Frances Sommer Anderson, PhD, SEP - PPDA Co-Founder

Dr. Anderson, a psychologist and psychoanalyst, learned to treat chronic pain from the late John E. Sarno, MD and Arlene Feinblatt, PhD at Rusk Institute-NYU Langone Medical Center starting in 1979. Recognized internationally for her experiential teaching style and publications on pain and the body, she integrates contemporary neuroscience of pain, trauma, and psychoanalytic attachment theory into the treatment of chronic physical pain and other symptoms of overwhelming experiences. You can view her contributions to the field on her two websites: FrancesSommerAnderson.com & PathwaysToPainRelief.com

Yoni K. Ashar, PhD

Yoni is a clinical psychologist, neuroscientist, and father of three. Yoni’s research uses functional MRI brain imaging, natural language processing, and other tools to understand how mind and brain processes influence health, especially chronic pain. Yoni is an NIH-funded postdoctoral associate at Weill Cornell Medicine, and he completed his doctorate at the University of Colorado Boulder. He conducted the first randomized trial testing Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), has conducted PRT clinician trainings, and leads a PRT supervision group. His research in chronic pain has been featured in several news outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Vox, and the Coloradan. You can see more of Yoni’s work on Twitter and Google Scholar.

Lee Canter, MSW - PPDA Board

Lee’s commitment to helping other sufferers of chronic pain disorders is a direct outgrowth of his experience with chronic migraine symptoms. After over seven years of being almost bedridden, seeing numerous medical professionals and getting no help from traditional biomedical treatments, he was finally cured of his symptoms using a psychophysiologic treatment approach. Lee began his professional career as a clinical social worker. He then became a highly successful entrepreneur. His passion is to use his professional expertise and his personal experience to help spread the word on the use of a psychophysiologic treatment approach to other chronic pain sufferers, especially those with migraine symptoms.

David Clarke, MD - PPDA President & Co-Founder

Dr. Clarke, in addition to being President of the PPDA, is also Assistant Director at the Center for Ethics and Clinical Assistant Professor of Gastroenterology Emeritus both at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon, USA. As Faculty Associate at Arizona State University and at the Cummings Graduate Institute for Behavioral Health Studies he teaches graduate courses on Psychophysiologic Medicine. His book for patients, They Can’t Find Anything Wrong!, was praised by a president of the American Psychosomatic Society as “truly remarkable.” Since 1982 he has diagnosed and treated over 7000 patients whose symptoms were not explained by diagnostic testing. Dr. Clarke has lectured extensively on Psychophysiologic Disorders to health care professionals and the public across North America and in Europe. He has appeared on over 100 television and radio broadcasts throughout the U.S. Website: Stressillness.com

Encarna Espunya, PT

Encarna is mind-body physiotherapist working with “hands off recovery programs” for chronic pain and Psychophysiologic Disorders for the Spanish-speaking community. Her personal and professional life was transformed when she found Dr. Sarno’s books. Later in 2014, she discovered Georgie Oldfield’s work in the UK and the SIRPA training course and recovery program, so she translated Georgie’s book into Spanish. Her mission now is to raise awareness about PPD in the Spanish-speaking health professional’s community. Website: SIRPASpain.com

Arlene Feinblatt, PhD

Dr. Feinblatt received her Doctorate in 1976 from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, New York University. She has been on the faculties of New York University School of Medicine as well as the New York Center for Short Term Dynamic Psychotherapy. She was the first Psychologist to work with Dr. John E. Sarno and originated the Psychology Services for his patients with TMS (PPD). Dr. Feinblatt was Dr. Sarno's Chief Psychologist. She is currently in private practice and can be contacted at AFPhD@ArleneFeinblatt.com.

Alan Gordon, LCSW - PPDA Co-Founder

Alan is the founder and executive director of the Pain Psychology Center, where he oversees a team of forty therapists. Gordon developed Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT), a cutting-edge protocol for treating chronic pain, and just completed a groundbreaking neuroimaging study on the efficacy of PRT in conjunction with the University of Colorado-Boulder. He was featured on CBS's The Doctors, where he conducted the first fMRI case study of a patient eliminating chronic pain. He is an adjunct assistant professor at USC and has presented on the topic of pain treatment at conferences and trainings throughout the country.

David A. Hanscom, MD - PPDA Board

Dr. Hanscom practiced complex orthopedic spine surgery for 32 years. He quit his practice in Seattle, WA to present his insights into solving chronic pain, which evolved from his own 15-year battle with it. He eventually escaped from the ordeal and discovered that mental pain is the biggest issue. Anxiety is the pain. His book, Back in Control: A Surgeon’s Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain systematically presents established treatments for chronic mental and physical pain, which the current medical establishment is overlooking. The self-directed action plan is available at TheDocJourney.com. It reflects the approaches of hundreds of patients who have escaped from chronic pain.

Mark Lumley, PhD

Dr. Lumley is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Psychology at Wayne State University, in Detroit, Michigan, and Director of its Ph.D. program in clinical psychology. As an academic clinical psychologist, Dr. Lumley has a long-standing interest in health psychology, psychosomatic, and behavioral medicine. His 30-year research program is internationally recognized for advancing knowledge at the interface of stress, emotional processes, and health, particularly chronic pain disorders. Along with his doctoral students and colleagues, he has developed and tested various psychological interventions related to expressive writing and emotional disclosure, and he co-developed Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET), which has been supported by numerous clinical trials and is recognized by the US Department of Health and Human Services as an evidence-based treatment for some types of chronic pain. He has been funded for many years by the NIH and has over 170 peer-reviewed published articles. He is on the editorial boards of numerous journals in health psychology and psychosomatic medicine and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and Society of Behavioral Medicine. He has mentored over 40 students to the Ph.D. Website: s.wayne.edu/lumleylab/people

Charlie Merrill, PT

Charlie is a Boulder, CO based physiotherapist who synthesizes manual therapies, movement, and psychosocial clinical strategies in his private practice, Merrill Performance, LLC. He applies mindbody principles to clients across the age range, including elite athletes, regardless of whether pain is acute or chronic. While he's a lifelong clinician, Charlie has a special interest in the prevention of chronicification and studies clinical outcomes in his practice. He currently consults with Lin Health, a start-up digital platform aiming to scale multidisciplinary pain care with fidelity to the mission of the PPDA. Charlie is an educator, co-teaching with Dr Howard Schubiner to support body-oriented clinicians in integrating mindbody strategies into clinical practice. He's also a content creator working to spread the message of the biopsychosocial model of pain beyond chronic pain. Charlie can be found on various podcasts, youtube, instagram, clubhouse, and as a contributor to the OVID clinical training application. You can view his Linktree profile here. He's an avid athlete, inventor, builder, husband, and dad of 3 teenage kids. He has plenty of his own pain stories (and pain stories from his kids) to share.

Rob Munger, MA, MS - PPDA Vice President

After recovering from years of repetitive strain injury (RSI), Rob created the largest source of information for the public about PPD at TMSWiki.org. He is a Teaching Fellow at Harvard University Extension School & Summer School. He specializes in Health Economics and decision-making. He also has an undergraduate concentration in computer science and experience as a trainer, consultant and integrator in the computer industry.

Terri Nishimoto, PT, CLT, PRPC

Terri’s journey into pelvic health physical therapy began when she experienced her own pelvic challenges during her first pregnancy 26 years ago. At that time, there were very few pelvic health physical therapists, and the approach was primarily from a biomedical framework. Her curiosity and need for her own healing ignited the desire to specialize in pelvic health and integrate her experience in movement, manual therapy and neuroscience. She has certifications in the Feldenkrais method , manual lymphatic therapy, dry needling and pelvic rehabilitation. Terri works in an outpatient private practice setting and learns from her patients every day. She is also an associate faculty instructor at the University of Colorado Physical Therapy Program at the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Jessica Oifer Stelle, MA, MBA, LMFT - PPDA Board

Jessica is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who runs a private psychotherapy practice in Marina del Rey, CA. She specializes in working with clients struggling with chronic pain, trauma and anxiety. She has an expertise in Attachment-Focused EMDR and somatic therapies, and incorporates a mind-body perspective into the psychotherapy process. Jessica also provides supervision and training for pre-licensed Associate Marriage and Family Therapists both in her private practice as well as through The Maple Counseling Center in Los Angeles. As an Adjunct Faculty Member, she taught graduate students in the MFT Masters Program at Phillips Graduate University. Jessica also has an MBA from the University of Southern California. Website: JessicaOiferMFT.com

Georgie Oldfield, MCSP

Georgie is a leading physiotherapist and UK Specialist in a pioneering approach to chronic pain that is evidence-based, educational and focuses on self-empowerment. Georgie is a clinician and author, having initially developed her online recovery programme in 2012 and publishing her book, Chronic Pain: Your Key to Recovery in 2014.  Through her company, SIRPA, Georgie also developed the first training programme in this field in 2010, enabling health professionals to learn how to integrate this approach and the concept on which it is based within their own work. This training is now online and Georgie also speaks widely about this approach, gave a TEDx talk in 2019 and since 2015 has organised and hosted international conferences, which are held at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.

Nicole Sachs, LCSW

Nicole is a speaker, writer, podcaster and psychotherapist who has dedicated her work and her practice to the treatment of emotional and physical chronic pain, symptoms, syndromes, and conditions. She is the author of the book The Meaning of Truth, and the online courses FREEDOM FROM CHRONIC PAIN and FREEDOM FROM AN ANXIOUS LIFE. Her brand, The Cure for Chronic Pain, includes a Website, Podcast and YouTube Channel. She holds faculty positions at The Omega Institute for Holistic Studies, 1440 Multiversity, and The Center for Living Retreat Center. Nicole's personal experience with Dr. John Sarno as well as work with thousands of people around the world have shaped and evolved her theories, which serve to teach those suffering how to heal themselves completely with no medication or surgery. Website: TheCureForChronicPain.com

David Schechter, MD - PPDA Board

Dr. Schechter’s first experience with a Psychophysiologic Disorder was his own! After successful treatment as a patient of Dr. John Sarno, he performed a follow up study in Dr. Sarno’s office, the results of which are cited in Dr. Sarno’s first two books. Dr. Schechter, who specializes in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine, has been treating chronic pain and other functional disorders with a psycho-education approach for over 25 years in private practice. He is the author of Think Away Your Pain and other educational resources for PPD. Dr. Schechter has been named a Top Doctor for over ten years and is listed in US News and World Report, Men's Health Magazine, and LA Magazine as a Top Doctor in his field(s). He spends most of his time seeing patients in Culver City, CA and educating the public about PPD with podcast, TV, and radio appearances. Websites: MindBodyMedicine.com, SchechterMD.com

Howard Schubiner, MD - PPDA Co-Founder

Dr. Schubiner is an internist and the director of the Mind Body Medicine Center at Ascension Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan and a Clinical Professor at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. He has authored more than 100 publications in scientific journals and books, and lectures regionally, nationally, and internationally. Dr. Schubiner is the author of three books: Unlearn Your Pain, Unlearn Your Anxiety and Depression, and Hidden From View, written with Dr. Allan Abbass. Dr. Schubiner lives in the Detroit area with his wife of thirty-seven years and has two adult children. Website: UnlearnYourPain.com

Roy Seidenberg, MD

Dr. Seidenberg is a Board Certified dermatologist in New York City. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of dermatology at the New York University School of Medicine and an Attending Physician at the Manhattan VA Hospital where he has been teaching dermatology residents every week for over twenty years. Dr. Seidenberg is a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology. Although his practice is limited to dermatology, Dr. Seidenberg was also Board Certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Seidenberg was introduced to mindbody medicine by Dr. John E. Sarno. He has spoken on several of Dr. Sarno‘s patient panels, and has lectured on psychosomatic dermatology at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting. Dr. Seidenberg has incorporated mindbody concepts into his dermatology practice for the last two decades.

Jessica Shahinian - PPDA Executive Director

Jessica overcame years of 20+ mindbody symptoms that threatened to end not only her musical theater career but also her life. She created GotPainCure, an educational web series about Psychophysiologic Disorders. As Executive Director, Jessica helps to create, manage and curate the PPDA’s resources and is an instructor for our online course. Sought after for her recovery story, she’s been interviewed by The Mind and Fitness Podcast, Simply Sarno, TMS RoundTable, Falling Up Radio, and was a speaker on PPD at events in New York, Michigan and Colorado. Jessica is contributing a chapter about her experience as a PPD patient for our second textbook.

Scott Shimotsu, PhD, MPH

Dr. Shimotsu worked with Optum Labs for over 6 years. He used his epidemiology and research expertise, as well as his depth of clinical provider experience aimed to improve clinical delivery in health systems. Most recently, his efforts focused on scaling a UnitedHealthcare project on chronic pain and national geographical research on national pain treatment patterns. His research background, clinical research, and health system experiences bring strong versatility for relationship building across the R&D group and UnitedHealth Group (UHG). As a research scientist, he led multi-disciplinary teams on external client-facing healthcare experiments and created research study designs on interventions to improve provider and payer system integration and continuity of care. He was lead author for a 3-year $2.5 million UHG grant for healthy communities. The grant proposal focused on enhancing care for accountable care population health programs among Medicaid patients.

John Stracks, MD

Dr. Stracks graduated from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and completed his residency in Family Medicine and a fellowship in Integrative Medicine at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. After 8 years in practice at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine in Chicago, Dr. Stracks started his own solo practice in 2017 to allow him to focus more fully on patient care, Psychophysiologic Disorders (PPD), and his family. He now runs the only PPD clinic in the Chicago area, which sees thousands of patients per year among three practitioners and a total staff of 10. When not seeing patients, you can find him playing sports with his children and spending time with his wife. You can contact his staff and learn more about his practice through his website DrStracks.com.

Christie Uipi, LCSW

Christie is a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of chronic pain, anxiety, and depression and the Executive Director of The Better Mind Center. She pursued extensive clinical training at the Pain Psychology Center in Los Angeles, where she worked alongside Alan Gordon to train clinicians in Pain Reprocessing Therapy. Christie lectures nationally on psychotherapeutic interventions to treat chronic pain and is committed to cross-disciplinary collaboration between mental health and physical medicine.

Alon Ziv

Alon is passionate about science and science education. He is the co-author of The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain. Alon has a degree in Neuroscience and was awarded the Certificate of Distinction in Teaching in Biology from UCLA. He co-founded PrepU, an adaptive learning system for the sciences that's been used by college students over 1 billion times. He has appeared on the BBC London Evening News, NPR, BBC Radio, and local radio across the United States.