Pain Foundations Advanced

Sean has been a rural physician for over 25 years. His current clinical work is focused on helping patients with chronic pain, and he is a passionate student of quality improvement and system change. Sean is privileged to work with Pain BC as a medical co-director for the BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health & Substance Use.

Dr. Hruschak earned her Bachelor and Master of Social Work from UBC-O, completed a post-graduate certification in pain management from the University of Alberta, completed her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Postdoctoral Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hruschak is currently a Senior Project Manager with BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services and has a private practice tailored to individuals with chronic pain, mental health, and addictions.

Areas of specialty: Chronic pain, mental health and addictions, non-pharmacological behavioral approaches (CBT, DBT, MI, ACT, etc.), behavioral research, knowledge translation and exchange

Dr. McIlmoyle has been a practicing chiropractor for 20+ years and holds a special interest and post-graduate education in pain management. He has presented internationally and currently provides instruction to chiropractors, physiotherapists and registered massage therapists through private continuing education courses and Pain BC. He also sits on the board of directors and is the Chair of the Research committee with the Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation.

Dr. Heather Fulton, a Registered Psychologist and Director of Wayfinder Wellness Centre, works in the intersection of mental health and substance use, commonly referred to as concurrent disorders. A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, she is also certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Seeking Safety (a treatment for trauma, substance use, or both), and Invitation to Change (an evidence-informed approach for family members to support loved ones with substance use challenges). She is a Clinical Instructor and Adjunct Professor within the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at UBC.

Dr. Cameron Ross is a family physician in Chilliwack, Lead Faculty EBM for UBC Postgraduate Dept of Family Practice, a UBC Associate Professor of Family Medicine (Clinical) and has been teaching medical residents for more than 25 years. He is a recipient of the Peter Grantham UBC Post Graduate Teaching Award in Family Practice, and the BC College of Family Physicians Exceptional Teacher Honour. He is an active participant in curriculum development for chronic pain management workshops as part of the BC practice support program (PSP) and was recently the family practice representative on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of BC Committee. He is a co-author of the recent BC guideline on managing patients with pain in primary care.

Sandra Hodge is a compassionate and dedicated Family Nurse Practitioner with over two decades of diverse healthcare experience. This includes remote clinic and hospital work in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and volunteer work in the Solomon Islands, Haiti, Thailand and Myanmar. She is a military veteran with 25 years of medical service, and has co-founded nonprofit and charity organizations to enhance educational opportunities in Myanmar. Since 2013, she has provided holistic, patient-centered primary care, specializing as a Level 4 Myoactivation provider in fascial release and incorporates and understands the importance of trauma informed care and trauma releasing techniques with her treatments. With her mental health certification, Sandra's unique empathetic perspective is shaped by her own experiences with chronic pain and complex PTSD. Deeply involved in disaster relief since 2005 with CMAT and other grassroots organizations, she balances her professional life with bucket filling activities like gardening, permaculture, and outdoor pursuits, embodying a holistic approach to well-being and community care. As a proud mother and partner, she focuses on fostering balanced, thriving and enhancing environments both personally and professionally.

Susan Reid Schellinck is an OT who works exclusively with people with chronic pain. She received her BSc from UVic, and OT degree from UBC. She is clinical faculty for Pain BC and Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, and is a guest lecturer for UBC MScOT students. She was a subject matter expert for Pain BC’s Pain Foundations online course, and is on the Pain BC Project ECHO team hub. Susan is a board member for Canadian Neuromodulation Society, and PacificSport Vancouver Island. She tours Canada teaching other OTs about assessment and treatment of chronic pain. 

Dr. Launette Rieb is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia (UBC). She holds a Certificate of Added Competency in Addiction Medicine from the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and is a Diplomat of the American Board of Addiction Medicine. She was the co-creator and initial Physician Director of BC’s first Addiction Medicine Fellowship and contributed to the formation of BC’s first Pain Medicine Fellowship. She works and does research on pain and addiction, serving clinical populations through ActumHealth and St. Paul's Hospital. Dr. Rieb is the recipient of a UBC Post Graduate Teaching Award and the BC College of Family Physicians Exceptional Teacher Honour.

Areas of specialty: Pain education, CRPS, pain management, movement, ACT

Neil is a physical therapist, yoga therapist, Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia, and faculty in four accredited yoga therapy programs. He is also a consultant to the BC Medical Association, and to Lifemark’s 300+ clinics in Canada. He was a lead contributor to Pain Canada's Pain Foundations CE course, Pain BC's Gentle Movement @ Home video series, and the self-care for chronic pain and self-care for low back pain health journeys in PC Health’s mobile app. 

Areas of specialty: Physiotherapy, physiotherapy pain care, yoga therapy for people living in pain, pain education

Melanie is Pain BC’s Director of Support Services. She has a master's degree in social work with a background working in direct practice, leadership, and clinical supervision in a variety of settings including oncology, hospice, and community care. She has a passion for supporting program development and leading diverse teams to deliver high quality and trauma-informed services. She is an Adjunct Professor (Research) at the University of British Columbia Faculty of Social Work. 

Areas of specialty: Chronic pain, mental health, psychosocial oncology, social work practice and leadership.

Dr. Judy Dercksen has been a family doctor for thirty years, a pain consultant and family physician for the largest pain charity organization in the world (Pain BC). Her lived experience with complex PTSD contributed to her understanding of herself and to becoming a better informed doctor and pain partner. She believes patients and health care providers collaborating within pain communities can alleviate the distress of chronic pain.

Kat is a Vancouver-based occupational therapist, owner and Clinical Director of Are You Better Yet Therapy Services, and person living with chronic pain. Kat founded the CAOT Chronic Pain Practice Network in 2016 and is the CAOT-BC Advisory Committee representative for Mental Health & Chronic Pain. She has extensive experience in rheumatology, perinatal health and working with adults under 40 with chronic pain. Kat treats clients across Canada, has consulted for many self-management programs including the St. Paul’s Complex Pain Centre, and is involved with mentoring OTs on a global level.

Areas of specialty: Women’s and perinatal health, post-viral syndromes/chronic fatigue, auto-immune issues, self-management, burnout, pain education, trauma

Dr. Colin Phillips completed his training in anesthesia and chronic pain at Western University. He currently splits his time between those specialties at University Hospital of Northern British Columbia (UHNBC) in Prince George, where he serves as Medical Lead Chronic Pain Specialized Care. The majority of his pain focus is in interventional pain management.

Tori has experience working in public health care, private practice,  neurological research and health care leadership and management. She is also a certified vestibular therapist and a Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC. She is a past executive with the Pain Science Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Currently, Tori serves as the Provincial Clinical Lead of Initiatives and Innovation for Pain Care BC, where she leads the development of practice and policy to enhance patient care.

Areas of specialty: Physiotherapy, neuro-rehabilitation, persistent Pain, trauma-informed care, concussion, vestibular, migraines and headaches, leadership and mentorship 

Dr. Garry Palak is a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Pain Medicine specialist. He graduated from McMaster University and relocated back to British Columbia in 2019 where he splits his time between the Pain Clinic at UHNBC, in Prince George and the Initium Centre for Pain Medicine in Abbotsford. In addition to the role of Medical Director of Pain Care BC, he is the Medical Lead for Rehabilitation Services in Northern Health, sits on the board at the Canadian Academy of Pain Management and is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at UBC.

Areas of specialty: Musculoskeletal medicine, interventional pain medicine, regenerative medicine and education.

Natasha is a Psychotherapist, Somatic Trauma Therapist, and Mindfulness Teacher (MBSR), with a special interest in exploring the connection between chronic pain/ disease and underlying trauma. She has 18 years' experience in private practice, and now works from Solis Integrative Health Centre specializing in chronic pain and trauma. In addition to her psychotherapy practice Natasha facilitates Chronic Pain Support Groups, co-designed/facilitates an Integrative Health Program providing education and self-management tools for chronic pain patients and facilitates Pain BC’s Making Sense of Pain program. Natasha sits on the Kootenay Boundary Division of Family Practice Chronic Pain Project Steering Committee

Barb Eddy is a nurse practitioner and practises primary care in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver since 2007 and on the North Shore since 2020. Prior, she was a clinical nurse specialist with the Vancouver Home Hospice team, a nurse educator and home care nurse. Most recently Barb championed the start of the Vancouver Community pain service to offer non-pharmacological pain interventions to those living with homelessness, poverty, substance use disorders and mental health conditions. Barb has been offering myoActivation since 2017 to her primary care and pain service patients. Barb is an adjunct assistant professor with the UBC School of nursing and an associate with the Division of Palliative Care, UBC Department of Medicine.

Director, Education

Helena leads Pain BC’s educational initiatives. She has more than two decades of experience as an educator and researcher in Brazil and Canada. Helena holds a PhD in Toxicology from Simon Fraser University and has supported health care improvement through research and education for nearly 15 years. Helena is passionate about building capacity among patients, their support network, and health care providers to ensure people receive high-quality care and experience the best quality of life possible. She is honored to be part of the Pain BC team

Project Manager

Gregg plans, leads, and coordinates all aspects of multi-stakeholder, provincial, local, and internal projects for Pain BC. With more than 15 years experience in managing interdisciplinary health projects aimed at health systems improvement in Canada and the US, he shepherds projects from start-up through completion to help attain Pain BC’s organizational goals. His background spans systems theory and methods, primary care, inter-professional collaboration, tobacco control, integrative medicine, and substance use.

Education Coordinator