What if the most powerful lever for chronic pain isn’t in your muscles or joints, but in your brain’s pain system? We sit down with Jim Prussack a physiotherapist who left a strictly structural model behind after diving deep into pain science, mentorship with John Sarno and Howard Schubiner, and years on the front lines of complex cases. The takeaway is both hopeful and concrete.

We walk through how to tell if symptoms are neuroplastic—looking at timelines, flares tied to stress, inconsistency across activities, and the absence of clear tissue damage. From there, we show why acceptance of the diagnosis is the foundation for every tool that follows, whether it’s graded exposure, cognitive functional therapy, somatic tracking, breathing, or journaling. You’ll hear how reassurance and a trauma-informed approach outperform nocebo-laden scripts like “your core is weak,” and why the best PT sometimes looks like coaching confidence rather than chasing a tight muscle.

We also get specific about mixing psychotherapy and physical therapy without sending mixed signals. For some, active PT restores trust in movement; for others, psychological work on fear, grief, and old patterns unlocks the nervous system. The unifying thread is coherence: consistent, safety-first messaging that teaches the brain to downshift from threat.

If you’re navigating persistent pain, pelvic pain, back pain, or other functional symptoms, this conversation offers a practical roadmap built on pain neuroscience, neuroplasticity, and lived clinical wisdom. Subscribe, share with someone who needs a new lens on healing, and leave a review to help others find the show.

Connect with Jim here:

Website: https://www.thepainpt.com/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thepainpt

Tanner Murtagh and Anne Hampson are therapists who treat neuroplastic pain and mind-body symptoms. They are also married! In his 20s, Tanner overcame chronic pain and a fibromyalgia diagnosis by learning his symptoms were occurring due to learned brain pathways and nervous system dysregulation. Post-healing, Tanner and Anne have dedicated their lives to developing effective treatment and education for neuroplastic pain and symptoms. Listen and learn how to assess your own chronic pain and symptoms, gain tools to retrain the brain and nervous system, and make gradual changes in your life and health!

The Mind-Body Couple podcast is owned by Pain Psychotherapy Canada Inc. This podcast is produced by Alex Klassen, who is one of the wonderful therapists at our agency in Calgary, Alberta. https://www.painpsychotherapy.ca/

Tanner, Anne, and Alex also run the MBody Community, which is an in-depth online course that provides step-by-step guidance for assessing, treating, and resolving mind-body pain and symptoms. https://www.mbodycommunity.com

Also check out Tanner's YouTube channel for more free education and practices: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Fl6WaFHnh4ponuexaMbFQ

And follow us for daily education posts on Instagram: @painpsychotherapy

Discl...

A Move, a Moment and a Miracle: Big Changes at Firmly Planted Family