
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

Nov 29, 2018 • 26min
Episode 113 | Dr. Sara Lazar, PhD: The Science Of Yoga And Mindfulness For Pain
Dr. Sara Lazar, an associate researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and a Harvard Medical School professor, delves into the transformative power of yoga and mindfulness for chronic pain relief. She discusses how these practices alter brain structure and reduce pain catastrophizing. Sara shares effective meditation techniques, compares yoga and mindfulness, and emphasizes their role in brain health and aging. Insights on overcoming skepticism and the importance of consistent practice make this conversation enlightening and practical for those seeking healing.

Nov 22, 2018 • 36min
Episode 112 | Barbara Bald: How To Overcome Unexplained Pain
Barbara Bald says that pain is never always physical. After being diagnosed with chronic pain, she found that healing is not just about going to various tests and taking different medications. Developing pain has much to do with patient perspective, and to overcome that could eventually also overcome chronic pain. She takes us into her journey that led her to realize the path to a pain-free life. Talking about belief systems and stress, she outlines how these things affect the way we perceive pain and healing. Ultimately, she shows us the importance of opening yourself up, to stop the resistance to pain, and allowing some of the unpleasantness to change for you. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Nov 15, 2018 • 35min
Episode 111 | Dr. Shiroko Sokitch, MD: Integrative Primary Care for Pain Management
Dr. Shiroko Sokitch was originally trained in general surgery and worked as an emergency room physician for over ten years when she noticed that many of the patients she was treating were struggling with pain and other chronic health conditions. She decided to attend to acupuncture school and later studied functional medicine. She now owns and operates a successful integrative primary care practice using the best tools from Western, Eastern, and functional medicine. Learn how Dr. Sokitch was able to successfully transition from traditional medicine to functional medicine. She shares her unique practice where she uses different types of therapeutic modalities, her seven keys to healing, and touches on her new book, Healing When It Seems Impossible. This is a great podcast if you're interested in integrative or functional medicine as well as the success of one practitioner and how she was able to integrate so many different types of therapeutic and healing modalities under one roof. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Nov 8, 2018 • 35min
Episode 110 | Dr. David Cosio, PhD: Effective Strategies For Pain Management
People tend to think that having no pain is normal when in fact, having a little is. While that is the case, there are still some ways that can help us manage pain. Talking about effective strategies for pain management is Dr. David Cosio. He is a pain psychologist in the Pain Clinic and interdisciplinary pain program at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center in Chicago. He earned his PhD from Ohio University with a specialization in Health Psychology. Starting with his journey, he shares how he got involved in health psychology and then into pain management. He explains the difference between a health psychologist and a clinical psychologist. Having both backgrounds, he gives a holistic look into pain—taking into consideration the environmental aspects as well. He gives us a peek into his book, Pain Relief: Managing Chronic Pain Through Traditional, Holistic, and Eastern practices, by talking about the concept of a fifth vital sign. He shares as well pain education and the future of chronic pain in the VA. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Nov 1, 2018 • 36min
Episode 109 | Dr. John Cryan, PhD: How The Microbiome Affects Stress, Pain And Mood
The microbiome is an interesting and rapidly growing area of research. There are trillions of microbes inhabiting our bodies, and we have more microbial cells than we do human cells. Dr. John Cryan, PhD, professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at the University of Cork, Ireland, talks about everything involved with the microbiome, from mood to pain to neurotransmitters through our nutrition. His current research includes the neurobiological basis of stress-related disorders including depression, anxiety, pain, and drug dependence. His research group is also focused on understanding the interaction between brain, gut, and microbiome and how it applies to stress and immune related disorders, including irritable bowel syndrome, obesity, and other disorders such as autism. His research into the microbiome has far-reaching public health implications - from how he views his area and sections to how the microbiome influences brain development, chronic pain development, and of course the impact of probiotics on mood. Dr. John Cryan, PhD discusses the influence of the microbiome on pain, mood and stress. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Oct 25, 2018 • 23min
Episode 108 | How To Treat Neuropathy And Neuropathic Pain Using Nutrition
Is our American diet affecting us? We know that it's affecting our weight, our metabolic syndrome. We know that it's leading to diseases such as diabetes and prediabetes. However, it's also effecting neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain is pain caused by damage or disease affecting the somatosensory nervous system, a part of the sensory nervous system. No wonder out diet is called SAD or the standard American diet. Almost everything about the western diet or the standard American diet leaves you feeling not well. It’s linked to chronic pain type syndromes, brain fog, anxiety, depression, and many other things. Learn how to retrain your brain and body so you can live the joy-filled and pain-free life you deserve. Dr. Tatta talks about neuropathic pain and shares some tips and strategies that you can use to either treat your neuropathic pain or, if you're a practitioner, what you can do as far as neuropathic pain when it comes to nutrition. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Oct 18, 2018 • 58min
Episode 107 | Dr. Beverly E. Thorn, PhD: Cognitive And Mindfulness-Based Pain Care
Whether you are a practitioner or a patient interested in learning more about psychological informed care, you will benefit a lot from Dr. Beverly E. Thorn’s research which focuses on investigating the important components of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain. Beverly is Professor Emerita of psychology at the University of Alabama. She is the recipient of the 2018 Wilbert E Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award from the American Pain Society. She explains why the cognitive model is important in the treatment of chronic pain care, what should be included in cognitive treatment for chronic pain, and how many sessions are required to see meaningful change. She also touches on the importance of motivational enhancement and assertiveness, why treatments designed for those with pain should be simple and accessible, as well as some of the mechanisms, the similarities, and the differences between cognitive behavioral therapy and mindfulness approaches for chronic pain. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Oct 11, 2018 • 32min
Episode 106 | Dr. Meg Haworth, PhD: Overcoming The Effects Of Victimization In Pain Management
Suffering from chronic pain can be challenging. It makes you feel powerless either because you’re unable to heal your body or can’t find a way get the pain to stop. As a result, you feel victimized by the pain. Helping you overcome the effects of victimization is transpersonal psychologist, Dr. Meg Haworth, PhD. Learn how the emotions affect the illness and how to release them through the mind. Familiarize the simple mind-body medicine tools for resetting yourself when you encounter some triggers. Find out how proper nutrition supports the body to heal itself, accelerating the emotional, mental, and spiritual work. Ultimately, take control of your condition as you begin to feel better and move your health to the next level. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Oct 4, 2018 • 34min
Episode 105 | Dr. Mark Bishop, PT, PhD: How Expectations Shape Pain
So many factors can cause and modify pain, not only physical but mental and emotional as well. Taking the psychological aspects of it, Dr. Mark Bishop tackles how expectations and biases influence the outcome for patients who have chronic pain. Dr. Bishop is a physical therapist with 30 years of experience in managing musculoskeletal disorders. Learn how patient expectations are related to rehabilitation outcomes and how provider biases influence those expectations. Likewise, find out the ethical implications of applying expectation into clinical practice Dr. Bishop goes in-depth with the topic. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram

Sep 27, 2018 • 28min
Episode 104 | Dr. Kristin Neff, PhD: The Art Of Self-Compassion In Pain Care
Self-compassion is a tool that you can use to improve your well-being, your self-confidence, and your resilience. It’s one that we need to pay a lot more attention to in the world of pain care. What's interesting about self-compassion is that oftentimes it's easy for us to be compassionate towards others, but applying the same kindness to ourselves can be a real challenge. Moral development specialist and co-author of the book called The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook, Dr. Kristin Neff, conducts research on self-compassion, a central construct in Buddhist psychology and one that had yet to be examined empirically. In addition to her pioneering research into self-compassion, she has developed an eight-week program to teach self-compassion skills. Dr. Neff discusses why self-compassion in pain care is important, not only for those living with chronic pain, but also for the practitioners who treat pain every day in the clinic. Sign up for the latest episode at www.drjoetatta.com/podcasts. Love the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share! Here’s How » Join the Healing Pain Podcast Community today: integrativepainscienceinstitute.com Healing Pain Podcast Facebook Healing Pain Podcast Twitter Healing Pain Podcast YouTube Healing Pain Podcast LinkedIn Healing Pain Podcast Instagram