Episode 87:  How Physiotherapy, Trauma & the Nervous System Are Connected with Urja Shah

In this week’s episode, we have the pleasure of sitting down with Urja Shah, a physiotherapist with a truly global story. Of Indian descent, born in Kenya and raised in Perth, Western Australia, Urja shares how her background and life experiences led her to discover the world of physiotherapy and the powerful benefits it can bring to our lives.Urja explains what first drew her to study physiotherapy — her love of human movement and sport, and a deep desire to care for others and help them heal. She takes us through the many ways physiotherapy can improve our overall wellbeing, while also exploring how past trauma, mindset, and lived experiences influence how the body feels and functions.We dive into the biopsychosocial approach to pain, a framework widely discussed within the physiotherapy community, which looks beyond symptoms to understand why pain is happening in the first place. Urja also breaks down the role of the nervous system, describing it as the body’s central computing unit, and explains how pain and injuries can feel louder and more intense when the nervous system is stuck in fight-or-flight mode. Along the way, she touches on the importance of the vagus nerve in regulation and recovery.Urja also opens up about her decision to leave Australia and begin travelling — a journey that saw her visit 24 countries — and what ultimately brought her to Ireland. We discuss how social media can often create an illusion of reality, and how life behind the camera can be very different from what we see online.This episode highlights how physiotherapy is about far more than treatment alone. It’s about understanding the whole person — their trauma, experiences, relationships, and environment — and how all of these elements come together to support true healing.