
Pain Science Education
Pain Science Education discusses the treatment of persistent pain. Learn how to use the brain, body, mind, and behavior to reduce pain and improve physical and mental well-being. This podcast offers free training for physical therapists, healthcare professionals, and people with pain.
Dr. Joe Tatta is a physical therapist, educator, author, and pain researcher. He is known for his contribution to integrative pain care and for championing the safe and effective treatment of chronic pain. With over 20 years of clinical expertise, Dr. Joe is dedicated to converting cutting-edge pain science into actionable therapeutic practices. An advocate for a biopsychosocial approach, Dr. Joe developed PRISM: Pain Recovery and Integrative Systems Model, a cognitive-behavioral approach that promotes resilience, growth, and recovery.
Pain Science Education invites listeners to explore a wide array of subjects including pain education, pain neuroscience, physical therapy, physiotherapy, pain psychology, wellness, and continuing education. Episodes feature interviews with leading experts, offering a deep dive into the pivotal topics shaping the field of pain management.
The insights shared here aim to propel the practice of physical therapy to the forefront of primary pain management. Dr. Joe Tatta is committed to guiding therapists and healthcare providers through the complexities of pain, equipping them with the knowledge to deliver non-pharmacologic and non-invasive approaches to chronic pain.
With Dr. Joe's guidance, listeners will uncover the potential of physical therapists as pivotal figures in pain management, understand the importance of health behavior change, and learn how to use integrative and lifestyle medicine in practice.
Join the Pain Science Education podcast to transform your clinical approach, enrich your professional toolkit, and participate in the revolution of pain management. Each episode promises to take you one step closer to learning about pain, becoming a leader in delivering exceptional, innovative care to those suffering with pain, and ultimately improving lives across the globe.
Latest episodes

Jun 5, 2024 • 40min
TRE & Neurogenic Movement in Healing Trauma & Pain with Richmond Heath
This episode of the Pain Science Education Podcast delves into the interconnectedness between chronic pain and trauma, particularly focusing on the use of neurogenic movement to release trauma and alleviate chronic pain. Dr. Tatta introduces Richmond Heath, a physiotherapist from Australia with expertise in treating chronic pain and trauma through tension and trauma-releasing exercises (TRE). The discussion begins by highlighting the overlap between chronic pain and trauma, emphasizing that both are active processes generated by the brain and body. Physiotherapist Richmond Heath explains how trauma responses can manifest as immobility and tension in the body, leading to chronic pain over time. The conversation shifts to the concept of neurogenic movement, where the nervous system generates movement spontaneously without conscious control. This natural recovery response is explored as a tool for releasing tension and trauma stored in the body. For show notes, articles, and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

May 22, 2024 • 28min
Want Better Pain Outcomes? Simplify Pain Science and Develop Easy to Read Materials with Maria Garvey-Caruso, PT, DPT
Dr. Maria Garvey-Caruso is a physical therapist and author of the Pain Freedom Workbook. Her workbook is a concise and powerful tool that distills complex pain science education into a user-friendly format. The idea for the workbook stemmed from Dr. Garvey Carusos’s desire to simplify complex pain science and provide whole-person approach to pain care for her patients. Throughout the episode, Dr. Garvey-Caruso shares insights into the development process of the workbook, highlighting the challenges of distilling vast amounts of information into a compact format. Overall, the episode sheds light on the innovative approach to pain science education through the Pain Freedom Workbook and underscores the importance of personalized and concise communication in the field of physical therapy and pain management. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

May 6, 2024 • 52min
The Integration of Pain Sciences into Physical Therapist Practice with Orit Hickman PT, DPT
Dr. Orit Hickman, owner of Pain Science Physical Therapy in Seattle, discusses implementing the latest pain science into clinical practice, focusing on the three types of pain: nociceptive, peripheral neuropathic, and nociplastic pain. Dr. Hickman shares her journey in integrating pain science into patient care and the importance of trauma-informed approaches. Tune in to learn how to evaluate and treat different types of pain and how to take a holistic approach to chronic pain. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Apr 29, 2024 • 37min
The Power of Psychologically Informed Physical Therapy with Tawny Kross, PT, DPT
In today’s episode, Dr. Tawny Kross, a physical therapist who integrates psychology into her practice, discusses the fusion of psychology and physical therapy, known as psychologically informed physical therapy, and its essential role in pain management. Dr. Kross shares insights from her work at the VA Medical Center and in her private practice, highlighting the importance of a whole person approach to pain care. We discuss the challenges and benefits of integrating cognitive behavioral techniques into physical therapy and improving pain literacy. Tune in to learn how to enhance pain care through a psychologically informed approach and gain valuable insights into the evolving landscape of physical therapy. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Apr 10, 2024 • 35min
The Physical Therapist's Role In Managing Psychological Distress And Suicide Prevention With Ryan McGrath
Physical therapists can and do play a role in promoting mental health wellness in patients, including managing psychological distress and even suicide prevention. In today's episode, Australian physiotherapist Ryan McGrath uncovers the ways that physical therapists can identify and address signs of psychological distress in their patients. He talks about yellow flags as well as red flags and how you can implement effective assessment and management strategies for things like pain, catastrophizing depression, and how to screen for suicide. Ryan’s PhD specifically looks at ways physiotherapists support clients with psychological distress. Whether you are a physical therapist, a physiotherapist, or another health professional, and if you're curious about the intersection of physical and mental health, this episode is for you. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Apr 3, 2024 • 29min
Transforming Recovery Courts With Exercise To Support Substance Use Disorders With Walter Midkiff And The Honorable H. Lee Harrell
Dive into the transformative power of Recovery Courts as we explore the groundbreaking integration of exercise into addiction recovery programs in this episode. Dr. Joe Tatta welcomes Walter Midkiff and The Honorable H. Lee Harrell as they share their pioneering work in implementing Recovery Fitness as part of recovery court programs. Discover how exercise not only aids in substance use recovery but also enhances physical and mental well-being, fostering a supportive community and empowering individuals to overcome challenges and build resilience. Join us as we look into success stories, challenges, and the potential for expanding this innovative approach to fuel positive outcomes in recovery programs nationwide. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Mar 19, 2024 • 32min
How PTs Can Help Patients With Medication Reduction & Tapering with Aimee Perron, PT, DPT
Patients often find themselves in a pickle of having prescribed different medications for different purposes, which eventually overlap and do more harm than good. Thankfully, this alarming situation can be solved through medication reduction and tapering. Dr. Joe Tatta explores the role of physical therapists in this process with Aimee Perron, PT, DPT. They explain the keystone position every PT can take in upholding safer medication management and implementing deprescription in the most responsible way. Aimee also discusses the importance of holding counseling sessions with patients to better understand their health goals and minimize their fear of polypharmacy. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Mar 12, 2024 • 12min
Welcome To The Pain Science Education Podcast With Joe Tatta, PT, DPT
A lot of things have changed since we started the Healing Pain Podcast five years ago. From our conversations with leading names in the pain management and related fields, we have gone down the rabbit hole of no return, exposing us to the wide, wonderful, and in many ways, untamed world of pain science. What exactly is pain science? There is a lot to unpack about this concept, and we’re excited to announce that that is going to be the focus of this podcast moving forward. In this episode, Dr. Joe Tatta, PT, DPT, announces the rebrand from Healing Pain Podcast to Pain Science Education Podcast. He explains the rationale behind the move and the new direction this whole initiative is taking. Exciting things are on the horizon starting this year, and it all starts here. Tune in! For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Mar 12, 2024 • 40min
Delivering Pain Science Education To The Public With Cormac Ryan, PhD
We’ve hinted at the start of this show’s rebrand that there is a global dearth of attention to pain science education. Today’s guest goes even further than that. He believes that pain should be a public health concern and that pain science education should be for everybody. It’s hard not to agree with Cormac Ryan, PhD, as he presents a compelling case for raising the general public’s pain literacy. After all, we now know that pain is a complex experience that is influenced by a lot of things around us, including society as a whole. Join this conversation and learn why we need to step up our efforts to educate the public and practitioners alike on the latest scientific understanding of pain and what people like Dr. Cormac Ryan are doing about that. For show notes, articles and additional resources, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com For CEU courses, please visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com/course Love the show? Subscribe, rate, and review. Here’s How »

Nov 15, 2023 • 34min
Episode 324 | Implementation Of Integrated Pain Management Programs: What Do Real-World Experiences Tell Us? With Trevor Lentz, PT, PhD, MPH
We have read studies on the implementation of integrated pain management programs, but do they apply in the real world? Join us as we explore the realm of integrated pain management programs with Trevor Lentz, PT, PhD, MPH. Dr. Trevor is a distinguished figure in physical therapy and an assistant professor in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Duke University School of Medicine. Driven by a commitment to enhancing care for those grappling with chronic pain, his research underscores the significance of non-pharmacologic treatments while addressing systemic healthcare hurdles. In this enlightening episode, Dr. Lentz joins Dr. Joe Tatta to unravel the essence of integrated pain management, drawing from real-world experiences and outcomes. Additionally, he dissects the pivotal implementation challenges faced by both providers and healthcare systems, delving into the unique and innovative strategies these programs employ under Dr. Lentz’s insightful guidance. Don’t miss out on this insightful conversation on the vital work of delivering integrated pain management programs.
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