PS - Understanding the PsychoSocial Aspects of Persistent Pain

Course Description

PS is a 6-week online continuing education course designed for licensed physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who treat patients with persistent and complex pain. This course equips clinicians with the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate psychological and social dimensions of pain into patient care, addressing barriers often encountered when traditional biomedical approaches fall short.

Grounded in the biopsychosocial model, this course emphasizes the integration of contemporary pain neuroscience, cognitive-behavioral strategies, and cognitive manual therapy—including techniques targeting the subconscious, including interoceptive pathways (e.g., c-tactile fiber activation)—to optimize outcomes for patients struggling with chronic or disabling pain.

Participants will critically evaluate maladaptive pain beliefs, develop advanced communication skills such as motivational interviewing, and design individualized, evidence-informed treatment strategies that prioritize function, self-efficacy, and long-term self-management.

The course is delivered through a combination of self-paced online modules (4–6 hours total lecture and lab activities) and three live group sessions with the instructor for case-based learning and discussion. Participants will leave with practical frameworks and clinical tools they can apply immediately to their most challenging patient cases.

Target Audience: Licensed physical therapists (PTs) and physical therapist assistants (PTAs).
Course Dates: November 3, 2025 – December 8, 2025

Module 1: The Science of Persistent Pain: Rethinking Pain Through the Biopsychosocial Lens (45 min self-guided lecture + 15 min guided "lab/discussion")

Module 2: Addressing the Whole Person Psychological Contributors to Pain (45-minute self-guided lecture + 15 min "lab" activity)

Module 3: Social Factors of Pain and Motivational Interviewing (40 min self-guided lecture + 20 min guided "lab")

Module 4: Cognitive and Manual Therapy Integration (45-minute self-guided lecture + 15-minute guided exercises)

Module 5: Long Term Self Management (45-minute self-paced lecture + 20-minute "lab" activity)

Total = 5 hrs total

PLUS 3 (one hr) LIVE group sessions with bonus material and practical application tools!

Meet your Instructor:

Speaker Bio – Dr. Megan Steele, PT, DPT

Dr. Megan Steele is a licensed physical therapist with over a decade of clinical experience specializing in persistent and complex pain conditions. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Mount Saint Mary’s University in 2014 and is currently a PhD candidate in Rehabilitation and Movement Science with an emphasis in Pain Science.

Dr. Steele’s practice background includes extensive work with patients experiencing chronic musculoskeletal and visceral pain, where she integrates manual therapy, interoceptive training, and biopsychosocial interventions. She has pursued advanced continuing education in pain neuroscience, visceral manipulation, and rehabilitation for complex pain presentations.

She has presented nationally on the intersection of childhood trauma and pain, including at the American Physical Therapy Association’s Combined Sections Meeting in 2023. Dr. Steele has also been recognized internationally for her poster presentation at the Pain Science in Motion congress in 2024. In addition, she has prior teaching experience in both Orthopedic Pathology and Pain Science within Doctor of Physical Therapy programs, as well as continuing education seminars for practicing clinicians.

Dr. Steele has co-authored peer-reviewed research, including a systematic review published in the Scandinavian Journal of Pain examining the efficacy of manual therapy on heart rate variability in individuals with longstanding neck pain. Her ongoing doctoral research investigates the interplay between visceral and musculoskeletal systems, the autonomic nervous system, and interoceptive awareness in relation to pain perception and movement.

Through her teaching, research, and clinical work, Dr. Steele brings established expertise in pain science and rehabilitation to bridge evidence-based practice with clinical application for clinicians seeking advanced skills in treating persistent pain.