Teaching the Next Generation of Clinicians

I am a native Baltimorean and a second generation Physical Therapist. My father was a pioneer in the Maryland Physical Therapy scene; he not only taught me how to treat people with respect and to be an active listener, but how to catch crabs with a piece of twine and a chicken neck.

Most of my patients have been misdiagnosed and/or treated unsuccessfully in other clinics, and are tired of driving to PT 3 x week just to receive a hot pack and cookie-cutter exercises that could be performed at home. Of course there are excellent clinics and clinicians out there, unfortunately, due to the pressures of insurance, they are becoming few and far between.

Let’s change the paradigm. Because of the quality of treatments, my patients are typically seen once per week, for an hour. For my patients, this means less time traveling to and from appointments, and less time away from work. Each patient receives one on one care- a typical treatment may include expert dry needling, massage and movement. The most common things I hear from patients are: “no one’s ever looked at that area before” and “no one has ever spent this much time with me.” I am passionate about anatomy and alignment and figuring out where exactly your pain is coming from-I love helping people reach their optimal function!

Throughout my long professional career, I have had the privilege of working with Professional Athletes, DN1 Athletes, Musicians, Circus Aerialists, Ballet Dancers, Recon Marines, Weekend Warriors, Gamers and Pickle Ball Enthusiasts. My expertise in treatment of adults with Ehlers -Danlos, hypermobility and myofascial pain has resulted in therapists and physicians sending me their patients from all over the world.

My expertise in Dry Needling has allowed me to be a contributing author to the accoladed medical textbook Trigger Point Dry Needling, and has resulted in my being a guest lecturer to the Maryland Physical Therapy Association. I have several different certifications in dry needling, each with its own approach. My teachers include Sue Falsone (Structure and Function) and Ken Cooper (Master Dry Needling) and Jan Dommerholt (Myopain Seminars). For the past few years I have had the pleasure of working alongside Jan Dommerholt, one of the world’s leading experts and researchers in Dry Needling. I also have the privilege of working with Dr. Dommerholt in his Bethesda Physiocare Office, which has the distinction of being Nationally recognized as a Center of Excellence for Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome by the Ehlers-Danlos Society.

Teaching is another passion of mine, and I am an instructor and faculty member with Myopain Seminars, a company at the forefront of dry needling innovation, where our team is fortunate enough to travel the country teaching evidence based myofascial trigger point dry needling and scar needling to physical therapists, occupational therapists, athletic trainers, physicians, chiropractors and acupuncturists. Additionally I assist in teaching a course in Orofacial Dry Needling to dentists and other medical practitioners who specialize in jaw, face and head disorders, including TMJ disorders.

I have also had the pleasure of training with Michaël Bijker to receive the designation of Certified Breathwork Instructor. Along my path, I have become a Registered Yoga Teacher, which has allowed my patients to be on the receiving end of Western and Eastern Philosophies. Additionally, I have worked with Hawkgrips to become a Certified IASTM practitioner. Hawkgrips techniques and instruments have been used by the NHL, MLB, UFC and US Airforce, to name a few.