Back in Control with David Hanscom, MD

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...

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 a...

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...

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....

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 reali...

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-...

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 technique...

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...

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-compassi...

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 get...

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 throug...

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 co...

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 part...

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 red...

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: T...

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 illne...

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 generat...

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 o...

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 s...

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 pr...

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...

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 Wa...

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...

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with world renowned surgeon and best-selling author, Bernie Siegel, MD. He shares stories that illustrate the importance of the doctor-patient relationship. He stresses the key role of understanding the patient’s story – their life situation, challenges, motivations and fears – to the healing process. He expresses his belief that listening to the patient ad...

In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with patient advocate, global health coach and best-selling author Chris War. He explains the specific steps he took his self healing journey from surgery for stage 3 colon cancer. He was inspired to take these steps by reading about others who had taken a similar approach and achieved full recovery. He changed his diet radically to be le...