I have always loved the brain, mind and body and even more so the
interaction between all three. My passion for the anatomy and
physiology of all things led me to earning my Bachelor's degree in
biology with a minor in speech and hearing sciences from UCSB. Nearing
graduation, my Mom asked me what I was going to do when I graduated.
Couldn't I just go to school forever?
On a whim, I volunteered in the physical therapy department
at Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital. That was it. I fell in love with
the profession of physical therapy after observing how it positively
impacted those with devastating injuries to the brain and body.
Spirits were lifted within the walls of the rehabilitation center
which still has a solid place here in Santa Barbara today.
So, off to graduate school I went. Earning a Master's Degree in
physical therapy from Mt. St. Mary's College and then my Doctorate in
physical therapy from Loma Linda University. Twenty three years ago I
entered the profession officially. With determined energy and
motivation I pursued participating in research, completing a residency
program in the study of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation
(PNF), gaining certifications for the treatment of people with
Parkinson's Disease, earning certifications in vestibular
rehabilitation and learning how to utilize equipment such as an
exoskeleton and functional e-stim in a variety of forms. I completed a
year-long manual therapy course and the movement science fellowship
course lecture series through Kaiser. I have been honored to be a
guest lecturer for several DPT programs and I found working with
students are a huge gift- they keep you on your toes for sure. More
recently, I have become interested in craniosacral therapy and neural
mobilization techniques which are therapeutic for those in pain or in
instances of heightened sympathetic nervous system activity
Over the span of these 23 years I have worked primarily in the
outpatient setting with several years working in the inpatient
setting, ICU and emergency department
I am now moving forward into the world of private practice
which will allow me to provide you with customized, focused and whole
person centered care utilizing all of the skills I come with. Lifting
the barriers of insurance regulations, deductibles, co-pays, long wait
lists and the possibility of short treatment sessions with limited
visits, we can accomplish so much more than standard care typically
dictates. You are the priority.