Mechanisms of Mindfulness Meditation and Self-Hypnosis for Pain in Older Adults With Chronic Pain

Research has shown that psychological treatments can help people with chronic pain manage their pain and improve their quality of life. Two common psychological treatments for chronic pain include Mindfulness-Meditation and Therapeutic Hypnosis. While research has shown these treatments are helpful for people with chronic pain, the benefits people experience from these types of treatments can vary from person to person. There is little research showing who responds best to which treatments and what happens in the brain during these treatments to reduce pain. The purpose of this study is to better understand how these pain treatments work in the brain. By identifying how these pain treatments work to help reduce chronic pain, the study investigators aim to improve treatments for people with chronic pain in the future. Participants will complete seven study sessions (three in-person at the University of Washington Medical Center and four remote (e.g., at-home)). Sessions will vary from 45 minutes to 2 hours. They will also be asked to complete four online surveys before they start the study sessions and four online surveys after they complete the study sessions. * 3 in-person sessions: the study includes one session where participants will receive an electroencephalogram (EEG; to assess brain wave activity). It also includes two sessions where they will receive structural MRIs (to image their brain) and functional MRIs (to image their brain while they are at rest and while we test how they respond to heat stimulus). Participants will be asked questions about their quality of life and their pain. * 4 remote (at-home) sessions: participants will be randomized to listen to recordings of Mindfulness Meditation, Therapeutic Hypnosis, or a story. Participants will spend about 8 hours in this study over a 4-week period.