After initially exploring theatre and music composition in college, and following a year of study in music therapy, I became determined to pursue a career in medicine. From the very beginning of medical training I believed in the need for a holistic, integrative approach to healing and this is reflected in my diverse studies and interests—from conventional medicine to alternative approaches; from medication to food and supplements; from surgical and interventional care to gentle, “hands-on” therapies; from psychology to life coaching; from addiction treatment to wellness lifestyles; from anthropology to philosophy.

I have been working with people in pain since my Physical Medicine residency in the 1980s. I became fascinated that certain people responded to treatment as expected while others with seemingly the same type of conditions failed to respond, or even worsened with treatment. I coined the term “complicated pain” in the early 1990s (American Journal of Pain Management, 10/96) after observing that there were certain common patterns of complicating and perpetuating factors in those people suffering with pain who did not respond to good or appropriate treatment. I then embarked on a multi-decade exploration of these complicating factors, how they interplay with each other, and how to unlock this pattern so that individuals could restore their resilience and progress toward natural healing and recovery. The more I learned, the more I educated my patients about their complicated pain and applied treatment strategies directed at the complicating factors, the better the results I began to see.

Over the past three decades I have pursued an active clinical practice, originally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and more recently Tucson, Arizona. During that time I have also served in various leadership roles as medical director of prestigious organizations such as Sacred Heart Rehabilitation Hospital, The Center for Integrative Pain and Rehabilitation, and Sierra Tucson. I also developed and operated a health and wellness spa. Since 2010 l have enjoyed living in Tucson, developing and overseeing pain programs and services for prestigious institutions, training professionals in the application of the Complicated Pain Recovery™ model and supporting individuals to find their path toward pain recovery.

Now following a quarter century of trans-disciplinary studies I am excited to present Complicated Pain Recovery™. In brief, Complicated Pain Recovery™ is a model of care designed to resolve the entanglement of physical, psychological, biochemical, and attitudinal factors which inhibit one’s natural potential for healing and well-being.

I hope you will find the material on this website useful. Be sure to view my additional training and educational offerings, consulting or coaching services. I’m extremely confident that you will find the Complicated Pain Recovery™ model to be highly effective in helping people living with pain to a place of healing and well-being.

I have seen so many people respond to the principles and strategies embodied in this model. I am extremely confident that if you work with people in pain in any capacity, becoming a certified Complicated Pain Recovery™ Coach or Facility will incredibly boost your confidence and effectiveness in helping guide those with pain to a place of healing and well-being.