Expert Series: Yoga and Science in Pain Care

Shelly is a physiotherapist, yoga therapist, educator and pioneer of PhysioYoga with over 20 years of experience integrating yoga into rehabilitation with a focus on helping people suffering from chronic or persistent pain, pelvic health conditions and professional burnout. She guest lectures at yoga and physiotherapy programs, presents at yoga therapy and medical conferences globally, provides mentorship to health providers, offers onsite and online continuing education courses for yoga and health professionals and is a Pain Care U Yoga Trainer. She maintains a clinical practice in Sylvan Lake, Canada and believes that cultivating meaningful connections, compassion and joy can be powerful contributors to recovery and well-being. Shelly is co-editor of the book Yoga and Science in Pain Care: Treating the Person in Pain. 

Please visit www.physioyoga.ca to learn more

Neil Pearson is a physiotherapist, yoga therapist and Clinical Assistant Professor at University of British Columbia. He is founding chair of the Canadian Physiotherapy Pain Science Division, the first PT to receive the Canadian Pain Society's Excellence in Interprofessional Pain Education award, and a previous Director with Pain BC. He has received awards from Queen’s University and the Physiotherapy Association of British Columbia for his clinical work and teaching.

As a yoga therapist, Neil is certified with the International Association of Yoga Therapists, faculty in four yoga therapist training programs, and has trained over 2000 practitioners in the integration of pain science, pain care and yoga as therapy through his IAYT approved Pain Care Yoga certificate courses. Neil works for the Doctors of British Columbia developing and delivering Continuing Medical Education on pain management including yoga.

His recent accomplishments include lead contributor to Pain BC’s online Pain Foundations course and their Gentle Movement and Relaxation Series, and author/coeditor of the textbook, Yoga and Science in Pain Care. His patient education book, Understand Pain Live Well Again, published in 2007, has been translated to French and (written) Mandarin. His online pain care programs, First 5 Steps and Pain Care for Life are available at www.lifeisnow.ca, while www.paincareu.com is Neil’s pain care website.

Marlysa is an assistant professor in integrative health sciences and yoga therapy at Maryland University of Integrative Health. She is adjunct faculty at Emory University where she teaches the integration of yoga and meditation into physical therapy practice. She is a physiotherapist and yoga therapist with a focus on helping people suffering from pain, orthopedic, and neurologic conditions. She presents at conferences internationally and is part of the global consortium of yoga therapy collaborating with yoga therapists around the world to share and further the development of the yoga therapy field. Her research interests focus on the integration of yoga therapy into modern healthcare contexts and bridging ancient wisdom with contemporary science and thought. She is the co-editor/co-author of Yoga and Science in Pain Care, and the upcoming book Understanding Yoga Therapy Applied Philosophy and Science for Well-being.