MASTERCLASS
| Day 1 – Sat 26th September 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Time | Activity |
| 09.15 - 10.00 | Registration |
| 10.00 - 11.00 | Introduction to CFT |
| 11.00 - 13.00 | PATIENT 1 + clinical reasoning / Q & A (back pain + video) |
| 13.00 - 14.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 - 16.00 | PATIENT 1 follow ups + clinical reasoning / Q & A (video) |
| 16.00 - 16.20 | Refreshment break |
| 16.20 - 18.30 | PATIENT 2 + clinical reasoning / Q & A (back pain + video) |
| Day 2 – Sun 27th September 2026 | |
| 08.30 - 10.30 | PATIENT 2 + clinical reasoning follow ups + clinical reasoning / Q & A (video) |
| 10.30 - 10.50 | Refreshment break |
| 10.50 - 13.00 | PATIENT 3 + clinical reasoning (back pain) |
| 13.00 - 14.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 - 16.00 | PATIENT 4 + clinical reasoning (neck / shoulder pain) |
| 16.00 - 16.15 | Refreshment break |
| 16.15 - 17.00 | Discussion |
| Day 3 – Mon 28th September 2026 | |
| 08.30 - 10.30 | PATIENT 5 + clinical reasoning / Q & A (neck pain) |
| 10.30 - 10.50 | Refreshment break |
| 10.50 - 13.00 | Follow-up PATIENTS 3 & 4 |
| 13.00 - 14.00 | Lunch |
| 14.00 - 16.00 | PATIENT 6 + clinical reasoning / Q & A (neck pain) |
| 16.00 - 16.30 | Discussion & End of course |
Learning outcomes are to understand:
- Application of Cognitive Functional Therapy to people with chronic back and neck pain
- Key elements for person centred communication
- Clinical interview exploring screening, the persons story, their beliefs, emotions and behavioural responses to pain
- Physical examination including the application of behavioural experiments
- Clinical reasoning framework
- Cognitive Functional Therapy intervention
- Making sense of pain – person centred understanding of pain and myth busting
- Exposure with control – building confidence in movement
- Lifestyle changes – healthy lifestyle
- Coaching towards self-management including flareups
- Evidence and obstacles for CFTLifestyle changes – healthy lifestyle
- Coaching towards self-management including flareups
- Evidence and obstacles for CFT
Professor Peter O’Sullivan
Peter is a John Curtin Distinguished Professor at the School of Allied Health Sciences at Curtin University and a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist (as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2005). He is internationally recognised as a leading clinician, researcher and educator in musculoskeletal pain disorders. With his team he has published more than 350 scientific papers, written numerous book chapters and has been keynote speaker at over 130 national and international conferences. Peter also consults at bodylogic.physio half the week where he reviews disabling musculoskeletal pain disorders. He is active on social media: @PeteOsullivanPT (twitter).
Peter’s passion is to bridge the gap between research and practice – in order to empower clinicians and people in pain. With his team Peter developed Cognitive functional therapy – a person centred individualised behavioural approach to manage disabling musculoskeletal pain.
Dr Ian Cowell
Dr Ian Cowell is a UK-based musculoskeletal physiotherapist with over 35 years of clinical experience and a specialist interest in persistent musculoskeletal and spinal pain disorders. As Director and Principal Physiotherapist at Brook Physio, he combines clinical practice with research, postgraduate education, and clinician mentoring.
Ian completed his PhD at Imperial College London in 2019, where his research explored the training journey of physiotherapists in Cognitive Functional Therapy (CFT). He is an educator and mentor with the Evoolve Pain Care Academy, supporting physiotherapists internationally in the delivery of person-centred, evidence-based care for people living with persistent pain.
His research interests focus on how communication is enacted within physiotherapist–patient interactions. He is particularly interested in how research can be translated into everyday clinical practice and patient care, helping clinicians develop communication skills that support meaningful behaviour change and improved patient outcomes. He is also an Adjunct Researcher at Curtin University.
James Davis
James has worked in private practice jamesdavisphysio.co.uk in Chelmsford, Essex since 1993 treating MSK issues but mostly spinal pain disorders. He met Peter in 1991 whilst undertaking the full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Manipulative Therapy at Curtin University, under the tutorage of Bob Elvey, and remained in contact. In 2004 he organised the first 3-day CFT course in Chelmsford and another three years later. With growing demand for the CFT approach a larger venue was required and the third CFT course was held here in the Peter Samuel Hall at the Royal Free Hospital in 2010. This year is the 14th occasion a CFT 3-day workshop has been organised in this venue.