Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Thatcher.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sara. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been a physical therapist for over 20 years. I have worked in many different areas of physical therapy including pediatrics, neuro rehab, inpatient care, and orthopedics. I got my start in southern California and was lucky to have amazing mentors and a unique access to continuing education. The outpatient clinic where I worked was a host site for physical therapy courses, so I was able to take a ton of continuing education early on which helped me develop a very melded approach to physical therapy. That being said, my current practice is rooted in the teachings of the Institute of Physical Art which is group based out of Colorado and emphasizes the ART of working with the human body. Although our bodies have been built with a nearly identical design, there are very different ways bodies respond to injuries and to treatment. To be able to adjust and discover the right treatment plan for each individual is key to being a successful therapist. My career shifted when we moved to the east coast. I worked at Harvard University and had the opportunity to continue to work on all ages and diagnoses without a lot of the constraints of the insurance based world that most PTs live in.
Eventually, my family ended up on the north shore and the commute into Cambridge was brutal, so I decided to launch my own business. I chose to build my practice with a non-insurance based model to allow for more flexibility and increase the quality of care I could provide. Although insurance covers physical therapy under most plans, the co-pays are often high and the sessions are often short and/or shared with other clients. I wanted to be able to provide direct individualized care and spend enough time with people to get to the root of their issues. The year I transitioned my independent practice, I decided I would do an ironman triathlon to fill my spare time. This decision led to an incredible cascade of introductions. I started seeing clients at the B&S Sports Science facility in Salem and was connected to a bunch of amazing athletes, coaches and personal trainers on the north shore. The beginning stages of BodyTuning PT was built around this community of triathletes and endurance athletes looking for a more individualized and effective physical therapy.
Now, my practice has expanded and I frequently end up treating whole families and all ages and activity levels. My practice is set up to allow for one hour sessions after a comprehensive evaluation to establish the primary issues. More often than not, the pain someone feels is related to another area of the body, so running a full diagnostic of range of motion, strength, and functional movement is used to identify these weak links. One of my favorite parts of being a private physical therapist is that I spend a great deal of time doing wellness screens and preventative care which does not exist in an insurance-based setting. Massachusetts has direct access to physical therapists, meaning patients can come directly to me and I can help initiate referrals or outsourcing as needed.
A lot of times, I will only need to see someone one-two visits to get them back on track because I can address all the needs early on. Most of my clients are motivated and willing to make changes and begin resolving their issues so success is somewhat easy! I have been fortunate to be independent yet working closely with some incredible personal trainers, both at B&S and now with TD Athletes Edge in Salem. I am able to get the physical therapy issues resolved and then pass them onto highly skilled trainers to finish off the work by designing a specific strength progression. I am forever grateful that I ended up in a field that I love. “Choose a job that you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ~ Confuscious
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Fortunately, it has been an easy/smooth road. Growing my business has been primarily through word of mouth. I did establish a website just to stay relevant but more often than not my clients come from a former client/referrals.
Please tell us about BodyTuning Physical Therapy.
1. Hands-on rehabilitation using manual therapy, muscle re-education, taping, class IV laser, and home programs.
2. Functional movement screens and wellness screens to identify weak links and prevent injuries.
3. Video gait analysis and shoe assessments used most frequently with runners.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I love the way my career has unfolded. I cannot pinpoint any stage that I would choose to play out differently.
Contact Info:
- Address: 63 1/2 Jefferson Avenue
Salem, MA 01970 - Website: www.bodytuningphysicaltherapy.com
- Phone: 617-308-3194
- Email: bodytuning@verizon.net
- Instagram: bodytuning_pt
- Facebook: BodyTuning Physical Therapy
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