Rethinking Pain: Recent Episodes
Sarah
Breakthroughs in pain science have led to a whole new way of understanding and treating chronic pain. The bottom line is wonderful news: recovery from chronic pain is possible. Join us for uncensored interviews with thought leaders in the fields of chronic pain, pain MDs, pain psychologists, researchers, PTs, and the bold and brave stories of those who have struggled through the chaos of chronic pain and lived to tell their tales of recovery. This is where science and healing meet.
Lin.Health Podcast Series
What do you get when two seasoned, passionate, evidence-based physical therapists sit down for a gloves-off conversation about the ways traditional healthcare has got chronic back pain wrong and what you can do to get it right? You get health insights you can start applying today.
Over 80% of people experience life-impacting back pain at some point in their lives, while the USA alone spends upwards of $49 billion a year trying to get rid of it. What’s causing all this back pain? Join physical therapy experts Charlie Merrill and Zak Gabor as they dive into it all. No holds barred.
Things you’ll learn:
- Why chronic back pain may not be what you think it is
- The slippery slope and the painful cost of MRIs and imaging
- Tools for healing back pain without drugs or surgery
About your hosts:
Zachary Gabor
PT, DPT, CSCS
Zak is a Boston-based Physical Therapist and Educator. Beyond clinical practice, Zak Co-Founded The Level Up Initiative in 2018, an education company focused on teaching students and new clinicians key skills such as critical thinking and communication in order to combat sub-standard and often harmful healthcare. In 2020, Level Up merged with Clinical Athlete, forming CALU, a more comprehensive education platform focusing on critical thinking, communication, and exercise - with a mission of wiping out harmful healthcare through empowering clinicians with the key skills to provide transformative healthcare experiences.
Charlie Merrill
MSPT, Physical Therapist, Clinical Advisor
Charlie is a physiotherapist, educator, content creator, consultant for emerging health technology companies, footwear designer, inventor, and athlete. Charlie is working to change the paradigm around how people understand and address pain and other physical symptoms. He co-developed the Beyond Pain Education course with Dr. Howard Schubiner, MD. You can learn more about Charlie’s work at www.Mperformance.com, or find him on social @charliemerrill and adventuring with his family at home or abroad.
For more information on steps you can take to claim your life from chronic pain, visit us at Lin.Health
Chronic pain exists in the workplace - and leaders need tools to help their teams thrive. Join the incredible Dr. Duygu Gulseren, whose research - featured in Harvard Business Review has shaped our understanding of chronic pain in the workplace, and Dr. Abigail Hirsch, pain psychologist and co-founder of Lin Health, as they address the topic every business leader needs to hear. Learn what steps you can take to help your organization raise the bar
About your hosts
Dr. Duygu GulserenPh.D. Assistant Professor, School of Human Resource Management
Dr. Gulseren works as an assistant professor at the School of Human Resource Management at York University, Canada. As an expert in healthy work, she studies chronic pain and leadership. She also teaches occupational health and safety. Duygu obtained her Ph.D. in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. She also holds a master’s degree in psychology and a bachelor’s degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering. Before her academic career, Duygu worked as an HR consultant in Turkey and Canada. Her research has appeared in various media outlets such as Harvard Business Review, Psychology Today, and Canadian HR Reporter.
Abigail Hirsch, PhDPain Psychologist & Co-founder Lin Health
Abigail is our Co-founder here at Lin, she is a clinical psychologist who specializes in creating digital products that transform lives. She's the former Chief Clinical Officer at myStrength and a leader in the creation of digital behavioral health programs.
Resources:
For current or prospective employees with pain:
- Pain at work toolkit developed by the University of Nottingham:
- Back pain
- Pain at work fact sheet by Pain BC
- Accommodations for chronic pain -
For organizations and leaders:
- Dr. Duygu Gulseren’s paper Chronic pain and pain disability: The next frontier for healthy and effective organizations
Pain reprocessing therapy (PRT) is an approach to pain management that focuses on simple techniques for “rewiring” the neural pathways in the brain to deactivate pain. This therapy focuses on the pain signaling system rather than the parts of the body where the pain is felt.
Dr. Yoni Ashar tested this approach in 2017, with his groundbreaking study affectionately known as The Boulder Back Study.
Dr. Ashar published his results in JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, clinically proving the effectiveness of the PRT approach. 98% of participants who received PRT treatment lowered their pain, and 2 out of 3 people who did this treatment got their pain into remission.
This podcast covers:
• The psychological and neurobiological processes that cause primary pain
• The PRT treatment framework
• Practical instruction about how to apply PRT principles to your life