I think there’s too much toxic positivity in the rehab world, and I used to be part of the problem.

A client told me why he chose me out of thousands of online coaches and PTs. He’s a PT himself, a dad, and deals with chronic pain.

When his back flares, it doesn’t just affect him. It affects a family of five.

He doesn’t need to hear “just stay positive” or “the research says you’ll be better in 8 to 12 weeks.” He knows that.

He needs someone to say, “F***, man...that sucks. I'm sorry that happened," then help him move forward.

When we spit facts or cite studies at patients, what we say is true. But true and helpful are two different things.

In this solo episode, we talk about:

• Why “pain doesn’t mean damage” can land as dismissive, even when it’s true
• The one-star Google review that rattled me as a young PT
• What a back flare actually means when a whole family is counting on you
• Why clinicians speed run to the 'fix', and the discipline to “sit in the shit” instead
• The 2 sentences that turn a dismissive response into a supportive one
• The 4 questions I ask in every subjective assessment
• Why trust comes before any exercise prescription, especially as AI healthcare grows
• And why taking the next step is easier with someone who sees you

If you’ve ever been on the wrong end of “don’t worry, you’ll be fine,” this one’s for you.

Be a human first, my friend.

Links:

Book a free consult call with me: https://calendly.com/unbreakablestrengthonline/firestarter-call-1

Trying to get consistent with your own training? Get a free copy of the Consistency Catalyst guide: https://unbreakablestrength.kit.com/cac1abf5af

Wanna be more confident working with athletes in your practice? Get a free copy of the Confident Sports Clinician’s Checklist: https://unbreakablestrength.kit.com/35c376acac

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.unbreakable/

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jared.unbreakable

Follow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unbreakablestrength1

Trigger warning: This episode discusses anxiety, panic attacks, and disordered eating.

Dr. Victoria Sekely was basically born on a tennis court. Her mom was still playing when she was 9 months pregnant with her.

She won the Canadian Nationals under 12. Later, she played No. 1 singles at Georgetown.

Running was the thing she started doing just for her. But then it became her job. Then came the comments saying she shouldn’t be a run coach because she doesn’t run fast enough.

Victoria is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, CSCS, USATF Level 1 and RRCA certified run coach, and founder of Train Smart Run Strong.

We talked about why knowing what a panic attack is doesn’t stop one, and how she talks to a patient when she doesn’t have the answer yet.

We hit:

• Why her first half marathon, at 12, was one of the best days of her life
• The burnout 2 years into outpatient ortho, and the question she asked her boss that changed everything
• The comments that had her asking, “Do I even love running anymore?”
• The excuse that kept her out of therapy for a long time, and what she’d tell you if you’re using it too
• What comes before running form analysis, strength testing, and every special test you learned in PT school
• The sentence she uses when she doesn’t know what’s going on with a patient
• Why chasing a single root cause means you’ve “already lost the plot” as a clinician
• Wearable tech for runners, overrated or underrated?
• And her A goal for her next marathon, which has nothing to do with the clock

If you’ve ever felt like asking for help means you failed, this one’s for you.

You don’t have to have the right answer all the time, my friend.

Follow Victoria on Instagram: @trainsmartrunstrong - https://www.instagram.com/trainsmartrunstrong/

Work with Victoria: https://www.trainsmartrunstrong.com

Links:

Book a free consult call with me: https://calendly.com/unbreakablestrengthonline/firestarter-call-1

Trying to get consistent with your own training? Get a free copy of the Consistency Catalyst guide: https://unbreakablestrength.kit.com/cac1abf5af

Wanna be more confident working with athletes in your practice? Get a free copy of the Confident Sports Clinician’s Checklist: https://unbreakablestrength.kit.com/35c376acac

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.unbreakable/

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jared.unbreakable

Follow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unbreakablestrength1

The other day, my client was in a pain flare when he asked, "How much of this is my fault?"

I can't remember how many times I've asked that same question when I got hurt myself.

If you're a clinician or coach who knows about pain science, it can seem like an innocent enough query.

But my goal for this episode is simple: to give you permission to stop asking that question, and give you better ones instead.

To get there, I'm sharing my own screw ups with the injuries I've had since 2015, and what broke, what I believed and what had to change each time.

As an executive member of the Imposter Syndrome Support Club, I'm here to tell you you're not alone...and we have cookies in the back, so help yourself.

In this solo episode, I get into:

• The 2015 deadlift session that became a literal pain in the ass
• What another PT saw in my program that I couldn't
• Batman's "detective mode" for reading a training program
• The pin squat session where I should have stopped
• The question my coach asked me that I didn't want to hear
• The storm, and your pain lightning rod
• If you won the lottery and became a fitfluencer tomorrow, would your pain be gone?
• And the 5 questions to ask yourself instead

If your pain feels like a perpetual game of snakes and ladders, this one's for you.

You're not done yet, my friend.

Links:

Book a free consult call with me: https://calendly.com/unbreakablestrengthonline/firestarter-call-1

Trying to get consistent with your own training? Get a free copy of the Consistency Catalyst guide: https://unbreakablestrength.kit.com/cac1abf5af

Wanna be more confident working with athletes in your practice? Get a free copy of the Confident Sports Clinician's Checklist: https://unbreakablestrength.kit.com/35c376acac

Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.unbreakable/

Follow me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jared.unbreakable

Follow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unbreakablestrength1