Back In Control Radio

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with conservationist and best-selling author Mark Owens.  He shares how the tools he learned from the DOC program helped him recover from chronic pain a second time and deal with the intense stresses in his life. These tools included: expressive writing, meditation, working out, getting his life better organized and reconnecting socially. He also underscores the power and importance of believing that you can heal. Mark Owens with wife Delia, lived for nearly eight years in the Kalahari Desert  of Botswana where they pioneered wildlife research studies on desert lions, Brown hyenas and migrating antelope in an unmapped fossil river valley so remote that the animals there had never before laid eyes on modern man.  Lions literally slept with them, brown hyenas licked water from their toes while they sponge-bathed, and a leopard slept on the stoop of their tent.  From the Kalahari they traveled to The Northern Rift Valley in Zambia where they stopped el

Dr. David Hanscom talks with conservationist and best-selling author Mark Owens about his multiple battles with chronic pain. When he healed from the chronic pain that accompanied a broken back during a fall from his horse, he thought he was done with it. But later, stress, chronic disease and other physical traumas made him feel like he had fallen back into the abyss.  He recovered again by realizing that stress is inevitable and the only way to handle is to use the tools that had helped him before. Mark Owens with wife Delia, lived for nearly eight years in the Kalahari Desert  of Botswana where they pioneered wildlife research studies on desert lions, Brown hyenas and migrating antelope in an unmapped fossil river valley so remote that the animals there had never before laid eyes on modern man.  Lions literally slept with them, brown hyenas licked water from their toes while they sponge-bathed, and a leopard slept on the stoop of their tent.  From the Kalahari they traveled to The Northern Rift Valley in

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with film producer Dana Croschere.  She described how the commission to do the film came at a key turning point in her journey through chronic pain.  Besides her own story, the film features others on their journey as well as interviews with experts. During the process of making the film she learned the importance of having love and self-compassion for yourself; becoming aware of and identifying what you are experiencing and feeling in the moment; and processing things you haven’t before. These insights helped her heal and thrive. Dana Croschere’s journey is an inspirational one, full of many obstacles including two unsuccessful spine surgeries in 2020. While still experiencing some level of chronic pain most days, Dana has been able to harness the power of her mind to accomplish things she once thought impossible. She now greets each day with a smile as she works hard to spread the message of LOVE HEALS, a documentary that she not only produced but

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with film producer Dana Croschere about her healing journey through chronic pain. She first experienced chronic pain in 2017 and after two unsuccessful spine surgeries, she was in complete despair and saw no purpose to her life.  She finally realized she needed to start focusing on what steps she could take to feel better. Through a combination of techniques which she learned reading Back in Control and the community she found in the DOC Journey group sessions, she learned to calm down her nervous system, process her anger, let go and move her life forward. Dana Croschere’s journey is an inspirational one, full of many obstacles including two unsuccessful spine surgeries in 2020. While still experiencing some level of chronic pain most days, Dana has been able to harness the power of her mind to accomplish things she once thought impossible. She now greets each day with a smile as she works hard to spread the message of LOVE HEALS, a documentary that she not only prod

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Dr. Anthony Avellino, a pediatric neurosurgeon and author of Finding Purpose: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey of Hope and Healing.  He discusses the principles he used to recover from burnout and depression: Listen, Learn and Heal. Listening means discovering your life’s journey and not always focusing on “climbing the ladder.”  Learn means remaining coachable, recognizing failure and learning to improve. Heal refers to creating a vision for a purposeful life that can bring you joy and happiness. Anthony M. Avellino is a highly regarded pediatric neurosurgeon, experienced healthcare administrator, and endurance ultra-runner. He started his pediatric neurosurgery career at Johns Hopkins University Hospital and is presently the Medical Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Valley Children’s Healthcare.  He was the Michigan State University assistant vice president for health sciences, chief clinical and medical officer, and interim director of athletic

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr. Anthony Avellino about his experience with physician burnout. For years, he battled with depression and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. At one point, he attempted suicide, but stopped when he had a vision of his young son. He took up endurance ultra running which helped him cope with his personal crisis. He healed by learning to have self-compassion and avoiding the perfectionist approach to life. He wrote a book called Finding Purpose: A Neurosurgeon’s Journey of Hope and Healing and today he is helping others deal with overwhelm and burnout. Anthony M. Avellino is a highly regarded pediatric neurosurgeon, experienced healthcare administrator, and endurance ultra-runner. He started his pediatric neurosurgery career at Johns Hopkins University Hospital and is presently the Medical Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at Valley Children’s Healthcare.  He was the Michigan State University assistant vice president for health sciences, chief clinical and medical o

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Dr. Terrie Wurzbacher.  She talks about the new understanding she developed about her pain which allowed her to believe she could heal herself. She discusses the tools that provided the greatest benefit in her healing journey, including: expressive writing, active meditation, letting go of anger, not obsessing about her pain, and getting better sleep. After years of debilitating pain, she took up long distance walking and walked 314 miles across the state of Tennessee. Terrie Wurzbacher, D.O graduated from medical school (College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, Des Moines, Iowa) in 1975.  She served 30 years active duty in the Navy in various capacities (Emergency Medicine, combat and disaster medicine and the physical disability system). She retired from the Navy in 2004 and went to work as a Department of the Army civilian physician in the Army's disability system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr. Terrie Wurzbacher about her battle with chronic pain which included migraine, tinnitus and irritable bowel syndrome among other issues. She spent a great deal of her spare time researching potential cures – none of which worked. At one point, she contemplated suicide. She first encountered the notion of the mind body approach to chronic pain through Dr. Howard Schubiner and later discovered the tools that allowed her to conquer chronic pain through the DOC Journey. Terrie Wurzbacher, D.O graduated from medical school (College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, Des Moines, Iowa) in 1975.  She served 30 years active duty in the Navy in various capacities (Emergency Medicine, combat and disaster medicine and the physical disability system). She retired from the Navy in 2004 and went to work as a Department of the Army civilian physician in the Army's disability system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion about consciousness and health with Dr. Bruce Lipton, a stem cell biologist and author of the best-selling book, The Biology of Belief. He explains how as much as 95% of our behavior is governed by unconscious processes. He shares how developing greater awareness of how this affects us and using tools like self-hypnosis can help us put consciousness between stimulus and reaction in our daily lives so we can have better health and really live the life we want. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., is a stem cell biologist and the bestselling author of The Biology of Belief, Spontaneous Evolution and The Honeymoon Effect.  He served as Associate Professor of Anatomy in the School of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin (Madison, 1973-1982). His pioneering research on cloned human stem cells presaged today’s revolutionary new field of epigenetics. Dr. Lipton later served as a Research Fellow in the Department of Pathology in Stanford University’s School of Medici

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr, Bruce Lipton, a stem cell biologist and author of the best-selling book, The Biology of Belief. He discusses how epigenetics, gene expression and cell metabolism show how we can use our consciousness to create better health. He also explains how sustained stress can derail cell growth, shut down the immune system and restrict blood flow to the parts of our brain that govern higher cognitive function, ultimately impacting our life and health. Bruce H. Lipton, Ph.D., is a stem cell biologist and the bestselling author of The Biology of Belief, Spontaneous Evolution and The Honeymoon Effect.  He served as Associate Professor of Anatomy in the School of Medicine at the University of Wisconsin (Madison, 1973-1982). His pioneering research on cloned human stem cells presaged today’s revolutionary new field of epigenetics. Dr. Lipton later served as a Research Fellow in the Department of Pathology in Stanford University’s School of Medicine (1987-1992). His groundbr

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with James Nestor, bestselling author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.  He explains how better breathing can quickly signal a sense of safety to the brain which then acts to lower things like blood pressure, heart rate and the level of stress hormones. He shares different breathing exercises and techniques that can be used to reduces stress, anxiety and the instance of panic attacks. James Nestor is an author and journalist who has written for Scientific American, Outside, The New York Times, and more. His latest book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, explores how the human species has lost the ability to breathe properly--and how to get it back.  Nestor has spoken at Stanford Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, the United Nations, Global Classroom, and appeared on more than 60 radio and television shows, including Fresh Air with Terry Gross. He lives and breathes in San Francisco. For more information, vi

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with journalist and bestselling author James Nestor about the physiology of breathing and its effect on our health. He shares his battle with respiratory illnesses, how it led him to explore the science behind better breathing and resulted in his recovery through breathwork. What he learned during his research led him to write the bestselling book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art. James Nestor is an author and journalist who has written for Scientific American, Outside, The New York Times, and more. His latest book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art, explores how the human species has lost the ability to breathe properly--and how to get it back.  Nestor has spoken at Stanford Medical School, Yale School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, the United Nations, Global Classroom, and appeared on more than 60 radio and television shows, including Fresh Air with Terry Gross. He lives and breathes in San Francisco. For more information, visit:Mrjamesnestor.com. Lea

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with pain psychologist Les Aria about the upcoming Second Annual Chronic Pain Summit that they, along with Dr. David Clawson, are hosting February 26-27. They preview the expert speakers and the topics being presented at the summit. The focus of the summit is to deepen the understanding of the research into the common basis of chronic pain and chronic illness and the implications for the clinical realm. For more information or to register for the summit, please visit: https://www.opencenter.org/2nd-annual-chronic-pain-summit/ Les Aria, PhD is a Pain Psychologist, who has been practicing for the past 16 years with Kaiser Permanente Medical Group, Inc. He served as the Lead Pain Psychologist for Kaiser Northern California to help incorporate modern pain science, mindfulness and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT). Les specializes in treating psychophysiological disorders/persistent pain and medically unexplained problems. His passion for mind body interventions promot

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his talk with filmmaker and chronic pain sufferer Michael Galinsky about his documentary on the life and work of Dr. John Sarno.  He discusses the key ideas behind Dr. Sarno’s approach: especially the inextricable link between mind and body, and how suppressed emotions can impact pain and healing not only in the present family context but across generations. He shares how making the film inspired him to investigate his own family’s history and its impact on the health of family members. Most importantly, Sarno helped him believe he could heal from chronic pain. Michael Galinsky is a filmmaker, artist, writer and musician based in North Carolina. For the past 25 years he has made films with his wife Suki Hawley. In 2000 they joined forces with David Beilinson and have made 8 documentary feature films together, including a film called All the Rage about the life and work of Dr. John Sarno. For more information visit the website: https://www.alltheragedoc.com Learn m

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with filmmaker and chronic pain sufferer Michael Galinsky about his documentary on the life and work of Dr. John Sarno.  He shares how the skepticism of the medical community about Sarno’s work forced him to change the metaphor of the film from being about clinical studies to his own (and his family’s) story of chronic pain and his experience as a patient of Dr. Sarno. As a result, the film became a more compelling look at why Sarno’s approach to healing has proven so powerful. Michael Galinsky is a filmmaker, artist, writer and musician based in North Carolina. For the past 25 years he has made films with his wife Suki Hawley. In 2000 they joined forces with David Beilinson and have made 8 documentary feature films together, including a film called All the Rage about the life and work of Dr. John Sarno. For more information visit the website: https://www.alltheragedoc.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with physiatrist and pain management specialist David Clawson, MD.  He discusses how the physiologic, emotional and social factors that have contributed to an individual’s threat load need to be addressed so they can move to a place of safety and heal from disease. At this point, they ca reformulate a new personal narrative to help them stay healthy. Dr. David Clawson is a Physiatrist, based in Seattle, with backgrounds in neurologic, cancer, spine and sports rehabilitation, and pain management. He is interested in the different physiologic states that underpin illness and disease versus wellness and health, as determined by whether we are in threat versus safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with physiatrist and pain management specialist David Clawson, MD. He explains the concept of threat load and its role in the healing process. He details how threat - accumulated over a lifetime from physical, emotional and social sources - can interfere with the body’s immune response to disease, make us more vulnerable to disease and impede the healing process. Dr. David Clawson is a Physiatrist, based in Seattle, with backgrounds in neurologic, cancer, spine and sports rehabilitation, and pain management. He is interested in the different physiologic states that underpin illness and disease versus wellness and health, as determined by whether we are in threat versus safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with eminent neuroscientist, Dr. Tor Wager.  He discusses how expectations are a fundamental driver for how you respond to the experience of chronic pain. The expectation is created in the prefrontal cortex and the response is driven from the brainstem. Pain Reprocessing Therapy, a technique his lab has pioneered, helps patients create a new narrative about their pain and a belief that they can heal from chronic pain. Tor Wager is the Diana L. Taylor Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience at Dartmouth College, and the Director of Dartmouth’s Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience laboratory, the Dartmouth Brain Imaging Center, and the Dartmouth Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. Professor Wager’s research centers on the neurophysiology of affective processes—pain, emotion, stress, and empathy—and how they are shaped by cognitive and social influences. More information about Dr. Wager and his lab’s activities, publications, and software can be found a

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with eminent neuroscientist Dr. Tor Wager about the neurophysiology of pain. He shares how persistent activation of the acute pain system can cause sensitization and pain avoidance behavior. The brain essentially encodes an expectation of pain when certain triggers or actions occur. The patient’s beliefs about their pain can amplify it or resolve it. Tor Wager is the Diana L. Taylor Distinguished Professor in Neuroscience at Dartmouth College, and the Director of Dartmouth’s Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience laboratory, the Dartmouth Brain Imaging Center, and the Dartmouth Center for Cognitive Neuroscience. Professor Wager’s research centers on the neurophysiology of affective processes—pain, emotion, stress, and empathy—and how they are shaped by cognitive and social influences. More information about Dr. Wager and his lab’s activities, publications, and software can be found at http://canlab.science. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with world renowned surgeon and best-selling author, Bernie Siegel, MD.  He discusses the relationship between a patient’s belief in their ability to heal and their response to treatment. He shares stories that illustrate these insights and approaches he used to get patients to tap into their innate healing power – e.g., visualization. He also highlights the importance of listening and caring to establish a strong relationship with patients. Bernie S. Siegel, MD, is a well-known proponent of integrative and holistic approaches to healing that heal not just the body but also the mind and soul.  He attended Colgate University and studied medicine at Cornell University Medical College. His surgical training took place at Yale–New Haven Hospital, West Haven Veterans Hospital, and the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. In 1978 Bernie pioneered a new approach to group and individual cancer therapy called Exceptional Cancer Patients (ECaP), which utilized