Emily F Law, PHD

Emily F Law, PHD

Pain Medicine, Neurology, Headache Program

On staff since January 2013

Academic Title: Assistant Professor

Research Center: Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development

"I am passionate about providing effective, evidence-based pain treatment to children with chronic pain and their families. I strive to partner with my patients to implement strategies that will reduce suffering and help them to lead full and productive lives."

  • Biography

    Dr. Emily Law is a Pediatric Psychologist and Assiociate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Law provides clinical service in the Multidisciplinary Headache Clinic at Seattle Childrens Hospital, and leads NIH-funded research studies that aim to improve the lives of youth with chronic headache and other chronic pain conditions through innovative, technology-driven solutions to improve access to evidence-based behavioral pain treatment. 

    Dr. Law received a PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 2010 and completed her pre-doctoral internship in pediatric/child clinical psychology at UCLA Medical Center. Dr. Law completed her post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric pain research at Seattle Childrens Research Institute. She has been a faculty member of the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at University of Washington School of Medicine since 2012. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke, and focuses on improving the lives of youth with chronic headache through the development and evaluation of technology-delivered psychosocial risk screening and behavioral pain management treatment. Dr. Law is co-author of a self-help book for parents of children with chronic pain titled Managing Your Childs Chronic Pain, published by Oxford University Press in 2015.

  • Patient Testimonials
    • Aaren Kirkland, WA 06.13.23

      Best doctor there is, bar none

    Recommend Emily F Law, PHD
  • Awards and Honors
    Award Name Award Description Awarded By Award Date
    National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health & Development National Institutes of Health 2020 - 2025
    Judy Su Endowed Research Training Award in Anesthesiology for Clinical Science Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine 2016
    National Institutes of Health K23 Award National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Neurologic Disorders and Stroke 2015 - 2021
    Seattle Children's Research Institute Center for Child Health, Behavior & Development Mentored Scholars Award Seattle Children's Research Institute 2013 - 2015
    National Institutes of Health Pediatric Loan Repayment Program Award National Institutes of Child Health and Development Jul 1, 2011 - Jun 30, 2016
  • Publications

    Manuscripts in Refereed Journals

    • Palermo, T. M., Law, E. F., Bromberg, M., Fales, J., Eccleston, C., & Wilson, A. C
      Problem solving skills training for parents of children with chronic pain: A pilot randomized controlled trial
      26845525 Pain, 2016 : 157((6))1213-1223
    • Palermo, T.M., Bromberg, M., Beals-Erikson, S., Law, E.F., Durkin, L., Noel, M., & Chen, M.
      Development and initial feasibility testing of brief cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia in adolescents with comorbid conditions
      Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 2016 : 4((2))214-226
    • Noel, M., Beals-Erikson, S., Law, E. F., Alberts, N., & Palermo, T.M
      Characterizing the pain narratives of parents of youth with chronic pain
      26736026 Clinical Journal of Pain, 2016 : 32((10))849-859
    • Palermo, T. M., Law, E.F., Fales, J., Bromberg, M., Jessen-Fiddick, T., & Tai, G
      Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral treatment for adolescents with chronic pain and their parents: A randomized controlled multicenter trial
      26335910 Pain, 2016 : 157((1))174-185
    • Law, E. F., Beals, S. E., Noel, M. Claar, R., & Palermo, T. M.
      Pilot randomized controlled trial of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral treatment for pediatric headache
      26316194 Headache, 2015 : 55((10))1410-1425
    • Fales, J., Palermo, T., Law, E., Wilson, A.
      Sleep outcomes in youth with chronic pain participating in a randomized controlled trial of online cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain management
      PMCID: PMC4117832 Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 2015 : 13(2)107-123
    • Law, E.F., Bromberg, M., Noel, M., Groenwald, N., Murphy, L., & Palermo, T.M
      Alcohol and tobacco use in youth with and without chronic pain
      PMID: 25617047 Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2015 : Epub ahead
    • Palermo, T. M., Law, E. F., Holley, A., Logan, D., Tai, G., and Zhou, C
      Trajectories of change during psychological treatment for adolescent chronic pain: How does change in pain and function relate?
      PMCID: PMC4366282 Pain, 2015 : 156(4)626-634
    • Dahlquist, L.M., Power, T.G., Hahn, A.H., Hoehn, J., Thompson, C.C., Herbert, L.J., Law, E.F., and Bollinger, M.E.
      Parenting and independent problem-solving in preschool children with food allergy
      PMCID: PMC4288307 Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2015 : 40((1))96-108
    • Bromberg, M., Law, E. F., & Palermo, T. M
      Functional disability and loneliness predict suicidal ideation in adolescents with chronic pain, but not in healthy peers
      The Journal of Pain, 2014 : 15S16
    • Palermo, T. M., Law, E. F., Essner, B., Jessen-Fiddick, T., & Eccleston, C
      Adaptation of problem-solving skills training (PSST) for parent caregivers of youth with chronic pain
      PMCID: PMC4239695 Clinical Practice in Pediatric Psychology, 2014 : 2(3)212-223
    • Law, E. F., Palermo, T. M., Logan, D., Tai, G. G., & Holley, A. L
      Pain and function: Understanding temporal changes during behavioral treatment for youth with chronic pain
      The Journal of Pain, 2014 : 15S107
    • Law, E. F., Fisher, E., Fales, J., Noel, M., and Eccleston, C
      Systematic review and meta-analysis of parent and family-based interventions for children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions
      PMID: 24881048 Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 2014 : 39(8)866-886
    • Holley, A. L., Law, E., Murphy, L. K., Zhou, C., Palermo, T.
      Reciprocal longitudinal associations between pain and depression in adolescents
      European Journal of Pain, 2013 : 171058-1067

    Other Publications

    • Law EF, Fales JL, Beals-Erickson SE, Failo A, Logan D, Randall E, Weiss K, Durkin L, Palermo TM
      A Single-Arm Feasibility Trial of Problem-Solving Skills Training for Parents of Children with Idiopathic Chronic Pain Conditions Receiving Intensive Pain Rehabilitation.
      27744343 Journal of pediatric psychology, 2017 May 1 : 42(4)422-433
    • Palermo TM, Beals-Erickson S, Bromberg M, Law E, Chen M
      A Single Arm Pilot Trial of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in Adolescents with Physical and Psychiatric Comorbidities.
      27923435 Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2017 Mar 15 : 13(3)401-410 PMCID:PMC5337587
    • Bromberg MH, Law EF, Palermo TM
      Suicidal Ideation in Adolescents With and Without Chronic Pain.
      26905572 The Clinical journal of pain, 2017 Jan. : 33(1)21-27
    • Noel M, Beals-Erickson SE, Law EF, Alberts NM, Palermo TM
      Characterizing the Pain Narratives of Parents of Youth With Chronic Pain.
      26736026 The Clinical journal of pain, 2016 Oct. : 32(10)849-58 PMCID:PMC4935638
    • Palermo TM, Law EF, Bromberg M, Fales J, Eccleston C, Wilson AC
      Problem-solving skills training for parents of children with chronic pain: a pilot randomized controlled trial.
      26845525 Pain, 2016 June : 157(6)1213-23 PMCID:PMC4935529
    • Palermo TM, Law EF, Fales J, Bromberg MH, Jessen-Fiddick T, Tai G
      Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral treatment for adolescents with chronic pain and their parents: a randomized controlled multicenter trial.
      26335910 Pain, 2016 Jan. : 157(1)174-85 PMCID:PMC4852469
    • Law EF, Beals-Erickson SE, Noel M, Claar R, Palermo TM
      Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Internet-Delivered Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Pediatric Headache.
      26316194 Headache, 2015 Nov. : 55(10)1410-25 PMCID:PMC4715642
    • Law EF, Bromberg MH, Noel M, Groenewald C, Murphy LK, Palermo TM
      Alcohol and tobacco use in youth with and without chronic pain.
      25617047 Journal of pediatric psychology, 2015 June : 40(5)509-16 PMCID:PMC4635627
    • Eccleston C, Fisher E, Law E, Bartlett J, Palermo TM
      Psychological interventions for parents of children and adolescents with chronic illness.
      25874881 The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2015 Apr 15 : (4)CD009660 PMCID:PMC4838404
    • Palermo TM, Law EF, Zhou C, Holley AL, Logan D, Tai G
      Trajectories of change during a randomized controlled trial of internet-delivered psychological treatment for adolescent chronic pain: how does change in pain and function relate?
      25775441 Pain, 2015 April : 156(4)626-34 PMCID:PMC4366282
    • Fisher E, Law E, Palermo TM, Eccleston C
      Psychological therapies (remotely delivered) for the management of chronic and recurrent pain in children and adolescents.
      25803793 The Cochrane database of systematic reviews, 2015 Mar 23 : (3)CD011118 PMCID:PMC4833498
    • Fales J, Palermo TM, Law EF, Wilson AC
      Sleep outcomes in youth with chronic pain participating in a randomized controlled trial of online cognitive-behavioral therapy for pain management.
      24484373 Behavioral sleep medicine, 2015 : 13(2)107-23 PMCID:PMC4117832
    • Palermo, T. M., and Law, E. F.
      Managing your child’s chronic pain
      Oxford University Press, NY: NY., 2015
    • Palermo TM, Law EF, Essner B, Jessen-Fiddick T, Eccleston C
      Adaptation of Problem-Solving Skills Training (PSST) for Parent Caregivers of Youth with Chronic Pain.
      25422795 Clinical practice in pediatric psychology, 2014 Sept. : 2(3)212-223 PMCID:PMC4239695
    • Law EF, Fisher E, Fales J, Noel M, Eccleston C
      Systematic review and meta-analysis of parent and family-based interventions for children and adolescents with chronic medical conditions.
      24881048 Journal of pediatric psychology, 2014 Sept. : 39(8)866-86
    • Holley AL, Law EF, Tham SW, Myaing M, Noonan C, Strachan E, Palermo TM
      Current smoking as a predictor of chronic musculoskeletal pain in young adult twins.
      23810151 The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society, 2013 Oct. : 14(10)1131-9 PMCID:PMC3791150
    • Emily F. Law, PhD, Lewandowski, A., Walco, G.
      Headache in Adolescents
      Handbook of Adolescent Health Psychology. New York: Springer., 2013
    • Emily F. Law, PhD
      Sleep and Pain
      In R Schmidt and G Gebhart (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Pain (2nd ed.). New York: Springer., 2013
    • Henderson EM, Law EF, Palermo TM, Eccleston C
      Case study: ethical guidance for pediatric e-health research using examples from pain research with adolescents.
      22851643 Journal of pediatric psychology, 2012 Nov. : 37(10)1116-26 PMCID:PMC3529561
    • Law EF, Dufton L, Palermo TM
      Daytime and nighttime sleep patterns in adolescents with and without chronic pain.
      22149126 Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2012 Nov. : 31(6)830-3 PMCID:PMC3368097
    • Palermo TM, Law E, Churchill SS, Walker A
      Longitudinal course and impact of insomnia symptoms in adolescents with and without chronic pain.
      23031311 The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society, 2012 Nov. : 13(11)1099-106 PMCID:PMC3488154
    • Law EF, Murphy LK, Palermo TM
      Evaluating treatment participation in an internet-based behavioral intervention for pediatric chronic pain.
      22511033 Journal of pediatric psychology, 2012 Sept. : 37(8)893-903 PMCID:PMC3437681
    • Law EF, Palermo TM, Walco GA
      The making of a pediatric pain psychologist: education, training and career trajectories.
      23335947 Pain management, 2012 Sept. : 2(5)499-507 PMCID:PMC3546509

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  • Presentations
    Presentations Title Event Location Date
    Cognitive-behavioral therapy for pediatric chronic headache Teaching Conference, Department of Neurology, Swedish Hospital Seattle, WA June 2016
    Internet intervention for children with chronic pain: Interrelationship between parent behavior and child functioning over 12 months University of Washington School of Medicine Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Academic Evening Seattle, WA May 2016
    Is adolescent chronic pain linked to marijuana use over time? Findings from a prospective, nationally representative sample American Pain Society Austin, TX May 2016
    Problem-solving therapy for parents of children receiving intensive pain rehabilitation American Pain Society Austin, TX May 2016
    Internet intervention for children with chronic pain: Interrelationship between parent behavior and child functioning over 12 months National Institutes of Health Pain Consortium Annual Symposium Bethesda, MD May 2016
    Parent treatment outcomes in Internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy for pediatric chronic pain International Society for Research on Internet Interventions, 8th annual scientific meeting Seattle, WA 2016
    Using Evidence to Inform Practice: Clinical Applications of Systematic Reviews in Pediatric Acute and Chronic Pain International Society for Pediatric Pain scientific meeting Seattle, WA May 2015
    An intervention to reduce distress among parents of youth with chronic pain receiving intensive pain rehabilitation Annual Research Symposium. Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Childrens Research Institute Seattle, WA May 2015
    Examining Problematic Substance Use in Chronic Pain: Smoking, Alcohol, and Prescribed Opioids Society for Behavioral Medicine scientific meeting San Antonio, TX April 2015
    Intensive pediatric pain rehabilitation and parent interventions Work in Progress Seminar, Center for Child Health and Family Well-Being, University of Washington Seattle, WA Dec. 2014
    Parent interventions in pediatric pain rehabilitation Work in Progress Seminar, Center for Child Health and Family Well-Being, University of Washington. Seattle, WA Dec. 2014
    Interdisciplinary management of pediatric and adult patients with chronic pain: When pills, potions and procedures are inadequate Pain Research Group, University of Washington. Seattle, WA Dec. 2014
    Adolescent tobacco use and binge drinking: Does chronic pain increase or decrease risk? The National Conference on Pediatric Psychology Philadelphia, PA March 2014
    Adaptation of problem solving skills training (PSST) for parent caregivers of youth with chronic pain The National Conference on Pediatric Psychology Philadelphia, PA March 2014
    Psychological Interventions for Parents of Children with a Chronic Illness International Symposium of Pediatric Pain Stockholm, Sweden June 2013
    Psychological therapies for the management of chronic pain in children and adolescents International Symposium of Pediatric Pain Stockholm, Sweden June 2013
    Evaluating actor-partner effects in the associations between family functioning and miscarried helping in youth with chronic pain and their parents The National Conference on Pediatric Psychology New Orleans, LA April 2013
    Psychological Interventions for Parents of Children with a Chronic Illness UW Academic Evening UWSOM Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Seattle, WA April 2013
  • Research Funding
    Grant Title Grantor Amount Award Date
    Enhancing Efficacy of Migraine Self-Management in Children with Comorbid Insomnia (R01 Clinical Trial) NIH/NICHD 2020 - 2025
    Psychosocial and Family Risk in Pediatric Chronic Migraine, K23NS089966 NIH/NINDS 2015 - 2021

Overview

Medical/Professional School

Brandeis University, Waltham, MA
University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD

Fellowship

Seattle Children's Hospital/Research/Foundation, Seattle, WA

Clinical Interests

Psychological assessment and treatment of pediatric chronic and recurrent pain

Research Description

Dr. Law is a Principal Investigator in the Center for Child Health, Behavior & Development at Seattle Children's Research Institute and a faculty member of the Pediatric Pain and Sleep Innovations Lab led by Dr. Tonya Palermo. Dr. Law leads NIH-funded research that aims to develop and evaluate technology-delivered behavioral interventions for youth with chronic pain conditions and common comorbidities, such as poor sleep.