Explain Pain, New Zealand

Assoc Professor David Butler, B.Phty, M.App.Sc, EdD

Understanding and Explaining Pain are David’s passions, and he has a reputation for being able to talk about pain sciences in a way that everyone can understand. David is a physiotherapist, an educationalist, researcher and clinician. He pioneered the establishment of NOI in the early 1990’s. David is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of South Australia and an honoured lifetime member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Among many publications, his texts include Mobilisation of the Nervous System 1991 The Sensitive Nervous System (2000), and with Lorimer Moseley –  Explain Pain (2003, 2013), The Graded Motor Imagery Handbook (2012), The Explain Pain Handbook: Protectometer (2015) and in 2017, Explain Pain Supercharged. His doctoral studies and current focus are around adult conceptual change, the linguistics of pain and pain story telling. Food, wine and fishing are also research interests.

Tim graduated from the University of South Australia in 1998 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy). He commenced work in private practice immediately after graduating and spent the next 8 years learning about life and people in the outer, industrial suburbs of Adelaide.

In 2005 Tim started delivering pain education program to clients of a local government agency which assisted injured job seekers find employment. In 2006 Tim was enticed to join the organisation, CRS Australia, to develop and deliver a range of health education programs. A move back to private industry in 2008 as an allied health consultant culminated in Tim being nominated for and winning the Health and Rehabilitation Individual Achievement award at the state wide WorkCover SA Recovery and Return to Work Awards.

Tim joined NOI full time in 2014 and continues as the lead Australasian NOI Instructor, International Faculty Manager, and contributing editor to the NOI blog, noijam.com, while assisting with research and development of NOI books and products. Tim was born and raised in Adelaide, South Australia and continues to reside there with his wife, three children, two cats and a dog.

“Tim’s presentation was by far the most engaging of any PD I have been to in the last 17 years! A great balance of natural humour, respect of participants and explanation of key concepts throughout the course – Tim is an exceptional presenter!”

“Tim is such a captivating and engaging presenter, he held my full attention and focus over the span of 3 days which is rather impressive! He was able to link concepts together well, provided great practical examples and ways of integrating new knowledge into clinical practice.”