Frequently Asked Questions
Click the + to open each FAQ video
Isn't Cognitive Functional Therapy just good practice?
Who is Cognitive Functional Therapy for?
How is Cognitive Functional Therapy different to Pain Neuroscience Education?
How is Cognitive Functional Therapy different to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy?
How is Cognitive Functional Therapy different to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy?
Is Cognitive Functional Therapy just another form of talking therapy?
What is the role of manual therapy?
Does Cognitive Functional Therapy ignore the bio and pathology?
Does Cognitive Functional Therapy ignore the social dimension of pain?
What happened to the movement classification system?
Does teaching self-management hurt your practice?
What if patients don't buy into it?
Do you need long consultations to do Cognitive Functional Therapy?
Is Cognitive Functional Therapy only for persistent pain?
How does the Functional aspect of CFT differ from conventional functional approaches to rehab?
Cognitive Functional Therapy sounds complex - where should we start?
Can I deliver Cognitive Functional Therapy in the public health system?
Is Cognitive Functional Therapy the best approach for low back pain?
Can you use Cognitive Functional Therapy for other pain problems?
Can anyone train in Cognitive Functional Therapy?
Do you have to be an experienced clinician to do Cognitive Functional Therapy?
Can Cognitive Functional Therapy be trained at the undergraduate level?
Why does it take so long to train in Cognitive Functional Therapy?
Do you really need to the mentoring to become competent in Cognitive Functional Therapy?
Why do you need competency assessments?
Why the need for recertification?
Who is certified to teach Cognitive Functional Therapy?
Evထlve Pain Care Academy recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as Australia’s first peoples. We acknowledge the unique connection that First Nations peoples have to land, waters and the environment. We extend this recognition and respect to First Nations peoples and communities around the world.
The information provided is general information only.
Clinicians should use their own professional judgement in determining the best care for each patient.
People who have pain should consult with their healthcare team before acting on any information.
The content does not create any formal clinical or doctor-patient relationship.
EVOOLVE, its directors, employees, and affiliates shall not be liable for any damages, losses, or adverse outcomes arising from the use of this information.
This information is provided ‘as is’ without any warranties, express or implied.
EVOOLVE reserves the right to update or modify this information and these disclaimers at any time without notice.
These disclaimers are governed by the laws of Western Australia.
© Copyright 2026
Evoolve Pain Care Academy Pty Ltd (ABN 13672998168)
215 Nicholson Rd, Shenton Park,
Western Australia 6008
Dr Jay-Shian Tan
Australia
Evထlve creative works, web design, social media
Jay is a musculoskeletal physiotherapy educator and clinician. He is passionate helping clinicians translate evidence into practice through personalised face-to-face and online mentoring. He has extensive experience as an undergraduate and postgraduate educator in the university sector and provides professional development and mentoring for graduate clinicians in their practice.
- PhD | MSc Musc. Physio | BSc Physiotherapy
- Titled Member of the Australian College of Physiotherapy
- Clinical Consultant at Flex.Physio
- Clinical educator
Dr Riika Holopainen
Finland
Evထlve creative works
Riikka is a musculoskeletal physiotherapy researcher and educator. She is pasionate about identifying best practice rehabilitation and enabling ways for clinicians to deliver that care.
- Physiotherapist
- PhD | PT
- Consultant at MoveDoc
- Clinical educator
Dr Ian Cowell
United Kingdom
Evထlve creative works and Certified CFT trainer
Ian is a musculoskeletal physiotherapy educator and clinician with a particular interest in the management of persistent musculoskeletal pain disorders. His research focus is how person-centred communication is enacted in physiotherapist-patient interactions.
- PhD | MSc Musc. Physio
- Director and clinician - Brook Physio
- Clinicial educator
Prof Peter O'Sullivan
Australia
Evထlve director, certified CFT trainer,
creative works co-lead
Pete is internationally recognised as a leading clinician, researcher and educator in musculoskeletal pain disorders. Over the past 20 years, Pete and his team have developed a novel management approach for people with disabling low back pain – called 'Cognitive Functional Therapy'. Pete's passion is to bridge the gap between research and practice – in order to empower researchers, educators and clinicians in the provision of person-centred care for people in pain.
- Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist*
- Director Body Logic Physiotherapy
- John Curtin Distinguished Professor Curtin University
(as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2005)
Dr JP Caneiro
Australia
Evထlve director, certified CFT trainer,
creative works co-lead
JP is an emerging leader in the field of chronic pain, particularly the management of back pain and osteoarthritis. He is passionate about mentoring clinicians to ensure the highest level of care is provided in clinical practice. Born and raised in Brazil, JP also speaks Portuguese fluently and is committed to affordable translatable knowledge that is accessible to clinicians regardless of country.
- Specialist Sport Physiotherapist*
- Titled Pain Physiotherapist
- Director Body Logic Physiotherapy
- PhD | MSc Musc. & Sports Physio
- Adjunct Clinical Senior Researcher - Curtin University
(as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2013)
Dr Peter Kent
Peter is a musculoskeletal pain researcher and was the lead researcher on the RESTORE trial for people with low back pain. For more than 20 years he practiced as a Physiotherapist & Chiropractor.
- Clinical Epidemiologist
- PhD | Grad.Dip.Manip.Physio | B.App.Sc.(Physio) | B.App.Sc (Chiro)
- Mindfullness teacher
Assoc Prof Kjartan Vibe Fersum
Norway
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- PhD | MSc Musculoskeletal Physio | BSc Physio
- Director and Clinician at Health In the Center (Bergen, Norway)
- Associate Professor at University of Bergen (UIB)
- Lecturer for Musculoskeletal Masters programme (UIB)
- Clinical educator
Assoc Prof Wim Dankaerts
Belgium
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
Wim is a musculoskeletal physiotherapy clinician, researcher and educator with a particular interest in the integration of a multi-dimensional clinical reasoning process and person-centred communication to enhance self-management in patients with persistent musculoskeletal pain disorders.
- Professor of Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy - University of Leuven, Belgium
- PhD – PT – MT
- Clinical Director and Clinician - @PVMT, Tienen, Belgium
- Clinical educator
Kasper Ussing
Denmark
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
- Master of Manipulative Therapy (Curtin University)
- Co-owner Spine & Mind Fysio
- Coordinator of Unit for Cross Sectional Cooperation (spinal care) - Spine Centre of Southern Denmark
Gurpreet Singh
United Kingdom
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
- BSc | Masters of Research
- Clinical educator
- Guest lecturer University of Coventry and University of Leicester
Dr Chris Newton
United Kingdom
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- Consultant Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and clinical academic at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire
- PhD | MSc Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice
Irene Stegemejer
Denmark
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
- Multidisciplinary Pain Centre, Odense University Hospital
- Co-owner Spine & Mind Fysio
Jannick Johansen
Denmark
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
- Master in Fitness and Exercise (University of Southern Denmark)
- Co-owner Spine & Mind Fysio
- Bachelor in Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy School in Odense
Infographic
Why does my back hurt?
please get in touch.
Infographic
The best way to care for your back pain
please get in touch.
Just a reminder...
Infographic
Becoming Confidently Competent
please get in touch.
Infographic
From despair to living again
please get in touch.
Professor Peter O'Sullivan
AUSTRALIA
Evထlve director, certified CFT trainer, creative works co-lead
Pete is internationally recognised as a leading clinician, researcher and educator in musculoskeletal pain disorders. Over the past 20 years, Pete and his team have developed a novel management approach for people with disabling low back pain – called 'Cognitive Functional Therapy'. Pete's passion is to bridge the gap between research and practice – in order to empower researchers, educators and clinicians in the provision of person-centred care for people in pain.
- Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist*
- Director Body Logic Physiotherapy
- John Curtin Distinguished Professor Curtin University
(as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2005)
Dr JP Caneiro
AUSTRALIA
Evထlve director, certified CFT trainer, creative works co-lead
JP is an emerging leader in the field of chronic pain, particularly the management of back pain and osteoarthritis. He is passionate about mentoring clinicians to ensure the highest level of care is provided in clinical practice. Born and raised in Brazil, JP also speaks Portuguese fluently and is committed to affordable translatable knowledge that is accessible to clinicians regardless of country.
- Specialist Sport Physiotherapist*
- Titled Pain Physiotherapist
- Director Body Logic Physiotherapy
- PhD | MSc Musc. & Sports Physio
- Adjunct Clinical Senior Researcher - Curtin University
(as awarded by the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2013)
George McNamee
United Kingdom
Evထlve Certified CFT Trainer
- Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
- Senior Lecturer in Physiotherapy
- Clinical educator