Manual Therapy Myths for Bodyworkers to Decode Chronic Pain & Heal Emotional Patterns: My Conversation on the Mindful Movement Podcast

I recently joined Les Raymond of The Mindful Movement in Motion podcast for an in-depth conversation about the neuroscience of pain and the surprising role that emotion, trauma, and movement play in how we experience it.

We discuss chronic pain, trauma-informed care, and nervous system regulation, and we explore why pain isn’t always tied to injury, how emotional history can shape physical symptoms, and what modern neuroscience suggests about effective, non-opioid pain treatments—including oxytocin and ketamine.

Highlights from the episode:

• Why pain can persist even when the body appears physically healed

• How trauma and emotional stress influence the nervous system’s role in pain

• The science behind oxytocin and ketamine as emerging pain treatments

• Why consistent, mindful movement matters more than perfect posture

• How touch and manual therapy support healing through neural—not just muscular—pathways

This conversation offers a new lens on pain—one rooted in curiosity, compassion, and science.