Graham Curlewis

I have been treating people in pain since 1990 and have been seeking answers as to the optimal treatment approach this whole time. It has been the driver for me to learn more and I have never stopped. I like to think I have been aware of the major changes in treatment approaches before they become mainstream and this is certainly the case with mindbody conditions. Although these have been recognised by some for a long time (eg Dr Sarno), mindbody conditions mimicking musculoskeletal problems are not widely treated as such within my profession of Physiotherapy. The orthodox perspective acknowledges the effect that the psyche can have on pain but it falls short of recognising the role the mind has in generating the pain disorders.

As a physio with a strong background in manual and exercise therapy I can understand the scepticism in the mindbody approach, I had it myself, but having been exposed to the powers of the mind to generate debilitating pain and then alleviate it, I no longer have any doubt and am constantly amazed at the recoveries that I see in the clinic. I feel like Neo in the Matrix, having taken the red pill and being shown the truth, there is now no going back to the old way.

As part of my journey I have been practicing Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT) since its foundation having meticulously followed Prof Peter O’Sullivan and his colleagues, and have been following the work promoted by SIRPA and colleagues since the start of my training in 2017, which seems to complement the CFT really well. I completed the Pain Reprocessing Therapy Practitioners course in 2020 and my SIRPA Practitioners course in 2025. Such is my faith in the origins of chronic pain in the mind (and body), I have embarked on retraining in psychotherapeutic counselling (finishes 2027), in a pursuit to provide a truly holistic approach.

My aim in treatment is to establish a thorough understanding of the clients issue and to be able to select from, and select from a wide variety of treatments based on your presentation, whether physical or psychological. I believe in the holistic view of chronic pain and the variety of drivers that can maintain it. I believe the approaches that I have been fortunate to have studied allow me to provide this service.