We recently had physical therapist Susan McLaughlin on the EatMoveLive52 Podcast to bust some myths and help us to better understand the role of the autonomic nervous system in chronic pain, tension, and discomfort.  Show Notes - Busting Myths in Physical Therapy with Susan McLaughlin For full podcast notes, links, and your free handout for this episode click here or the link below: Show Notes at EatMoveLive52.com/Susan Show Notes at EatMoveLive52.com/Susan Susan McLaughlin Susan McLaughlin is a physical therapist specializing in men’s and women’s pelvic health. Her private practice is in Salt Lak City, Utah, but she also has a wealth of information online, where some of you may have already met her. “I have been practicing physical therapy since 2001. In 2012I transitioned away from the major medical healthcare system to a holistic and eclectic collection of skills, all of which fit under the title of my business name: ALIGN Integration | Movement. As a practitioner I meet each client with the empathy and compassion that I, too, have sat deeply imbedded in the suffering of pain, and have been able to transform my body, mind, and spirit to get out of it.” Topics Discussed Could you tell us about your inspiration and inner guidance to practice Physical Therapy the way you do? What have you added to your eclectic practice that you never thought you would use as a therapist? Have you seen a change in the kind of complaints and conditions people come to you with over the years? For example, do you see more chronic pain? What’s the role of the nervous system and trauma in your practice? How do you educate patients and what resources do you give them if they are in chronic pain? Why do you think the medical profession has not been able to support those patients well so far? How do you help patients start to feel and deem themselves as a whole and not broken? What in your own journey with pain was key for your own healing and recovery? Let’s address some common myths in physical therapy and movement; let’s start with sucking in or bracing your abs, not locking your knees, keeping a flat back when standing or exercising, or needing to wear a small heel on your shoe? If someone has been in pain for a long time and watching all of those “precautions” for movement, what could be some undesired side effects? If you could design an ideal movement and therapy program for someone in pain, what would it absolutely include? What is something that you would never include? Where can people find more about you or work with you? Susan McLaughlin Episode Links and Resources Susan's Website - AlignForHealth.com Join Susan on Facebook Download "Gentle Regulation Exercises for Times of Tension and Discomfort" We've created a download just for you to help you regulate during times of tension and discomfort.  Click Here For Your Free Podcast Listeners Download Thank you for listening! Our podcast theme music is "Protofunk" by Kevin MacLeod of incompetech.com. Licensed under Creative Commons 3.0. Talk soon, Roland & Galina