Understanding and Treating Persistent Pain through Predictive Processing and Embodied Cognition
with Josh Fein-Brown M.Ost, M.Sc, ND and Danny Orchard M.Ost, M.Sc
- Saturday 20 – Sunday 21 September 2025
- Core Clapton, 161 Northwold Road, London, E5 8RL
- 9:30am–5:30pm (both days)
- £295 (Early bird until 31 July) | £595 Standard
Course Description
We live in a world full of pain, yet we rarely see pain for what it truly is: a vital messenger. Pain isn’t our enemy. It is the body’s way of protecting us, asking us to listen, and guiding us back to ourselves. But modern life has taught us to fear pain, to numb it, to fight it a fight that only deepens our suffering.
Ever struggled to make sense of a patient’s pain? Wondered how someone can hurt so deeply without identifiable damage? This weekend course is an invitation to reframe your relationship with pain. Drawing on the latest neuroscience and psychological models, we’ll explore pain not simply as a physical sensation, but as a complex, perceptual experience shaped by the body, beliefs, context, memory, and emotion.
When we begin to understand the language of pain, we can better support our patients and ourselves with clarity, compassion, and courage. This course is not just about clinical tools; it’s about relearning how to listen. It’s about building safety, restoring trust in the body, and transforming how we practise osteopathy in the 21st century.
Weekend 1: Pain as Perception
Predictive Processing & Embodied Cognition
This weekend will introduce the foundational neuroscience of embodied perception and predictive processing — providing a new lens through which to view persistent pain.
We’ll combine theory with experiential exercises, case-based discussions, and practical clinical applications that will expand your confidence in treating chronic pain conditions.
Key Topics
Day 1: The Predictive Brain and the Embodied Self
- What is Embodied Cognition?
- Challenging the ‘brain in a jar’ metaphor and why it matters for osteopaths
- Neuroplasticity and the lifelong learning of pain
- Predictive Processing: How the brain anticipates reality — not just reacts to it
- Are we really in control?
- Practical demonstrations of altered body perception and pain modulation
Day 2: The Inner Experience of Pain
- The Sixth Sense: Interoception and its role in chronic pain
- How attention, context, and beliefs shape pain experiences
- What about trauma? Exploring the role of emotional and social factors
Clinical application:
Turning neuroscience into effective patient conversations, helping people move from fear to meaning
Who is this course for?
This course is designed for:
- Osteopaths and manual therapists seeking a deep understanding of pain and chronic pain in particular
- Clinicians curious about how to practically apply neuroscience and psychology to manual practice
- Practitioners ready to move beyond structural models toward a holistic, biopsychosocial approach
Whether you’re experienced or early in your journey, this course will offer insights to transform your clinical practice and deepen your capacity to support people living with persistent pain.
