“We’re just not looking at the whole person anymore.” - Stacey Roberts
Sometimes a patient is doing everything they're supposed to do, but they're still in pain. They've tried physical therapy, massage, supplements, maybe even surgery, and they're still looking for answers. Those are the cases that invite us to widen our lens. Because pain isn't only about what's happening in a joint or a muscle. Hormones, inflammation, gut health, nervous system signaling, sleep, stress, and biomechanics can all be part of the picture, and understanding those connections gives us more ways to help.
Practicing this way also requires a different kind of healthcare model. It's almost impossible to have the necessary conversations when you're seeing several patients an hour or working within a system that doesn't give you the time to ask deeper questions. More practitioners are beginning to create practices where they can offer that kind of whole-person care, and that brings up its own questions. What can you do within your scope? When should you collaborate or hire? And can you really build a successful cash-based integrative practice if you don't live in a large or affluent market?
In this episode, I'm joined by Stacey Roberts, PT, RN, MSN, a musculoskeletal specialist, pelvic and sexual health physiotherapist, and functional medicine specialist with more than 30 years of experience. Stacey shares how questions she couldn't answer through traditional physical therapy led her to explore the gut-joint connection, hormones, inflammation, and other drivers of chronic pain, what it looks like to expand your skills without stepping outside your scope, building the right clinical team, how Stacey grew a thriving cash-based practice after being told that model wouldn't work in her community, and more.
Enjoy the episode, and let's innovate and integrate together!
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Learn more or watch the video version of this conversation at https://integrativewomenshealthinstitute.com/an-integrative-physical-therapy-approach-to-chronic-pain-with-stacey-roberts/.
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