Live Well With The Drug Free Doctor with Rangan Chaterjee on Channel 4

A mainstream spotlight on chronic condition recovery

Dr Chatterjee featuring chronic pain recovery stories with SIRPA on Channel 4

It is not often that I get to shout about a primetime TV programme that aligns so perfectly with the work we do here, but this week offers a wonderful exception.

Channel 4 recently aired a special documentary, Live Well with The Drug-Free Doctor, hosted by Dr Rangan Chatterjee. Many of you will already be familiar with Dr Chatterjee. I posted about his podcast interview about chronic pain with Dr Howard Schubiner a while back, which is still one of my most favourite conversations about mind-body medicine.

I have always respected Chatterjee's compassionate perspective on health; he consistently champions the idea that we shouldn't just be treating symptoms with prescriptions, but rather looking at the whole person—our lifestyle, our environment, and our emotional world.

About "Live Well With The Drug Free Doctor"

In this one-off special, Dr Chatterjee met three people on long-term prescriptions for some of the UK’s most common conditions: type 2 diabetes, depression, and chronic pain. Alongside leading experts, he helped them explore how to reclaim their health without relying solely on medication. And Dr Chatterjee’s message was clear: "The solution to our healthcare crisis will not come from prescribing more pills, it will come from making changes to our daily lives."

Why this episode was so special

What made this documentary particularly close to my heart is that it featured trusted colleagues and friends from SIRPA (Stress Illness Recovery Practitioners' Association), and fellow recoverees' stories. It was also fantastic to see Dr Schubiner featuring in the show!

It is a significant moment to see the chronic pain recovery approach we value so highly being given a platform like this. Dr Chatterjee invited the SIRPA team to guide the section on pain, and I was so pleased that the nation got to see the work of practitioners like Irralee Andrzejowska. She was filmed working with a client, Colm, who agreed to share his experience of a somatic tracking session on camera.

For those of you who have worked with these tools, you know how powerful mind-body medicine can be in reteaching the brain's safety pathways. Seeing it demonstrated on national television is a huge step forward in raising awareness. We also heard from fellow chronic recoveree Fiona Symington, who bravely shared her own recovery journey - a powerful reminder that healing is absolutely possible.

Finally, a shift in the chronic pain treatment narrative

We often talk about the importance of understanding the root causes of our symptoms and moving away from fear. It was validating to see this programme opening minds to the fact that we have agency over our own recovery. It feels like a massive validation of the neuroplastic approach that is changing so many lives.

Catch up on demand

The programme aired on Channel 4 on Thursday, 8 January 2026. If you missed it, I highly recommend watching it on catch-up.

I would love to hear your thoughts on it now that it has aired. Did the somatic tracking section resonate with you? It feels like a very positive way to begin the year.