagues in the Stanford Comprehensive Interdisciplinary Pain Program (SCIPP). SCIPP is one of the few academic inpatient pain programs in the nation geared toward helping patients with chronic pain decrease their reliance on opioids to manage their condition and increase their use of nonpharmacologic strategies. I spend the second half of my day seeing patients in our outpatient pain center and taking care of other administrative responsibilities.”

Persona “In my clinical role, I am essentially a guide: I cannot make individuals change but I can help them navigate through different approaches to dealing with the challenges in their lives. It is immensely rewarding to help patients learn that even though there may not be a cure for their pain, there are sustainable pathways to increase physical and emotional functioning and improve overall quality of life.”

Social Media Habits “The days are so busy that I rarely get a chance to check in with social media feeds! When I do have downtime, I most frequently peruse Facebook and LinkedIn.”

People “There are many historical figures that I highly regard. As for contemporary public figures, I would have to recognize former president Barack Obama. Regardless of my agreement/disagreement with his perspectives, I have the utmost respect for the vast barriers that he had to overcome to become the first African American president and for igniting such a high level of passion among individuals who were previously indifferent to politics.” Words “Although dated, Viktor E. Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, is a powerful text that showcases the internal resources we possess that can help us cultivate resilience under the most atrocious circumstances. His depiction of life in a concentration camp is both emotionally moving and inspirational.”

Popcorn “The first time I saw the movie Gandhi I was too young to fully appreciate it; however, watching it later in life was very powerful. I suspect that my affinity for this movie and my previously cited book and public figure all have one thing in common: they all display the immense internal power that each of us possesses as human beings. I believe that this faith in our inherent strength is also what draws me to the field of pain psychology, as my daily clinical practice involves helping individuals cultivate this force within themselves to maximize quality of life.”

PAINWeek “PAINWeek is a phenomenal event that provides vast exposure to a full range of biopsychosocial interventions that are available to help improve the lives of individuals living with pain. All of the presenters possess a passion for their work that is readily palpable and quite contagious!”