Reframing Pain: Science, Curiosity, and Long-Term Healing

In this episode of Founders Future, with host Olivia Sammons, we’re joined by Jen Ushold, a veteran physical therapist, pain scientist, and founder of Pain Shifter, who shares her decades-long journey helping people move beyond chronic pain, injury, and burnout. Jen reflects on starting her career in physical therapy in the early 1990s, how an unexpected request from a neighbor sparked her first entrepreneurial step, and how her work evolved into a deeply personalized approach to pain coaching. Along the way, she discovered that pain is not a life sentence—and that understanding pain science can radically change how people relate to their bodies and recovery.

Jen explains her holistic, evidence-based framework that integrates pain science, lifestyle medicine, mindset, sleep, movement, stress management, and social connection. She discusses why curiosity is essential for healing, how deeply ingrained myths about pain can hold people back, and why there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The conversation also explores her work as a solopreneur, her passion for education and paid speaking, and her mission to create a ripple effect—empowering people with tools and knowledge so they can reclaim agency, resilience, and long-term vitality.