Welcome to a new season of ‘The STA Clinician Podcast’ (formerly known as The Sports Therapy Association Podcast)

We start 2026 with a four part series focussing on ‘Neurodivergence In Healthcare’, with the goal of providing information to help MSK clinicians work closer & more effectively with neurodivergent patients/clients, and also to offer support for neurodivergent therapists in how to deal with the challenges that can often bring.

In the first part of this series, host Matt Phillips, creator of Runchatlive.com, is joined by a panel of special guests who together look at the vital role that communication can play when working with a neurodivergent patient/client, or interacting with a neurodivergent practitioner/colleague. The panel discuss the role of communication in shaping diagnosis and treatment, the differences in pain experience that neurodivergent patients & clients often have in comparison to neurotypical individuals, and provide practical, person-centred tips to help clinicians avoid the diagnostic overshadowing that sadly happens all too often when we do not have the knowledge, understanding or awareness of these differences.

This episode offers real-world examples, common pitfalls (dismissal, rushed consultations) and clear strategies including asking how a condition is affecting the patient, actively listening & believing what they say, avoiding assumptions, and offering to recap key points in writing.

Special guests in this episode:

• Rosi Sexton of Olton Health and Performance – Osteopath, host of the Everyday Athlete Podcast, pioneer in women’s mixed martial arts, and the first British woman to ever compete in the UFC.
• Kassandra Clemens, founder of Heal Your Confidence, a Level 7 Specific Learning Differences Specialist who helps in particular late-identified neurodivergent professionals.
• Benjamin Mace-Crossley of Repose Injury Rehab – a 3rd year BSc Sports Rehabilitator as well as celebrated neurodiverse noise maker (check out ‘We Have Ghosts’ on Spotify)