Pain Science Podcast

Most physical therapists are taught to treat pain. Dr. Mai Huong Ho-Tran treats the whole person a shift that changes everything. In this conversation, we explore how experiential learning, mindful movement, and whole-person care can transform pain rehabilitation. Mai shares her Whole Health Framework, integrating breathwork, movement, behavior change, emotional intelligence, and provider wellness. We discuss her concept of an authentic appraisal, which expands the traditional orthopedic exam to consider adversity, emotional health, and clinician well-being. Mai Huong also opens up about burnout, compassion fatigue, authenticity, and the importance of keeping the healer well. She shares lessons from her Mount Madonna retreat and practices including Tai Chi, yoga, Pilates, and Feldenkrais. For clinicians seeking more effective, sustainable, human-centered care, this conversation offers a different way forward. Learn more at: holistichealthpt.com.
Visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com for CEU training in integrative, psychologically informed care for physical therapists and other practitioners.
Thank you for listening,
Joe Tatta, PT, DPT

Physical therapists are rapidly expanding into mental and behavioral health care—and creating new models of practice that address the powerful connection between physical health, emotional wellbeing, and trauma. Dr. Gina Calderone, PT, DPT, shares how she built a cash-based physical therapy practice at the intersection of mind-body care and trauma-informed practice. We explore Gina's career path from fast-paced outpatient physical therapy to building a cash-based, integrative practice—and how that evolution ultimately led her to develop her own approach, Physioenergetic Therapy®.
Along the way, Gina explains why she has increasingly focused her work on adolescents and young adults, including her Gen Zen retreats designed to support the mental and emotional wellbeing of younger generations. We explore the impact of trauma, bullying, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and chronic stress, as well as the important role nervous system regulation can play in both physical and emotional health.
We also discuss what happens when emotional pain begins to show up in the body as physical symptoms—and why clinicians may need to look beyond a purely biomechanical model when symptoms cannot be fully explained by tissues, joints, muscles, or movement alone.
This conversation is especially relevant for physical therapists and other healthcare professionals interested in mental health, trauma-informed care, mind-body approaches, and developing innovative models of practice. It also offers an inside look at how one physical therapist moved beyond a traditional practice model, identified the population she most wanted to serve, and built a cash-based practice around an approach that reflects her clinical interests and values.
For physical therapists wondering what it can look like to build a career—and a practice—at the intersection of physical therapy, mental health, and trauma care, Gina's story offers an important example of where the profession is heading. To learn more about Dr. Gina Calderone and her work, visit: https://www.drginacalderone.com/
 
Visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com for CEU training in integrative, psychologically informed care for physical therapists and other practitioners.
Thank you for listening,
Joe Tatta, PT, DPT

Most PTs are taught to move fast. Dr. Erin Carr built her practice by slowing down, and that shift changed everything. In this conversation, Erin Carr, PT, DPT, shares how she grew Beyond Integrative PT from $3,000 in savings into a cash-based concierge practice in Santa Monica, California. She explains why she focuses on whole-person care for chronic pain and hypermobility, how she blends manual therapy with nutrition and nervous system support, and why patients often need more time, trust, and validation than standard PT allows. We also discuss her journey into online care and the development of the Hypermobility Roadmap, her online membership for patients who need practical tools, education, and community.  To learn more, visit: https://beyondintegrativept.com/
Visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com for CEU training in integrative, psychologically informed care for physical therapists and other practitioners.
Thank you for listening,
Joe Tatta, PT, DPT

What actually happens in a patient's brain and body when you perform manual therapy? The answer may surprise you and change how you practice.
In this episode, Joe Tatta, PT, DPT, sits down with Damian Keter, PT, DPT, PhD, a researcher whose clinical career led him to question the foundational explanations behind one of physical therapy's most widely used interventions. Damian breaks down what a "treatment mechanism" actually means, a term frequently misused in the literature, and shares findings from his systematic review on the mechanisms associated with manual therapy.
The evidence reveals significant gaps: low-quality research, poor translational understanding, and the persistent influence of contextual factors that have nothing to do with the technique itself. Perhaps most provocatively, Damian addresses whether clinicians truly understand that manual therapy is no longer doing what we once thought,-realigning spines, correcting tissue abnormalities, or fixing structural problems.
With wide variability across professions, training backgrounds, and regions, false ideologies continue to circulate and undermine the credibility of evidence-based practitioners.
The good news? Understanding manual therapy through a mechanistic lens opens the door to smarter, more patient-centered practice. One where expectations, context, and the individual in front of you matter more than the technique you choose.
Visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com for CEU training in integrative, psychologically informed care for physical therapists and other practitioners.
Thank you for listening,
Joe Tatta, PT, DPT

In this episode of the Pain Science Podcast, physical therapist Sherry Browerman discusses the intersection of yoga, physical therapy, and pain science. Sherry shares her journey of integrating these disciplines over 50 years, starting from her early experiences as an ice skater. They discuss how yoga and physical therapy can complement each other in understanding and managing pain. The conversation highlights the role of self-image and beliefs in movement and pain perception, emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and empowerment. Sherry also discusses how interoception, exteroception, and proprioception shape one's perception of movement and pain. Sherry's book, "From Bodily Knowledge to Intuitive Movement," serves as a foundation for exploring how these practices can lead to holistic healing and improved well-being.
Visit integrativepainscienceinstitute.com for CEU training in integrative, psychologically informed care for physical therapists and other practitioners.
Thank you for listening,
Joe Tatta, PT, DPT