I currently work as a pain therapist and coach for people with complex conditions looking for support with self-management, understanding their condition and the publicly available evidence, accepting their pain and with making life richer and filled with values-based actions.
I do through a multi-modal approach that incorporates pain science education, cognitive and behavioural change support using the ACT framework, philosophy, artistic and creative expression, informed by knowledge of rehabilitation and movement-therapies, and a coaching approach.
I no longer operate as a Physiotherapist clinically and cannot give people a diagnosis or design a specific treatment plan for people.
Instead, I use a collaborative approach to guide people to the information that will empower them to make informed-decisions about their healthcare and rehabilitative needs. I can guide people to find publicly available resources to support their daily self-management and become the therapist they need for themselves. This includes the guidelines on certain conditions as well as evidence-informed approaches.
I draw heavily on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy as a way of supporting people, which I learned whilst working as a Specialised Physiotherapist at ST Thomas’ hospital to deliver the INPUT pain management programme. Since then, I have taken my understanding of this approach further and maintain my skills with regular supervision and trainings.
I maintain my registration through teaching and supporting clinicians and am in the process of registering for my license here in the Netherlands.
I am an international speaker pain science, pain care and the philosophy of pain and currently in the preparatory phase to begin my PhD working on pain. I identify as queer (Bi), I’m married and have two young children.
Talks and trainings given:
ACT in the clinic: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for non-psychology trained clinicians (multiple cohorts since 2018)
2023 San Diego Pain Summit Topic: Phenomenology: The body as a place of knowing
2022 Physiotherapy Back to the Future Conference Groningen, Netherlands Talk: Psych-informed Physiotherapy: past, present and future
2022: Guest lecture: Vrije Universiteit MSc Psychology Pain, 3rd wave CBT and The Biopsychosocial model
2020/2021 Assisted the delivery of the Pain Module for Nottingham University. By invitation from A. Prof Roger Kerry, Independently led sessions on Pain Assessment and Pain Conditions such as CRPS, FMS and Neuropathic pain
2021 Guest lecture: Vrije Universiteit MSc Psychology Pain and 3rd wave CBT
2021 Tolbrug Revalidatie Centrum A 15 hour tailored teaching combining philosophy, compassion and promoting self-directed learning to our patients
2021 HAN International week: delivered on narrative approaches to therapy
2020 San Diego Pain Summit EAST Topic: “So what about us? How Psychologically Flexible Are We?”
2020 Guest lecture: Pain and 3rd wave CBT Vrije Universiteit MSc Psychology
2020 Trust-Me Ed recorded workshop on ACT: Quick and Dirty
2020 Pain Toolkit Webinar: ACT and pain
2020 HAN Mini Symposium: delivered on privilege and discomfort
2020 HAN International week: delivered on narrative approaches to therapy
2019 An intro to ACT delivered to Multidisciplinary team at Novadic- Kentron, specialised in working with pain related addiction
2019 Integrating Therapeutic Education with ACT delivered to the multi- disciplinary team at Tolbrug Revalidatie Centrum
2019 Pain series of two workshops co-delivered to the students of the Leiden Hogeschool
2019 Guest Lecture: Psychosocial aspects of persistent neck and back pain. Vrije Universiteit MSc Psychology
2018 Pain series of two workshops co-delivered to the students of the Leiden Hogeschool
UK and NHS in-service training delivered whilst in practice between 2012 and 2017:
- Placebo and Nocebo effect in practice
- Post-Polio Pain Management
- ACT in Physiotherapy
- BPS assessment of complex cases
- Mindfulness as an adjunct to MSK Physiotherapy
- CRPS an update: Physiology and Physiotherapy
- Manual techniques for the lower back (King’s College University, 2nd year BSc students)
Trainings I’ve completed
ACT immersion with Dr Steven Hayes
Philosophy of Science Online short course with Uni of Oxford
Graded Motor Imagery with Tim Beames
Explain Pain (multiple times) with David Butler and Bart van Buchem
Lorimer Mosely in Amsterdam with Dr Lorimer Mosely (pain Science education)
Reality, Being and Existence Online short course and intro to Metaphysics, University of Oxford
Lorimer Mosely in London with Dr Lorimer Mosely (pain Science education)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Ray Owen
Movement System Impairment Syndromes with Shirley Sarhmann
SIJ assessment and treatment with Howard Turner
Neck – Combined Movements assessment and treatment with Chris McCarthy
Spine assessment and treatment with Neil Langridge
Knee Assessment and Treatment with Massimo Barcelona
Mulligan Concept Level 1 with Robin Blake
Myofascial dry needling Club Physio
Trigger point therapy Club Physio
Pilates Mat level 1 and 2 and Pre/Post-natal pilates with APPI
What is Palliative care? Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care services
Clinical Yoga for Therapists South West Physio
Seminar on Hypermobility Hypermobility Unit, Hospital of St John + St Elizabeth
The complete taping course South West Physio
Tai Chi for Arthritis Dr Paul Lam method
English