Beyond The Pain

Can neck dysfunction cause migraines and chronic headaches—even when you don’t feel significant neck pain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Dr Jono Taves, a physical therapist, headache specialist and founder of the Novera Headache Center, about the frequently overlooked connection between the neck, migraines and persistent headaches.

When pain appears behind the eye, across the temple or inside the head, it is understandable to assume that the problem originates there. But when scans and neurological investigations fail to reveal a clear cause, could the pain actually be referred from the neck?

Jono explains how dysfunction within the upper cervical spine can contribute to headache and migraine symptoms, why the brain may misinterpret where pain is coming from and how neck problems can remain undetected during conventional headache assessments.

Leigh and Jono discuss:

• Why pain felt in the head may originate in the neck
• The relationship between neck dysfunction, migraines and chronic headaches
• Why MRI and CT scans may not reveal the source of someone’s symptoms
• How previous injuries, trauma and accumulated physical stress can affect the neck
• Why some migraine sufferers have neck dysfunction without obvious neck pain
• The limitations of continually managing symptoms without investigating their cause
• How specialist physical therapy may help reduce headache frequency and severity
• The influence of posture, prolonged sitting and screen use
• How psychological stress can increase muscular tension and aggravate symptoms
• Practical ways to improve neck health and support headache recovery

This conversation will be especially valuable if you experience recurring migraines, persistent headaches, neck or shoulder pain, or symptoms that have continued despite medication and conventional treatment. It may also help those whose headaches began following a sports injury, concussion, whiplash or other physical trauma.

This episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any medical condition. Persistent, severe, sudden or changing headaches should always be assessed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

JONO’S DETAILS

Novera Headache Center:
https://www.noveraheadachecenter.com

The Headache Doctor Podcast on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@theheadachedoctor

The Headache Doctor Podcast on Buzzsprout:
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1343245

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/noveraheadachecenter/

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@theheadachedoctor

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/noveraheadachecenter/

LEIGH’S DETAILS

Beyond The Pain book:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain ebook:
https://amzn.to/4y0lH78

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Why does pain sometimes persist—even after an injury has healed?

In this episode, Leigh speaks with physicist, educator and pain specialist Dr Zoa Conner about the complex nature of persistent pain. They explore why pain is more than a purely physical experience and how muscular imbalances, nutrition, stress, emotions and the nervous system may all influence how pain is experienced.

Zoa explains her systems optimisation approach: instead of viewing pain as an isolated symptom, she looks at the interconnected factors that may be keeping the body in a protective state.

In this conversation, you’ll discover:

• Why pain should be understood as a protective message
• How persistent pain can have multiple contributing factors
• The potential roles of posture, muscular imbalance and weakness
• How stress and emotional tension may affect physical symptoms
• Why nutrition matters for healing and nervous-system health
• How mindful awareness can change your relationship with pain
• Ways to reintroduce gentle movement without forcing through symptoms
• Why exploring root causes may be more effective than focusing only on pain relief

If you’re living with persistent pain and feel confused, frustrated or let down by symptom-focused approaches, this conversation offers a broader and more hopeful way to understand what may be happening.

CONNECT WITH ZOA

Take Zoa’s quiz:
https://intentional-vitality.com/quiz/

Next retreat—Montreal, October 2026:
https://intentional-vitality.com/montreal-oct-2026/

Zen and Vitality online and in-person wellness studio:
https://www.zenandvitality.com/

CONNECT WITH LEIGH

Beyond the Pain—paperback:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond the Pain—ebook:
https://amzn.to/4y0lH78

Beyond the Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Download the free Pain-Free Plate guide:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/

Book a consultation with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Please follow or subscribe to the show and share this episode with someone who needs a new perspective on persistent pain.

Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional about symptoms or changes to your health.

Allie Chandler went from being fit, active and adventurous to experiencing severe widespread pain and spending almost two years largely confined to bed.

Her symptoms began suddenly following a backpacking trip in the Swiss Alps. After years of searching for answers, Allie was diagnosed with Lyme disease and co-infections. However, receiving a diagnosis was only the beginning of a long and often unpredictable recovery journey.

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Allie shares the physical, emotional and social impact of living with debilitating persistent pain. She discusses her experience with functional medicine, environmental triggers—including exposure to black mould—and the different approaches she explored while trying to restore her health.

We also explore the turning point in Allie’s recovery: recognising the role of her nervous system, mindset and identification with illness. Through limbic-system retraining, emotional work and daily practices designed to change her brain’s response to perceived threats, Allie gradually began reclaiming her health and her life.

Today, Allie considers herself 98% recovered. Her story offers hope, encouragement and practical insights for anyone who feels trapped by pain, illness or repeated setbacks.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Allie went from competitive sport and boxing to being largely bed-bound
• The long search for an explanation for her widespread symptoms
• Her Lyme disease and co-infection diagnoses
• Functional medicine, detoxification and organ support
• How black-mould exposure contributed to a significant setback
• The relationship between stress, the nervous system and persistent symptoms
• Limbic-system retraining and neuroplasticity
• Moving beyond a victim mentality and an illness-based identity
• The daily habits that helped Allie rebuild her health
• Why setbacks do not necessarily mean recovery is impossible

Allie’s experience is personal and should not be taken as medical advice. Anyone experiencing persistent or unexplained symptoms should seek appropriately qualified medical support.

Contact Allie

Meet Your Healer App: www.meetyourhealer.com
Brain Retraining Programme: www.upsellhealth.com/brain

Contact Leigh

Beyond The Pain paperback: https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg
Beyond The Pain ebook: https://amzn.to/4y0lH78
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Could the way you relate to yourself be affecting your experience of persistent pain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with Lindsay Little about the complex relationship between physical pain, emotional pain and self-love. Drawing on her own experience of serious illness, autoimmune disease and feeling disconnected from her body, Lindsay explains how her health crisis led her to explore massage, somatic practices and the deeper messages held within the body.

Together, Leigh and Lindsay discuss why physical and emotional pain cannot always be separated, how a lack of self-love may influence the way we care for ourselves, and why healing may require more than treating symptoms alone.

They also explore how chronic stress, unresolved emotions, personal boundaries and our need to feel loved can affect our physical and emotional well-being. Lindsay shares practical ways to begin cultivating self-love, including identifying how you prefer to receive love, becoming more mindful of your needs, establishing healthier boundaries and making space for meaningful self-care.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• How Lindsay’s experience with autoimmune disease changed her relationship with her body
• Why physical and emotional pain are often deeply interconnected
• How unresolved emotional experiences may contribute to persistent symptoms
• Why self-love is about more than positive thinking or pampering yourself
• How your personal “love languages” can be applied to self-care
• Why healthy boundaries are an essential expression of self-respect
• How mindfulness and somatic awareness can help you reconnect with your body
• Practical first steps towards developing a more supportive relationship with yourself

If you have persistent pain and feel that something important has been overlooked, this conversation offers a compassionate invitation to listen to your body, explore your emotional needs and consider healing from a whole-person perspective.

Connect with Lindsay Little

SomaLingua:
https://somalingua.com/

Connect with Leigh Brandon

Beyond The Pain paperback:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain ebook:
https://amzn.to/4y0lH78

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Free Pain-Free Plate Guide:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Could unresolved emotions, chronic stress and suppressed anger be contributing to persistent pain?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon speaks with author Amy Lansky about her personal experiences with lower back pain, sciatica, insomnia and other chronic symptoms—and how the work of Dr John Sarno changed the way she understood them.

Amy explains why pain may not always originate solely in the physical body and introduces the framework from her book, Living in Synchrony. This explores the physical, etheric, emotional, mental and causal aspects of the human experience—and how each may influence health and healing.

Together, Leigh and Amy explore:

• Amy’s journey from computer scientist to author and researcher
• How Dr John Sarno connected chronic pain with suppressed emotions
• Amy’s experience of overcoming severe sciatica
• Why chronic pain may move from one area of the body to another
• How posture, breathing and movement can contribute to physical symptoms
• The relationship between emotional stress, muscle tension and pain
• Why symptom suppression may not address the underlying cause
• Approaches including meditation, journalling, emotional release, TRE and EFT
• How to explore the possible root causes of persistent symptoms
• Simple ways to reconnect with your body, intuition and sense of meaning

This conversation invites you to look beyond the location of your pain and consider the wider physical, emotional and psychological influences that may be contributing to it.

Please remember that persistent, severe or unexplained symptoms should be appropriately assessed by a qualified healthcare professional. The experiences and views discussed in this episode are not a substitute for individual medical advice.

Find out more about Amy Lansky:
https://www.amylansky.com

Connect with Leigh and explore his resources:

Beyond The Pain paperback:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain ebook:
https://amzn.to/4y0lH78

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Pain-Free Plate Free Guide:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

What if the reason your pain persists is not only found in the part of your body that hurts?

When pain continues despite treatment, exercise, medication or attempts to correct the physical problem, it may be necessary to look beyond muscles, joints and structural damage. Unresolved emotional experiences, chronic stress, fear and deeply held beliefs may also influence how the body responds and why pain remains.

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh speaks with Peter Strange, creator of the RESET Method, about his own journey from serious knee and spinal injuries to developing an approach that considers the structural, emotional and energetic influences on pain.

Peter explains how RESET—Realigning Emotions and Structure for Energetic Transformation—evolved from his background in fitness, kinesiology, manual therapy and energy-based healing. He also describes what he means by non-local connection and how he works with clients remotely.

Leigh and Peter explore:

• Why physical findings such as degeneration, disc changes or “wear and tear” do not always explain someone’s pain
• How unresolved emotions and significant life experiences may contribute to persistent pain
• Why pain can sometimes change when a person feels heard, safe or more in control
• The relationship between posture, thoughts, emotions and the nervous system
• How Peter developed the RESET Method
• What non-local connection and remote healing mean in practical terms
• Questions that may help you explore the emotional context surrounding your pain
• Why surgery may sometimes be appropriate, but should not automatically be viewed as the only option
• The importance of seeking appropriate professional advice and considering the whole person

This conversation does not suggest that physical injuries or structural problems should be ignored. Instead, it encourages you to remain curious about the different influences that may be affecting your pain and to consider whether there is another part of your story that has not yet been explored.

Connect with Peter Strange

Website:
https://peterstrange.co.uk

Connect with Leigh Brandon

Beyond The Pain paperback:
https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg

Beyond The Pain ebook:
https://amzn.to/4y0lH78

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme:
https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Pain-Free Plate Free Guide:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/

Consult with Leigh:
https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

This podcast is provided for educational purposes only and should not be treated as medical advice. The discussion includes personal experiences and complementary approaches that may not be supported by established clinical evidence. Always seek appropriate medical assessment for new, severe or unexplained symptoms, and consult a suitably qualified healthcare professional before changing your treatment.

Energy healing is often dismissed as “woo woo” by people who have never experienced it.

But what if some of what we call woo woo is simply what science has not yet learned how to measure?

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, I speak with Romain Daumont, founder of Luminara Care, about energy healing, chronic pain, grief, silence, trust, and the emerging science around biofield therapies.

Romain’s journey into this work began after the heartbreaking loss of his son, Rafael, shortly after birth. During that period of grief, he discovered something unexpected: silence did not have to feel empty or frightening. In the presence of others, silence could feel loving, supportive, and deeply connecting.

That experience eventually led him to create Helo, an app designed to help people share moments of silence together, even when physically apart. But Romain’s path later took another turn when he began exploring collective meditation, remote healing, and the world of energy medicine.

In this conversation, we discuss how energy healing may support people with chronic pain, trauma, anxiety, depression, and cancer-related pain, while also being honest that it does not work for everyone, and that the quality and integrity of the practitioner matters enormously.

We also talk about why trust is so important in an unregulated field, how Luminara vets practitioners, what a first session may look like, and why Romain is now involved in research looking at energy healing, chronic pain, trauma, and other health challenges.

This is a thought-provoking conversation about pain, the nervous system, emotional healing, the biofield, science, scepticism, and the possibility that healing may involve more than the physical body alone.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why Romain’s experience of grief changed his relationship with silence
• How shared silence can create connection without words
• The story behind Helo and Luminara Care
• Why Romain became interested in collective meditation and remote healing
• How energy healing may help some people with chronic pain
• Why practitioner quality, ethics, and trust matter so much
• What mainstream pain care may miss about persistent pain
• Why pain is not simply something to suppress
• The relationship between pain, the nervous system, emotions, and the body
• What a first energy healing session through Luminara may look like
• How Luminara matches clients with vetted practitioners
• The importance of consent, openness, and safety in healing work
• Emerging research into biofield therapies and energy healing
• Why the future of healthcare may need to become more integrative

Connect with Romain:

Website: https://www.luminara.care/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luminara.care/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/luminara-care/

Connect with Leigh:

Beyond The Pain paperback: https://amzn.to/4y2HVWg
Beyond The Pain ebook: https://amzn.to/4y0lH78
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

Chronic pain is often treated as though it is purely a physical problem — an injury, a joint issue, a disc problem, inflammation, or degeneration.

But for many people living with persistent pain, the real picture is far more complex.

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, I speak with pain management expert Hany Demian about why chronic pain often needs to be understood through a much wider lens — one that includes the body, mind, emotions, stress, lifestyle, inflammation, nervous system sensitivity, and the person’s overall health.

Hany shares his own journey into medicine, the limitations he began to see in conventional pain management, and why he became increasingly interested in cellular health, regenerative medicine, and more holistic approaches to healing.

We discuss why pain is not always just about the place where it hurts, why mindset and emotional stress can influence recovery, and why nutrition, movement, sleep, inflammation, oxidative stress, and lifestyle choices may all play a role in whether someone gets better or remains stuck.

This is not about saying pain is “all in your head.” It is about recognising that persistent pain is often a whole-person problem — and therefore recovery may need a whole-person approach.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why chronic pain is often more than just an injury or structural problem
• The limitations of conventional pain management when root causes are missed
• How inflammation, oxidative stress, and lifestyle stress can contribute to persistent pain
• Why mindset and emotional health can influence chronic pain recovery
• The role of nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress management in healing
• Why some people struggle to recover even after injections, procedures, or medication
• How taking a more proactive role in your health can support long-term pain relief

If you are living with chronic pain, persistent pain, back pain, joint pain, or ongoing symptoms that have not fully responded to conventional treatment, this episode will help you think differently about what may be driving your pain — and what you may be able to do about it.

Connect with Dr Hany:

Website - https://drdemian.com
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drhanydemian/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@drhanydemain

Connect with Leigh:

Beyond The Pain book - https://amzn.to/44ArJxT
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme - https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Pain-Free Plate Free Guide - ⁠https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/⁠

Consult with Leigh - ⁠https://www.bodychek.co.uk/⁠consultation

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, I speak with Cam Cordin about his powerful journey from chronic pain, physical breakdown and emotional rock bottom to rebuilding his health through discipline, resilience and what he calls the Savage Chill System.

Cam had spent years training hard through powerlifting, Jiu Jitsu and athletics, but by his late thirties, his body began to break down. What started as soreness gradually became debilitating pain, numbness in his hands, and the realisation that he could no longer keep pushing through life in the same way.

After facing the prospect of managed decline, pain medication and a life that felt increasingly limited, Cam made a decision: he was going to stop outsourcing responsibility for his health and begin understanding what his body truly needed.

In this conversation, Cam shares how cold exposure, kettlebell training, mental resilience and a structured daily system helped him rebuild his body, reconnect with his purpose and move beyond simply managing symptoms.

We discuss why discomfort is often something to move towards rather than avoid, how fear can hold people back from change, and why real transformation often requires both physical and mental discipline.

This episode is a powerful reminder that healing is not always comfortable, linear or easy — but with the right mindset, structure and support, it is possible to reclaim your health and your life.

In this episode, we discuss:

Why Cam’s health started to decline despite years of athletic training

How chronic pain, numbness and physical limitation affected his life

Why conventional approaches did not give him the answers he needed

How cold exposure became a turning point in his recovery

The role of kettlebell training in rebuilding strength and resilience

Why mental toughness is not about ignoring pain, but learning how to respond differently

How Cam developed the Savage Chill System

Why structure, consistency and personal responsibility matter in healing

Practical first steps for people who feel stuck in pain or poor health

Connect with Cam Cordin:

Website: https://savagechillstyle.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camcordin

Connect with Leigh:

Beyond The Pain book Free Chapter: https://bodychek.co.uk/book-waitlist/

Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/

Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/

Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation

In this episode of Beyond The Pain, Leigh Brandon explores why many traditional pain treatment approaches fall short when they focus too narrowly on the painful area or rely too heavily on technique.

While biomechanics, anatomy and hands-on skills all have their place, persistent pain often requires a broader, more human-centred approach. Pain is influenced not only by joints, muscles and movement, but also by stress, sleep, physiology, emotional load, nervous system protection, beliefs, fear and lifestyle.

Leigh discusses why practitioners can sometimes misjudge the true drivers of pain by narrowing their assessment too quickly, and why lasting change usually requires more than applying the right technique to the painful site.

This episode also explores the difference between treatment and transformation, and why the goal should not be to create dependency, but to help people participate more fully in their own recovery.

In this episode, Leigh discusses:

Why focusing only on the painful site can miss the bigger picture
The difference between technique and true transformation
How sleep, stress, physiology and emotional load can influence persistent pain
Why nervous system protection matters in chronic pain
How practitioners can communicate without increasing fear or threat
Why client participation is essential for long-term recovery
Practical questions that can expand assessment beyond biomechanics alone

Beyond The Pain: A Whole-Person Approach to Understanding Pain and Participating in Recovery
Join the waitlist and get a free chapter:
https://bodychek.co.uk/book-waitlist/

Pre-order the Kindle version on Amazon:
https://amzn.to/4e0uAG6

Connect with Leigh Brandon:
Beyond The Pain 14-Day Programme: https://bodychek.co.uk/beyond-the-pain-programme/
Pain-Free Plate Free Guide: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/freepainguide/
Consult with Leigh: https://www.bodychek.co.uk/consultation