The Most Powerful Thing You Can Say to a Patient in Pain
What if one of the most powerful clinical tools you have isn’t a technique — it’s what you say?
In this episode, Jamie closes out the Hobfoll’s Five Essential Elements series with Element 5: the Promotion of Hope. And the focus is on something that’s massively underestimated in our profession — reassurance.
Drawing on a quote from Louis Gifford — *”Effective reassurance is a bloody good painkiller”* — Jamie breaks down the research on what reassurance actually is, how to deliver it well, and the common pitfalls that can make it backfire.
You’ll learn:
The difference between Affective Reassurance and Cognitive Reassurance — and why you need both
What to say (and what NOT to say) to patients dealing with fear, anxiety, and persistent pain
4 clinician themes from the research on why reassurance is a core clinical skill
8 practical strategies you can take into your very next appointment
This one is the finale of the series — and it ties everything together with a callback to the story from Episode 5 that you won’t want to miss.
Want to go deeper on therapeutic movement in your practice? Grab the *Feared to Functional* course for just $37 — the entry point to the Fundamentals of Therapeutic Movement:
👉 https://go.themtdc.com/home-page-fearedtofunctional
References:
- Young A, French SD, Traeger AC, Ayre J, Hancock M, Jenkins HJ. Clinician experiences in providing reassurance for patients with low back pain in primary care: a qualitative study. Journal of Physiotherapy. 2025;71:48-56. doi:10.1016/j.jphys.2024.11.003
- Cheung L, Soundy A. The Impact of Reassurance on Musculoskeletal (MSK) Pain: A Qualitative Review. Behav Sci. 2021;11(11):150. doi:10.3390/bs11110150
- Braeuninger-Weimer K. Consultation-based Reassurance for Patients with Musculoskeletal Lower Back Pain Consulting Orthopaedic Spine Teams [PhD thesis]. Royal Holloway, University of London; 2019.
- Belton J, Birkinshaw H, Pincus T. Patient-centered consultations for persons with musculoskeletal conditions. Chiropractic & Manual Therapies. 2022;30:53. doi:10.1186/s12998-022-00466-w
- Traeger AC, O’Hagan ET, Cashin A, McAuley JH. Reassurance for patients with non-specific conditions – a user’s guide. Braz J Phys Ther. 2017;21(1):1-6. doi:10.1016/j.bjpt.2016.12.007
- Wright MA, Wren AA, Somers TJ, et al. Pain Acceptance, Hope, and Optimism: Relationships to Pain and Adjustment in Patients With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain. J Pain. 2011;12(11):1155-1162. doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2011.06.002
- What's Wrong With This Person?" — Why That's the Wrong Question | feat. Matt Phillips - October 14, 2026
- The Most Powerful Thing You Can Say to a Patient in Pain - October 7, 2026
- The Treatment That Changed Everything — And It Had Nothing To Do With My Hands - September 30, 2026