Welcome to
Neighborhood Physical Therapy

I am a Physical Therapist with over 17 years of clinical experience in the outpatient orthopedic clinical setting. I am also an Atlanta native and a 3-time Emory University graduate. In 1996, I graduated with a B.A. in Psychology from Emory. A member of the varsity tennis team for 4 years, I earned All-American status and an NCAA team championship during my senior year. I went on to graduate from Emory University School of Medicine with a Master of Physical Therapy degree in 2000, and then returned to complete a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree in 2003. My most recent academic achievement was passing a national board exam in March of 2014 to receive my Orthopedic Clinical Specialist certification.

Why should you choose me over the many other physical therapists in Decatur? I truly love helping people and I still LOVE to learn. You can say I am a little bit of a continuing education junkie. I have taken a plethora of manual therapy courses over the last 17 years to develop my "art" for physical therapy. I do believe that physical therapy is an art, and that learning to detect musculoskeletal dysfunction through putting my hands on people comes through years of learning and practice. I have extensive manual therapy training through institutions such as the Institute of Physical Art, the McKenzie Institute, and the University of St. Augustine. I am also certified in Trigger Point Dry Needling. Not only do I love learning, but I love to teach as well. I am currently a Clinical Teaching Assistant in the Department of Physical Therapy at Emory University. I have been assisting first year physical therapy students in their Anatomy cadaver dissection for the last 3 years.

In addition to working as a physical therapist, my other full-time job is taking care of my three boys (ages 6, 9, and 11) with my husband Brian. I still enjoy playing tennis and play on ALTA and USTA teams in the area. My husband and three boys are also avid tennis players and you can find us around the corner at Dekalb Tennis Center most days of the week.

It is difficult to make a complete list of all of the "specific" diagnostic conditions that I can treat. I can deal with any specific diagnostic label that may be given to almost any body part from your head down to your toes.

I frequently tell my patients, when they come to me with a very specific diagnostic label, that my job is to treat the soft tissue, joint and nervous system dysfunctions that they bring me. I do not treat the "diagnosis" that they bring me. An example would be the patient who comes in with a supposed "rotator cuff tendonitis." Many times, the patient may be feeling pain in the shoulder, but the cause of the symptoms is really an issue with the cervical spine. I DO NOT TREAT YOUR SYMPTOMS. I TREAT THE UNDERLYING DYSFUNCTION. It is my job to do a thorough evaluation of your muscles, joints and nervous system in order to better determine the source of your symptoms. You bring me your symptoms, and I will do my best to identify the underlying dysfunctions that are most likely causing your symptoms.

A list of orthopedic conditions that I can treat include (but are not limited to):

• headaches
• TMJ pain and dysfunction
• neck pain and dysfunction
• lower back pain and dysfunction
• pelvic girdle and SI joint pain and dysfunction
• shoulder pain and dysfunction
• elbow, wrist and hand pain and dysfunction
• hip pain and dysfunction
• knee pain and dysfunction
• foot and ankle pain and dysfunction
• sports-related injuries
• work-related injuries
• accident-related injuries
• age-related dysfunctions

Physical Therapy is so much more than just doling out exercises for the rehabilitation of different body parts. Why throw a bunch of exercises at a shoulder if there is underlying dysfunction going on within the soft tissues/muscles and in the joint itself? You might feel better temporarily, but its usually not for long. If you don't fix the underlying problem, your symptoms will usually resurface.

I am very much a hands-on, manual physical therapist. I use a variety of manual techniques, the choice depending on what works best for you and your condition.

I will always spend time using my hands to diagnose and treat soft tissue, myofascial, joint, and nervous system dysfunctions. This will always be followed by neuromuscular reeducation techniques to help restore normal function of the muscles that control the joints in question. Then I am likely to give you very specific self joint and soft tissue mobilizations to continue as part of your home program, as well as strengthening and motor control exercises to maintain improved and efficient function.

A few of the treatment modalities that you are likely to experience with me are:

• joint mobilization / manipulation
• soft tissue mobilization / myofascial release
• therapeutic exercises appropriate for your condition
• education regarding posture, body mechanics, sleeping positions, work place ergonomics, sports participation/preparation, and just about any other activity you may be having trouble with
• trigger point dry needling (aka intramuscular therapy)

About the Clinic

Having worked in several different busy outpatient clinics in the Atlanta area over the last 17 years, I recently decided that it was time to take the plunge and branch out on my own. I have worked in many different outpatient facilities that take insurance; however, they do so at the expense of quality patient care. I found that I was feeling unsatisfied with my work because my attention was increasingly divided between multiple patients at the same time. I would feel guilty when I felt that I did not really have enough time to give them my best care.

I am very much a hands-on, manual physical therapist and in order to do this, I NEED TIME WITH MY PATIENTS! I decided that I wanted to have my own local space here in Decatur where I can treat patients privately and more effectively. Yes, this means that I do not participate in insurance plans, but the quality of my care is well worth it. I am the keeper of my own schedule, and can work with you to schedule just the right amount of time in order to spend quality, focused care, in a cost effective manner. I can cater to last minute emergency visits. And I've even been known to make house calls!

About the Name

I have thought long and hard about what sort of feeling I would like to have when I come to work, and how I want my patients to feel when they come to see me. I want my business to have a comfortable and personal "neighborhood-like" feel.

I have always been helping friends and neighbors with their musculoskeletal dysfunctions, usually having them come to wherever I happened to be working at the time. Over time, these friends have referred THEIR friends and relatives, who have referred THEIR friends, and so on. Why not have my OWN space to build a practice that is based on a foundation of referrals from past and present patients, friends, family and neighbors in a good central neighborhood spot that is convenient, personal, and close to home?

Of course I welcome anyone to come and see me, even if you find me over the internet and have no prior personal connection (yet). You don't even have to live in "my" neighborhood. My hope is that you have a great personal experience, and then proceed to send me YOUR friends, relatives and neighbors, so I can offer my services to "your" neighborhood.

I am a big supporter of the local businesses in my neighborhood (and yes, I do live in Decatur) and always feel so satisfied when I have a great experience with a local business or service. I want to be one of those places for the people who live in and around my business.

Conveniently located in the Emory/Toco Hills Area near the intersection of North Druid Hills and Clairmont Road.