Are you tired of feeling trapped by pain, tension, or stress… yet desperate for hope that real change is possible?

In this powerful episode, Stacey Roberts welcomes physical therapist and yoga expert Dr. Sarah Koehl of Anchor Wellness, who shares her personal journey from chronic pain “victim” to holistic healer. Together, they pull back the curtain on how breath, movement, and integrated PT-Yoga strategies unlock greater mobility, resilience, and calm, even when medicine says there’s nothing “wrong.”

Expect straight talk on why headstands aren’t magic, the underrated art of 360-degree breathing, plus hands-on tips for calming your nervous system and changing your story today. If you want to break cycles of pain and reclaim control, this episode is urgent listening. The alternatives to living “stuck” are real, local, and accessible. Don’t miss these exclusive tools and mindset flips.

1. [00:00:00] – The accident that changed everything and why movement—not medicine—set Sarah free
2. [00:03:39] – Cutting through the chaos: what yoga teacher training in Costa Rica taught about healing
3. [00:05:52] – What most PTs and clinics are missing and how holistic care redefines possibility
4. [00:07:21] – Yoga’s misunderstood roots: is it religion, flexibility, or something far deeper?
5. [00:09:24] – The danger zone in overstretching, headstands, and what real stability looks like
6. [00:12:20] – Fascial lines explained: why Downward Dog is more than a stretch (and what plantar fasciitis reveals)
7. [00:14:13] – Posture, compensation, and the missing link between your breath and pelvic floor
8. [00:23:04] – The umbrella breathing revolution: how 360 expansion changes your body—and your mind

Dr. Sarah Koehl is a leading physical therapist at Anchor Wellness Center in Cincinnati, Ohio. With more than 11 years of clinical expertise, Dr. Koehl specializes in pelvic floor dysfunction, movement biomechanics, and chronic pain management, empowering individuals, especially women experiencing pelvic discomfort, postpartum transitions, chronically tight tissues, and movement-related pain, to achieve lasting relief through personalized, evidence-based physical therapy.

At Anchor Wellness Center, Dr. Koehl embraces a holistic approach that goes well beyond merely treating isolated symptoms. She dives into how breath, posture, nervous system regulation, and functional movement shape pain perception and promote long-term resilience. This science-backed yet holistic perspective resonates with anyone seeking real, root-cause solutions to chronic pain, not just quick fixes.

In her practice, Dr. Koehl educates and equips patients and fellow clinicians with practical tools for movement and body awareness. She teaches the critical role of fascia, biomechanics, and diaphragmatic breathing in shifting pain for the long term, often blending the movement wisdom of yoga with her physical therapy background. Her insights offer accessible strategies to move and feel better without overreliance on medications, surgery, or endless band-aid solutions.

Learn more about Dr. Koehl and Anchor Wellness Center at

Do you ever wish for a simple, proven way to quiet pain and anxiety without pills or endless appointments?

In this science-backed solo episode, Stacey Roberts reveals the transformative benefits of diaphragmatic breathing and why harnessing this “built-in remedy” could be your life’s most powerful shift. Drawing on research from leading institutions and her own clinic success, Stacey demystifies breathwork, explains how stress amplifies pain, and walks you through a step-by-step exercise you can use anywhere, anytime.

Tune in now to break free from pain’s grip, reclaim your body’s resilience, and tap into insights you won’t find on a typical health show. Don’t wait! Your calm, confident self is just one breath away.

1. [00:00:01] – Why pain isn’t just physical: Meet the surprising tool that works every second of your life
2. [00:01:06] – Stacey’s personal meditation story and the “aha” moment that changed her pain forever
3. [00:02:24] – Is relief just placebo, or is science on your side? The critical research most people miss
4. [00:03:17] – Are you trapped in fight-or-flight mode and how can you break free today?
5. [00:04:13] – What’s really happening in your body with diaphragmatic (belly) breathing
6. [00:06:29] – Pain thresholds, stress hormones, and how breath can reset your nervous system
7. [00:07:15] – Try this game-changing breathing exercise right now—Stacey walks you through exact steps
8. [00:10:21] – The secret to activating your parasympathetic system (and why it matters for lasting pain relief)
9. [00:12:11] – Breathwork as daily medicine: How clinicians recommend you build your “pain-resistant” muscles
10. [00:12:45] – Bonus benefits: Why breathwork heals anxiety, sleep, gut issues, and more

1. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. (n.d.). Diaphragmatic breathing. Johns Hopkins Medicine
2. Overview of diaphragmatic (belly) breathing and its role in activating the relaxation response and reducing stress-related pain.
3. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Diaphragmatic breathing: Assist self-management of pain. VA Whole Health Library
4. Clinical guidance from the VA Whole Health program on using diaphragmatic breathing as a practical, self-directed tool for pain management.
5. Busch, V., Magerl, W., Kern, U., Haas, J., Hajak, G., & Eichhammer, P. (2012). The effect of deep and

Are you tired of your joints holding you back, or told your only options are pills, injections, or just “living with it?”

This episode of The Pain-Free Formula Podcast invites you to ditch the resignation and discover a science-backed pathway to true relief. Host Stacey Roberts, bestselling author and physical therapist, tackles the burning question: what’s the real most effective treatment for arthritis and why has nobody told you?

This episode unpacks powerful, surprising insights: why movement (done right) outperforms medications and surgery, how gut health and daily habits can radically change your pain, and what to do if “nothing seems to work.” Want less pain and more control? Don’t wait. Tune in now and stop wasting years on ineffective quick fixes. This episode reveals what truly empowers lasting change, hope, and movement.

Listen now before your next appointment or prescription. These practical truths could change your life, and you’ll only hear them here.

1. [00:00] – Why most people still believe pills and surgery are the “answer” and what they’re missing
2. [00:02:05] – The headline that rewrote Stacey Roberts’s approach: “It’s not a pill or surgery…”
3. [00:04:12] – Your arthritis isn’t just “wear and tear”—discover the unexpected factors that really drive progression
4. [00:06:10] – Rest versus movement—why doing less is making joints worse, not better
5. [00:08:31] – Tried exercise and failed? The secret reason it “doesn’t work” for so many
6. [00:11:31] – The untold story of muscle function: Why knee and joint pain respond to smarter strength
7. [00:14:40] – Real-life success: From “bone on bone” to moving better than ever. Here’s what works
8. [00:18:09] – Gut, food, and “can it really matter?” The proof (and a dramatic personal story)
9. [00:22:59] – Don’t fear arthritis: Science says you have more options than ever and you’re not broken

1. Toomey, C. (2026, January 26). The most effective treatment for osteoarthritis isn’t a pill or surgery. SciTechDaily. https://scitechdaily.com/the-most-effective-treatment-for-osteoarthritis-isnt-a-pill-or-surgery/
2. Bennell KL, Wrigley TV, Hunt MA, Lim BW, Hinman RS. Update on the role of muscle in the genesis and management of knee osteoarthritis. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America, 2013 Feb;39(1):145-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdc.2012.11.003 PMID: 23312414
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1. Pain-Free Formula Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pain-free-formula/id1802518411