This study was made in collaboration with the pain outpatient department of the Joint Municipal Authority of Wellbeing in Raahe District clients. The purpose of the study was to find out what kind of experiences the customers of the pain outpatient department who had participated in the mindfulness-based pain management group had from chronic pain and pain control. The objective of the study was to utilize the results that have been obtained from the study in developing of the operations of the pain management group.

The theoretical framework of this thesis was created on the basis of nursing, medicine and international research. The research material was collected by theme-interviews by interviewing seven patients of the pain outpatient department that participated in the mindfulness-based pain management group in the autumn 2016. This study was a qualitative study which was analyzed using material-based content analysis.

The results of the study showed that the life management of the interviewees had improved in the areas of general condition, sleeping, attitudes towards chronic pain and optimism. Peer support had an empowering impact on the interviewees and they felt more confident and they tried to do pleasant things. Breathing exercises and concentration were experienced to take away thoughts from pain, and awareness of the present moment was mentioned as one of the pain management tools.

This study was carried out immediately after ending the pain management group, so it would be useful to conduct a follow-up study for example, after a year. On the other hand, by using a control group the study would get a more profound meaning. Widening the study area to the whole of Finland would be interesting.