In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana Jones sits down with licensed professional counselor, EMDR therapist, and neurofeedback provider Eileen Borski to explore the powerful connection between the brain, body, and performance. Eileen shares how her work helps athletes and high performers reduce stress, improve focus, and support recovery by addressing the nervous system at its root.

Eileen also shares her personal journey from corporate finance to counseling, and how a desire to help people on a deeper level led her to brain-based therapy. She explains how neurofeedback can support athletes dealing with anxiety, attention challenges, and pain, and why a holistic, individualized approach is essential for meaningful change.

Together, Dana and Eileen discuss:

• Why the nervous system plays such a big role in pain and performance.

• How neurofeedback supports focus, recovery, and emotional regulation.

• The impact of stress, pressure, and choice on young athletes.

• How pain can be influenced by both physical and emotional factors.

• Why a whole-person approach leads to better outcomes.

Eileen also shares memorable client success stories, including athletes and high performers who found relief from anxiety, improved focus, and greater confidence through neurofeedback and brain-body work. Her perspective offers a hopeful reminder that healing and performance are often connected in ways we can learn to influence.

About Eileen:

Eileen Borski is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified EMDR Therapist, Certified Neurofeedback Provider, and holds a Certification in Neuropsychotherapy specializing in brain-based approaches to mental health and peak performance. As the founder of Authentic Brain Solutions, she works with individuals—including athletes and high performers—to optimize nervous system function, improve focus, enhance recovery, and break through mental barriers. With a background in corporate leadership and advanced training in neurocounseling, Eileen bridges the gap between brain science and real-world performance, helping clients build resilience, regulate stress, and perform at their best—both mentally and physically. She offers in person care, including neurofeedback and EMDR, at her office in Conroe, Texas. In addition, she provides telehealth counseling, including EMDR, throughout Texas, Florida, South Carolina and New Hampshire.

Eileen's Links:

Follow Authentic Brain Solutions:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/authenticbrainsolutions

Instagram: https://instagram.com/authenticbrainsolutions

LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/company/authenticbrainsolutions

Website: https://authenticbrainsolutions.com

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AuthenticBrainSolutions

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠

⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, host Dana Jones welcomes Dr. Tawny Kross, a physical therapist and pain and wellness coach, for an in-depth conversation on the integration of psychology into physical therapy. Together, they explore how understanding pain from a psychological perspective can transform treatment, the impact of stress on pain management, and how pain perception evolves over time. Dr. Kross shares her experiences working with veterans and highlights the unique challenges they face with chronic pain. The discussion underscores the importance of a holistic approach to pain management—one that embraces emotional healing, body awareness, and the mind-body connection for lasting wellness.

• Podcast Website: painfreeathletepodcast.com
• Guest: Dr. Tawny Kross
• • Website: drtawnykross.com
  • Instagram: @dr.tawny.kross

• • Facebook: ⁠facebook.com/dr.tawny.kross⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.

Replay ep 89: Run Smarter, Stay Stronger – Injury Prevention & the Mind-Body Connection with Denise Smith

What if the key to running stronger, longer, and pain-free had less to do with mileage—and more to do with how you move?

In this replay episode, I sit down with physical therapist and movement expert Denise Smith to break down what most athletes are missing when it comes to performance and injury prevention.

With over 20 years of experience, Denise shares how analyzing movement patterns, improving balance, and training reaction time can completely change the way you run—and help you avoid the injuries that sideline so many athletes.

But we didn’t stop there…

This conversation goes deeper into the mind-body connection, the role of mental health in performance, and why athletes—especially endurance athletes—need more than just a training plan to truly thrive.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why most runners are undertraining balance (and why it matters more than you think)
• How learning to fall safely could actually prevent serious injuries
• The difference between overuse vs. misuse injuries
• Simple ways to improve reaction time and agility (no fancy equipment needed)
• What ultra runners can teach us about grit, identity, and mental toughness
• Why building a support team (PT, mental health, nutrition) is a game-changer
• How fear, pain, and mindset can keep you stuck—and how to break that cycle

Denise's Bio:

Denise Smith has been a physical therapist for over 20 years and has spent her years obtaining certifications that allow her to treat each patient as an individual with a focus on hands-on manual therapy techniques, functional movement patterns, and advanced treatment of athletes of all levels. She specializes in treating runners with a focus on running technique teaching with the use of video analysis and individualized drills to teach proper movement to help runners run faster, run longer, and run without pain. Denise believes our bodies were made to move and sitting is a disease that will cause long term damage to our bodies.

Denise's Links:

• ⁠Website⁠
• ⁠LinkedIn⁠
• ⁠Instagram⁠
• ⁠Facebook⁠

Dana’s Links:

⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠

⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠

Podcast Disclaimer:

The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.