Based on my own personal experience of escaping the grip of chronic mental/ physical pain and that of hundreds of my patients and clients, a framework has evolved that has helped many people out of the same dark place that I call, “The Abyss.”

Chronic illness and diseases are caused by your body being in sustained flight or fight physiology, which means every cell in your body is consuming fuel, inflamed, and on high alert. At the core of healing is minimizing your exposure to this state and maximizing your time in safety. There are many ways of accomplishing this. The term I use is “Dynamic Healing.”

It is largely self-directed and involves learning two linked but separate skill sets – efficiently processing your circumstances and also nurturing joy.

I wrote a book, Back in Control: A Surgeon’s Roadmap Out of Chronic Pain. I also created two action plans. One is an online computer-based course, The DOC Journey (www.thedocjourney.com) and the other is an app under the same name. With the book as a foundation, either one has been effective in helping people connect to their own healing capacity. With engagement, most symptoms can resolve in 3-6 months. I personally had 17 different mental and physical symptoms disappear in 2003 and I am still doing well – if I continue to use the approaches I present.

I am happy to talk to you, but the conversations are of limited value without understanding the core principles of The DOC Journey framework. I am open to questions if you have read Back in Control (www.backincontrol.com), and you have been actively engaged in either the app or the course for at least two weeks. I cannot answer specific medical questions, as I am no longer in practice, but I can provide direction. I also coach a group at noon PT on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

If you are considering spine surgery, please look at this section I created on surgical decision-making, and my book, Do You Really Need Spine Surgery? will clarify the issues around your choice. (https://backincontrol.com/surgery/)

Here is a link to my resources: https://backincontrol.com/resources-2/

After 32 years of performing complex spine surgery, I realized how much damage was being done by ill-advised surgery and also seeing so many people heal without any risk, that I quit my practice to pursue this project. I would love to help you along on your own healing journey. After you have familiarized yourself with the foundational concepts for a few weeks, please feel free to reach out with questions.