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The Modern Pain Podcast
The Modern Pain Podcast
Author: Modern Pain Care
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© 2025 The Modern Pain Podcast
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The Modern Pain Podcast helps clinicians and patients better understand and treat pain. We bring clinicians, researchers, and patients together. Our focus is on returning the patient's voice back to healthcare. Brought to you by Modern Pain Care.
202 Episodes
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In this episode, Dr. Jim Eubanks, physiatrist and spine specialist, breaks down the most harmful back pain myths patients encounter online-and what clinicians can say instead. If you've ever struggled to help a patient move past catastrophic thinking or scary MRI language, this conversation will give you the tools to reframe pain, imaging, and recovery. What you'll learn: Why "pain equals damage" keeps patients stuck in fear and avoidanceHow to translate radiology reports into plain language ...
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 clini...
Try Pain Coach Connect with Lachlan on LinkedIn Struggling 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 ...
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 as...
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 tr...
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 takeaways How 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 workIntegratin...
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 ...
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 workab...
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 loop...
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 bur...
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...
Fighting pain made things worse. Acceptance gave him his life back. Tom's Facebook Group In this powerful episode, Tom Bowen shares how chasing a cure for chronic pain left him anxious, depressed, and stuck. Only when he shifted focus—from fixing pain to living well—did real change begin. • How endless referrals and surgeries fueled hopelessness • The mental shift that helped him reclaim control • What “acceptance” really means (and doesn’t mean) • Practical strategies that became second ...
Most chronic pain care ignores one of the most powerful drivers of symptoms: our emotions. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Mark Lumley, a leading researcher in Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), to explore how unprocessed emotions, trauma, and life stressors can directly influence pain — and what to do about it. We break down: -The differences and overlaps between EAET and Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) -How to help patients shift from body-focused to brain-focused vie...
Are you tired of surface-level solutions in pain care? In this episode, Mark Kargela pulls back the curtain on the massive gap in pain programming and why our current clinical education models are failing both patients and providers. Mark introduces the Pain Practice OS—a structured, mentored, and market-ready program to help clinicians finally deliver meaningful, psychologically informed care. Whether you’re a physical therapist, chiropractor, or coach working with people in pain, this epi...
As AI continues to evolve and integrate into more areas of healthcare, many clinicians are asking: will we be replaced? In this episode, Mark Kargela and Ben Whybrow have a frank conversation about how AI is affecting clinical work, what it can (and can’t) do well, and why the human elements of care—empathy, presence, collaboration—remain irreplaceable. You’ll hear how we’re using AI tools like ChatGPT in our content creation and case planning, the limitations we’ve seen in clinical decision...
Many patients are doing something about their pain—but they’re still not living the life they want. In this episode of The Modern Pain Podcast, Dr. Mark Kargela breaks down how to help patients zoom out and reflect on whether their care is truly moving them toward what matters most—or just keeping them stuck in a cycle of appointments and short-term relief. You’ll learn: ✅ Why “the medical merry-go-round” fails patients with complex pain ✅ How to use simple questions to promote reflecti...
Are you battling self-doubt and endless distractions that keep you from creating something that matters? You’re not alone. In this episode of the Modern Pain Podcast, I share how I spent six months fighting my own inner critic and finally took action on a project I deeply care about. We’ll talk about: ✅ Why even experienced clinicians feel like imposters sometimes ✅ The small, practical steps that helped me beat procrastination ✅ Tools and habits I’m using to stay focused and off the doomsc...
Pain Practice OS Waiting List Matt Erb returns to the show for an insightful and wide-ranging conversation on the future of physical therapy. We cover the limitations of the biopsychosocial model, practical mindbody strategies, billing within the system, trauma-informed care, and how clinicians can advocate for real change—both in their practice and the communities they serve. 📃 Article - Advancing Physiotherapy in Mental Health: Guiding Principles for Whole-Person Care 📕 Integrative...
In this episode, I sit down with Ben Whybrow, a pain specialist physio in the UK and new community manager for Modern Pain Care, to discuss the critical role of communication in modern healthcare. We break down why the traditional, paternalistic approach to patient interaction falls short and explore how guided discovery can lead to better outcomes for people in pain. If you’re a clinician looking to improve your communication skills and create more meaningful connections with your patients, ...
In this episode, I sit down with Cameron Faller, co-founder of the Institute of Contextual Health, to discuss the future of healthcare. We explore the challenges of traditional, siloed care models and why a more interconnected, person-centered approach is essential for better patient outcomes. Cameron shares insights on process-based care, complexity science, the role of EMRs, and the potential for AI to revolutionize the patient experience. If you’re a clinician or healthcare provider lookin...



