The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 9 letter word OSTEOPATH
I've seen this crossword clue in Independent
O
S
T
E
O
P
A
T
H
More clues leading to the result OSTEOPATH
- Physician taking top off toothpaste to spread
- Massager treats toe with potash
- One manipulates very big writer back at hotel
- Promise to include perhaps Milton Keynes’s last regressive therapist
- Soothe suffering, maintaining light touch? This therapist might
- Specialist giving word of honour taking bards back in
- Manipulative professional writer’s lifted word to pen
- Doctor‘s promise to squeeze writer’s back
- A manipulator of blades etc?
- Healer‘s potatoes cooked and hot
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Manipulative professional" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case manipulative professional = osteopath.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.