Back In Control Radio

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Charlie Merrill, a physiotherapist, clinician educator and consultant to startup Lin Health.  He outlines his collaborative approach with patients. This begins with a physical assessment to look for a pattern that makes sense. If his findings don’t add up, the pain could be due to psycho-social factors. He uses treatments that interrupt the brain’s reaction and creates new wiring. He changes the physical treatment as the client’s nervous system calms down. Throughout the treatment process, he shares the science of pain with his clients and helps dispel myths about their pain and reduce their fear. He has found that people heal best when they let go of their anger. Charlie Merrill is a Boulder, CO based physiotherapist synthesizing mind/body strategies to treat acute and chronic pain symptoms. He supports clients across the life span, including elite athletes, in un-learning symptoms by addressing their fear about the pain itself as well as fear

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Charlie Merrill, a physiotherapist, clinician educator and consultant to startup Lin Health. He shares how he has created a practice of treating chronic pain that is based on building a strong and trusting relationship with the patient. He helps patients understand the dynamics of pain by explaining the issue in a systemic way, reduce their fear and establish greater autonomy in their own healing process. Along the way to developing his current approach, he had to unlearn much of his traditional medical education around the treatment of chronic pain. Charlie Merrill is a Boulder, CO based physiotherapist synthesizing mind/body strategies to treat acute and chronic pain symptoms. He supports clients across the life span, including elite athletes, in un-learning symptoms by addressing their fear about the pain itself as well as fear about the emotions related to life stress and change.  In addition to teaching clinicians, Charlie’s work with startup Lin Health is n

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with author and consultant Gillian Riley.  She details the approach she uses to help clients control overeating. Some of the key elements include: getting clients to understand what drives their cravings and why they need to create new neural pathways to control them; developing self-agency and avoiding unsolicited advice; showing them how they can be in charge of their diet and their relationship to food; encouraging them to take small steps and think about how overeating will make them feel afterwards. After teaching a program on quitting smoking for 12 years, Gillian Riley ran her first course on “How to take Control of Overeating” in 1997. She held weekend workshops in London for 20 years, delivered the course through webinars since 2017, and is now about to begin her 18th 6-week online course. Her work has as its focus the extraordinary and often ignored role of the mind in behavior change such as stopping smoking and eating less. For more info

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with author and consultant Gillian Riley. She explains how we respond to unconscious eating cues with deeply embedded biological responses. She discusses how becoming aware of these hidden cues is the first step to control overeating. Balancing long term and short term rewards is a key to eating less and eating better. A key aspect of her approach is helping clients understand they have freedom of choice over what and how they eat. After teaching a program on quitting smoking for 12 years, Gillian Riley ran her first course on “How to take Control of Overeating” in 1997. She held weekend workshops in London for 20 years, delivered the course through webinars since 2017, and is now about to begin her 18th 6-week online course. Her work has as its focus the extraordinary and often ignored role of the mind in behavior change such as stopping smoking and eating less. For more information, visit: https://eatingless.com/.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Pam Wirth, a Principal of consultancy Strategic Growth Advisory and founder of Hello Health.  She discusses the founding of her company, Hello Health, and outlines the steps to effectively use supplementation for improved health and treatment of a variety of conditions. These include getting tested to determine your gut health and developing a personalized supplementation profile that yields the most effective results for you. Pamela Wirth is a hockey mom, lifelong learner, Carnegie Mellon trained MBA, former public company executive, management consultant, author and health enthusiast. She is Principal of Strategic Growth Advisory consulting for startups to public companies. Additionally, she founded Hello Health with doctor-formulated supplements following a neurodiversity diagnosis of her son and is dedicated to nutrition, education and building a network to help heal more people - particularly those with Neurodiversity, Autoimmune and Autis

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Pam Wirth, a Principal of consultancy Strategic Growth Advisory and founder of Hello Health. She shares the story of how her 5 year old son developed serious neurologic symptoms from an intense autoimmune response. She chronicles her struggle to get help from an indifferent healthcare system and how she finally discovered the power of diet and supplementation to heal her son’s condition. She details the combination of dietary changes, probiotics and supplements that led to his cure. Pamela Wirth is a hockey mom, lifelong learner, Carnegie Mellon trained MBA, former public company executive, management consultant, author and health enthusiast. She is Principal of Strategic Growth Advisory consulting for startups to public companies. Additionally, she founded Hello Health with doctor-formulated supplements following a neurodiversity diagnosis of her son and is dedicated to nutrition, education and building a network to help heal more people - particularly those wit

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Ruth Freeman, a psychotherapist and founder of Peace at Home Parenting Solutions. She discusses several basic principles and techniques for peaceful parenting that can help parents build a stronger connection to their kids. These include: focusing on relationships rather than compliance, showing up for what’s right with your kids rather than what is wrong, practicing reflective listening and coaching kids to solve their own problems when appropriate. Ruth Freeman, LCSW is the founder of Peace At Home Parenting Solutions and a psychotherapist in private practice in Storrs, Connecticut. She has taught parenting education to thousands over the past 30+ years. She is co-founder of the Connecticut Parenting Education Network and lead author of "Building Family Futures," a University of Connecticut train-the-trainer parenting education curriculum. Ruth has also served as the Family Services Director for The Cove Center for Grieving Children and Prima

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Ruth Freeman, a psychotherapist and founder of Peace at Home Parenting Solutions. She shares the alarming statistics about the current mental health crisis with kids and discusses the causes of parental burnout among working parents. She explains how the hybrid working model spurred by the pandemic and the breakdown of family rhythms and routines under the pressure of modern life are contributing to the problem. She also emphasizes the importance of parents understanding what happened to them as kids so they don’t pass on the same issues to the next generation. Ruth Freeman, LCSW is the founder of Peace At Home Parenting Solutions and a psychotherapist in private practice in Storrs, Connecticut. She has taught parenting education to thousands over the past 30+ years. She is co-founder of the Connecticut Parenting Education Network and lead author of "Building Family Futures," a University of Connecticut train-the-trainer parenting education curriculum. Ruth has a

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Dr. Dan Ratner, an international mind/body expert.  He shares details of his “three-column” approach to treating chronic pain which includes: helping patients understand the emotions they have around their symptoms, articulate and challenge their doubts and recognize they have the power to heal themselves. Dr. Dan Ratner is an internationally known mind body expert and the podcast host of Crushing Doubt, which is available on YouTube and Spotify, and lays out his unique columns system to organize mind body experience and help people alleviate both chronic and acute pain and other symptoms. After his profound, life-changing experience resolving his own chronic back pain, he has since become a leading expert in the field, curing hundreds of pain sufferers with these scientific and logical methods. His eight session seminars teach people everything they need to know about the mind body process to put their questions to rest and his membership grou

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr. Dan Ratner, an internationally known mind/body expert, about his own experience dealing with chronic pain, and the evolution of his approach to helping others heal from chronic pain. He emphasizes the importance of changing the way we think about chronic pain so we can lessen doubt and feel safe. He also explains that aligning with our true selves is a  critical step in the healing process. Dr. Dan Ratner is an internationally known mind body expert and the podcast host of Crushing Doubt, which is available on Youtube and Spotify, and lays out his unique columns system to organize mind body experience and help people alleviate both chronic and acute pain and other symptoms. After his profound, life-changing experience resolving his own chronic back pain, he has since become a leading expert in the field, curing hundreds of pain sufferers with these scientific and logical methods. His eight session seminars teach people everything they need to know about the m

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Dr. Thomas Verny, psychiatrist and best-selling author of The Embodied Mind.  He explains the concept of the embodied mind as a form of “cellular intelligence.“ While traditional neuroscience regards mind as an emergent property of the physical brain, the embodied mind posits that mind is dependent on the entire body, not just the brain. He shares numerous examples of the embodied mind at work including: the relationship between gut health and mental health, the plaques that are thought to cause Alzheimer's disease originating in the liver, and the experience of heart transplant patients adopting characteristics of the donor’s personality. Dr. Thomas R Verny is a psychiatrist, Founding President of APPPAH, the Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health, Founding Editor-in Chief of the APPPAH Journal, author of  47 scientific papers and eight books including the international best seller, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child, publish

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr. Thomas Verny, psychiatrist and best-selling author of The Embodied Mind. He shares how observations from his work with patients led him to the concept of the embodied mind—essentially how functions we normally associate only with the brain are dispersed throughout the cells of the body. One example of this is recalling memories formed before the age of two, which traditional neuroscience postulates is not possible. This may indicate that pre-natal and peri-natal cognition is much more robust than originally believed. Dr. Thomas R Verny is a psychiatrist, Founding President of APPPAH, the Association for Pre and Perinatal Psychology and Health, Founding Editor-in Chief of the APPPAH Journal, author of  47 scientific papers and eight books including the international best seller, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child, published in 27 countries and the recently released, The Embodied Mind. The Embodied Mind shows how intelligence and consciousness—traits tradition

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Victor Perton, founder of the Australian Leadership Project and the Center for Optimism.  He explains that, according to researchers, optimism is the trait most associated with a healthy longevity. He shares his vision of promoting tools to become more optimistic. He has found two tools in particular to be very useful: getting people to talk about what they want to be in 5 years and storytelling. Victor Perton is the Chief Optimism Officer of The Centre for Optimism.   The offspring of stateless refugees from the Baltics, Victor's early working years were spent in the law, politics and public policy culminating in 18 years in the legislature. After politics, Victor worked as Commissioner to the Americas working across North and South America on Foreign Direct Investment and Export Promotion.  This was followed by service as Senior Advisor to the Australian G20 Presidency. Returning to Melbourne, Victor was surprised by the negativity around lea

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Victor Perton, founder of the Australian Leadership Project and the Center for Optimism. He shares how his life’s work shifted from law and politics to a focus on how to develop greater optimism. He learned that few people are made optimistic by leadership or work, but instead by having faith in something. He explains that simple habits – e.g., adding more walking and movement to your daily routine, greeting people you encounter, and asking positive questions like ‘what’s been the best thing in your day?’ – can make you feel more optimistic as well as those around you. Victor Perton is the Chief Optimism Officer of The Centre for Optimism.   The offspring of stateless refugees from the Baltics, Victor's early working years were spent in the law, politics and public policy culminating in 18 years in the legislature. After politics, Victor worked as Commissioner to the Americas working across North and South America on Foreign Direct Investment and Export Promotion

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with somatic psychotherapist  Kendra Bloom, LMHC. She explains that eroticism—being intimate with self or others—is a way to create energy and awareness. It can be enhanced through movement, dance and doing things in a group which helps us bypass our usual thought processes, opening up energy and flow in the body and psychologically. In this way it opens a doorway to play and healing. In a group setting, it creates a setting where clients can be safe and brave. Kendra Bloom is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, PACT-Trained Couples Therapist, Somatic Psychotherapist and Certified Intuitive Energy Healer.  Kendra combines modern neuroscience with the holistic healing arts, positive psychology and body-based practices to create a dynamic and experiential method of transformation on all levels. She holds master’s degrees in both Sexuality Studies and Counseling Psychology, and enjoys weaving these skills with over a decade of deep spiritual inquiry, y

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Kendra Bloom, LMHC, a somatic psychotherapist who combines neuroscience, holistic healing arts and psychotherapy to help people transform their lives. She shares her insights about the foundations of the healing process—awareness, connection and validation.  She explains that the first step is calming down the nervous system so clients can feel relational safety and a sense of connection. Awareness comes through breath work, naming what feels real and getting in touch with body state. She helps them learn to process emotions and validate their feelings so they can begin healing. Kendra Bloom is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, PACT-Trained Couples Therapist, Somatic Psychotherapist and Certified Intuitive Energy Healer.  Kendra combines modern neuroscience with the holistic healing arts, positive psychology and body-based practices to create a dynamic and experiential method of transformation on all levels. She holds master’s degrees in both Sexuality Studies

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with cannabis use consultant and dispensary owner Bianca Blesching.  She details the steps in the cannabis treatment process, including: frequency, dosing and titration of different cannabis compounds. She shares how plant-based cannabinoids (phyto-cannabinoids) help to boost and support the function of the body’s naturally produced endo-cannabinoids. She provides recommendations on how to start with cannabis treatment and experiment to find the formulation that is right for you. Bianca Blesching, MFA, began her work in medicinal cannabis-derived products in 2004 as a cultivator and provider of legal medical products to dispensaries. Since then, she has owned a dispensary, become a cannabis-use consultant, and established UVAL Care, an online store and information resource for CBD products. Bianca, who is passionate about communicating the health benefits of CBD in ways that everyone can understand, lives with her partner, two horses, and border col

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with cannabis use consultant and dispensary owner Bianca Blesching. She shares the history of cannabis as well as the different types of cannabis and their healing properties. She explains the different types of the Sativa cannabis plant in use today – Marijuana which is THC dominant, and Hemp which is CBD dominant.  She also discusses how each type is used, the differences in the way men and women metabolize cannabis and that cannabis can be regarded as a wellness, rebalancing and self-healing tool. Bianca Blesching, MFA, began her work in medicinal cannabis-derived products in 2004 as a cultivator and provider of legal medical products to dispensaries. Since then, she has owned a dispensary, become a cannabis-use consultant, and established UVAL Care, an online store and information resource for CBD products. Bianca, who is passionate about communicating the health benefits of CBD in ways that everyone can understand, lives with her partner, two horses, and border c

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with bestselling author Dan Coyle.  He shares how repetition, engaging with fear of failure and getting the most out of mistakes are key to the process of Deep Practice. He explains how pausing for reflection and being able to see a new vision of yourself can provide the energy and focus needed to become a high performer (Ignition).  He also discusses how being guided by Master Coaches who understand the skill you are trying to develop and communicate how to improve it effectively creates the environment for achieving high performance. Daniel Coyle is the New York Times bestselling author of The Culture Code, which was named Best Business Book of the Year by Bloomberg, BookPal, and Business Insider. Coyle has served as an advisor to many high-performing organizations, including the Navy SEALs, Microsoft, Google, and the Cleveland Guardians. His other books include The Talent Code, The Secret Race, The Little Book of Talent, and Hardball: A Season in

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with best-selling author Dan Coyle about his research into the science of performance. He discovered that there were 3 core processes underlying high performance in all fields - deep practice, ignition and master coaching. Whether in athletics, music, intellectual pursuits or even healing from chronic pain, the high performers consistently make use of these three core processes to push the edge of their ability. Daniel Coyle is the New York Times bestselling author of The Culture Code, which was named Best Business Book of the Year by Bloomberg, BookPal, and Business Insider. Coyle has served as an advisor to many high-performing organizations, including the Navy SEALs, Microsoft, Google, and the Cleveland Guardians. His other books include The Talent Code, The Secret Race, The Little Book of Talent, and Hardball: A Season in the Projects, which was made into a movie starring Keanu Reeves. Coyle was raised in Anchorage, Alaska, and now lives in Cleveland Heights, Ohio