Although I initially trained as an anaesthetist like many pain specialists I now work full time in the field of chronic pain. Prior to setting up The RealHealth Institute I was a Consultant Pain Specialist at St Thomas’ Hospital, a post to which I was appointed in 1986. Before to this I had received training in the USA when I worked a Fellow in Pain Management for 1 year.

In 1989 I set up the INPUT cognitive behavioural pain management unit and was Medical Director of this programme until 2004. This programme has been one of the pioneering units in the country offering cognitive behavioural treatment of chronic intractable pain. I subsequently set up a similar unit in Wales where I still visit monthly. I was actively involved in the research programme at St Thomas’ Hospital where much seminal work was undertaken examining the way pain affect individuals and how they can be helped by holistic cognitive behavioural approaches.

I am a member of the Pain Society of Great Britain and the International Association of the Study of Pain. I sit on the committee of the Society for Back Pain Research and have lectured and talked in Europe and America on pain and its management. I have published numerous scientific papers on various aspects of pain, and contributed chapters to dozens of books and journals. My research interests include examination of the ways that pain affects people and the best ways of treating this from a holistic perspective. I have been involved in numerous sci-art collaborations looking at pain from both the medical and artistic perspective.

I originally trained as a teacher and Polarity Therapist (Complementary Medicine) and ran a private practice in Edinburgh for seven years. Prior to joining the RealHealth Institute I was a Senior Occupational Therapist at INPUT Pain Management Unit, St Thomas’ Hospital London from 1999 to 2004. During that time I published several papers on Occupational Therapy intervention in chronic pain management and lectured both nationally and internationally. This has particularly contributed to German Occupational Therapists developing their role in this specialist area. I also presented at the IASP World Congress on Pain in 2001 and 2005. In the UK, I helped develop a teaching package for Occupational Therapists and represent the National Occupational Therapy Pain Association (NOTPA) at IASP (International Association for the Study on Pain). Further memberships with Occupational Therapists in Work Practice and Productivity (OTWPP) and the British Complementary Medicine Association (BCMA) allow me to pursue a wide range of health care interests. I continue to write for Pain and Rehabilitation related publications and enjoy working with people to improve their quality of life. My particular passion lies with developing the Return to Work component of the RealHealth Pain Management Programmes.

I attained my qualification in Clinical Psychology from the University of Stellenbosch, close to Cape Town, South Africa, where I have also completed a Doctor’s Degree in black urbanisation, violence and the youth. I came to England in 1996 and furthered my theoretical and clinical skills with study at the University College London.

My fields of interest and specialisation are cognitive-behavioural therapy, chronic pain management, post-traumatic stress disorder and organisational consultancy. I was the Clinical Head of the INPUT Pain Management Unit at St Thomas’ Hospital London for five years prior to joining the RealHealth team. Apart from leading the clinical team and my role as unit manager, I also supervise psychologists and other clinicians working with people experiencing persistent pain.

I am a member of the British Psychological Society; The International Association for the Study of Pain (member of the torture/pain SIG) and The British Pain Society. My research interests include post-traumatic stress disorder and persistent pain and I have also contributed to a chapter on CBT and neuropathic pain to be published later this year in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology. I also act as a referee for papers regarding trauma and pain submitted to the British Journal of General Practice.

Since graduating as a Chartered Physiotherapist I have gained extensive experience in hospitals in England as well as working for 3 years in Denmark.  I have been a member of the Manipulation Association of Chartered Physiotherapists since 1980 having gained my post-graduate qualification in Spinal and Peripheral Manipulation.   I continued to specialise in Out-patient treatments and, with growing managerial responsibilities, also gained my Certificate in Healthcare Management.  This enabled me to become a member of the Institute of Healthcare Management. I have worked in both the NHS and Independent sectors gaining wide experience of musculo-skeletal problems including sports injuries.  I enjoyed liaising with local GP practices and businesses to provide advice and treatment for work related problems, manual handling and lifting training, health and fitness. I also wrote on related subjects for local business journals. As I became more interested in the management of Persistent Pain, I joined the team at INPUT, St Thomas’ Hospital, London in 1997 as a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist where I gained much experience working with the multi-disciplinary team. In July 2004, I joined the RealHealth. Institute. I have taught nationally to physiotherapists and other health professionals.  I am State Registered; a Member of the International Association in Pain- and presented at the IASP World Congress in 2001 - and a Member of the Physiotherapy Pain Association. I am particularly interested in helping individuals gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of Persistent Pain and its impact in order to facilitate a return to a more active and meaningful life.

"I realised that having pain does not mean one has to give up. It should never prevent one from achieving things."

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