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Back in Control with David Hanscom, MD
Back in Control with David Hanscom, MD episodes
- Leading Authentically by Changing Your Inner Narrative
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Robert Paris, a Master Neuroplastician and leadership coach. Robert explains his four-stage leadership development approach, focusing on self-leadership as the foundation before moving to one-on-one, team, and organizational leadership. He describes how his Renew Coaching process helps people identify and address subconscious "deceptive brain messages" from childhood that affect their behavior and authenticity as leaders. His approach involves getting clients to reflect on significant decisions by examining how they process feedback, particularly focusing on understanding why they might ignore positive feedback while
fixating on negative feedback.Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Transcript-Interview-5-w-Robert-Paris.pdfRobert Paris is a Master Neuroplastician, Founding Fellow of the Institute for Applied and Organizational Neuroscience, author, and leadership coach. He is the creator of the RENEW® Process and author of You vs. Your Brain: Reclaiming Your Identity. For more than 30 years, Robert has helped leaders, teams, and individuals understand how the brain shapes their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—and how to create lasting change through neuroplasticity. His work focuses on helping people reclaim control of their minds, reduce suffering, and live more authentically. For more information, visit https://myelinleadership.com
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29 min - Healing Through Neuroplasticity and Authentic Connection
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Robert Paris, a Master Neuroplastician and leadership coach. Robert explains his process called
RENEW, which is a 10-week program that educates people about how their brains work and helps them connect with their authentic identities by reflecting on past decisions and childhood experiences. He shared a transformative story about a Chinese manager named Li who overcame deep-rooted fear of authority through the program, leading to career advancement. He also discusses how suppressedemotions and negative self-talk create unnecessary suffering. He emphasizes the importance of connection, vulnerability, and reprogramming the brain rather than fighting old patterns.Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Transcript-Interview-4-w-Robert-Paris.pdfRobert
Paris is a Master Neuroplastician, Founding Fellow of the Institute for Applied and Organizational Neuroscience, author, and leadership coach. He is the creator of the RENEW® Process and author of You vs. Your Brain: Reclaiming Your Identity. For more than 30 years, Robert has helped leaders, teams, and individuals understand how the brain shapes their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—and how to create lasting change through neuroplasticity. His work focuses on helping people reclaim control of their minds, reduce suffering, and live more authentically. For more information, visit https://myelinleadership.comLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
30 min - Moving Toward Healing with Chi for Two
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dee Wagner, a counselor and movement therapist. She discusses her Chi4Two method based on Polyvagal Theory. She explains that Chi4Two focuses on mobilizing movement with "play-dance" rather than fight-or-flight responses, involving three key physiological aspects: coordinating breathing and swallowing, helping move and mix intestinal content, and utilizing neurotransmitters like acetylcholine and dopamine without adrenaline. She demonstrates practical exercises including reaching movements and contralateral head movements to help shift clients from fight-flight to play-dance mobilization, working with both therapist and client in two-person interactions.
Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Transcript-Interview-1-w-Dee-Wagner.pdfDee Wagner is a long-time counselor, dance movement therapist, somatic educator, writer and presenter. Wagner originated a mindful embodiment method called Chi for Two. Chi means life force. The words for Two call attention to the fact that our two-person interactions affect our life force—our energy—our nervous system functioning. For more information, visit: https://chifortwo.com
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33 min - Beyond Labels: Reconnecting Across Generations
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Donald Cohen PhD, a marital and family therapist. Donald discussed how relationships and self-connection influence each stage of the life cycle, emphasizing the importance of understanding oneself and developing empathy and mutual respect. He shared insights from his book, which consists of letters exchanged with his father, revealing how misconceptions and labels can affect relationships, particularly with parents. He explained how writing the book helped him and his father reconnect on a human level, highlighting the transformative power of understanding and communication. He emphasized the importance of hierarchical language and self-awareness in parent-child relationships, and shared how his
relationship with his father evolved through empathy and letter writing. Healso emphasized the value of asking for opinions, showing appreciation, andbeing mindful of how communication is expressed.Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Transcript-Interview-4-w-Donald-Cohen.pdfDonald Cohen, Ph.D , is a licensed marital and family therapist, author and lecturer with over four decades of clinical experience. He holds an MSW from Columbia University and a PH. D. in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. He completed a fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University Medical Center and maintains a private practice focused on family dynamics, communication, and personal growth.
He is also the author of The Inside Ride: A Journey to Manhood - Letters between Father and Son. The book was co-written with his late father, Dr. Max Cohen and explores vulnerability, masculinity, and intergenerational healing through decades of personal correspondence. He has also published poetry collections, articles on child development and family communication, and hosted the television and radio program Kids Are Talking, currently featured on You Tube. His forthcoming book is Small Thoughts, Big Ideas. His work centers on the power of reflective writing to foster authentic connection, emotional honesty, and lasting legacy, particularly in father-son relationships. He lives in Connecticut.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
33 min - Letters That Healed a Father and Son
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Donald Cohen PhD, a marital and family therapist. He discussed the evolution of his relationship with his father, describing how they started with mutual tension but eventually grew closer through letter writing. He explained how he initially struggled with his father's intellectual pursuits while identifying as a basketball player, but later realized these issues stemmed from his own poor self-image. Writing
letters to his father helped bridge their relationship, particularly after he became a father himself at age 31. The relationship improved significantly when Donald began writing a book, The Inside Ride: Letters Between Fathers and Sons, about their correspondence, culminating in a touching end where he would write letters for his father who had difficulty due to Parkinson's disease, and they expressed mutual love on national television.Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Transcript-Interview-3-w-Donald-Cohen.pdfDonald Cohen, Ph.D , is a licensed marital and family therapist, author and lecturer with over four decades of clinical experience. He holds an MSW from Columbia University and a PH. D. in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology. He completed a fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University Medical Center and maintains a private practice focused on family dynamics, communication, and personal growth.
He is also the author of The Inside Ride: A Journey to Manhood - Letters between Father and Son. The book was co-written with his late father, Dr. Max Cohen and explores vulnerability, masculinity, and intergenerational healing through decades of personal correspondence. He has also published poetry collections, articles on child development and family communication, and hosted the television and radio program Kids Are Talking, currently featured on You Tube. His forthcoming book is Small Thoughts, Big Ideas. His work centers on the power of reflective writing to foster authentic connection, emotional honesty, and lasting legacy, particularly in father-son relationships. He lives in Connecticut.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
28 min - The Conversation Every Spine Patient Deserves
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Dr. Scott Phillips, a neurosurgeon. Dr. Phillips explores common misconceptions patients hear from surgeons, including phrases like "you need surgery" and "it's not bad enough yet." He discusses how surgeons often fail to clearly explain why surgery is not recommended or offer alternative non-surgical options. He talks about problems with "upscaling" surgeries to include unnecessary levels or instrumentation, noting that patients often receive larger, riskier procedures than needed for their symptoms. He highlights the need for better communication with patients about both surgical and non-surgical treatment options, particularly given that chronic pain can be a complication of surgery even when structural problems are addressed.
Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Transcript-Interview-2-w-Scott-Phillips.pdfScott Phillips, M.D. received his Bachelor's degree at the University of Kentucky in his hometown of Lexington, KY., and went on to complete his Medical Degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed a 7-year Neurological Surgery Residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. As part of the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program, he then served 4 years on Active Duty as a Staff Neurosurgeon at San Antonio Military Medical Center. After Honorable Separation in 2017, he served the citizens of San Antonio Texas before relocating to practice in Wichita Falls and the greater North Texas area. For more information, visit: https://excelsis.life
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27 min - When the Diagnosis Becomes the Problem
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Dr. Scott Phillips, a neurosurgeon. Dr. Phillips discusses how he has evolved his approach to patient care in spine surgery, particularly focusing on addressing
misinformation that causes anxiety. He identified numerous incorrect phrases commonly told to patients, including claims about scar tissue, arthritis, weight being a cause, and various potential triggers for back pain. He attributes his current understanding to key influences including reading David's Back in Control book, discovering the Boulder Back Pain Study, and joining the Neuroplastic Symptom Society. Scott explains that the common misconception that long-term back pain requires surgery is incorrect, as surgical treatment options should not be determined by pain duration or severity.Download the transcript:
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Transcript-Interview-1-w-Scott-Phillips.pdfScott Phillips, M.D. received his Bachelor's degree at the University of Kentucky in his hometown of Lexington, KY., and went on to complete his Medical Degree at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He completed a 7-year Neurological Surgery Residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. As part of the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship Program, he then served 4 years on Active Duty as a Staff Neurosurgeon at San Antonio Military Medical Center. After Honorable Separation in 2017, he served the citizens of San Antonio Texas before relocating to practice in Wichita Falls and the greater North Texas area. For more information, visit: https://excelsis.life
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 min - Connection and Ritual in the Healing Process
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Michael Broukhim, a board-certified integrative psychiatrist. He talks about his approach to healing through connection and ritual. He explains how disconnection from oneself and others contributes to mental health issues, particularly noting the impact of excessive screen time and social media use. He discusses his program "Rituality", which aims to help people develop meaningful rituals and connect with others through various practitioners and community-building activities. He also emphasizes the importance of repeatable, meaningful behaviors in breaking the cycle of fight-or-flight response and promoting healing.
Download the transcript
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Transcript-Interview-2-w-Michael-Broukhim.pdf
Michael Broukhim, D.O., is a board-certified integrative psychiatrist, rabbinical student, and entrepreneur devoted to helping people
rediscover their own agency and wholeness. As Medical Director of Hope Therapy and Psychiatry, he leads a holistic model of care that pursues root-cause healing and the integration of mind, body, spirit, and community. His practice pairs evidence-based therapies with nutrition and lifestyle medicine and, where appropriate, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy—often with the goal of helping patients safely reduce or discontinue medications within a framework that honors meaning and belonging. Alongside his clinical work, Michael is pursuing rabbinical ordination at the Academy for Jewish Religion California. Drawing on both his medical practice and his spiritual path, he founded Rituality, a platform that makes ritual accessible across traditions and life stages, empowering people to live with intention, cultivate belonging, and return to what matters most. For more informationvisit: https://hope-therapy-center.comLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
26 min - Connecting Thought Patterns, Immunity and Healing
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom talks with Michael Broukhim, a board-certified integrative psychiatrist. He shares his background in integrative psychiatry and how he trained at the University of Arizona which had the only integrative psychiatry track in the United States at the time. He uses
non-medication approaches. He explains how chronic sympathetic overdrive can lead to multiple physical symptoms, including irritable bowel syndrome and fibromyalgia, and discusses his approach to treating patients by addressing the underlying stress physiology rather than just symptoms.Download the transcript
https://backincontrol.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Transcript-Interview-1-w-Michael-Broukhim.pdf
Michael Broukhim, D.O., is a board-certified integrative psychiatrist, rabbinical student, and entrepreneur devoted to helping people
rediscover their own agency and wholeness. As Medical Director of Hope Therapy and Psychiatry, he leads a holistic model of care that pursues root-cause healing and the integration of mind, body, spirit, and community. His practice pairs evidence-based therapies with nutrition and lifestyle medicine and, where appropriate, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy—often with the goal of helping patients safely reduce or discontinue medications within a framework that honors meaning and belonging. Alongside his clinical work, Michael is pursuing rabbinical ordination at the Academy for Jewish Religion California. Drawing on both his medical practice and his spiritual path, he founded Rituality, a platform that makes ritual accessible across traditions and life stages, empowering people to live with intention, cultivate belonging, and return to what matters most. For more informationvisit: https://hope-therapy-center.comLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
29 min - Weaving Motivation, Movement, Mindfulness with Self-compassion to Heal
In this episode, Dr. David Hanscom continues his discussion with Janet Huehls a clinician, coach, and educator. She discusses her approach to wellness, emphasizing the interconnectedness of nutrition, exercise, and rest. She describes her coaching process, which begins with a "core why" call
to identify internal motivation. Her coaching approach combines movement,mindfulness, and motivation, which she has personally applied to navigatechallenges like grief and emotional pain. She emphasized the importance of a whole person approach and introduces the concept of the "big 3" factors—eating, exercising, and managing stress—and the innate energy management system that includes nourishing, moving, and resting well.Download the transcript
Janet Huehls is a clinician, coach, and educator transforming exercise from something people feel they should do into a resource for whole-person well-being. For over 30 years, she has guided individuals with medical conditions to use movement in ways that support healing, function, and quality of life. Her evidence-based method blends movement science, motivation science, and mindfulness to reduce pain, stress, and low motivation so people can Be Well Now. She holds a master’s degree in
Clinical Exercise Physiology and is a national board-certified health coach and certified yoga teacher. For more information visit:https://exercisingwell.com.
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30 min
About Back in Control with David Hanscom, MD
From the publisher's feed
Discover a groundbreaking, self-directed approach to conquering chronic pain with Dr. David Hanscom. In his podcast, Dr. Hanscom shares methods that have helped thousands eliminate pain and reclaim…
their lives. He highlights the profound human drive to thrive, often overshadowed by chronic pain, which can impact quality of life as severely as terminal illness. Drawing from his personal journey, Dr. Hanscom reveals that chronic pain is curable by systematically applying established medical practices. The key lies in activating your body’s natural healing capacity. Tune in to learn how to break free from survival mode and embrace a thriving life.