The Comfort Ability® Program in Southern California: Evidence-Based Support for Kids and Teens Living With Chronic Pain

Living with chronic pain can be incredibly confusing and isolating for kids and teens, and equally overwhelming for the families who love them. When symptoms persist without clear answers, it’s easy to feel stuck between endless medical appointments and the fear that nothing will genuinely help. 

The good news is that chronic pain is real and manageable. The Comfort Ability Program in California offers a hopeful, evidence-based approach that helps young people understand their pain, build practical coping skills, and regain confidence in daily life.

At MILIKA Center for Therapy & Resilience, we specialize in supporting children, teens, and families through challenges that affect both the mind and body. By bringing the Comfort Ability Program to Southern California, our team is proud to offer a structured, compassionate resource that empowers families with science-backed tools—while honoring each child’s unique experience of pain.

Understanding Pediatric Chronic Pain Beyond Medical Tests

Many kids and teens live with ongoing pain that can feel confusing and frustrating for young people and their families alike, especially when thorough medical testing shows no apparent injury or illness. Chronic pain in childhood is actually quite common: research suggests that about 1 in 5 children and adolescents experience chronic pain, with rates ranging from roughly 11% to 38% depending on the type of pain examined.

It’s important to know that pain doesn’t need visible damage to be real. The brain and nervous system play a powerful role in how pain signals are processed, especially when pain has been present for a long time. In chronic pain, the nervous system can become overly sensitive (called central sensitization), continuing to send pain signals even when the body is safe. Stress, fear, disrupted sleep, and past pain experiences can all amplify these signals. This doesn’t mean a child is imagining their symptoms; it means their system is working overtime to protect them.

Understanding pain through this brain–body lens helps shift the focus from “What’s wrong?” to “What can help?”—opening the door to practical tools that support regulation, resilience, and daily functioning.

What Is the Comfort Ability Program?

The Comfort Ability® Program (CAP) is a structured, evidence-based workshop designed to help kids and teens living with chronic pain better understand their bodies, calm their nervous systems, and build practical skills for daily life. Rather than focusing on eliminating pain entirely, the program helps young people learn how pain works and how they can respond to it in ways that reduce distress and increase confidence.

This chronic pain workshop for teens was initially developed within pediatric hospital settings to bridge the gap between medical care and everyday coping. It brings together education, skill-building, and peer support in a single, focused experience. Kids learn that pain is real, that the brain and nervous system influence it, and that there are tools they can use to feel safer and more in control.

As a pediatric pain management program, the Comfort Ability Program supports both physical and emotional well-being, helping families move forward with clarity, resilience, and hope.

How the Comfort Ability® Program Helps Kids and Teens

The Comfort Ability® Program is designed to help kids and teens (ages 10 to 17) feel more capable and supported as they navigate chronic pain. Rather than focusing on eliminating symptoms, this chronic pain workshop for teens and kids emphasizes understanding, skill-building, and confidence so that young people can reengage with daily life in meaningful ways. Here are some of the ways CAP helps:

1. Learn to reframe pain

Kids learn how pain signals are processed in the brain and nervous system, and why chronic pain can persist even when the body is safe. This reframing helps reduce fear and confusion while validating that their pain is real.

2. Offers practical coping skills

Participants are taught chronic pain coping skills kids can use in real time, including relaxation techniques, pacing strategies, guided imagery, stress management, and other body-based tools that support nervous system regulation.

3. Build emotional resilience

Because emotions and pain are closely connected, the program addresses anxiety, frustration, and fear that often intensify physical symptoms. Using principles from CBT for chronic pain, youth learn to respond to pain with greater resilience and self-compassion.

4. Strengthen confidence & functioning

As skills build, many kids begin to feel more confident returning to school, activities, and social life, even when pain is present. This focus on functioning helps shift attention from limitations to possibilities and growth.

5. Experience support in a group setting

CAP is offered in a group format, which gives kids and teens the opportunity to meet others who are navigating similar symptoms and challenges. This shared experience helps reduce isolation and shame, normalizes what they’re going through, and fosters connection and mutual encouragement. Many participants find comfort and motivation in realizing they are not alone.

Why Caregivers Are an Essential Part of the Program

When a child lives with chronic pain, caregivers often carry just as much stress and uncertainty. Wanting to protect your child can sometimes mean feeling unsure how to respond, especially when pain flares up or interferes with daily life. The Comfort Ability Program recognizes that caregivers play a vital role in a child’s ability to cope and heal.

During the workshop, caregivers participate in a parallel track designed specifically for them. This portion of the pediatric pain management program focuses on understanding how chronic pain works, learning how responses can either calm or amplify the nervous system, and developing strategies that support resilience without increasing fear or avoidance.

Caregivers learn practical tools for communication, encouragement, and boundary-setting, along with guidance on supporting independence while staying emotionally connected. By working together, families build a shared language around pain—creating a more supportive environment where kids feel understood, empowered, and less alone.

Why the Comfort Ability® Program Matters for Southern California Families

Families in Southern California often find themselves navigating long medical waitlists, repeated testing, and limited access to programs that address the emotional and neurological sides of chronic pain. While medical care plays an important role, many families are left searching for practical support that helps their child function in daily life, not just manage symptoms in a clinic.

The Comfort Ability® Program in California helps bridge this gap by offering an evidence-based, skills-focused option closer to home. By providing this pediatric chronic pain treatment, MILIKA Center for Therapy & Resilience expands opportunities for connection, education, and support for California families. 

For many families, having a structured, compassionate program available in Southern California makes it easier to move forward with clarity, confidence, and hope without having to travel far from their existing community of care.

What Families Can Expect From the Comfort Ability® Program at Milika Center

The Comfort Ability® Program is offered as a multi-session, virtual workshop with separate, concurrent tracks for kids and caregivers. Throughout the day, participants learn about the science of pain, practice coping strategies for flare-ups and stress, and engage in guided exercises that support nervous system regulation. The group setting is intentionally gentle and supportive, helping kids and families feel understood and less alone in their experience.

Families leave with practical tools they can continue using at home, along with a shared language around pain that supports confidence, communication, and resilience. For many, this pain management program becomes a meaningful turning point—shifting the focus from fear and limitation to understanding and possibility.

If you’re curious whether the Comfort Ability Program may be a good fit for your family, MILIKA Center for Therapy & Resilience invites you to reach out. Our team is here to answer questions, offer guidance, and help you explore next steps with care and compassion.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Comfort Ability Program

Does my child need a specific diagnosis to attend CAP?

No. Many children with chronic pain may not have a clear diagnosis, and that can be incredibly frustrating. CAP focuses less on labels and more on helping kids understand how pain works in the brain and body—and how to manage it more effectively.

Is the Comfort Ability® Program available outside of Southern California?

Yes. CAP was originally developed at Boston Children’s Hospital and is now offered at many hospitals and clinics across the country. MILIKA Center is proud to help expand access to this program for families in Southern California and virtually across California.

How do we know if CAP is a good fit for our family?

Every child’s experience with chronic pain is unique. A consultation can help determine whether CAP aligns with your child’s needs, current supports, and goals. Families are encouraged to ask questions and explore whether the program feels like the right next step.

How can we learn more or get started?

Families interested in the Comfort Ability® Program can contact MILIKA Center for Therapy & Resilience to learn more about upcoming workshops, scheduling, and whether CAP may be a helpful option for their child.