Shows / From Pain to Possibility
From Pain to Possibility
You are a yoga teacher or a health professional who wants to integrate yoga therapeutically. You want a more holistic, biopsychosocial approach to helping your clients heal. You want to empower them to listen and to learn about their bodies. In From Pain to Possibility, Susi Hately, B.Sc. Kinesiology blends modern understanding of anatomy and biomechanics with the ancient wisdom of yoga. This weekly show will share Susi's best ideas from over 25 years of helping her clients reduce and eradicate…
Episodes
From Pain to PossibilityMenopause and Shoulder Function | #397
In this episode, I dive into the crucial yet often misunderstood connection between shoulder pain, perimenopause, and menopause. I explore how fluctuating…
From Pain to PossibilityMy Turkey Neck and Thoracic Spine | #396
In this episode, I share a personal three-week movement experiment focused on my thoracic spine, ribcage, and what my kids playfully call my "turkey neck." I…
From Pain to PossibilityIntelligence of the Thoracic Spine and Whole Body Integration | #395
In this episode, I explore the thoracic spine as a vital missing link in addressing distal pain and strain, from the elbow and wrist all the way down to the…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming A Trusted Advisor: Why Clients Keep Coming Back Even When Pain is Gone | #394
In this episode, I expand on my previous discussion of Model 1 and Model 2 by introducing Model 3—a Framework for Self-Direction. While Model 1 focuses on…
From Pain to PossibilityYou Have Helped Your Client Out of Pain, Then What? Part 2 of 2 | #393
In this episode, I break down the transition from getting out of pain into moving back into the rest of your life—a concept I call Model Two. Building on the…
From Pain to PossibilityYou Have Helped Your Client Out of Pain, Then What? Part 1 of 2 | #392
In this episode, I begin a two-part series focusing on how to navigate the shift from being in pain to returning to full, active living. I break down Model…
From Pain to PossibilityFrom 15 Years of Pain to None in 5 Months - Why Angie, a CIAYT Yoga Therapist from Another Program, Signed Up for Certification | #391
In this episode, I'm joined by CIYT graduate Angie Howden Duke for a deep dive into what it truly takes to get out of persistent, long-term pain. Angie shares…
From Pain to PossibilityFrom 20 Years of Wrist Pain to Helping Others Out of Pain - And Arzina Murji Hasn't Even Graduated Yet | #390
In this episode, I am joined by certification trainee Arzina Merji to discuss what happens when you shift your approach to pain from looking for a quick, magic…
From Pain to PossibilityHow Lindsay Savage Turned 1000s of Hours of Yoga Training Into a Cohesive Practice and a Thriving Business | #389
In this episode, I sit down with Functional Synergy graduate Lindsay Savage to explore how movement professionals can integrate diverse training backgrounds…
From Pain to PossibilityWhen Body-Based Yoga Therapy Meets Mental Health Work: A Conversation with Functional Synergy Graduate Austin Chason | #388
In this episode, I sit down with yoga therapist and program graduate Austin Chason to explore what life looks like post-certification and how core yoga therapy…
From Pain to PossibilityWhat My Graduates Say Is Different About Yoga Therapy Certification with Functional Synergy | #387
In this episode, I share key insights from my conversations with trainees and graduates about what sets Functional Synergy Yoga Therapy apart from other C-IAYT…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Body Does Not Keep Score: A New and Hopeful Way for Therapeutic Recovery and Healing | #386
In this episode, I explore a recent paper published in Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience titled "The Body Does Not Keep Score: Trauma, Predictive Coding, and…
From Pain to PossibilityWhat Happens When a Client Doesn't Have Awareness? Ideas from 30+ years of helping people reduce and eliminate pain. | #385
In this episode, I explore a common challenge that movement teachers and practitioners face: what to do when a client lacks physical awareness or struggles to…
From Pain to PossibilityThere Is No Culprit: Why finding the "problem" may be keeping you stuck – and how I help my clients out of pain. | #384
In this episode, I explore why searching for a single "problem muscle" or quick-fix diagnosis often leads to a dead end when dealing with persistent pain…
- From Pain to Possibility
The Pinky Toe - Not Some Lame Useless Appendage: Everyone ignores the Pinky Toe. Let me show you why you should pay attention. | #383
In this episode, I explore the hidden role of the pinky toe and why this often-ignored appendage plays a crucial part in how we receive load, sense the ground…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Pinky Toe - Not Some Lame Useless Appendage: Everyone ignores the Pinky Toe. Let me show you why you should pay attention. | #383
In this episode, I explore the hidden role of the pinky toe and why this often-ignored appendage plays a crucial part in how we receive load, sense the ground…
From Pain to PossibilityPeroneals, Ankle Sprains and Powerful Feet | #382
In this episode, we dive into part two of our three-part miniseries on the foot, shifting our movement detective magnifying glass from the inner edge to its…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Hidden Power of the Big Toe | #381
In this episode, I explore the hidden role of the big toe and why such a small part of the body can have a significant impact on the way we stand, walk, and…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 7 of 7: The Myth of the Magic Bullet: When One-Target Thinking Falls Short and A Detective's Approach to Pain and Pattern | #380
In this final episode of the Movement Detective series, I explore why persistent pain and complex movement challenges often don't fit the traditional "magic…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 6 of 7: How Barb Eliminated 90–95% of Her Pain by Becoming a Movement Detective | #379
In this episode, I sit down with Barb Morin, who shares her journey from years of chronic shoulder, hip, and flexor pain to becoming 90–95% pain-free. After…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 5 of 7: She Was Told No One Could Help Her Online - Until This Happened | #378
In this episode, I share a powerful conversation with one of my private clients, Marian Nevil, as she reflects on her journey through pain, recovery, and…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 4 of 7: Becoming a Movement Detective with Kendra McQuine, C-IAYT Yoga Therapy Trainee
In this episode, I'm sharing a conversation with Kendra McEwen, a trainee in my Movement Detective program from Massachusetts. We talk about her journey from…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 3 of 7: Becoming a Movement Detective with Candice Bourgeois, C-IAYT Yoga Therapy Trainee | #376
In this episode, I sit down with Candice Bourgeois, who is currently in the certification program, to explore her journey from teaching with formulaic cues to…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 2/7: Forcing Outcomes
In this episode, I explore the concept of "forcing outcomes" and how it subtly shows up in healing, movement, and therapeutic work. I unpack how the desire to…
From Pain to PossibilityBecoming a Movement Detective 1/7: Choreography, Corrective Exercise, and Being a Movement Detective | #374
In this episode, I introduce a new miniseries on what it truly means to become a movement detective. I explore how this approach has shaped my work as a yoga…
From Pain to PossibilityPain Science Explained Pain... So... Now, What Does A Person DO? How Does A Teacher Teach? | #373
In this episode, I explore the evolution of pain understanding—from a structural, tissue-based model to the introduction of pain science—and what both…
From Pain to PossibilityWhat Hills Reveal About Your Movement (and why you can do hills and not hurt your knees, back...etc.) | #372
In this episode, I explore how hills—whether climbing up or going down—reveal a lot more about your movement patterns than they do about your strength. I share…
From Pain to PossibilityMuscles Vs Segments | #371
In this episode, I introduce a concept that has been reshaping the way I work with clients and train teachers: moving beyond a muscle-focused approach and…
From Pain to PossibilityBecome a Movement Detective: Rethinking Neck Pain | #370
In this episode, I invite you to rethink neck pain by becoming a movement detective. Instead of focusing only on where the pain is, I explore how the body…
From Pain to PossibilityIt's Not A Muscle Problem - Understanding Compensation Patterns | #369
In this episode, I break down a recent article on compensation patterns and share where I agree, and where I see a gap. While the article frames compensation…
From Pain to PossibilityHow Change Happens: Client Case Study | #368
In this episode, I walk you through a real client case study to illustrate how meaningful change actually happens in the body. Instead of focusing on a single…
From Pain to PossibilityRelief to Sustainable Results | #367
In this final part of the three-part series, I walk through what it really takes to turn temporary relief into lasting results. I break down why pain isn't the…
From Pain to PossibilityWhy Relief Doesn't Last… Yet | #366
In this episode, I build on our conversation about "whispers" in the body and take it a step further—what happens after you start noticing patterns and…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Pathway of Change: What Getting Out of Pain Really Is | #365
In this episode, I bring together over three decades of clinical observation working with people in pain—from chronic and autoimmune conditions to frozen…
From Pain to PossibilityKyphosis: Why "Stand Up Straight" Doesn't Work | #364
In this episode, I explore the common desire to "fix" posture and why simply trying to sit or stand up straight rarely works for long. I share how posture…
From Pain to PossibilityWhen More Range of Motion Doesn't Solve Pain | #363
In this episode, I explore a common belief in the movement and fitness world—the idea that more flexibility or range of motion will solve pain. I explain why…
From Pain to PossibilityIt Is Repetitive - That Is The Point | #362
Repetition gets a bad reputation. It can feel boring, rigid, or unnecessary. But in this episode, I share why repetition is actually the foundation of durable…
From Pain to PossibilityGlutes | #361
In this episode, I unpack the conversation around "lazy" or "non-firing" glutes and explore why simply strengthening them may not be the full answer. I share…
From Pain to PossibilityStrength | #360
In this episode, I dive into the concept of strength and why it isn't always the answer. I share insights on how strength can sometimes mask timing and…
From Pain to PossibilityYoga Advil vs Retraining - When Relief Masks What Isn't Changing | #359
In this episode, I explore the difference between using movement for relief versus using it for real, lasting change. I unpack the concept of "Yoga Advil," why…
From Pain to PossibilityThe SI Joint - Where Sacred History and Biomechanics Meet | #358
In this episode, I explore the sacrum from both a mythic and anatomical perspective, uncovering why so many ancient cultures considered it sacred and…
From Pain to PossibilityWhat is the Therapeutic Yoga Intensive | #357
In this episode, I share why I created the Therapeutic Yoga Intensive, who it's truly for, and the problem it's designed to solve. I speak to that quiet moment…
From Pain to PossibilitySensation Is Not Movement: Why Feeling More Isn't Always the Answer| #356
In this episode, I unpack a simple but powerful idea: sensation is not the same as movement. Many people I work with are incredibly good at feeling their…
From Pain to PossibilityCore | #355
In this episode, I explore the difference between true core stability and habitual bracing, and why relying on bracing can actually make us less stable over…
From Pain to PossibilityHappy New Year: Rest and Relaxation Body Scan | #354
In this episode, I guide you through a gentle yoga nidra practice focused on body scanning, breath awareness, and deep relaxation. I invite you to get…
From Pain to PossibilityMerry Christmas: 14 Minute Body Scan | #353
In this episode, I guide you through a gentle yoga nidra practice designed to help you settle, soften, and truly rest during the busy Christmas holiday season…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Deadlift | #352
In this episode, I use the deadlift as a lens to explore how sensation and mechanics work together in reducing pain and improving performance. I walk through…
From Pain to PossibilityExtending the Exhale | #351
In this episode, I guide you through a simple but profoundly calming lengthening-the-exhale practice. It's under ten minutes, yet it can make a significant…
From Pain to PossibilityThe In-Between: The Misunderstood Space Between Pain Relief and Real Strength | #350
In this episode, we explore the in-between: the often misunderstood stage between pain relief and real, sustainable strength. This is the phase where people…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Power of Hip Flexor Strengthening | #349
In this episode, I dive into why hip flexors often feel tight even when they aren't actually short. Many people rely on stretching for relief, but tightness is…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Missing Ingredient in Restorative Yoga | #348
In this episode of From Pain To Possibility, I explore why restorative yoga often leaves people feeling anything but restored. It's not about props or perfect…
From Pain to PossibilityTight Hamstrings Aren't A Hamstring Issue | #347
In this episode, I explore why your hamstrings aren't the real problem, even if they constantly feel tight, overworked, or impossible to stretch out. I share…
From Pain to PossibilityWhy Awareness Outperforms Finding the Perfect Cue | #346
In this episode, I wrap up my three-part mini-series on choreography and awareness by sharing why awareness-first teaching often creates deeper, more lasting…
From Pain to PossibilityFrom Choreography to Awareness with a Practice of Goddess, Warrior 3, Lunges | #345
In this episode, I continue my three-part mini-series for yoga teachers who want to evolve into confident, effective yoga therapists. Today, I walk you through…
From Pain to PossibilityTeaching Shapes vs. Teaching Change: The Hidden Limits of Choreography | #344
In this episode of From Pain to Possibility, I explore the real difference between teaching choreography and teaching movement — and why that shift is…
From Pain to PossibilityMigraine | #343
In this episode of From Pain to Possibility, I dive into decoding migraines—not as random or mysterious attacks, but as patterns that can be understood…
From Pain to PossibilityThe Stance Phase - Where Gravity, Ground, and You Meet | #342
In this episode of From Pain to Possibility, I continue my gait series by exploring the stance phase: the moment our bodies meet gravity and the ground. I…
From Pain to PossibilityWhat My Son Taught Me About Gait & Propulsion | #341
In this episode, I share how my eight-year-old son, Lewis, inspired me to see gait in a whole new way. When he decided he wanted to improve his walking, we…
From Pain to PossibilityWhat Gait Reveals About Knee Pain | #340
In this episode of From Pain to Possibility, I explore one of the most fundamental human movements, gait, and how it reveals key insights into knee pain…
From Pain to PossibilityAnatomically Impossible? Why I Teach a Square Pelvis in Warrior 1
In this episode of From Pain to Possibility, I dive into one of yoga's most debated cues: is squaring the pelvis in Warrior 1 anatomically impossible? I share…