The Modern Pain Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Mark Shepherd, fellowship program director, to tackle a controversial question: Is the "manual therapy" label holding back our profession? We explore whether orthopedic manual physical therapy should rebrand itself as the research evolves and public perception shifts.What we cover:Why fellowship training is about reasoning, not just techniqueThe disconnect between what OMPT actually is vs. how it's perceivedHow branding affects patient expectations and clinician identityWhether the manual therapy name limits our ability to attract new fellowsThe role of touch in modern pain care—and why it shouldn't define usThis is a nuanced conversation between two fellows who deeply respect the training but question whether our messaging matches our methods in 2025.🎧 Modern Pain Care Resources:Join the Modern Pain Pro community Learn about Pain Practice OS #PhysicalTherapy #ManualTherapy #OMPT #PainCare #Fellowship #PainScience #Physio*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

Try Pain Coach Connect with Lachlan on LinkedInStruggling to turn complex chronic pain into simple, actionable care plans your patients can follow?In this episode of the Modern Pain Podcast, Mark sits down with physiotherapist and Pain Coach founder Lachlan Townend to unpack how lifestyle data, clinical reasoning, and tech can finally work together instead of against each other.Lachlan shares his own journey with persistent groin pain, why the traditional biopsychosocial model often becomes “woo-woo” and unmeasured, and how he built Pain Coach to help clinicians track sleep, exercise, social connection, nutrition, and psychological distress in a way that actually guides treatment.You’ll hear us dive into:How Lachlan’s personal pain story shaped his empathy and practiceWhy patients don’t want “complexity” – they want simple, actionable stepsThe limitations of manual therapy and short-term fixes (without throwing them out entirely)How to use lifestyle tracking as a clinical support tool, not a replacement for reasoningUsing data to test-treat-retest lifestyle changes over timeThe tension between research, incentives, and real-world outcomesHow AI could help clinicians ask better questions of their patients’ dataIf you’re a physio, PT, chiro, OT, pain coach, or any clinician working with persistent pain, this conversation will give you a concrete way to move beyond the “magic hands” model and into measurable, whole-person care.*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

In this episode, Mark sits down with Richard McIlmoyle, a chiropractor from British Columbia who went through a profound professional transformation after discovering modern pain science. Richard shares his journey from biomechanical certainty to embracing uncertainty, and how that shift has made him a better clinician and mentor.In this conversation, you'll discover:How to mentor students without destroying their foundational confidenceWhy intellectual humility is your greatest clinical assetThe tension between what we're taught in school and what science actually showsHow Richard approaches manual therapy from a macro-down perspectiveWhy he audited UBC's medical school pain curriculum (and what he found)Richard's story is a masterclass in professional evolution. From attending the San Diego Pain Summit in 2015 to now influencing medical education in British Columbia, he demonstrates what's possible when clinicians choose curiosity over certainty.*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

Pain management requires psychological flexibility—not just for patients, but for clinicians too. Bronnie Lennox Thompson reveals why embracing uncertainty builds better therapeutic relationships than projecting false certainty ever could.What you'll learn:→ Why the biopsychosocial model gets lip service but fails in practice→ How to redirect your certainty from treatments to relationships→ Guided discovery techniques for hands-on and active care→ Why saying "I don't know" strengthens trust (not weakens it)→ Essential skills: Motivational Interviewing + ACT for pain coaching→ How to help patients discover freedom in their own world (not just your clinic)Bronnie explains her shift from "biopsychosocial" to a multifactorial model, shares how clinicians struggle with uncertainty just like patients do, and breaks down the practical communication skills that transform you from expert-fixer to collaborative guide.Whether you're struggling with big emotions in sessions, feeling stuck in the "certainty peddling" culture of CE courses, or ready to deepen your psychologically informed practice—this conversation offers permission, wisdom, and actionable strategies.Perfect for: Physical therapists, occupational therapists, chiropractors, and any clinician working with people in chronic pain who want to practice with more authenticity, confidence, and human connection.🔗 Interested in coaching and mentorship? Learn more about Modern Pain Care programs at modernpaincare.com*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

Chronic pain doesn’t have to steal your purpose.In this episode, Benjamin shares how he’s navigated life with cluster headaches—and how he’s turning his journey into a mission to help others.Key takeawaysHow Benjamin first experienced his illness and what followedWhy acceptance became a turning point—not surrenderDaily rhythms and small rituals that anchor himRelationship dynamics: the role of honest, nonjudgmental communicationHow lived experience shapes credibility in pain workIntegrating mind and body: why they can’t be separated in chronic illnessWhat Benjamin’s next steps look like (coaching, writing, building community)If you’re a clinician, coach, or person in pain interested in bridging lived experience and evidence-based practice, this one’s for you.🎯 Subscribe for more conversations with pain leaders.*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

You’re not powerless to fix the system — you can lead change right where you are.In this episode, Mark Kargela walks you through 5 actionable steps any clinician can take now to transform how pain is treated in your community.What you’ll learn: • Why waiting for the system to change is a trap • How to build a financial model that supports sustainable care • Ethical, value‑driven marketing—not selling out • The power of community, mentorship, and accountability • How to deliver truly psychologically informed care in practiceWant to do more than just “talk about” whole person care? This is your roadmap to doing it — in your clinic, in your region, with real patients.🛠️ Subscribe and turn on notifications📚 Links below for our community, resources, and the Pain Practice OS programPain Practice OS *********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

Rethinking pain changes outcomes.Treating tissues alone leaves people behind.In this clinician-focused conversation, Mark Kargela flips the script with Pete Moore (Pain Toolkit) to unpack what modern, human-centered pain care looks like in real clinics.You’ll learn:Why a tissue-only approach misses 10–30% of cases—and what to do insteadPractical ways to “shut up and listen” to the story beneath the painHow stress, HPA-axis load, IBS/migraine, and sensitization intertwine with painA workable “driving instructor” model for self-management and shared expertiseHow to use patient narratives to align biology with lived experienceEducation that actually lands—with patients and with students/colleaguesWhere AI/tech can help (and where it can de-humanize care)If you’re ready to move beyond procedures and protocols toward care that restores function and confidence, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more evidence-aware, practical conversations. Want to go deeper? Check the links below for Pete’s resources, upcoming self-management events, and the Modern Pain Podcast.The Pain ToolkitLearn how to deliver this type of care - Pain Practice OS*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

What happens when “fix me” fails—and you still hurt every day?Keith Meldrum shares how validation and willingness replaced a decades-long fight with pain to rebuild a meaningful life.What you’ll learn • Why pain is always biological—but rarely only biomedical • How stigma, dismissal, and “it’s in your head” worsen outcomes • The pivotal power of “We believe you” in the clinic • Practical reframes: from fighting pain to willingness and pacing • Stress–pain loops: noticing, de-escalating, and regaining control • Navigating procedures (nerve blocks, neuromodulation consults) without chasing magic bullets • Protecting relationships and energy when pain is constantKeith’s story equips clinicians to lead with compassion and equips patients with actionable mindsets to reduce suffering and reclaim function. If this helped, subscribe and share with a colleague who treats complex pain.Find Keith online:A Path Foward - Facebook PageLearn how to help people like Keith in our Pain Practice OS Course*********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

When pain makes life small, fighting harder isn’t always the answer.Former firefighter Joletta Belton shares how she stopped “going to war” with pain and rebuilt a bigger life around it.  What you’ll learn: • Why the “fix pain first, live later” plan keeps people stuck • How acceptance/willingness differs from “just live with it” • Practical ways to reconnect with values when activity is limited • Using relationships and peer support without feeling like a burden • Managing the inner critic with self-compassion that actually sticks • Whole-person care: biology matters—and so do context and meaningIf you work with complex pain—or you’re living it—this conversation offers a humane, evidence-aware path forward.Next steps: Subscribe, share with a patient or colleague, and see links below to join our community and explore Pain Practice OS for clinical tools that blend science with lived experience.Pain Practice OS  Joletta's Substack  *********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness

Compassion is not just being “nice”—it’s a clinical superpower. Learn how inner compassion can transform both patient care and your resilience as a clinician.What You’ll Learn in This Episode: • Why compassion is a contextual wisdom, not just basic kindness. • How self‑compassion supports your regulation, quality of care, and longevity. • Real-world client story: a chronic pain patient’s breakthrough through compassionate guidance. • Research shows compassionate care → patient activation and better outcomes. • Overcoming inner critic myths: self‑compassion builds strength, not softness.This episode delivers actionable insight for modern pain clinicians seeking depth and impact. Subscribe to stay connected, explore how you can cultivate compassionate care, and become part of our evidence-informed, clinician-led community. Links to tools and Shelly’s resources are below.Shelly's WebsiteKristen Neff's website *********************************************************************📸 - Follow us on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/modernpaincare/🐦 - Follow us on Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/modernpaincare/🎙️ - Listen to our Podcast - https://www.modernpaincare.com____________________________________Modern Pain Care is a company dedicated to spreading evidence-based and person-centered information about pain, prevention, and overall fitness and wellness