7 Powerful Lessons From 7 Years as a Physical Therapist
Written October 30, 2021
October is Physical Therapy Month! What a beautiful time to reflect on the years I’ve spent serving patients, families, and communities nationally and internationally.
When I graduated from Stony Brook’s Physical Therapy Program in 2014, I had an unclear vision for how my career would develop. I was not certain if I would pursue specialization in orthopedics/sports or pediatrics. Instead of forcing a path, I allowed my heart to open to any experiences and opportunities that came my way. I welcomed the wisdom of colleagues, professors, and mentors. I welcomed my intuition, trusting my heart to guide me on the path of least resistance. I have worked in many states, settings, and specialties. I have traveled in pursuit of my passion, uncovering truths about myself and the world at large that has shaped how I interact with people and places.
Over the course of seven years as a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I have learned more about myself and the individuals I serve. While I still have great interest in orthopedics and manual therapy practices, I now consider myself to be a Pediatric Physical Therapist. As I continue my path as a pediatric physical therapist, I move towards mastery – a target that is forever moving, evolving, and changing as I grow.
I am grateful for all the people I have crossed paths with during this journey as a physical therapist. While all I have learned is not easily packaged into a few sentences, perhaps these seven lessons I’ve learned may resonate with you – whether you’re also a Physical Therapist, work in healthcare, or are moving towards mastery in your own profession.
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Leave No Trace: 7 Principles for Outdoor Adventures
Written October 14, 2021
I have mentioned the Leave No Trace principles many times on this blog, so I wanted to make a quick post about the seven principles! I first became aware of these during early days of exploring in Washington state. I took a few classes at REI to learn about hiking and outdoor recreation. These principles are posted at many trailheads and outdoor recreation sites and can be applied to ANY outdoor activity. The roots of the seven principles is in backcountry adventures, but following these principles any time you spend time outdoors is critical to respect and preserve nature.
While this post serves as a quick reference for the seven principles, I highly encourage you to explore the principles further on the Leave No Trace website (lnt.org).
Can you name the seven principles? Try it, then read on to see my quick breakdown!
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5 Ways to Join the PNW Larch March in Autumn
Written October 1, 2021
Seattle may be the home of Starbucks, but Pumpkin Spice Lattes aren’t the only thing brewin’ in the Pacific Northwest in autumn! In the PNW, there is a magical part of fall that does not seem to have an equivalent anywhere else in the world. Here, the all-too-brief season of the larches attracts people to march and prance around the Cascade Mountains.
Every year, there is a small window of possibility to see the larch trees’ bright, yellow needles contrast the alpine landscapes in the PNW. These deciduous conifers are an evergreen tree that sheds its needles every year! This means they pretty much disprove what I understood to be true from science class in elementary school… a tree doesn’t have to be a deciduous tree OR a conifer, it can be BOTH! I guess the world can never truly be black or white. I love the gray area between… and this is where the larch exists.
In late September to October, the a larch’s green needles turn to bright yellow before they drop! Having lived in Washington state for four years, I was an annual participant in the #larchmadness larch march. The goal was to capture them at their peak color, before the needles dropped. You may have seen a larch tree in other parts of the world, but Washington state is home to two of these beauties.
There’s really no wrong way to embrace larch madness… unless, of course, you don’t prepare, check current conditions, or practice Leave No Trace of course! Let’s do the larch march!
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Soothing, Healing Love: My Journey with Injury
September 21, 2021
It was a simple movement. Something I’ve done many times. My patient went to fall away from me, I leaned forward, I caught her. I thought I had her, so my body relaxed. She kept falling. She’s a small, spunky little girl. My cat-like, ninja reflexes kicked in and I stopped her fall, again. Lurched forward, again.
That’s when I felt it. I couldn’t stand up. My back was preventing me from this. I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t stand.
I remember learning about work-related back injuries in physical therapy school. I have treated individuals for their back injuries. I just didn’t think it’d be me. I thought this was reserved for older men, construction workers, fathers (sorry for the stereotyping)… Not me! I was training for a half marathon. I’ve been taking care of myself.
Immediately, the thoughts of “What did I do wrong?” came flooding to me. Was I too stressed? Was I not stretching enough? Was I not… enough in general? Blaming myself was easy. Moving through the shame/blame cycle and coming to the other side has been the journey, the healing, the softening I’ve needed to be gentle with myself and simply focus on healing.
The thing is, we can’t control many things in life. I got injured and it’s really that simple. I cannot go back to the past and undo any contributing factors, change the situation that caused the pain. However, I can move forward. Move through this. And heal, deeply.
Healing is not linear, my friends. This is only the beginning of the story.
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