Wendy Rushworth

Hello and thank you for visiting, and welcome to, my SIRPA Practitioner page.

With over three decades of experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy (nearly all of which has been in the NHS until 4 years ago), I have witnessed the limitations of purely physical approaches to chronic pain in many of my patients. This left me searching for what felt like the missing piece(s) of a jigsaw.
Coupled with an innate curiosity about the mind, this has led me to explore the powerful connection between mind and body in the recovery process. Over the last 4 years I have completed additional training and supervision in this field and am now a certified SIRPA Practitioner. Building on my extensive previous experience and continuing professional development (CPD), the SIRPA training has given me new insights, knowledge and skills. It gives me a framework to help patients navigate towards recovering from chronic pain, offering a unique blend of strategies that tap into the mind body connection alongside a strong grounding in traditional Physiotherapy.

The SIRPA approach to recovery from chronic pain, is psychologically and trauma-informed care. It considers the mind and physical body as a whole and integrates cutting-edge neuroscience research on pain, neuroplasticity, and the nervous system’s role in chronic conditions.

Incorporating the SIRPA approach, clients can learn how the nervous system and the body’s physiology interact and how neural pathways can perpetuate pain after the physical tissue healing has taken place or even in the absence of physical injury or damage. Perhaps more importantly, how these pathways can be rewired for healing, due to the brain’s amazing ability to adapt and change (we call this neuroplasticity). This knowledge can be powerful in shifting the relationship with pain from something that has to be endured (“managed”) to something that can recover.

Every person has their own unique experience of pain and I believe, therefore, that each individual is the expert in their own lived experience. As a compassionate guide and by creating a safe space for curiosity and exploration, I will work with you to uncover the complex interplay of physical, emotional, and psychological factors that contribute to your own persistent pain. My priority is to empower you to reclaim a sense of agency over your health and well-being. I aim to provide practical tools and personalised strategies that build confidence in your body’s innate capacity to heal.

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to learn more, via the email details shown. I offer a free 30-minute discovery video call or phone call for you to discuss your needs and see if I am a suitable therapist for you.
Best wishes,
Wendy