Podcasts about physiotherapy performance perspectives

In this episode physical therapist and podcast cohost, Dr. Jenna Kantor talks about the highs, the lows, and everything in-between from the past year.  We talk about:  The effects of Covid-19 on life and the practice of physical therapy  Online bullying in the physical therapy world  Realizing the importance of friendship  The mental shifts we experienced over the past year  What we are looking forward to in 2022 And much more!    More about Dr. Jenna Kantor:  Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT, is a bubbly and energetic woman who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. She trained intensively at Petaluma City Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Regional Dance America Choreography Conference, and Regional Dance America. Over time, the injuries added up and she knew she would not have a lasting career in ballet. This lead her to the University of California, Irvine, where she discovered a passion for musical theatre.  Upon graduating, Jenna Kantor worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years then found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life. Jenna was teaching ballet to kids ages 4 through 17 and group fitness classes to adults. Through teaching, she discovered she had a deep interest in the human body and a desire to help others on a higher level. She was fortunate to get accepted into the DPT program at Columbia. During her education, she co-founded Fairytale Physical Therapy which brings musical theatre shows to children in hospitals, started a podcast titled Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives, was the NYPTA SSIG Advocacy Chair, was part of the NYC Conclave 2017 committee, and co-founded the NYPTA SSIG. In 2017, Jenna was the NYPTA Public Policy Student Liaison, a candidate for the APTASA Communications Chair, won the APTA PPS Business Concept Contest, and made the top 40 List for an Up and Coming Physical Therapy with UpDoc Media. ​Jenna Kantor currently holds the position of the NYPTA Social Media Committee, APTA PPS Key Contact, and NYPTA Legislative Task Force. She provides complimentary, regularly online content that advocates for the physical therapy profession. Jenna runs her own private practice, Jenna Kantor Physical Therapy, PLLC, and an online course for performing artists called Powerful Performer that will launch late 2019. To learn more, follow Jenna at:  Website: https://www.jennakantorpt.com/ Facebook Instagram Twitter Fairytale Physical Therapy   Subscribe to Healthy, Wealthy & Smart: Website:                      https://podcast.healthywealthysmart.com Apple Podcasts:          https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/healthy-wealthy-smart/id532717264 Spotify:                        https://open.spotify.com/show/6ELmKwE4mSZXBB8TiQvp73 SoundCloud:               https://soundcloud.com/healthywealthysmart Stitcher:                       https://www.stitcher.com/show/healthy-wealthy-smart iHeart Radio:                https://www.iheart.com/podcast/263-healthy-wealthy-smart-27628927   Read the Full Transcript Here 00:00 Hey. Hey, Jenna, welcome back to the podcast for our annual year and Roundup, if you will. And I want to thank you for being a great addition to the podcast and for pumping out really amazing podcast episodes, you're great hosts, the energy is fantastic. And the podcast episodes are always great. So I want to thank you for that.   00:27 Oh, my God, you're so sweet. I like I was definitely not as much of a podcaster this year, I acknowledge that. But hey, listen, we've all been adjusting this year to pandemic and now pandemics still happening, but also recovery. And I'm just grateful to still be a part of this podcast in any manner to be in this interview right now. Because I really, you and I are very much on the same page regarding remaining evidence based and speaking to people that we respect in this industry, and also people that we want to see just rise and have great success. So I'm just grateful to be honestly, I am humbled to still be in the room here with you.   01:11 Thank you. That's so nice. So kind. Now, let's talk about this past year. So 2021, obviously dominated by the ups and downs of COVID, which is still going on as we speak. We're we're both in the northeast, so we're experiencing an incredibly high surge at the moment. So COVID is obviously a big story. And I think part of the COVID journey that isn't being talked about as much. But I think general public, certainly the mainstream media, are people now living with long COVID. It is just something that seems to be skimmed over. And we know that at least at least the bare minimum is 10% of people diagnosed with COVID will go on to have symptoms of long COVID. And instead of some of the studies that I have read recently, those percentages are much, much higher. So what I guess, what is your take on all of that? And what do you think we as physical therapists can do to keep this in the in the forefront of people's minds.   02:23 We discussed this before, but I think there's going to be bias within this. So I want to acknowledge that we all have our biases. That being said, I think we need to first acknowledge there was a phase where there was a part of the world that did not think COVID was real. So based on the research that is out there, and personal experience of a lot of people getting it, as well as personal friends very close personal friends working in hospitals in New York, specifically COVID is real. So I want to say that first. I'm not going to differ from that I really wish there I'm I think we're past that in the world. I think there was never a clear cut of like, Oh, I got it, I see that it's real. I was wrong. I would have liked that moment, because that hurt people in the process. But I just want to say that first. So COVID is real. Okay. Now, let's not belittle it. And I think in regards to the patient care. I think this, the reality of long COVID needs to be just as respected. Just like when you have a patient that comes in the door and says they're in pain, and you don't believe them. We need to stop that. So we need to believe them and their symptoms, and what they have and what it's from and treat it accordingly. Because if we go in the door to help out these individuals who are struggling with this, they're not going to get better. What are your thoughts?   03:59 No, I agree. I agree. And I've heard from people living with long COVID that people don't believe them even their own family members, people in who work in medicine, they don't believe them. So I think that's a huge takeaway that if as clinicians we can do one thing sit down Listen, believe because the symptoms that they're having are real. We did a couple of episodes on long COVID thing was back in August and spoke with three amazing therapists and they're all involved with long COVID physios so if anyone out there wants more information on living with long COVID I would definitely steer you to long COVID physio on Twitter and and their website as well. Because they're a wealth of knowledge. These are people living with long COVID their allies, they are researchers and I think they're putting out some amazing information that can help not just you as the clinician, but if you know someone that maybe you're not doing directly treating maybe it's a family member living with long COVID I think the more information you have, the more power you can kind of take back to yourself.   05:10 I love that. I love that. It's the biopsychosocial model. I mean to that I from working because I work specifically more with performers, the psychosocial component, my my patients, my people I call my people, my people would not be getting the results they're getting if I didn't have to deal with that, with them standing by their side, holding their hands helping them through and out of their pain. There's symptoms every day and this that goes for anything.   05:41 Yeah. And and we now know, speaking of performers that a lot of Broadway shows are being sort of cancelled, and then restarted and canceled and restarted because of COVID outbreaks within the cast. So this may be something people might think, Oh, I work with performers. I don't have to worry about long COVID Well, maybe you do.   06:01 Yeah. Yeah. And for them, it's the, from the performance that I'm in contact with on Broadway that, you know, it's I'm, I'm, I'm very connected. I've been in the musical theater industry for a very long time. So for the people who are on Broadway, the individuals I spoken to, they're doing okay, which I'm really, really grateful for. It is a requirement for the performers to be triple vaccinated, and now they're getting triple vaccinated. I know one performer on Broadway, who was about to get her booster shot, and then ended up getting COVID, which was quite unfortunate. She's doing okay, though. Grateful, no signs of long COVID Right now, but for the performers, you're talking about dance, there's endurance and breathing that is necessary. If the singers even if they're, they're not dancing, they still dance, they're still asked to do things, they still have out of breath, emotional moments, were breathing is challenged. So I'm just bringing up one component with long COVID. But that's, that's a big standout for performers specifically, that need, it needs to be kept out for them. I remember one time during, oh, goodness, during 2020. And it was the latter portion of the year. And I was doing virtual readings with performers. That's how I was staying connected with my my friends and people in the industry. And it was our way of being creative. In the meantime, while we're waiting for things to open back up. And one individual is she what I just cast her to read as the lead in the show, and she was so good. It was my first time hearing her perform first time meeting her. She was Outstanding, outstanding. And at the end of it, we were going around checking in with each other how we were doing and she started to cry and opened up about losses and her family due to COVID. And that she didn't think she would be able to sing like that again, because she had been dealing with her breathing problems for so long. And so then we all get emotional with her. I'm getting emotional just thinking about it. So yeah, it's it's a it's a real thing. We didn't have the vaccination then. So I'm interested to see statistically where we are at with long COVID with having the antibodies in our systems. Obviously, everybody is different, but I'm hoping that there's less of it because of the vaccine.   08:25 Yeah, time will tell right? Yeah, we have we need those data points. So aside from obviously COVID being, I think the biggest story of the year, certainly within healthcare and even within our field of physical therapy. What else have you seen over 2021? Or maybe it was in an interview you did or a paper you read that really stuck out for you as as a big part of the year you know, it made it's made it it made its mark for you.   08:58 Oh, I'm going to focus just on the PT community. And I want to emphasize with community I see our community at really, we've always butted heads there's always things that we butted heads on. But I'll just give the instance that really made me go whoa, I was in a room with a bunch of intelligent wonderful human beings and discussing something I said a term that I thought was really common especially because in the musical theatre industry. We are fighting for dei diversity, equity inclusion all the time. Like if this is a topic of conversation all the time. It is a huge thing in regards to casting what is visually out there the most at like the highest level and, and bipoc the phrase bipoc was unrecognized by a good portion of physical therapists in this room and I was disappointed Did I was it said so much it doesn't. It's not saying that a person is evil for not knowing no. And that is not my point. But it is a problem that it's not being discussed to the level where these common extremely common thing phrases are not just known. That just says a lot to me, because it's in regards to people getting in the door access and being reached, in lesser, lesser affluent areas, that to me, it shows that it's not being discussed, it's not being addressed. If it was, then bipoc would be, and this is just one instance. But I thought that was very eye opening. Because it's just like saying, I'm going to eat today, someone saying, I'm not going what you're not eating, I don't know. And that was a bad example. But just something that is or you wake up you breathe, that is how known the phrase bipoc. Same thing with LGBTQIA. Plus, in my community, like, for me to go into another room and for things to need to be defined. I know we all have different worlds. But I think as physical therapists, there, there's a disconnect, unfortunately, depending on wherever we are from, and we need to fix that. Because I can't live everywhere. I can't treat everyone in the world, I can't treat all the performers in the world, I don't want to I like having my niche practice and treating select individuals, and boom, my people do very well. And if it gets to a point that it starts to grow, I'm going to be passing them along because I don't want I don't want that I don't want it to be huge like that. And with that in mind, I need more people who know and therefore are our allies. To me, it's a lack of ally ship, of just not knowing the basic language. And I and I apologize to anyone who's listening on my intention is not to sound like a white savior at all. It's not. But with my limited knowledge at this point, I'm already seeing something that is really, really lacking amongst each other and we need to fix it. I don't know if it's books or I don't know, I don't I don't know the answer to that. But I'm just addressing that was that was the biggest standout thing for me this year.   12:27 And it for those of you who maybe are not familiar with the American Physical Therapy Association, they have what's called House of Delegates. So they had a meeting in September of this year during the APTA centennial celebration. And in that they did pass a resolution that the APTA would be an anti racist organization. Now, were you in the room when that passed? Jenna?   12:54 No, I was not in the room, I was actually there at the House of Delegates a bit discouraged this year, I know. i The fact that they were able to figure out any manner to put it on is is a feat to be had after 2020 20. However, the in person when you go and if you are not a delegate, which I was not this year, you can usually sit in the room, and just be in the back and listen, because the because of the space that they got in the way it was set up, there were chairs in the back of the room, but there weren't that many and it filled up. So they already preemptively set up another room where you could watch what was happening on a TV, which did not sit well with me. Because I could have stayed home instead of flying in for that. So I was definitely not in the room. I definitely was less present this year. Because of that I was I was bitter, I was bitter. I was bitter. I felt like I I already know you it's through elected and know who you know, to become a delegate, but I really felt disrespected and unimportant. Being in a separate room, watching from a TV rather than actually getting to be in the room because there are ways that they hold the meeting where you can stand up to say a point of order to speak on some points from the from the back of the room. And I just wasn't even going to wait to see how they figured that out. I just felt like not a not an important voice. So I wasn't present for that. But I do know about that. I think it's wonderful to get that on the docket. But the same thing when we voted in dei unanimously. How?   14:41 What comes next? You mean? Yeah, well, yeah.   14:45 What is the game plan? Because for me, I can say a sentence like that. But then what are the actual actions and that's where it's like, is that going to happen? Two years down the road three years. What are we at what are we actually doing? What are the measuring points and take action? and not meetings on it, not being hesitant on making mistakes. Let's make mistakes. Let's just go for it. That's the only way we're gonna learn. There's no such thing as a graceful change, no matter how hard you try,   15:11 right? Yeah, yeah, I agree. I think like you said, what comes next is? Well, I guess we'll have to wait and see what are the action steps they're going to take in order to create that and, and live up to the, the words of being an anti racist organization? Because it was passed overwhelmingly.   15:32 Right? And then I'm sure they applauded for it, you know, like, this is great. But to me, I think it's, I it's just like, okay, you know, like, what, but now what? Because from DJI and the I heard that they're trying in the battle in this behind the scenes, trying to move forward, but I have not seen action there. And maybe I'm missing something, you know, feel free to call me out Call me whatever. Like, I'm, I would love to be wrong.   16:07 Yeah, these big organizations are slow ships to steer. That's not any excuse whatsoever. But I understand there's a lot of layers that one has to go through to make things happen. As you know, you've been volunteering for the APTA for a long time. So you understand that, but I think a lot of people who don't don't, so that's why I just wanted to kind of bring that up and saying, like, yeah, it takes it takes a long effing time to get stuff done, you know?   16:33 Yeah. And I mean, you can hear it, I'm frustrated by I'm not, I'm not happy about it. And but it's, it's because of my friends, the conversations I have, and I, I'm, I'm lucky, I'm a sis white, stereotypical female. So like, the way the world has been made, and the way it caters to humans. It fits me, but it doesn't fit everyone and I'd like I can't imagine what it would be like to just be left out of a lot of things in everyday life. I think that's horrible.   17:05 Yeah, agreed. What else? What else do you think was a big something that you saw within the profession? Or even trends in health and fitness that might have really changed over this past year? For better or for worse? I can think of one I think and this is just my opinion that the the communication via social media has gotten a little too aggressive. Is that a nice way of saying it? Like I don't understand it, I don't get it. I took like a little break because I was Oh, can't say I was bullied because I feel like bullying. It's that sort of like you know someone is having like a sustained go at you. So I don't know   18:01 it's bullying is bullying. Yeah, bullying is bullying. That's the thing is that we have a lot of bullying that happens but then they gaslight you about their bullying. It's like Whoa, it's next. It's almost like a strategy. Like they're playing a game of Monopoly, and they have down how to win. Like, yeah, people barely there is a lot of bullying.   18:20 Yeah, a lot of bullying. A lot of threatening, like, I get like threatening DMS or people threatening me, you know, on their Instagram stories or whatever. For I can't imagine I look back at that interactions. And I'm like, I don't get it.   18:38 Yeah, I don't get it. Yeah.   18:41 So I and my first reaction was to like, when people will do this and be so aggressive as to send like a Taylor Swift GIF. Of her song, you need to calm down. And then I have to take a step back and be like, that's not gonna help the situation any. Right, right. Right. Don't do it. I just sort of back off. But I think because of that, bullying or threatening behavior, I've   19:05 really like I'll say it bullying continue. I've,   19:09 I've just like, for the past couple of months, I've really taken a backseat to any kind of social media just to like, give myself like a mental health break, you know, like meeting I don't comment on things. I might post some things here and there, but I don't really make any comments, unless it's to. And that's mainly and I'm going to say this because from what I can tell it's true, is it happens to be men in the profession who are a little more aggressive than the women, like women can seem to have a bit of a nicer conversation around whether it's a question or, you know, something, but when a lot of the men it's just become so like ego driven, that there's no resolution, and it's just mean. Mm hmm. And so I was like I need to take a break. So I saw a lot more of that this year. I don't know if it's because of lockdowns and because of a heightened sense of what's the word? Stress to begin with? And then yeah, or something else on top of it? I don't know. But I, I saw that this year, definitely for the worse, because I just think, gosh, if people outside the profession are looking in and watching these exchanges, what are they thinking?   20:28 Yeah, yeah, I've definitely seen it in sis males specifically.   20:33 Yeah, yeah.   20:34 I'm not it honestly. doesn't it's not a specific color of skin. But specifically sis males.   20:43 Yeah, I would I would agree with that. Yeah.   20:46 I have. I have experienced a little not not to the level, but I've definitely experienced that. And it's for 2021. And it's not okay. No, it's not okay. However, I ever look at it as a blessing. And this is where I get I love looking at it like this. Yes, please, please, thank you. Thank you for identifying that you have no space in my room, my shelf my space at all. I will not take advice from you in the future. And I will not heed any, any value to what you have to say, because of your willingness to chop me down. Thank you for identifying yourself. I'm now in the debate of blocking you from my mental health. And that's it. And that includes in person. That's it. That's it. And I really don't look as blocking as like, wow, for me, I'm going like, No, I don't want to know you. I don't want to know you. And my life is so much better because of it when I was at the PPS conference, because of just going No to the to the people I don't want to know and just saying like, just straight up like I like I don't need you, I don't need you. I want to be a service to people who need physical therapy period. So people are going to just, you know, find ways of you know, and spend their time writing some angry thing. Have that that's on them that's on them. Like I'm like, like, and if it and honestly I will likely block you.   22:18 I love that I love like you're you're it's not just that you're blocking the person. You're blocking the energy blocking the energy they're bringing into you and draining you down. So then you're not at your best well, or with your friends or loved ones patients, even with yourself. Yeah, you know, if you have to ruminate on these people. I love that. Yeah, it's not it's not just blocking you from social media, it's blocking the energy that you the the bad vibes, if you will, that you're Brown. And that affects you that affects your mental health that affects you emotionally. And it can carry through to a lot of other parts of your life and who needs that? Yeah,   22:59 and, and for anybody who's trying to saying like, I can a bully did it or like it. Okay, let's, let's look at it this way, when you're messaging an individual something, first of all, we all know this. When you write in text, everybody's going to interpret it with different tone. So as soon as you write in text, we all know this, and we're taking advantage of that fact. So that way, you can later go, oh, I said it in a nice tone, Bs when you're typing it, it can be in whatever freakin tone and you know what you're doing. Also, when you're not talking to a person, the only time you show up is to say something negative. Yeah, that's you're not your voice is not important. And you know, your voice isn't important.   23:39 It's so true. What I've actually seen is a lot of these, these kinds of people, they're not getting the attention they used to get. Mm hmm. Do you know cuz I think more people are of the mindset of like, I don't need this anymore. Like this was maybe this was funny. Maybe this was cute a couple years ago. Ah, not anymore.   24:01 And also I love I don't like having down moments, but we all have our down moments in our career and in our life. But I what I do love about the down moments in the career in life, the people who are around at that time, those are your friends, those are the people you want to know. So I love my moments in the PT world. When I'm in a down moment because the people who want to talk to me then those are the people I want to know. Whereas when I'm you know, can candidate for the private practice section, you know, which is awesome. And then people want to actually talk to me then. Oh, wait, I'm gonna wait and see when you know, I'm not that. Am I still someone you want to speak to? That is those are the people I want to invest time in. Those are the people I want to invest time in. I want to see you you do well and vice versa. I want to be able to get to know you as a human more and more and more. I just want the children Relationships, it doesn't mean I'm going to have time or you know, we're gonna have time to talk every day. But I want those true relationships. So for me, those downtimes, when I might not look the most graceful, I might be messing up or maybe not messing up. Maybe I'm actually making a change here speaking on something or getting people to think differently ever thought of that, you know? Awesome. Like, are you gonna be here to chop me down? Or just be here to have a conversation and having a conversation? Set up a phone call? If you really care? Like if you really could you don't? People don't care that Oh, reaching out, they don't care about you cannot be when they're reaching out to give feedback. Let's have a comfort. No, they just want to get into an attack mode. No, we No, no, don't try to decorate it. We know that's what's happening. And yeah, that were to town. There's enough going on.   25:52 Yeah, there's enough going on. And you know, this conversation really made me reflect on the past year, and I think what's been a good thing has been the deepening of good relationships. So like, nobody has time for that other, like bad stuff anymore. Like there's enough bad stuff happening. I don't have time for that. But what you do have time for is the relationships that are two sided, you know, a nice bilateral relationship that you're willing to invest in, and allow that relationship to come deeper and grow. And I feel like, you know, and like, you don't have to be friends with 1000 people, you know, you can be friends with a handful you can be friends with one person. And if that person, it's it's real and deep and meaningful, then isn't that wonderful? And I think years ago, I used to think, oh, the more   26:46 people you know, the better. Me too. Me too.   26:49 And now I think because of the upheaval of the last couple of years now, I'm really finding like, you know, I need like couple of good people that I can count on to have my back to, like you said, lift you up when you need to, and maybe to like, give you the honest truth when you need it as well. Right? Exactly. So I've been really, really happy that over the past year, I've made some really nice deeper connections with people than the physical therapy World Sports Medicine world. And I'm really, really happy about that. So I think that's been a real positive for me,   27:26 I totally agree with you, I mean, that our relationship is naturally growing over time, which I appreciate and, and I really do I completely on the same page completely on the same page. And and for me, when I go to conferences, like I'm really isolating more and more, who are the two are the people that like I must spend time with? And and then if other people want to join sure, you know, absolutely. But I I'm not overwhelming myself, oh, I need to be friends with that. No, I don't need to. And you know what, like, that became very apparent when I seen people speak, even at PPS, where the goodness, they were showing slideshows with their friends, and it was like, literally all people who are elected in the higher positions are all best friends with each other. It is it's true, you can't deny it. If you're up there. If you're one of those people. It's true. And you know what, I look at it like this, my friends may go up there to that, mate. That's not why I'm friends with you, though, you know, in friendship through because I like you as a person. So I'm gonna let that lay and not even explain and go into more depth and let people interpret that how they want and the right people will stay in   28:44 my life. Exactly. So what are they? What are they? Let's, let's sort of wrap this up on a positive note. What are their positive things came to you this year, whether it be professionally, personally,   28:59 oh, I think being more comfortable in my skin at conferences. So I had the I mean, absolute honor. Like I was really overwhelmed with happiness at the private practice conference this year. It was just so cool to be nominated. And I felt so much more comfortable in my own skin going up there. I you know, there there are a couple naysayers not realizing there'll be naysayers that, you know that I had to deal with but going up and it was a small moment. But we had you have this rehearsal. I don't know if it's done the same way. For the nominees where they go, you practice when your name is called going behind the podium and then walking down the stairs so you know what to do when you're asked to go out there and give your speech. And I went out there and I did a great vine to my spot. And I mean, I was so happy I did that because I was feeling it and that's what I would do. I did a great fine. And I know that silly, nobody else paid attention to me honestly probably knew that I was doing it. And some were probably like, Oh, but I didn't care. I was like I am on this freakin stage right now, this is the coolest thing. And to be at that place of like more self acceptance, because I know I don't have the stereotypical personality and energy, you know, that that is normally accepted amongst the vast community. So to be more me in that moment, I felt very proud. I felt very proud of myself. And that was really cool. I'm really, really happy about that. And then I like Dan, you know, sat down and ate some more bacon, it was great.   30:46 Well, and you know, being comfortable in your own skin that then comes across to the people who are in front of you. So when the speech actually came about, I'm sure people picked up on that picked up on the fact that you're now more comfortable in your skin that you're more comfortable, perhaps as a physical therapist, and because you found you're not that you've, you've already had this niche, but you sort of found your niche. You know, what, you what you're in the physical therapy world to do. Does that make sense? Yeah, yeah. Yeah.   31:19 Absolutely. Absolutely. And I got a little bit picked on for being too perfect with my speech and everything. And I was like, I you know, in reflection on that, I was like, they just haven't fully accepted my energy. That's okay. Don't get there. Okay. That's it. Don't get there. I'm like, I'm a performer. So it's gonna happen. You know, do you want to join a British company dialect? That's,   31:47 that's a weird comment. That's a weird criticism. Yeah, but yeah, you know,   31:53 but I felt I felt I felt like I had to reflect to go No, I actually felt really good, because I've definitely put it on before. No, I practiced it to be to deliver it. Me as me. And now it's so fun. So fun. Oh, my God. Yeah, I was just that that was a big, positive. Awesome, awesome feeling. I work with so many people who are in the PT industry, who want to be dance physical therapist or physical therapist assistants and imposter syndrome is super real. And so I like that I'm practicing what I preach and self love. And and it's awesome. How are you doing all that this year?   32:36 I'm better. I mean, imposter syndrome, I think, for me is always there, like always kind of underlying the surface, if you will. But I think that's pretty normal. You know, the more and more I listen, or I read about, like, these famous people who are up on stages and in movies, and you know, people who think oh, they have no, they must be like, amazing. And no, they it's the same thing. So I think for me, accepting that it's normal has actually helped decrease it a little bit. Instead of feeling like, oh, boy, everyone else here is like, amazing. And I'm like the loser trying to keep up. And then I think, no, that's pretty normal, because I think everyone else feels that way as well. Yes. And then once once I was able to accept that it makes going up on stage, like, I don't get as nervous as I used to, and it's been. It's been much, much better for me even speaking. Like I was joking, I could say I now I shared the stage with FLOTUS, because at the future physical therapy summit, I spoke for literally a minute and 45 seconds as a spokesperson for the brand Waterpik. So Waterpik has these wonderful showerheads. And they sponsored the future physical therapy Summit in Washington, DC back in September. And so the sponsors got to go up and say a little something. So you have literally less than two minutes, and I had to get all their talking points in. But I also like, decided to make it funny. So I was just saying things off the cuff. And afterwards, everyone's like, that was a great bit. I love that bit about your parents. I'm like, I didn't think of it as a bit. But okay. But then the good news was afterwards, people came up to the table, the Waterpik table, you know, in the, in the hall area, and like the one guy was like, I wasn't gonna come up, but then after that talk, I had to come up and see what you guys are all about. I needed to find out what you were doing and hey, can you do this? And so, for me, I felt as nervous as I was to go up and speak be mainly because it wasn't about me, it was about Waterpik. So I wanted to do them proud, you know, and afterwards, they got so much great feedback and possible partnerships selling through clinics with 700 locations? And can we do a study with Waterpik? On wound care? Can we do a study with Waterpik on people living with CRPS and using these, like, and that's exactly what they were looking for. So that made me feel like much better and gave me a little bit more confidence. And it was also fun to be able to do such things kind of off the cuff. You know,   35:25 that's so cool. Yeah, I love that. You should definitely be proud. That's so cool.   35:29 So that was really fun. And then the next speaker, it was it. The next speaker a two speakers after me was the First Lady of the United States Dr. Joe Biden. So yeah, there you go. No big deal. No big deal. Yeah. FLOTUS. So that was really fun. And was that yeah, for me, I think that was a big highlight of of the year for me, I guess professionally, which was really cool. is cool. That is so cool. It was it was cool. Anything else that for you? Did we miss anything that you wanted to get in?   36:02 Yes. For the Yes, yes. Yes. Okay. I now live in Pittsburgh and and was visiting New York had a great time. I got to see Karen at one of my favorite salad places, although I didn't get my normal favorite salad, which now I'm in regret until I go back again, to get my favorite salad from Sweet greens. It's the kale salad. It's so good. Caesar kale salad. I highly recommend it if you're going and you want to save some money because I love to be cheap in New York. Okay. said that. Now I'm not sponsored by sweet green. I just love sweet green. Okay,   36:31 I know we're dropping. We're dropping a lot of like,   36:33 I know. Like suede. And also get Levine's cookies. Okay, yeah. When you go, I never have gone to the tourist areas. I avoid it. But I spent a lot of time in Times Square because I was going to see Broadway shows. And it's also one of the few Disney Stores that still is open. So I had to go in there. I got a wreath I didn't need but I needed you know, and Okay. Rockefeller Center. So I go there to meet Stephanie. Why rock as you and I didn't have enough time with your Stephanie. But while we were waiting, there's a whole show of lights. A GG know that you knew this that like it's with music and everything like Disney. I had no idea. What's the store that darkness said yes Avenue, Saks Fifth Avenue. And it's like castle and lighting. It was I was just joking. If you don't know, I love Disney. I love Disney so much. And this was a Disney experience. And I just we weren't waiting in the cold. I'm like, all bitter. You know, I just I'm not happy in the cold. So I'm like, and then the light show on Japan?   37:45 Yeah, it's spectacular. It was   37:47 so great. I had no idea and it goes up like every few minutes. It's quite regular. So if you like oh, we miss it. You're fine. Just wait a few minutes. It'll start again. i Oh, go see it. Go see it. Don't stand in Time Square for New Year's. But go see that that was such a wonderful, positive, beautiful moment. And, and just great. It was great. Also, there are a lot of great photographers in New York. So if you're visiting New York, and you want to get stuff for social media, that is the spot to get it. There are so many talented photographers you can get reasonable prices and and build your social media real fast. All right, that's it.   38:26 Perfect. Well, before we wrap up the year, where can people find you if they want more information about you in any of your programs? And also let us know what you have coming up in 2022?   38:38 Okay, well, most immediately, you're going to find me at Disney Land in February this year in 2022. Because I'm going to be there my birthday. If you go there on the 16th of February. Just let me know. And we'll like meet up with you. But no, I'm going to be eating junk food all day. So if you're expecting me to be held a healthy influence, I will not be alright. For me, I'm going to be continuing with my private practice, working with performers and continuing with helping people live their lives as dance PTS helping you on the business and treatment side with my dance PT program. But most importantly, because I'm always like I'm a performer and physical therapist. I'm doing all this work right now. I am getting back into performing which I'm really happy about so I'll be submitting a lot more which I'm just super stoked. I feel like all my work stuff is is being is much more easier to handle now I've got it down. And the systems are in place if you will get to audition more than I'll be a movie star just like that because it's so easy. It'll be great, but I'm really excited about that. What about you Karen?   39:55 Oh, that's exciting. Gosh, I'm not gonna be a movie star. Anything So what do I have coming up? Let's see, um, this past year I finished the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small business program, highly recommend anyone to apply to because it's really amazing. How many more plugs can we drop in this episode? And so I'm going to this year, I'm looking to hire another PT for my practice, right? Mm hmm. Which is very fun. Exactly, it grows, but   40:31 you're like, I'm not going to take all the patients. It's gross,   40:34 but time to bring on someone else. Right. And then continuing to work with just a couple of people. With business coaching, I like take four people at a time for me that I get it handle, it's good enough for me, I'm happy to do it. So that will open back up again. Maybe end of January of 2022. Because like you said, when you know what you can handle and you know that you can help the people who want to be helped, then it becomes so much easier. So now I feel like I've got this under control. I know how to split up my time and manage my time. And so I'm really looking forward to that in 2022 and we'll see what happens.   41:24 I love that. That's awesome. Yeah. Yeah, are so cool. I love what you do.   41:30 Where can people find you? Oh,   41:33 yeah, so I have the dance physical therapists Facebook group. So that's one specifically for PT so you will find me in their active conversations once talking about performing arts research all that stuff. You can find me at CSM Oh yeah, social media, dance physical therapists on Instagram. I am also musical theater doc on there. But I really associate people more regarding musical theater, not other pts. So dance physical therapist, is that and then on Facebook, Jenna cantor. And yeah, pretty much Jenna Cantor from Twitter and Jenna cantor. Yeah, your website. Jenna cancer, PT, calm.   42:18 Perfect. Perfect. Excellent. Well, Jenna, thank you so much for coming on and wrapping up 2022. And for all of your help and friendship throughout the year. I really appreciate it. And appreciate so   42:31 much. I have to just say that joke that keeps coming to my head every time you keep saying wrapping up. I feel like I should be wrapping a present. I just it's a stupid joke. But I just need to put that in there. Thank you. I said it.   42:43 Tis the season when in Rome, right? Yes. All right. Well, thank you again, so much. And everyone. Thank you so much. On behalf of myself and Jenna, for listening to the podcast all year and for supporting it. And you know if anyone has any suggestions on anyone they'd like either one of us to interview please let us know. You can find us on social media. I'm on Twitter at Karen Litzy. NYC and Instagram at Karen Litzy. You can email me Karen at Karen Litzy. Calm it couldn't be any easier. Or you can find me at Karen Litzy calm. We're super easy over here. So let us let us know if there's any topics or people that you're like man, I really want to hear from this person. We'll be more than happy to see if we can get it done. So thanks again. Everyone have a very, very happy new year and a healthy 2022 And of course stay healthy, wealthy and smart.

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, I welcome Drs. Julie Sias and Jenna Kantor to the show for our annual end of the year review. I also wanted to welcome Dr. Alexis Lancaster in spirit. All three of these incredible women are the team that makes this podcast happen every week and I am eternally grateful for all of their hard work, support and love throughout the year.  In this episode, we discuss: The ups and downs of 2020 for each of us How to deal with fraudulent Google reviews  Being a brand new mom and a private practice PT owner  What we are hoping for in 2021 And so much more!  Resources:  Jenna Kantor Physical Therapy  Newport Coast Physical Therapy Renegade Movement and Performance  Karen Litzy Physical Therapy A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode! Learn more about the Redoc Patient Portal here.  More about Julie, Jenna and Lex I received my Doctor of Physical Therapy and Bachelor of Science in Biology degrees from Chapman University. I became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association to better serve my wellness clients. I am also a member of the American Physical Therapy Association and Private Practice Section. In addition to working with my physical therapy and wellness clients, I provide consultation services for children and adults with neurological conditions. In my free time, I produce the podcast Healthy, Wealthy and Smart which features leaders in physical therapy, wellness and entrepreneurship. Fun Fact: I love the sun! I am thankful there are 277 days of sunshine a year in Newport Beach! From hiking Crystal Cove, sailing in the ocean, scuba diving the seas and kayaking through the back bay — there is so much to take advantage of! As your Doctor of Physical Therapy, my goal is to help you maintain your active lifestyle because working with you inspires me daily to get out of my comfort zone and try new things here in Newport Beach. Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT, is a bubbly and energetic woman who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. She trained intensively at Petaluma City Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Regional Dance America Choreography Conference, and Regional Dance America. Over time, the injuries added up and she knew she would not have a lasting career in ballet. This lead her to the University of California, Irvine, where she discovered a passion for musical theatre.  Upon graduating, Jenna Kantor worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years then found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life. Jenna was teaching ballet to kids ages 4 through 17 and group fitness classes to adults. Through teaching, she discovered she had a deep interest in the human body and a desire to help others on a higher level. She was fortunate to get accepted into the DPT program at Columbia. During her education, she co-founded Fairytale Physical Therapy which brings musical theatre shows to children in hospitals, started a podcast titled Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives, was the NYPTA SSIG Advocacy Chair, was part of the NYC Conclave 2017 committee, and co-founded the NYPTA SSIG. In 2017, Jenna was the NYPTA Public Policy Student Liaison, a candidate for the APTASA Communications Chair, won the APTA PPS Business Concept Contest, and made the top 40 List for an Up and Coming Physical Therapy with UpDoc Media. Lex is originally from the Finger Lakes Region of New York. She graduated from Utica College with her Bachelor’s in Biology and her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. She also earned a graduate certificate in Healthcare Advocacy and Navigation. She is very passionate about empowering the people she works with and is driven by their success. Lex has worked with people of all ages and her passion lies within the treatment of performance athletes and pregnant and postpartum women. For Lex, the most important part of physical therapy care is ensuring that every person who sees her is given one-on-one attention, a personalized treatment program, and a plethora of resources to ensure ongoing results. Outside of Renegade Movement and Performance, Lex practices in pediatrics, owns and operates her website design company, and is an Adjunct Professor at Utica College. She enjoys hiking and dogs of all kinds. Read the Full Transcript below: Speaker 1 (00:01): Hello, welcome back to the podcast, everyone today, we're having an end of the year wrap up. We've done this every year, almost every year since the start of the podcast. And I'm joined by Dr. Jenna Kanter, Dr. Julie CEUs, and perhaps Dr. Lex Lancaster. She is currently driving through parts unknown in Vermont, so she can hop in. She can, if not, maybe we'll get her in at at at another time. But I just want to highlight the people who make this podcast happen because it is certainly not my, myself and myself alone. It's just impossible. So Jenna has been doing interviews for a couple of years now, and Julie has kind of been on board since the beginning almost I would say close to the beginning. Right. Speaker 2 (00:54): I think it's been five years. Yeah, Speaker 1 (00:56): Yeah, yeah. So she's been a part of the podcast behind the scenes doing the show notes beautifully. And then Lex Lancaster has been on board for the past year doing, helping with graphics. So I just it's for me, this is a big thank you to, to you ladies for being so wonderful and generous with your time and your gifts. So thank you so much. And let's start. So what I wanted to kind of start with is kind of talking about our highs and lows of 2020. So if you're listening, I mean, we, we all know that 2020 has been an exceptionally difficult year for almost everyone started out okay. For most people and then really started to go downhill pretty quick. So let's talk about, and then hot, like even through this, I think it's also important to note that good things have happened as well. So Jenna, why don't we start with you? Why don't you let the listeners know kind of, what's been your high and what's kind of been your low of 2020. Speaker 2 (02:08): Hi mom. I just want to first give a shout out to my mom, like I'm on a TV show. So I just want to say hi mom, I love you so much. Thank you for giving birth to me that one beautiful morning or afternoon. I'm not sure. Ooh, 20, 20, well, the low, I would say where, Oh, I want to talk about this because I know there are other practice owners who have dealt with it and I was a I was bullied and harassed online. And and, and this was for a group in which I do musical theater readings. It's a great group. I it's, that I've run into where I get a lot of patients, but the majority of people I know on there, I just know through musical theater and just performing, doing readings. And there were people who did not like how I ran the group. Speaker 2 (02:59): It's just like any place. There are people who don't like what you do. So they go off and do their own thing. And I eventually made a decision to block them out of my life because I didn't want this small section of people to still be present and judging me. I mean, I don't know about you. I like to feel the love in the room, not the hate. So I did that as a gift for myself finally, which did was very good. I was dealing with a lot of anxiety, just even knowing that they were around. Unfortunately, I wasn't strong enough to just handle it. I wish I could say it was, but I was like, Nope, I'm really unhappy right now what their presence. And they decided to go after my business and write false Google reviews. I was fine with the public social media posts on Facebook and everything. Speaker 2 (03:42): You know, didn't saying mine, you know, denouncing me. I was fine with that. I knew they were going to do that. That's why I kept them in my life for so long because I was so fearful of the public humiliation they would be aiming for. But then I was very okay with it. By the time I did it, you know, you come to that piece. But to me, the lowest part was having instilled, dealing with it, dealing with these false Google reviews where they've never been paid patients ever, ever. So I think that was, was a big, low yeah. And, and knowing that we're all going through it. And it's a hard year for so many of us. I felt like I had less people I could talk to about it because everyone's dealing with so much crap right now. So I would say that was like a very, very low point for me. And I know people have had so much worse. So I do want to acknowledge that this is so minuscule. I'm lucky my family is healthy. My, my friends have been healthy during this very, very lucky, but that was my own little piece of hew, toothpicks as positives go. Speaker 1 (04:54): I'm trying not to swear. I'm doing a good job Speaker 2 (04:59): This America way to network as, and do positive right back to back. Speaker 1 (05:04): Yeah, sure. Go ahead. Oh, right. Yeah. Speaker 2 (05:07): Cause it is I would say is, I'm not going to talk. I'm going to focus on business since I was already talking about business. So I'll keep it on that. Was the different branch. My practice took every business in physical therapy has been dealt with some sort of crap if they haven't, I'm so happy for you. But a lot of us have really dealt with some sort of big shift and, and stress and strain and sleepless nights, especially at the beginning of this and some States it's pretty new. It's new for the practices. For me during the shift, I was focusing on expanding more in-person and then of course I started doing more tele-health and now I'm a hundred percent tele-health yes. I refer out if they're not appropriate for tele-health yes. I'm a hundred percent. I don't see myself going because one, I love it. Speaker 2 (06:00): And that's the first thing to the performers I work with. Most of them can't afford that in person. Most of them can't, most of them don't have health insurance. And then the last thing with my practice I've developed these wellness programs. Yes. They're injury prevention, but honestly, no performers are Googling injury prevention. They're like my ankle hurts. I can't do boots. What's up. So, but with these wellness programs, it's not physical therapy. It's the many humans out there in the singing, acting, dancing world where they get the help they need from a PT. And then they're discharged when they're, you know, quote healthy, but their body's still not functioning to where they ultimately want it to be. That's where I'm coming in. And it's great. It's this, these group programs it's really supportive. I definitely have my own jokes in there. I'm a hundred percent myself. Speaker 2 (06:55): If anybody knows me, you're like, got it. And it's, and it's just a joy. The bonding, the, the growth everyone gets physically to get to where they are is just, it's, it's been the such a rewarding discovery and, and a lot of work to make it happen, but well worth it because just I'm happy, man. Like when you really get to do what you really want to do without even knowing that's what you really wanted to do all along until you actually get to do it. That's what I'm living right now. So yeah, I'm pretty happy about that. So that's my positive and I'll take it to the bank. Speaker 1 (07:31): Great. Now let's, let's take a step back to not to harp on the negative, but because I think this might help other people listening. What did you do when you were like, Oh my gosh, I'm getting these Google reviews for my business. I've never seen them. What did you do to mitigate that situation or if it's even possible Speaker 2 (07:55): Crying and vomiting? Let's see. What was the next? So I, I vomit when I get really stressed out. That's a new discovery in 2020. I don't recommend it. It doesn't make you slimmer just saying. So I do not promote that. Okay. [inaudible] so I already have a lawyer, but I even, I contacted Erin Jackson who is a great human my lawyer Stephanie wrote in, but I just, you know, who do I contact first? Because I knew this was now in some sort of it's the physical therapy where we have HIPAA. We have so many things legally we need to be careful about. And as much as I say, swear words, and I joke like there's liability for these things. Like, but this was just how do I handle this? Because Google reviews specifically, which I was fearful, I pre reported these people before it happened, because there was no way to block them on Google. Speaker 2 (08:52): Not because they were going to, I was going a little bit in the Cuckoo's nest. Like, how do I keep preventing? Cause they're doing all this stuff fine on social media, but just in case let's pre protect, there was no way to, well, getting Google reviews is difficult. So here's some things that you can do by hand that are suggested they, you can have friends report it. And if you have friends report it, make sure you have a written out exactly where they need to click step by step, what they need to do. And, and boom bought a bang. Another thing that I did is I contacted the patients. I felt comfortable contacting, cause that is a thing I'm saying, this is going on. I've never gotten a review from you. Would you please write a review so I can get some actual from actual patients on here. Speaker 2 (09:38): So I did outreach to those individuals as well. Which was great in that sense. I mean talk about like, you know, unexpected, positive. So that was good. Then with my lawyer, which we're still in the process of doing so a little bit slower in the holidays. It also, I'm just personally, not in any rush because I got so stressed out about it that just like, I'm okay, I've got, I've gotten zero patients from Google reviews, so it's not the end of the world. But she's writing out in legal jargon, what I'm going to be now sending to Google to ask it to be, and it's according to their policies, why these are inappropriate reviews. And so that is what our next step is. I have not met with anyone else yet, but because of enlight of how bored people are, are during the pandemic. Speaker 2 (10:29): And they're putting a lot more emphasis on these negative things, no matter how small or how big they I am in the process of being connected with the lawyer, through my lawyer to learn when I need to do a cease and desist. And when I, when I know it's actually necessary, I still am getting a little bit harassed by them, but I I'm. I'm okay. I'm good right now. But I do want to know, and that I look forward to learning, to be able to share with people like, Hey, here is when you hire the lawyer officially, because that is a good question. Lawyers should get paid for what they're doing, but it's just knowing when you bring that in, which is a very big deal that I think should just be common knowledge. And then where we were able to get one review, Oh, there's also a thing after you submit in there's you can write a post about it on Twitter and you tag people with Google. Speaker 2 (11:28): I forget who you tag. You guys will have to Google it. You'll have to Google the Google thing, but it you can do, I didn't get that far. I also was so hesitant to do that because then it would take it into the physical therapy world at large of, Oh, what's the going down with Jenna. I'm like, Oh my God, like it's literally children who are upset about musical theater. Readings has nothing to do. Like, no. Okay. And then my husband was helpful. He was able to get one of the reviews down by reporting the person's profile. Speaker 2 (12:04): And that was very good. So that was one there's still two that have written reviews. There are three with just one star reviews without writing anything. And none of them have been patients. And we believe that they created two false profiles to put in two of those one star reviews. Interesting. but at the end of the day, they're not in my Rolodex of patients, so they're not patients. So yeah, it's been a bit of a journey dealing with it, but that's a little bit of what I did. There's not one way to do it. There are suggestions on responding to the person where you can say, Hey, I'm so sorry to hear of this complaint. I don't have any records of you as a patient. Please feel free to email me at because there's no conversations that happen within the feed. It's like your reply and that's it. And people can look at it. That's Speaker 1 (13:02): Actually, that could be pretty helpful. Speaker 2 (13:05): My, my lawyer said right now, don't just because we, she was like, let's just, let's just, I'm fine with waiting right now. You know what? The level of stress gets so high, it got real bad for me to be throwing up from stress is a big thing. So the fact that I'm not throwing up, I'm doing well is good. So I'm okay with it being a slow occurrence because my body does start to shake going back into that world, which to me is also just another recognizer of why it's important to know when it's time to block certain people from your life. If they're making you shake and vomit, because you're stressing, like they're just not meant to be in your life. It's fun. It's that simple, you know? But yeah, no, it's, it's, it's it's a very humbling, very embarrassing situation to be dealing with. But I have learned that there are, there are definitely a lot more businesses right now dealing with that, unfortunately. Yeah. I wish people invested more time in the positive stuff to raise up to be the positive changes that we want rather than let's just tear people down because in that action, the wrong people are being torn down. Speaker 1 (14:20): Yeah. Well, thanks for sharing that. And also, thanks for sharing what you did to kind of help as best you can at the moment. Kind of rectify some of that because now if people are listening and they go through that as well, they'll have at least an idea of like, okay, well here's a place where I can start. So thank you for that. Speaker 2 (14:36): Yeah. If anybody ever wants to talk some crap about what you're dealing with, I'm here for you. Speaker 1 (14:41): Yeah. Great. All right, Julie, let's go to you to your, your, your ups and downs of, I have a feeling that your, your and low point might kind of be the same thing, but I don't, I don't know. So go ahead. I'll, I'll throw it over to you. Yeah, Speaker 3 (14:59): Yeah. So I actually remember when we did the show last year, I said that I wanted 20, 20 to be more of a focus on more of my personal life and focusing on family and things in that direction, because in the past it had been all about my business and everybody has had challenges in the physical therapy world with their business. And we have with Newport coast physical therapy, we've actually come out strong. And that isn't really what I wanted to focus on because it's supposed to be personal. So I guess for my lows. Hmm. So me and Wade we've been together for 11 years. We had our 11 year anniversary. And when we're thinking about starting a family and everything, we were like, okay, we have to kind of celebrate the last year that we're going to have together. Just me and you. So 2020 we had like, all these things planned for our relationship. Speaker 3 (16:03): We were going to go to Switzerland, literally the day of the lockdown, that was our flight to Switzerland. And we were like, Oh no. Okay. So we can't do that. And then we had planned some things in the States, like going to national parks and all of those ended up closing down. And then, and then I I'm pregnant. I was pregnant with twins throughout all of this. So then as you know, I get further along in my pregnancy, it's getting harder to do anything just because pregnancy can for wound baby, but with two babies, it was just like, ah, I could give birth at any day. So I don't really want to be too far away from the hospital and everything. So I would say that for the lows, me and Wade didn't really get to kind of celebrate our last year together just as us and which is fine. You know, we, we, we made it work and did some other things, but I think that we didn't get to kind of grieve that aspect of our relationship changing. So that was a little bit of a challenge, but the highs, obviously Speaker 1 (17:15): I had my twins August Speaker 3 (17:19): In Westin and they're three months old right now. They are actually let's see, they're one month adjusted. So they were born two months early and they spent about two months in the NICU. So that was a little bit of a challenge, but given all the COVID and everything going on, luckily there was plenty of resources for my babies and they had great medical care and are super healthy now. So yeah, my highest definitely having my two boys, they're adorable and they're definitely a lot of work, all consuming basically, but hopefully in the next year, I'll get a better swing of, you know, balancing family life and managing my business and everything. So that's kind of a bit of a summary of my 2020 Speaker 1 (18:11): Now let's, let's talk about quickly for, cause you know, a lot of people that listen to this podcast, they're physical therapists and might be entrepreneurs, women kind of around in, in your stage of life who are thinking about I'm going to have children and what's going to happen to my business. How am I going to do this? So do you have any advice and, and what have you done with your business as, and I mean, twins, I goodness, but we should say that Julie is also a twin, so it's not shocking that you had twins. Speaker 3 (18:41): I wasn't surprised when they see that as having twins, I was like, you know what? There was a chance that was going to happen. Yeah. But I would say that for anybody that's in kind of a similar life stage, I fortunately, since my business model is pretty flexible in the sense that I can pick and choose when I take on patients, I don't have much business overhead just because of the, the mobile concierge practice model. That it's good for being a mom because I can kind of pick and choose when I want to take on clients. I would say that if you're, you know, the breadwinner of the family, that's a really tough position to be in because it's, it is really hard to balance everything because I'm going to be able to, you know, pick and choose clients that I want to see when I want to see them. Speaker 3 (19:35): And not everybody has that flexibility. So if you do own your business, it is a good time that maybe you could take a step back and be more on the business management side of things, where you can do things from home, from your computer and then hire somebody to go out and actually do the service. And I actually have a therapist that is doing some client visits for me right now, which thankful it's my best friend. So she's really chill to work with. But that could be a strategy that some people take on is that they end up doing some of the business management side of things instead. Speaker 1 (20:15): Yeah. So you're still working in the business. You're just not out in the field, so to speak because I mean, when you have a new, a new a newborn, I can only imagine that it takes up a lot of your time. Speaker 3 (20:30): Yeah. Every two to three hours, which, you know, if you're, you've never been around kids, I was surprised they eat that frequently. I was like, Oh my goodness. Speaker 1 (20:43): And you've got two of them, two miles to feed. Oh, that's so funny. And what, I guess, what has been your biggest aside from, you know, not getting a lot of sleep from being a new mom, is there anything that surprised you aside from how much children eat? You're like, what the hell? Why did no one tell me this? Speaker 3 (21:08): I'm trying to think. I think that the reality of taking care of a baby, like, I guess I thought it would be not as much of my time, but maybe it's because I have twins. I don't know. I don't know. I don't know any about anything about this, but it literally is like a 24 seven type situation right now. And I can only imagine for people that are going back to work at this point, because technically I've been off work for three months and not a lot of women are able to do that. They have to go back to work. I could see how challenging that would be. Cause if my twins were still in the NICU, so say I took off that six weeks of maternity leave and then had to go back to work before they even came home. That would be so tough to juggle. So it is a lot of work. Like it's the hardest job, just, just the physical toll it takes to be up and take care of babies. It's it's tough. Speaker 1 (22:08): And have you had pelvic health physical therapy? Speaker 3 (22:11): So I actually, haven't gone to a pelvic health physical therapist, not because of anything against it. I just haven't noticed any symptoms. Okay. So I do actually have a couple friends that are specialists in pelvic floor PT that I could reach out to. Maybe they would be testing me for certain things and be like, we need physical therapy. So that could be something I do in the future, but it's yeah. I fortunately have had like a very good recovery and haven't had to deal with anything on the surface at least. Speaker 1 (22:47): Excellent. That's so nice. Well, I love hearing your, your ups and downs and, and we should also say, cause I don't know that Lex is going to be able to come on here. Maybe we can splice her in later, but she did get married. So I can assume that would be her high point. If it's not, then she's, she's going to have some answering to her new brand new husband. I would assume that's her high point. And she also started her own practice in New Hampshire, which I would assume could, would also be a high point for her as well. And then what do you see happening moving forward? What are you, what are you, what are your goals, your dreams, if you will, for 2021, Jenna, I'll throw it back to you. Speaker 2 (23:34): Goals and dreams. Well we are moving to Pittsburgh. It's taken almost a full year, so I'm looking forward to moving there with husband and I have a dream office room cause I'm an actor as well still, and it's going to be decorated Disney theme. So I'm really excited to decorate and make my imagination finally come through and have the walls of tangled with the lanterns, hanging from the ceiling and have all my different collectibles up on display and my lights and my cameras and everything up permanently. So I don't have to keep putting it down and putting it under the bed in a New York studio apartment. I, that will be like Speaker 1 (24:21): For me, cannot wait, cannot wait, Julie, how about you? I'm definitely going to be going to Switzerland. Does I rebooked these tickets like three times and I don't know it's going to happen in 2021. I'm not from eight or tots with me. Well, yeah, go ahead Karen. I was gonna say I, if, if all goes well with 2021, I'll be in Switzerland in November. So you could come to a course, write it off. Oh my goodness. That's a great idea. What is the course? The course is only one day and if it happens I will tell you about it. Cause I don't think it's been announced officially yet. But it's just a one day course. So you can go to Switzerland, just pop over to burn for one day and then you pop out. Oh my goodness. It's it's the the, I think it's like the Thursday or Friday before Thanksgiving. Speaker 1 (25:25): All right. That'll be good. Cause the twins will be over one years olds. Okay. Throwing it out there. You guys, I will be in Switzerland. It's going to happen. Awesome. Well, I have to say Switzerland is really, really beautiful, so I'm sure you will love it. Love it, love it. I don't know. Should I talk about my highs and lows, I guess highs and lows. So I guess my lows were I think when, when everything happened here in New York and Jenna can probably corroborate this, but it was an, it was a little scary, you know, because it was everything locked down, nip. It, it locked down so quickly, but and nobody really knew what was going on. And I think that was a big, low, and I think I had, again, the sleepless nights and the anxiety about, well, what's what, what will happen with my practice? Speaker 1 (26:29): W what am I going to do? I see people in their homes, like you couldn't go anywhere, couldn't do anything. And, and so I think that, that, that sort of stress around that was definitely a low point professionally and then personally, well, my boyfriend and I broke up, but that's probably for the best in the long run. And then my sister had some health trouble, so it was a big sort of just like everyone else. 2020 was like a big sorta show. But that being said, the not knowing what I was going to do for work and being stressed as a low point turned into, I would say a high point along with Jenna is I started integrating tele-health, which is something I will continue to do. So now I do probably see half the people in person and half people via telehealth. Speaker 1 (27:23): And I love it. I love doing it. I think it's it's working very well. And I was also able to launch a business program to help physical therapists with the business and the business side of things. And that's been really fulfilling and getting nice reviews from that from people who have taken the course. So that, which makes me very happy because my whole anxiety was wrapped around. That was like, what do people take it? And they hate it and they think it's stupid and they don't want to do it. What am I going to do? And, and so, you know, you have all these doubts about like self doubts about what you do as a person and what you do as a therapist professionally. So I think those were, it was sort of a mixed bag of highs and lows. Speaker 1 (28:08): And I guess what I'm looking forward to, I too, am looking forward to going to Switzerland. And and just being able to travel and see people, like, I would really love to see my parents who I haven't seen in almost a year. And so that would be lovely because we did not, I did not see family for Thanksgiving or Christmas and probably won't until we all are vaccinated. Just to give everyone a little sense of that, like we're doing the right thing. So I think that's my, the biggest things I'm looking forward to is seeing my family, being able to see friends in person and colleagues in person, because, you know, we miss seeing all of you guys too, you know, so I think that's the things that I'm most looking forward to for 2021 is, and I don't, I don't think that things will go back to the way they were quote unquote, but I think that they'll be an improvement on where we are now. I don't know. What do you guys think? Speaker 4 (29:18): Yeah. I think having our support systems slowly return is going to be really, really fulfilling to just for humans. Like we love human contact and our relationships having all those kinds of slowly come back together is going to be amazing. Yeah. Speaker 1 (29:35): Yeah. I love the way you put that. Having our support systems back is huge. Yeah. Hugging. Yeah. I miss hugs. I know, I know one of my friends hugged me like a friend that lives here in New York. She hugged me and I was like, you know what to do? I froze up. I was like, Oh my God, what is she doing? Hugging is so good. Speaker 2 (29:57): Why my husband gives me time limits for my hugs. Cause I'll keep hugging. I love hugs and I miss hugs. I even miss the Wilson's a musical theater specific thing, but go into a musical theater audition and all the annoying screens of people reuniting with someone they only saw just a week ago, you know, cause we won't want to feel cool, but the people will see and know, but then we do it too. When we run into the people we haven't seen. Who's guilty of it. But yeah, hugging, hugging is just beautiful. Speaker 1 (30:32): Yeah. Human contact. Speaker 4 (30:36): What if on my flight to Switzerland, I have a layover in New York and then I can see you. Speaker 1 (30:45): Yeah. What is that quick? Have a quick one day layover and then Optus. Switzerland. Oh, I know. I forget. You're in California, such a long flight. Speaker 2 (30:54): You need to get pizza. You would need to get Levine's cookies. Oh yeah. And what else, what else would the food wise I'm thinking? I was thinking, Speaker 1 (31:06): Yeah, I just had, I just had a Levine cookie a couple of weeks ago. I eating live only a couple blocks. So the vain bakery was, it got really, really popular because of Oprah. It was like one of Oprah's favorite things like maybe a decade ago. Yeah. That's why they're so popular. But the cookies are like scones, like they're thick and gigantic. Like I got a cookie, it took me like three days to eat it. Speaker 2 (31:31): Yeah, no they're thick. It's, Speaker 1 (31:33): It's a lot, it's a lot of cookie dough there. But they are, they are pretty delicious. Now. You'd swear. We were sponsored by Levine. Speaking of sponsors, I have to say thank you to our sponsor net health. Speaker 4 (31:47): Great segue right there. Speaker 1 (31:50): Just getting it to me. So net health has been sponsoring the podcast for a couple of years and I'm really, really grateful and thankful to them and their support, their continued support. And net health has grown by leaps and bounds since they first started sponsoring the podcast. And so I'm really happy to see their growth, their Pittsburgh company, by the way, Jenna. Oh yeah. Pennsylvania company. And and so I'm really, it's really been exciting for me to see their growth and their movement upward and the fact that they are doing their best to help healthcare providers, which I think is awesome. And they also have, and not that they're telling me to say this, but they really do have some really good webinars. So they're usually free. So if you want like good webinars, business-wise they really have some good stuff, especially if cash based or non cash based. So I would definitely check out their webinars because they're all pretty good and usually free. I like free. Yeah. And everybody loves free. Okay. So I guess I'll ask you guys one last question, knowing where you are now in your life and in your career, what advice would you give to your younger self? Speaker 4 (33:05): Okay. I should be prepared for this because you know, this happens every single episode and did not think this question was coming at me. Okay. So the first thing that comes to mind, and I think it's important is that you should always maintain a sense of curiosity about everything going on in your life professionally, personally, I think that if you're open-minded and you can kind of think on things a little bit differently, just because you're not closed off, you might be able to see solutions in ways that you didn't think of before. So that is very theoretical, but I just think that that kind of vibe, if you maintain that sense of curiosity about everything, it can kind of lead you in new directions. What do you think? I think that's great advice. Speaker 2 (34:00): Oh my God. I'd love that. I, I I feel like I should have gone first because it naturally segues to what you just said. Oh let's Speaker 4 (34:10): Oh no, Speaker 2 (34:11): No, no, no. I think it's perfect. I loved it. I was like, Oh, you know, like for me, I get my best ideas on the toilet, but I still, I thought that was amazing. I was thinking the first thing that popped into my head was don't waste your time on the, focus on where, what your vision is for your life and put all your energy into that as it, and this is why it's like, why it's so good to yours. And now like the candles, I was like, Oh my God, this is perfect. It's so great for us. Speaker 1 (34:42): Perfect. I think that's both great advice. And, and I know I asked this question every time and how I would answer it, knowing where I am now in my life and in my career. I think that what I would tell myself, even like fresh out of, out of college is when it kind of goes along with maybe what a combination of what you guys both said. But what I would tell myself is to don't limit myself by what I see other people doing. Because sometimes like when I first graduated, I knew PTs worked in a hospital, they worked in a clinic and that was kind of it, you know? And so I didn't never saw that sort of broader vision. And so I think I would tell myself to look to people outside of the profession to help you your state in your own profession and seek out those people that have, that genuinely have an interest in you as a person and, and want to be a part of your life and a part of your success. Because I think I've fallen victim to people who I thought had my best interests at heart, and I'm a trusting person. And as it turns out they didn't. So I think really, I think as you get older, you sort of, you maybe, maybe I just have a better sense of who I am and what I want. And so I'm no longer kind of easily swayed and convinced by people who in the end don't really have my best interest at heart, Speaker 4 (36:28): But that's one of the qualities I love about you though. Karen is how trusting you are. I think that does serve you too in your life. So I think that don't ever lose that. That is something that it's, it's a gift and not everybody can be vulnerable. And I think that you wear that really well. Speaker 1 (36:46): Oh, well, that's nice. Yeah. I don't think I would, I'm not going to become that cynical of a new Yorker, but I'm going to, Jenna knows what I'm talking about. But I think that I'm just going to just be a little bit more discerning on the people that I choose to kind of surround myself with. And I think that I've been doing that more recently over the last couple of years, and I think that it has served me well, but that's what I would tell my younger self out of college anyway. Yeah. All right. So any last bits, any last, anything Speaker 4 (37:23): We're all gonna make it we're all gonna survive hopefully. Yeah. Speaker 1 (37:27): Yes. Rules. Yes. Jenna will be going to Florida next year because she missed it for CSM. I know, I know no CSM in Florida this year, but we did videotape our performance, little plug, Jen and I to have a thing at CSM on February 11th at 7:00 PM. Join us for our prerecorded topics on social media, social media. Yeah. Basically. How do you social media, mainstream media to improve your presence as physical therapist and then I think, but I'm not sure we might have a live Q and a afterwards at 8:00 PM. We're so clear. Speaker 1 (38:10): So we'll find out. So anyway thank you so much, Julie and Jenna and Lex for all of your hard work and all of your commitment and I love you all, all three of you. I was going to say, I love you both. And then a Lex, and I'm just getting, I love all three of you. And I really, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you so much. Thank you as well. All right, everyone. Thank you so much for listening. I wish you all the very best and, and fingers crossed for a better 20, 21 and stay healthy, wealthy and smart.

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Gabbi Whisler on anxiety. Dr. Gabbi Whisler is no stranger to anxiety and depression. After years of struggling to find her path, she landed on physical therapy and has been combining the two worlds together, the use of physical therapy to help treat and coach patients with anxiety. No system ever works alone and when the physical, the mental, emotional and spiritual can be all addressed, then that is when true healing can be found.  In this episode, we discuss: -When anxiety manifests in the career cycle of a physical therapist -3 practical steps towards mastery over your anxiety -Why communication is important to break down the stigma surrounding mental health -The future role for physical therapists in mental health treatment -And so much more!   Resources: Gabbi Whisler Instagram Gabbi Whisler Facebook Mind Health DPT Website     A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Learn more about the Redoc Patient Portal here.                                                                        For more information on Gabbi: Dr. Gabbi Whisler is no stranger to anxiety and depression. After years of struggling to find her path, she landed on physical therapy and has been combining the two worlds together, the use of physical therapy to help treat and coach patients with anxiety. No system ever works alone and when the physical, the mental, emotional and spiritual can be all addressed, then that is when true healing can be found.   “I've shared intimately my experiences with anxiety, panic attacks, alphabetizing, fixations, and suffering. Meds failed me. Doctors failed me. Anxiety controlled my life. I was drained, exhausted and defeated. I knew something had to change and I had to do it myself. I created freedom. You can too.”   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor(00:03): Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Jenna Kantor with the podcast, healthy, wealthy, and smart. I'm here with Gabbi Whisler, like give a little whistle and I'm so excited to be jumping on and talking about anxiety and if you can tell from my energy, Oh gosh, I never deal with that. What physical therapist deals with anxiety. So first of all, Gabbi, thank you so much for popping on. What got you interested in really focusing on anxiety for physical therapists? Why this passion? Why not just treating patients and focusing on the patients and their anxiety?   Gabbi Whisler: Yeah, so it's kind of an ironic story because I was out in California working as a travel PT. I was maybe four or five months out from graduation from PT school and I was miserable. I was like, I cannot do this the rest of my life kill me. Gabbi Whisler(00:59): I just can't. It was awful. And Andrew Tran, owner of physio memes is my now roommate, but he was actually across the country, I think in North Carolina maybe. And he was one of my colleagues that do travel PT to somewhere and I called him and I was like, Andrew, I can't do this. It's miserable. And I don't know what else to do. I just racked up $180,000 in debt. Like I'm supposed to love this. It's supposed to be great. I'm helping people but I hate it. What do I do? And he was like, well, what do you want to do? What are you good at? What would you love? And I was like, I honestly have no idea. So I had to go to the drawing board and really do some digging. And I was like, what would I love? And the very first thing that popped in my head is I dealt with anxiety all my life. Gabbi Whisler (01:38): I'm in a much better place. I can't think of anything better than helping other people to get to that destination as well. And I was like, I can do that as a PT though, right? And I called Andrew and I was like, am I even allowed to do this? Like is this a thing? And he was like, well it is if you make it. And something just clicked. And I was like, well that's kind of cool and ever since I still don't always know what I'm doing but I'm making the path to be able to do it. So it's a lot of fun. But I still, like I said, I don't know what I'm doing most days and I still deal with anxiety myself as well. So it's kind of this ironic but fun twist because that allows me to connect with my clients now on a deeper level than as a PT. Gabbi Whisler (02:19): I've never dealt with a shoulder replacement or a knee replacement or anything like that to really connect with my patients in the outpatient ortho setting or I've never really had like a major fall to connect with my geriatric patient, but to connect with a 28 year old woman sitting in front of me who's had major anxiety, doesn't want to take meds and it's like, what are my other options? And to show her how to use exercise and kind of monitor what she's eating and drinking and just a mindfulness approach to feel better is incredible. And we can do that. As PTs, we learned about breathing, we learned about reflexes, we learn about exercise and movement and it's a lot of fun.   Jenna Kantor: So I love that. And, why do you think there's the whole thing with anxiety and PT? I think this goes hand in hand with burnout. Gabbi Whisler (03:07): Yeah, it does. So from a clinician perspective or from a patient perspective, because it's on both ends actually, which is really focusing on clinician focusing on the physical therapy. Yeah, a lot of it is burnout. A lot of it is expectations that I don't think we're prepared for in PT school. Well I think going into PT school, we have this grand idea that, you know, we're a doctor of physical therapy, we have all this autonomy and we have the ability to almost do what we want. And it's really quite the opposite out there for most of them. Until we realized that we are able to kind of break out of that mold. But in the traditional setting, we're very limited in what we can do and we're dictated and governed by doctors and other clinicians and our patients and insurance, and we think we're going to have all this freedom to make this what we want. Gabbi Whisler (03:58): Certainly cannot always do that. And I think that leads to a lot of anxiety that that gap in expectations, expectations from other people and expectations within ourselves in there are aligned. And that's what causes burnout as well. So it goes hand in hand.   Jenna Kantor: Yeah, I totally get that for forgive the sounds, the grumbling sounds, I just want to give a complete, you know, story here that's construction in the building, not me being gassy. Okay. I just want that to be clear as we are all just massive ladies here for anxiety, for anxiety. You were saying, it's interesting where you're saying, I don't know anything about this, but then you clearly have a drive to know more in order to help other people. What is it within you that's getting you to help out other people when you are dealing with it yourself? Gabbi Whisler (05:00): Yeah. Yeah. So I know what it's like to be at like that rock bottom and not have any outlet. Cause when I was going through all of this, you know, dealing with anxiety, depression, OCD, I knew in my heart I did not want to take medications. I knew in my heart talk therapy wasn't for me. I had given it a try and I was like, this is just, it's awkward for me. And I never felt like I left there feeling better. So I was like, I'm not going to continue wasting my money. And it was one of those things, I sat down with my primary care doctor and I was like, okay, what's next? And he had no direction for me. And I just remember what that felt like. And now as a PT, I know. So I said, I know, I said I don't know what I'm doing. And that's true. I don't necessarily know the direction my career is going. Yeah. PT, I know what I'm doing. Gabbi Whisler (05:38): I know how to prescribe all of these exercises. But at the same time I don't, and I think that's how we all feel in our careers. So really it's not anything I'm normal but knowing that I have tools that other people are searching for, knowing that someone out there needs what I have to offer but I'm just too afraid to put it out there sometimes is what gives me that little motivation or that little push to go ahead and do it anyway. You probably deal with that too cause your niche is so specific and so focused and so high performance. I'm sure you encounter that as well too.   Jenna Kantor: Yeah, I get that. I get that. I hadn't really dealt with anxiety until after the conference. Smart success physical therapy like just this past year. And it was when I came back home and I have a best practice where I work with dancers and all of them were better, which of course it's great, but as business goes freaking out, Oh my God, I was just like, this is the worst thing in the world and we're, for some people that would be something to brag about. For me that was something to significantly freak out about. Jenna Kantor(06:55): Awful, awful, awful, awful. I do not recommend anxiety and stress at all. Not even a little, Oh my God, this sucks so bad. So that's my experience with anxiety and it's gone. I've gotten better with it over time and I think that has to do with really acknowledging taking action for myself. So for you, with people, what are your like big overall tips that you just, when somebody reaches out to you and they're like, Oh my God, I'm about to like, collapse my anxiety so bad right now. What are things that you give them to kind of help them out at that point? Yes. So like top five things or three or 20 I don't know what your number, I'm just saying numbers. Gabbi Whisler (07:54): Very first thing I tell them is give yourself grace and permission. Cause so often we can find ourselves to the notion that anxiety is this horrible thing and cause anxiety and depression are just emotions truly like their emotions and we so often label them as good or bad emotions in general and we always strive to feel happy and we strive to run away from anxiety and depression. The very first thing I told girls or guys or whoever I'm working with is let it be your anxious, like accept it and just sit with it for a minute and allow your body to feel that because your body needs it. It's very uncomfortable. It's very uncomfortable. It's like not butterflies, but it's like, Oh it's very uncomfortable. It's hard. Her own skin. That's the best word that I can think of. Like you literally want to run out of your own body. Gabbi Whisler (08:43): Yeah, yeah. Lots of you can have a moment. So that's what I was like, give yourself the grace to be human. The fact that you're experiencing this and then use it as an indicator. So like, so often we're controlled by our emotions and they tell us how to live our life. You know, when we were anxious we want to sit in bed but instead use as an indicator. What's this trying to tell you? Like what's going on in life? You feel this way? And beyond that, what can you do about it? So like you said, action, what action can you take to move on from this? Cause so often we let it paralyze us, but that's really when we need to take some sort of action, whether it's to talk to someone or maybe getting a medication or going to talk therapy or going for a run or lifting weights or like what needs to happen to make you feel better. Gabbi Whisler (09:31): And it's different for every person. So those are my top three starting points. I guess. Three is my number, but really it's giving yourself that grace, using as an indicator and then taking action.   Jenna Kantor: Yeah. Yeah, that definitely makes sense. When you're saying give grace, what are ways that you can, because it's not just like, okay, I'm giving myself grace. What are things where you could actively be, you know, literally taking actions, you know, like cleaning the dishwasher, you know, what are things that you could do to help you start learning what it is to give yourself grace? Do you know what I mean?   Gabbi Whisler: Yeah. So I'll just share examples of what I do in my own day cause I think that might be easier. But when I get anxious, I literally will sit with myself and say, Hey Gabbi, it's really okay that you feel this way. Gabbi Whisler (10:18): And I just kind of let my body off sit with it for a minute, you know, I recognize, okay, my chest is tight, my fingers are tingling, my eyes, my vision sometimes changes just a little bit. And I'm like, this is normal. It's nothing to panic over. This is my body's response. Okay. It's okay in the moment. Like it doesn't take it away, but it's like, okay, I know I'm not dying in the moment because often we do, right? Like, we're like, Oh my gosh. Gabbi Whisler (10:55): So I'll sit with it and then from there, a lot of times what I'll do is I like to have one person in mind for, you know, if I'm feeling angry, it might be my sister that I call if I'm feeling hurt, it's my mom that I call who's really good at helping me through whatever I'm feeling in the moment. And I always have that on the back burner and that's the first thing that I'll do is get it out because the more we hold it in ourselves, the worst off we get. And sometimes it's not even talking to the most sometimes like I'll literally sit in my room in front of a mirror and talk to myself. Jenna Kantor(11:46): It’s cool you can out like get it out. Like you did get it out in the universe. You know, before we started recording today, you were sharing something with me about wanting to just get out in the, because once you do that, you're more likely to follow through and take action and feel better about it. It's true. It's true. Like I'm doing this, I'm doing this. It's true. But I never thought about it in a way where you would use it as a tool with when you're like feeling it because it's like a zit that's dying to pop. Jenna Kantor(12:26): Yeah. So for you, where do you find in the physical therapists life with people reaching out you a common time when people, are you actually, okay, I'm going to actually separate this out. Common point in someone's career, whether it be student, new, grad or professional, where are you finding a real, like this is where it's happening a lot specifically in the physical therapy career.   Gabbi Whisler: The answer's kind of funny, but all of the above. So for students I'll kind of go through each one cause I think we all do, it's just a matter of like, so each stage will have points throughout it that are very specific when that anxiety is like greatest. But for students it's typically right before the NPTE or right before an exam, like a lab practical that students are reaching out to like, Oh my gosh, I'm so anxious. Gabbi Whisler (13:18): I don't know how to handle this. I've never really experienced anxiety until now. Usually that's when they're noticing it is in grad school. And they're like, what can I do? And then, you know, I'll try to talk with them through that. As far as anxieties go, a lot of new grads experience it. Cause again, it's expectations. They're in school for so long and they have people guiding them and now all of a sudden they're kind of fed to the wolves and they're expected to do things that they weren't, they weren't yet in their minds, comfortable with. And also seasoned clinicians, a lot of times they're like, it's either burnout, it's not finding satisfaction in their career. It's wanting something more like, not feeling, they're not necessarily burned out, but they're also, they feel like they're doing the same thing day in and day out and they're not contributing to the world in a greater way, I guess. Gabbi Whisler (14:08): Or they're not seeing, yeah, just frustrating for them, but also sad from an outside perspective. Cause they're still making a huge impact, but they're just, it's routine for them now, so they're not seeing, so it's not as fulfilling. They feel like they're very separate from what they're doing.   Jenna Kantor: Yup. Exactly. Exactly. Wow. That's powerful. Right. Because they're still, they're changing people's lives. Like every 20 minutes are changing someone's lives, but they're just doing it so often they don't see it. Where does shame come into all this?   Gabbi Whisler: Ooh, that's a good question. I think it's very specific person to, but probably again, that mismatch in expectations so they don't feel like they're providing the care that they should be for their patients and then in front of their patient, you know, they have to continue and be professional and carry on throughout their day, but inside their brain, they're like, am I really the best person to be helping this person? You know, we tend to tell our story ourselves, stories like that. So that's true. That's insanely true. Jenna Kantor(15:44): Yeah. Wow. Yeah. If there was going to be, I would say one big vision you have for physical therapists regarding anxiety, what would be your big like one day Do you know what I mean?   Gabbi Whisler: So this is kind of a far stretch, but I'll bring it back full circle model clinician because right now as PTs we can't treat anxiety or we can't treat mental health. It's just not like fully within our scope of practice. So myself and another PT are actively working to try to get PT into, there's a world Federation for mental health and there's other countries that are participating in and it's specific to physical therapy. So we're hoping to get PTs in that role because I think right as PTs were very uncomfortable with the idea of mental health because it doesn't get talked about in PT school. We don't really talk about it with our patients. It's one of those things we try to skate around as much as possible and there's some clinicians out there who are great at it and I think we're as a whole, we're getting better. Gabbi Whisler (16:36): But the more we can certainly the more we can start talking about it to our patients, the more we feel comfortable within ourselves talking about it to other people and opening up as well. Cause if we can't get other people to open up, how are we ever going to open up ourselves? So it goes both ways. If we can't open up, then we can't get other people to open up. So I think once we're able to, as PTs kind of get into this role just a little bit more, and it's not that every PT has to treat mental health specifically, but we find ways of bringing it into, because we know if someone's struggling with their mental health, their physical health suffers. And so if we're not addressing that, it's so true. And if we're not addressing that first with our patients, then we're probably not getting them the results that we need. Gabbi Whisler (17:22): But if we can't do that, if we don't know how, and that goes back to our own lives as well. So it all kind of comes full circle. So my big goal is to get PTs to be able to go to conferences at CSM, for example, and have a course, have a talk on the side of mental health. Cause right now there's very little out there for us. So truly but surely like nothing. And it's because we're so uncomfortable with it. So that's my dream is to be able to get us in that scope of practice and also show clinicians how to handle in our patients. And I'm hoping through that they see how they can handle it within themselves as well. And kind of tackle it from that approach.   Jenna Kantor: Yeah, yeah, that makes sense to me. Oh my gosh, this is perfect. Thank you so much for coming on. I would love to ask for you to just have your mic drop moment and this could be for anyone who may be dealing with anxiety right now and I would love for you to just acknowledge that person and just give him some big picture advice if they're really feeling stuck. Gabbi Whisler (18:46): Yeah. So, Oh my gosh, I have so much in my head right now. Start with the word you. So if you are feeling super anxious and having a hard time handling this, especially throughout the workday, my biggest piece of advice for, I guess this is the direction I would go, so specific to clinicians who are feeling anxious throughout the day. And I actually have a couple girls who I work with right now, her PTs and their new grads and they're feeling this way too. They feel like they have to compartmentalize this and they can't talk about it at work. Talk to someone like whether it's your boss or a coworker, someone there needs to know that you're dealing with this because if you continue to try to do this on your own, it's only going to snowball and then your boss is going to come to you one day and be like, what in the hell is going on right now? Gabbi Whisler (19:35): You know what, what? Cause your performances is often the way you speak to patients. So the earlier you can nip it in the bud and let them know, Hey, I'm dealing with this right now. I don't want to go into details. Or you can say whatever the heck you want to, but they need to know about it. And the more comfortable you get talking to your boss, the more comfortable your boss gets talking to their employees about it as well. So you might be opening up the door for another clinician right next to you because more than likely everyone in your building is dealing with some form of anxiety. Jenna Kantor(20:16): That's true. It's not talking about it. That's very true. That's very, very true for clinicians. I love that. Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for coming on. How can people find you, find you and contact you. Thank you.   Gabbi Whisler: First, thank you for having me on. But yeah, @mindhealthDPT, that's my Instagram and Facebook handles, so they're free.   Jenna Kantor: Got it. Wonderful. Thank you so much for coming on. This was an absolute joy. I think that this is going to be extremely helpful for people who are dealing with anxiety. So you guys don't be afraid to reach out to her. She's here to help you. In fact, you're one of many.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! 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On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Javier Carlin on the art of listening.  Javier A. Carlin is the Clinic Director at Renewal Rehab in Largo, Florida. He is originally from Miami, he graduated with his Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy at Florida International University and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association. In this episode, we discuss: -The difference between nosy curiosity and coaching curiosity -How to frame questions to dive deeper into conversations -Verbal and nonverbal signals to watch for during client interviews -How your clinic environment can help develop deeper client relationships -And so much more! Resources: Javier Carlin Facebook Javier Carlin Instagram  Life Coaching Academy for Healthcare Professionals Phone number: (305) 323-0427   A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode! Learn more about the Redoc Patient Portal here.   For more information on Javier: Javier A. Carlin is the Clinic Director at Renewal Rehab in Largo, Florida. He is originally from Miami, he graduated with his Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy at Florida International University and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association. Javier has always had a passion for health and fitness and his mission in life is to help you get back to doing the things that you love to do, pain-free. His goal is to inspire people to live a healthier, happier, more fulfilling live through simple and effective wellness principles; proper nutrition coupled with a great exercise routine and good sleeping habits works wonders in how you feel inside and out! Javier enjoys spending time with his family, he loves being by the water either soaking up the sun on the beach or on a boat! He is an avid traveler, enjoys exploring new places and experiencing different cultures. He also has an adventurous side; bungee jumping, skydiving, rollercoasters, cliff diving! For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:04): Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Jenna Kantor with healthy, wealthy and smart. I am here with Javier Carlin, thank you so much for coming on. It is an absolute joy Javier. As a physical therapist. He runs a clinic. What is the name of your clinic that you run? Javier Carlin (00:21): It's renewal rehab. Jenna Kantor (00:23): Renewal. Rehab. In what area though? In Florida. Cause you're part of a chain. Javier Carlin (00:27): Yeah, it's in Largo, Florida. So close to Clearwater. Jenna Kantor (00:30): Yes. I feel like the key Largo, Montego baby. What are we going to make it? I feel like that's part of a song. Right? Well thank you so much for coming on. You also, Oh, you also do have an online course. What's your online course? Javier Carlin (00:45): Yeah. Yeah, so it's a life coaching Academy for health care professionals where I teach healthcare professionals how to become life coaches and get their first clients. Jenna Kantor (00:54): Freaking awesome and perfect timing for that right now with everything. Corona. Thank you so much for coming on during this time and giving us both something to do. I wanted to bring Javier in because he has a skill, a magic skill that if you don't know him or you do know him now, you know, he is a Supreme listener. The first thing we did when we got on this call is, he goes, he just asked me questions just to listen what's going on. And I don't, of course I try to emulate it, but I'm not as good at him. You know, like I asked a few questions and I didn't deep dive as well as he does. So I want to dive into his brain and with this pen that I have holding and I'm going to part the hairs, get through the skull into the cerebrum. And so we can really deep dive into how your brain works when you are learning more about others, the art of listening. So first of all, thank you for having that skill. Javier Carlin (02:08): Yeah, no, absolutely. I honestly had no idea I had it until someone brought it up. And then looking into, it's kind of one of those things where, you know, I guess you have a skill. But you don't really know it. And then you try to dissect, okay, what exactly am I doing? Right? So, you know, leading up to this interview, I'm like, okay, let me actually think about this and reflect on what it is that I do. And what is it that I don't do? So that I can actually, you know, hopefully provide some value throughout the next few minutes. Jenna Kantor (02:40): Yeah, I would love to know. I think I want to just go into our conversation even before hitting the record button. What was in your brain when you first came on? Was it, Oh, I want to know what's going on. I'm just honestly like what was in that led you to start the conversation that way? Javier Carlin (02:58): That's a great question. So to be honest, I mean, I haven't seen you in a long time. We haven't spoken in a while. And so, I really, you know, did want to know what's been going on in your life? I've seen your, you know, posts on Facebook, but really had no idea what it is that you've been working on. And I always know you're up to something. So I really had a deep desire to really find out exactly what you've been working on and the people that you've been impacting. Just to know. I don't know. It's like, it's just natural for me. So, yeah. Jenna Kantor (03:38): You're like a curious George. Javier Carlin (03:40): Exactly. Yes. Jenna Kantor (03:42): Do you think that is a big base of it? It's just true curiosity. Javier Carlin (03:47): Yes. I think it's a curiosity and definitely curiosity. I'm always you know, really in tune with what people are doing. Cause I feel like it just, you know, looking deeper at it. I feel like there's, it just, I come from a place of always wanting to learn more about someone, deeply understand what they're doing and why they're doing it. Cause I think there's a lot to say about that. And it's very similar with you know, health care professionals in the sense that we're working with patients all day and we are truly, really trying to figure out you know, what's going on and where they want to get to and understanding really what they truly want the outcome to be when it comes to us helping them throughout, you know, our physical therapy and other rehab professions. And it's no different. Like that's the same, the same curiosity that I have when I, you know I'm serving patients I have with people in general. So I do believe that curiosity is a big thing and having the curiosity that's a, not in a nosy curiosity but more of like a coaching curiosity and really figuring out what's behind the words that someone is saying. Jenna Kantor (05:02): What do you mean by nosy versus coaching? Would you mind going into more depth on that? Javier Carlin (05:09): So, yeah, absolutely. So I believe, and this is, you know, there's a clear you know, when you're having a conversation with a friend, you're not really thinking about all these things. And then I think deeper into the coaching side of things, you start to think about the specific things. So when it comes to a nosy curiosity, there's always a story that someone's telling you and sometimes the story isn't even related to what the person is actually dealing with. So people use the story to kind of, let's see how I can put this to separate themselves from the interaction that you're having. Cause it's sometimes it's stuff for us to have conversations with people and really get deep down into our own emotions. So the story around it as you know, as someone who's dove into life coaching the story is actually at times something to distract people from that. And sometimes what I mean by nosy curiosity is that we actually get involved in that story, which has nothing to do with why the person is talking to you in the first place. Jenna Kantor (06:09): So it's like this superficial, superficial kind of thing, superficial thing, right? Javier Carlin (06:13): So instead of being nosy and it's the actual story and talking about the people that were in their story, we want to, you know, kind of separate that from the actual person and have a conversation about them and why that situation affected them as a person, not, you know, bringing everyone else. So that's what I mean by nosy. And he knows he's trying to get involved in their story and you know, getting involved in not just their emotions but everyone else's emotions and why they hate their boss and why this and why that. So it's really separating that from what they're telling you. Jenna Kantor (06:45): Hmm. I like that. Yeah. Yeah. Could you just keep talking cause I don't even know what question to ask next just because I'm really taking that in right now. Just tell me something else more about listening. Cause I know you came prepared just because when you're going into this, you just opened up a world of how much, I don't know, just from even that concept. So I feel a bit of the, honestly a lot of loss of words for it because just even that concept of the superficial versus diving deep down in, I guess my next question would be then when you deep dive in and you're getting, doing those investigative questions to really find out what really is the core of what's going on, how do you phrase your questions too? Because you're probably going to get to some real personal stuff. How do you do it delicately with them? So that way as you are deepening, deepening your listening, you're not invading their space. Javier Carlin (07:54): That's a beautiful question. So, I think a lot of it comes before you know, before you dive into that. So you know, you've heard of obviously you're building rapport, building trust, and at the end of the day, if someone's coming for help it typically comes with an idea that, okay, I'm going to have to, if I want someone to help me, then I have to open up to them. Otherwise, you can't really help someone. So I think, you know, it comes with that understanding and I think a lot of it also comes from coming from a place of neutrality. So not tying your emotions and your ideas and your thoughts and your beliefs and your opinions to what the person is telling you. Jenna Kantor (08:37): That's hard. That's hard. Yes. Very hard. Yeah. Javier Carlin (08:41): It really is. And, that's where, you know, that's when someone can actually feel that you're trying to either push them in a direction that they don't want to go, or that's where that nosy type of know feeling comes in, where they're like, Oh, like why are you, why are you asking me that? But I think the second thing is whenever you make an opposite, whenever you make a statement that's more of an observation or a fact Javier Carlin (09:08): As opposed to, you know, something that's a bit more emotional, you want to always end with a question. So as an example, a question. So after every statement you want to end with a question saying, Hey, you know, what's true about that? Or what comes to your mind when you hear that? Those, two questions allow you to kind of pull yourself from Hey, listen, what comes to your mind when I say that? As opposed to I'm saying this because Hey, you should do this or you should do that. Or you know, that came out like pretty that that came out as if, you know, instead of saying, Hey, you sound angry. Right? It's saying, okay, like what, you know, when I heard that it sounded like you, you know, there was some anger and what's true about that and now you're giving them the ability to respond back to that. Javier Carlin (09:57): So now it's more of an observation as opposed to kind of like telling them, or you know, letting them know, Hey, you sound angry. Right? There's more emotion to that. It's more of like, Hey, you're coming at me now. That's when someone can get a bit defensive or feel like their space has been invaded. But when you just state a fact and then ask them a question, it makes it a lot easier to have that conversation moving forward. I hope that, does that make sense? Jenna Kantor (10:25): Yeah, that does. That does big time. It actually connects, it brings it back to a conversation I had with my brother. I'm going to go a little deep on my own thing. I remember my older brother and I don't have a good relationship, but this is back in high school and there's a point to this that's not just about me, even though if anyone knows me, I love talking about myself, but he, I remember there was one evening where he was more of a night elephant, and we started talking. It was a rare time, was a rare opportunity when you just get into a deep conversation about life and anything and we were already at least an hour or something in and I'm just feeling my eyes shut on me. And I remember going through this like I have two options to continue this conversation to continue this conversation with him. Jenna Kantor (11:29): So I remember I had this opportunity to continue the conversation and force myself to stay awake and I felt like it was a very vital conversation. There was this little thing that was like, if I cut this off, it will be cutting off something big in our relationship. Me not being here to be part and present when he's open and being open to talking to me, for me to be able to hear what he has to say. Do you think that and it has over time now we don't have more. We have more solidly not a strong relationship. Do think there are conversations like that that exists that if you are not present and listening and you push it away too soon, it could actually cause damage to that relationship long term. Javier Carlin (12:33): Oh, 150%. Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. and you know, it's tough. You know, diving back into exactly, you know, what you were feeling and how you're feeling and why perhaps that conversation was maybe at that time of interest or something that, like you were saying, you know, you felt like maybe falling asleep. Javier Carlin (13:03): So, you know, there's a lot to it that we could dissect really. But yes, I do agree with that. I think what happens in many conversations especially, you know, looking into it even deeper, it's, you know, when people have make offhand comments you know, short little statements in between the conversation that you're having. Most people are quick to kind of just let that pass. But that's what the person truly deep, deep inside is actually feeling and really wants to talk about. Everything else is just surface level. So, you know, exploring those offhand comments goes a very long way. And that's when people really know that you're truly focusing on them. And listening to them and that's where you get into those deeper conversations now. Again, back to the story that you just shared. There's so many different factors when it comes to that, but I definitely do believe that that can have a massive impact on, you know, the relationship moving forward and with anyone with, you know, your patients, your clients, people remember how you made them feel and that really, really sticks. Jenna Kantor (14:19): Yeah, you guys can't see me, but I'm like, yes. Hey man, I feel like I just went to church on that. But it's how you made them feel. So then, back to the clinic, you could have say a busy time, a lot of people, a lot of patients and everything and your time is running short. How do you cater to these conversations? If you see that there needs to be more time or if you do need to cut it shorter, how do you continue to feed that relationship, that trust? So you can have find an opportunity maybe later to spend more time listening to them. If you don't have it right then. Javier Carlin (14:52): That's a great question. I think there's several different ways to do it. I'll speak to more cause there's a tactical way of doing it and that's, you know, with I guess you can call it, you know, nature and the relationship through other methods with text messaging, emails and all those things. Right. Where you feel that connection with someone and continue to develop that relationship over time through sometimes automated, you know, systems and or where you're actually just sending a mass email, you know, once a week where it can still actually help to build a relationship. Right. But on the other front, you know, with our clinic specifically the way that we do that, because we do work as a team cause we are, you know, we do have insurance based model. Javier Carlin (15:40): So we do see several patients an hour. Because of the team that we have where for us specifically, it's a PT, two PTAs and two techs. Once we have a fully established clinic and got into that point that is where the PTA is that we have actually step in to treat the other patients that are there. And if I noticed, cause there's a lot of so when it comes to listening, there's, you know, when people say active listening, active listening really is it's not just listening to the words that are coming out of someone else, someone else's mouth, but also painted with everything else that's going on the unsaid, right? You really want to explore the unsaid. And that comes with a body language. You know, a visual cue is a body posture. You know, the way someone says something, their tone, their pace, right? Javier Carlin (16:28): And obviously as you get to know someone, you really get to feel how they feel when they're having a great day and when they're having a not so good day. So, you know, not letting, again, kind of like not letting offhand comments go. You don't want to let those, the visual kind of feedback that you're getting you don't want to let that go either. So, when you do see someone that's in that specific state where they might be disappointed, angry, upset, frustrated, you want to make sure that you address that right there. And then, and the way that we do that specifically at the clinic is we take them into the evaluation room and we can do that because of the fact that we work as a team, everyone on the team knows exactly what every single patient should be doing and knows them at a deep level so I could actually step out and have that deeper conversation with whoever needs it at that time. Javier Carlin (17:20): We'll sit for, you know, five, 10, 15 minutes, however long we need, really to explore what is going on at a deeper level so that we can ensure that they don't drop off. Cause typically what happens is that when you don't, when you just kind of let that go, that's where you get a patient call in to cancel and then it happens not just once, but twice, three times, four times, and then they ghost you. So that's how we handle that situation. Jenna Kantor (17:50): Absolutely. Absolutely. I think that's a really important thing to put into place. So for clinics alone, how would you, if they don't have something set up and say they're a busy clinic and they don't have something set up where people can have the time to necessarily sit and listen, how could they start implementing that in order to improve the relationships with their patients and then they're showing up? Javier Carlin (18:13): Yeah, that's a great question. And I think there's so many variables depending on how the clinic is set up and ran. I believe that, you know, I think as you know, obviously as physical therapists ourselves, I think our first instinct is to always like go to like the physical, right? Like, you're feeling this way today. Okay, don't worry. Like, we're going to make you feel better after this. It's like, wait a second. Well maybe the person, maybe for those initial 30 minutes, they don't even need, you know, therapeutic exercises or whatever it is that we're prescribing them for that day. Maybe they just need to have a conversation, right, for 20, 30 minutes and just to let it all out. And those 30 minutes of actually just talking to them just because we can't bill for that time technically. That's going to be the difference maker between them actually seeing the results longterm and dropping off. So it's making that clear distinction and deciding, okay, what this person needs at this point in time is not, you know, to do a core exercises or to get manual therapy. What they need is to just have a conversation about what's going on in their world. Cause ultimately that's what matters the most event. Jenna Kantor (19:28): So yeah, true question. I think that was great. That was good. I just want you to know, okay. So then during this time, the Corona virus, what has your clinic been exploring on a listening standpoint with the switch to virtual to try to fit those needs? Like, I don't know, it's kind of an open ended question for you to interpret this however you'd like. Javier Carlin (19:58): Yes. So I think, you know, it's been, to be honest, it's been a challenge. And the biggest reason why is, you know, knowing that tele-health existed for, you know, the last year, two years, et cetera. And, has been existing, we didn't really make a push to have that as an additional service. So what's happening now is that it's like physical therapy, right? A lot of people still don't know what physical therapy is and it's not something that they necessarily want. It's just something that they need. Right? So, same thing with telehealth. It's something that, you know, now we're adding to things that people don't know, which is physical therapy and telehealth. And now we're, you know, most people are now trying to figure out, okay, how can we push tele-health without, you know, having any like, previous conversation about this. Javier Carlin (20:53): So that's where the challenge lies is that you have people who are, you know, the ones who do know what physical therapy is. We're coming in and you know, when they think of PT, they have this, you know, they have this picture in their mind because it's what they've been doing for the past, you know, X amount of weeks and now you're trying to get them to jump on to a different type of platform to, you know, provide a service that in their minds can only be done in person. So what we've seen started to do is we've started to offer complimentary telehealth visits. So the first visit is completely free 15 to 20 minutes in length. And offering that first, you know, giving the patient an opportunity to experience what it's like and showing them how valuable it can be. Javier Carlin (21:39): And then from there deciding to make an offer for them to actually purchase, you know, X amount of business. And typically, you know, your time is your time, so you want to typically charge the same that you would an actual in person session. But because this is so new, we have decided to offer it at a very, very low rate. So that barrier to entry is a lot less, especially in this time where you know, people's finances might not be at their all time high, or at least, they're not going to say, they're a little bit more reserved with what they're spending their money on. People are still spending money, but with what they're spending their money on. So that's how we're handling that now. A lot of, you know, constant communication through text messages, emails and just listening. Jenna Kantor (22:34): Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. That's amazing. Thank you so much for coming on. Is there anything else you want to add in regards to the art of listening that you think is a key point for people to take home with them? Javier Carlin (22:47): Yeah, so I think the last thing, and this is actually a quote from Stephen Covey and I have it here cause I didn't want to butcher it, but basically he says most people do not listen with the intent to learn and understand. They listen with the intent to reply. They are either speaking or preparing to speak. So that's it. Jenna Kantor (23:09): That's great. That's a really good quote. Sums it up. Yeah. Well thank you so much for coming on Javier. How can people find you on social media? What are your addresses on Facebook, Instagram, all the above? Javier Carlin (23:32): Sure. So I'm on Instagram. I'm at @drJavierCarlin. So dr Javier Carlin on Facebook have your Carlin's so you can just look me up there and friend request me. I do have life coaching Academy for healthcare professionals a Facebook community. So you can always jump into that as well with a podcast coming out soon. And I think that's it. If you want to send me a, you know, text message and just link up my phone number is (305) 323-0427 to have a conversation. Jenna Kantor (24:05): I love that. I love that so much and if you guys want to see or hear him in action, if you're in the group or even in his future podcast, you'll see from the way he interviews and speaks with people how he really uses his curiosity and deep dives and learns more and listens so well. Just watching him in action alone, aside from just even experiencing it yourself, you'd be like, Oh wow, he's good at this. I feel very listened to, thank you so much for coming on. Everyone jumping in, thank you for joining and have a great day.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Stephanie Weyrauch on advocacy mentorship.  An active member of the national physical therapy community, Stephanie has served on multiple national task forces for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and actively lobbies for healthcare policy issues at the local, state, and national levels of government. Stephanie is a nationally sought after speaker and consultant for topics on social media use, generational issues, and organizational membership. In this episode, we discuss: -Why you need an advocacy mentor to help guide you through healthcare policy -The benefits of being a mentor -The key to having successful advocacy efforts -And so much more! Resources: Stephanie Weyrauch Instagram Stephanie Weyrauch Twitter Stephanie Weyrauch Facebook Email: sweyrauchpt@gmail.com   A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Learn more about the Redoc Patient Portal here.                                                                      For more information on Stephanie: An active member of the national physical therapy community, Stephanie has served on multiple national task forces for the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and actively lobbies for healthcare policy issues at the local, state, and national levels of government. Stephanie is a nationally sought after speaker and consultant for topics on social media use, generational issues, and organizational membership. Stephanie serves as the Vice President for the Connecticut Physical Therapy Association. She is also the co-host for The Healthcare Education Transformation Podcast, which focuses on innovations in healthcare education and delivery.   Stephanie is a Passionate Chicago Cubs fan who enjoys playing the saxophone, writing and weightlifting in her spare time. During business and leisure travels, she is always up for exploring local foodie and coffee destinations.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:03): Hello. Hello. Hello, this is Jenna Kantor. I'm here with Stephanie Weyrauch. You guys probably know. I mean she's not any stranger to this podcast. How many podcasts have you done on this specific one? I wish I could say third time as a charm as we go. But I wanted to bring on the good old Stephanie Weyrauch however you want to refer to her. Or you could be like, hello, master or master, whatever you prefer. I'm going to bring on Stephanie today because she's actually my advocacy mentor. And I wanted to bring her on to talk about this because I don't think people realize this can be a thing. And so I'm like you want to come on, she's all, yo, let's do it. So this is where we are. And I wanted to open this up, especially to any student physical therapist grads who are looking to get more involved with the APTA and just don't get that guidance from someone that they trust and who believes in that. So Stephanie, why do you think I wanted to work with you? Stephanie Weyrauch (01:21): I think that to do with the women in PT summit. I mean I know that, I remember the first time that we met Jenna, we were at the women in PT summit. I had seen a lot of your videos on social media and you and I were friends in social media and so I remember I came up to you and I said, Oh, you're going to at four. And you said, Oh my God, you've seen my stuff. That's so cool. Sort of talking and I think you based off of your interest in advocacy and based off of, I think you knowing that I was involved in advocacy, we just started talking about it and I think that that's just how the hell, it was a really organic thing. It wasn't anything that was really formal. It was just like, Hey, we have this common interest. We know we both enjoy. I mean we both are passionate about the profession and I think that's kind of what led you to me. Jenna Kantor (02:12): Yeah. It's funny to say it's not horrible, but to be, I remember when I asked you, I felt like I was asking you to be my girlfriend. Will you? Will you be my advocacy is a big deal. I think this is important to bring up as somebody who's really watched to continue my involvement with the APTA making changes that I foresee that will be so great for its growth. I really wanted to bring this up because it's necessarily easy to find the right person. I think of it as dating. At the end of the day, there's a lot of people who will give you tidbits, but for somebody like you or I can say, Hey, I need to talk to, they'll be available to talk to like brainstorm or whatever, or even if it's just a hard time, get through a Rocky space. Just brainstorming, but that's extremely valuable. A lot of physical therapists who are involved, they don't necessarily believe in beyond that level where I feel comfortable to be open. Stephanie Weyrauch (03:23): Yeah, I mean I think that, you know, you make a really good point about finding the right person because you know, while people say that you can go up to anybody and say, Hey, will you mentor me? I mean you really have to build that relationship, which is what advocacy is all about, right? I have been a really good advocate. It's all about building relationships and so finding that person that you can be yourself around yet that person is going to be honest enough with you to tell them you know, the things that you either need to improve on. Be that critical feedback, but also give you that positive feedback to reinforce that you're doing the things and finding that balance. So I think that you make a good point about making sure that you're finding the right person. And my advice to people is if you are interested in finding an advocacy mentor, just a mentor in general, try to foster that connection. That relationship is really important. Jenna Kantor (04:27): I remember it was a process for me because now they know what they're doing. They have what I want and everything, but I didn't feel a hundred percent and I think that is something we forget. You just think they're amazing, but how do they make you feel about yourself when you're with them? Do they make you feel good? I've had conversations with you where you've started to get me, you know, you're like, I think this, and I said our walls, that's not where you want. It may have been with the step never on me. Things that were my specific goals and values about within myself. It's been very helpful finding someone who I can be me all the way, which is a challenge. Stephanie Weyrauch (05:28): And I think that that's an important thing for mentors is that creating a mini, you're creating a person who is their own individual person and has attributes that they can bring to the table to make them strong advocate or you know, whatever the mentorship relationship is about, you're just moving them along. I always think that, you know, being a mentor is even cooler than accomplishing something yourself because the mentee accomplishes something in that route. And you foster that accomplishment by, you know, facilitating their growth and making sure that they're connected with the right people. I mean, that's just as rewarding and if not even more, all the extra people that you get to touch in addition to, you know, your own personal development as an advocate in your own personal development as a leader. So I think that, you know, it's something that not only helps you as the individual mentee, but you as the mentor, it allows you to have a larger reach and what you will have just in your little bubble who in your own advocacy thing. Jenna Kantor (06:44): Yeah, that's true. That's really, really true. And it's not easy because like you mentioned earlier, there are people who many people say, Oh yeah, I just spoke to anyone. So you have to make a decision for yourself. Are you good with getting snippets of people and having a law or would you want someone that's going to be viable for you, devoted to investing time, give you that advice and guidance? There's no wrong answer to that. I discovered that I needed only one. Stephanie became Michael B wonder what would be a Harry Potter reference. Stephanie Weyrauch (07:30): So I mean, Elvis stumbled or of course not Baltimore. Baltimore does not. Definitely not. No way. Don't compare me to Baltimore compared me to the more. I think that that's another thing about mentorship that can be challenging is the time commitment. And you're right, you can have multiple mentors that you know, don't really need, that you don't really need to spend a lot of time with. But again, if that mentor is really into facilitating your growth, they're going to be, it's going to be okay that they're going to invest time. And you know, it may not be like a one hour weekly phone call when you see them. Like they're going to want to spend two hours. You can just catch up and see how you're doing. Or they'll text you or email you back and forth. And those are the men. Those are the relationships that are built on, that are built on exactly what you said, relationship. It's not just built on a normal face to face. I mean somebody that you barely know, this is something that you've cultivated, watered, and now the seeds are growing in the beautiful tree is starting to really fester to help kind of bring about that relationship that's needed to have that effective mentor help you. Jenna Kantor (08:57): I'm realizing we're making an assumption here. So let's answer the question. Why is it good? Why is it beneficial to have? Stephanie Weyrauch (09:04): I think that the benefit for it is because it helps you prep, it prevents you from making mistakes that most people make. And when I think one of the best things about having a mentor, you grow and become better, faster than maybe somebody who had to figure out along the way. Granted there's been multiple people along in the history of time who've been able to figure out their own way, but potentially they could have burned some bridges along the way. They could have had some set backs, they may have missed opportunity. And if there's one thing we know about advocacy, it's all about opportunity. And it's all about presenting your argument in the right way, at the right time for the right things that are going on. And so understanding that and understanding that, especially in today's very polarized political environment, making sure that you are approaching these issues in a way that is proper and in a way that's going to be effective. Because ultimately when you're advocating, you're advocating for your patients, you might be advocating a little bit through your profession, but in general, when you advocate, you make sure that people are getting great care. And right now our healthcare policy is very polarizing. There's lots of different opinions about it. And if you are with the right person and they're guiding you the right way, you're going to go about it in a way that's not going to be as potentially detrimental to the message that you want to send. Jenna Kantor (10:45): Yeah. And you're hitting on lots of great. Just like anything, any relationship that relationships, and I'm going to sum it up with a word. You could get blacklist, you can't, it's not like there's a horrible place. Nobody that made no, ain't nobody got time for that. But if you're a person who's constantly coming out like a douche, you're not going to want to know you. Just like you make me feel like crap. That's a thing. So to get, and it's even if you think you are doing something, you never really realize. If you might be cutting down on someone who was put in a lot of hard work, a lot of hard work for zero reimbursement for the profession and that has to be considered even if you completely disagree with it. Stephanie Weyrauch (11:40): Right. Well and advocacy takes a long time too. I mean, it's not something that you can go to one meeting and all of a sudden now you have a law passed. I mean it takes 10 it can take up to 20 years as we saw with the Medicare therapy cap to have something actually happen. And that's like a long history of that's like a, Oh that's a history in itself. 20 years. I mean I'm only 30 years old. That means that when I was 10 stuff was going on that I don't even wouldn't even know about. And if I don't have that historical knowledge and that historical information, how can I be an effective advocate? So by having a mentor who knows that history and can help guide you along some of those talking points that you have, because either you don't know the history, you're too young to know the history or you just aren't as familiar with the talking points themselves. You have that person there can give you that. And then when you go to advocate, you have that much more credibility. If there's anything that is really important in advocacy, it's first off, it's credibility and second off it's relationships. What type of relationship have you built with that person? Because if you're a credible person and you have a relationship with them, the chances of them actually listening to you when that app comes, who's a lot better than you're just random person that has no credibility, right? Jenna Kantor (13:09): Does natural delight is the things that I personally want to change just for voices, lesser known voices too. That's my own little personal agenda is the important part of this podcast. Very important part. Very, important part of advocacy. Advocate for lameness. So after answering, why do you have to, is it a must in order to achieve what you want within the physical therapy profession? Advocacy wise? Stephanie Weyrauch (13:50): I mean I would say yes because I don't know how many of our listeners are experts in healthcare policy, but my guess is that there's not a ton that are experts in health care policy and if you are an expert in health policy, my guess is that you've had a lot of mentorship along the way. I know for me, I mean healthcare policy changes daily and for me, how I have learned has been from being by people who I would consider our healthcare policy experts in addition to them giving me resources that I can use so that I myself can become a health care policy, not to mention really keep emotion out of politics and that is path of what advocacy is, is trying to present a logical argument that isn't based off of emotion, was based off of somebody else's emotion. That's going to further the policy agenda that you're trying to advocate for. And I think one of the hardest parts about advocacy, personal emotion out of the picture. Stephanie Weyrauch (15:10): You're there to advocate for your patients. You're not there to advocate for yourself in the end. It doesn't really matter what you believe, it matters what is needed for your patients. And so having just a mentor there to guide you through some of those, that emotional roller coaster of politics and emotion, individual politics with societal politics I think is an essential part of being an effective healthcare advocate. Additionally, there's so much information and having somebody there to help you kind of focus that information and help you figure out what you need to learn and what you can focus on is also really important. I would say yes. Having a mentor is extremely important. Jenna Kantor (16:02): I love that and on that note person who has been on this podcast now for this is four times. How can people find you if they haven't listened to you? Stephanie Weyrauch (16:20): So you can find me on Twitter. My Twitter handle is @TheSteph21 I'm on Facebook and Instagram. You can find me there or if you want to email me, you can email me sweyrauchpt@gmail.com but I would say the best way to reach out to me is probably Twitter. Jenna Kantor (16:48): Tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet, tweet. Well, thank you so much Stephanie, for coming on. It's a joy to share your expertise, to share you with others. Even though I want to claim you all. Stephanie Weyrauch (17:04): Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to come on. I'm healthy, wealthy, and smart. Well, once again, and of course it's always great to chat with you about something that I really love. Advocacy. Jenna Kantor (17:16): Heck yeah, me too.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Andrew Ball on rehab after COVID-19.  Dr. Andrew Ball is a board certified orthopaedic physical therapist with nearly 20 years experience in physical therapy. Drew has earned numerous advanced degrees including an MBA/PhD in Healthcare Management, and post-professional DPT from MGH Institute of Health Professions. He has completed a post-graduate fellowship in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) at University of Rochester, and a post-doctoral clinical residency in Orthopaedic physical therapy at Carolinas Rehabilitation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clinically, Drew has mastered a wide-range of manipulative therapy techniques and approaches via continuing education and residency experiences (ultimately creating and co-creating several new techniques). In this episode, we discuss: -The pathophysiology of COVID-19 -Physical therapy treatment considerations in acute and outpatient settings -Post Traumatic Stress Disorder among patients and family members -Functional tests appropriate for patients following COVID-19 infection -And so much more!   Resources: Email: drdrewPT@gmail.com Andrew Ball Instagram APTA Cardiovascular & Pulmonary Section COVID-19 Resources United Sauces Website    A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Learn more about The ReDoc® Patient Portal here.                                                                       For more information on Andrew: Dr. Andrew Ball is a board certified orthopaedic physical therapist with nearly 20 years experience in physical therapy. Drew has earned numerous advanced degrees including an MBA/PhD in Healthcare Management, and post-professional DPT from MGH Institute of Health Professions. He has completed a post-graduate fellowship in Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) at University of Rochester, and a post-doctoral clinical residency in Orthopaedic physical therapy at Carolinas Rehabilitation in Charlotte, North Carolina. Clinically, Drew has mastered a wide-range of manipulative therapy techniques and approaches via continuing education and residency experiences (ultimately creating and co-creating several new techniques). He is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) as a sports performance enhancement specialist (PES) and was personally trained and certified (CMTPT) by Janet Travell’s physical therapist protégé (Dr. Jan Dommerholt of Myopain Seminars) in myofascial trigger point dry needling. Dr. Ball serves on the Specialist Academy of Content Experts (SACE) writing clinical questions for OCS exam, as well as research and evidence-based-practice questions for all of the physical therapist board certification exams. Dr. Ball currently serves on the clinical and research faculty at the Carolinas Rehabilitation Orthopaedic physical therapy residency teaching research methods and evidence-informed clinical decision making, but also contributes to the clinical track mentoring residents in manipulative therapy and trigger point dry needling. His publication record is diverse, spanning subjects ranging from conducting meta-analysis, to models of physical therapist graduate education, to political empowerment of patients with physical and intellectual disability. Dr. Ball’s most recent publications are related to thrust manipulation and can be obtained open-access from the International Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. Drew is married to his wonderful wife Erin Ball, PT, DPT, COMT, CMTPT. Erin is Maitland certified in orthopaedic manual therapy (COMT), certified in myofascial trigger point dry needling (CMTPT), and has extensive training in pelvic pain, urinary incontinence, and lymphedema management. They live with their two dogs one of which is a tripod who was adopted after loosing his hind-leg in a motor-vehicle accident.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:02): Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Jenna Kantor with healthy, wealthy and smart. I'm super excited because I have Dr. Andrew Ball here who is going to be interviewed on COVID-19. Has anyone heard of it? Anyone? Bueller, Bueller and return to performance post infection. This is such an important conversation. I'm really excited and grateful to have you on Dr. Ball. Thank you. Andrew Ball (01:26): Well, first of all, please call me Drew. And second of all, let me thank you and your listeners for having me on. Jenna Kantor (01:34): Wonderful. It's really a joy. Would you mind telling people a little bit more about yourself so they can better get acquainted with Mr. Drew? Andrew Ball (01:46): I have been doing physical therapy for, I have a 20 year history in physical therapy. I've taught for a good majority of that time. I started out in pediatrics doing what I was told was the first fellowship in pediatric physical therapy and neurodevelopment at the university of Rochester, which has since kind of turned into a PTA accredited residency program at the strong center for developmental disabilities and then evolved into doing orthopedics. I hold an MBA, PhD in health care management. I went and did a post-professional DPT, but I got to sing. None of that matters really the salient point. And I think I'm using that word correctly. But don't go with it. Go with the pertinent point is that I could be any one of your listeners who treats in outpatient orthopedics who treats in sports. Andrew Ball (02:48): My passion is working with musical athletes. I started working with guitarists. I played piano at Peabody when I was a little kid, put that down and Mmm. And ultimately I got back into music by playing guitar, by being forced to play guitar because I was working with guitarists. And at some point it's like working with a football player and never having played football or treating dancers and never having dance. There's a point where there's a level of respect from your patients. You just don't have it unless you actually have, okay, I've done the work. You can't really speak the language. So I recognized that there were two ways, one of two ways to do that. One was to begin building guitars. So I started doing that. And then ultimately one of the guys that I built a guitar for who plays guitar for Carl Palmer formerly of Emerson Lake and Palmer in Asia. Andrew Ball (03:58): Basically he told me like, this guitar is great, but you really have to learn how to play or, yeah, I mean you really are going to have to learn the language of the little things like the posture and the whole, you can talk about holding the guitar, but you know, if you're a grunge player and you're playing bass, you've got to play that guitar and you gotta play that bass guitar and your name and it doesn't matter. Cause it doesn't look cool to have it in the right, you know, proper position. And the muscle memory that these guys had been in gals have been doing, you know, since they were you know, 12 years old you know, you're not going to change that. It's like changing someone's golf swing or if you're going to change it, they have to understand that it is going to be for a greater good. Andrew Ball (04:45): Like being able to play a 60 date tour versus having shoulder pain after 30. So, I kind of weaved and wobbled through trigger point dry needling. And I also teach for my pain seminars, but that got me into working with the Jamaican Olympic track and field team. It got me into working with the Charlotte symphony and I'm one of the physical therapists for them. But ultimately I am trust like any one of your performance PTs who is interested in that population and at the same time truly truly wants to help individuals that have a hard time finding care. And so that, is that correct? Jenna Kantor (05:37): Yeah, I think that's great. I mean you could go on for a very long time and I really want to get to the point because this man clearly he is a person to learn from. He has so much information to share and I'm really happy about this topic that we're diving into with COVID-19. Let's go straight into the point COVID-19. What are the effects that it has on the body that we need to start paying attention to? Andrew Ball (05:57): Like the first things that we have to just acknowledge cause this is going to be something new to us to consider. Right. So there's a lot of things that we need to consider. The physical I'll talk about first. And the psychological, which is a piece that we don't, that certainly performance, that's a huge issue, but that's certainly not something that most PTs outside of the performance training group really, really focuses on. So I'll start out with a friend of mine who was one of the first a thousand people to be diagnosed with COVID. She was in Washington state. She was one of the first 250. She's super, super bright. She holds a PhD in aerospace engineering or aerospace engineering design. Andrew Ball (06:57): She's a little bit younger than I am. How old am I? Not quite 48 years of age. And she was, is extremely fit very outdoorsy plays an instrument. So I just want to kind of walk through what she experienced. And this could be again, any one of your listeners on days zero, we'll call it before she was diagnosed. She was skiing I believe snowboarding, but skiing and had some aches and a dry cough and fatigue and experienced something that she had never experienced before that she described as chest awareness. Now your patients and folks that you work with are very acutely aware of breath. Andrew Ball (08:06): Right? So I kind of asked her, was that what you meant? She's like, no. I felt like I had to consciously think about every inhalation and exhalation that I chose. And that was before, before a diagnosis, but that was faint. She described it as on day one, which is the day that the fever tends to rise. Not everybody has a fever. So there's variability here that she spiked a fever of 102. She had difficulty breathing day two, that worsen. She had a dry cough and we should get into the idea of a dry cough versus a wet a cough a little bit later when we talk about the physiology of this and how it differs from a pneumonia. And had some GI dysfunction as well. And although we kind of talk about the upper respiratory issues, we also need to understand that the virus enters through the injury. Andrew Ball (09:16): The angiotensin converting enzyme to receptors. And, there's obviously the majority of those are or in the lungs, but there are some in the GI tract as well. They're actually all over the body, but and that's why some of the lesser talked about symptoms include things like GI disturbance and urinary issues. And in her case loose bowels by day three, that's when she had a virtual visit. And luckily because there were so few folks being diagnosed at that time, she was able to get a clinical diagnosis by that evening coded by Dave. Or that's when she went to the emergency department because she felt like she thought she had a pneumothorax. She felt like she was unable to fill her left lung with air. And they did a chest X Ray. Andrew Ball (10:19): They did the nasal swab. That was day four. She described it as touching her brain. I mean, it's a significant swap. /you have to go all the way up to the back of the throat in order to get right. Which is why many folks who feel like they have a mild case when they hear that they choose not to engage the healthcare system. And I really think that's a bad, bad, bad, bad decision. Because yes, 80% of folks are gonna have a mild to moderate case, but those 20% that you carry it to can have a severe reaction to the virus. That can be, it can be fatal. Five through nine, her fever began to break. Roughly day seven, she had a reflexive excuse me cough. Andrew Ball (11:21): She was unable to sleep. She felt like your ears were completely clog. She was coughing up blood and coughing so much that she had conjunctive like conjunctivitis, like that redness in the eyes. Day nine was what she described as noteworthy and describe that as intense exhaustion to the point where she had trouble lifting a spoon. She had trouble zipping up a jacket. And it wasn't until day 11 that she felt like having any kind of food or any kind of coffee. Now here's the critical point is performers or super, super attuned to the idea of I felt bad. The show must go on. I've got it. Push it there. And roughly day 11 through day 14, that's when the viral load is decreasing, but the inflammation is increasing. That's when people go on to ventilators. That's when people kick into this cytokine storm that we've heard of. Andrew Ball (12:27): And it's critical to understand that as a healthcare provider and certainly as a patient or performer, cause there have been a number of cases where people had mild cases and they push themselves during this phase a little bit too soon and died having had very, very mild symptoms and then took a turn as a day 14, she still had some difficulty concentrating. She was still exhausted. She found it exhausting to speak and still had a morning sore throat and that's considered a mild.   Jenna Kantor: Okay. Wow. So I think that's, that's important to understand where these people have come from. You know, we don't, well we can get into the idea of ventilation and whatnot before we do it probably makes a little bit more sense to get into this kind of case and how we would treat them coming out of this when they can have contact and we can help them. Andrew Ball (13:36): Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So kind of jumping forward into well let's take a step back before we do that. If you don't mind just into the pathophysiology a little bit, where would you like to jump back and forth? Let's if we do the pathophysiology, just because I don't want this podcast to be too long. Let's make it very brief, very, very brief so that way we can move forward. So I think it's important to understand that COVID-19 is not influenza, it's not cystic fibrosis, it's not pneumonia. And those are the diseases that when you took cardiopulmonary physical therapy, like that was the primary focus was these diseases where the airways would fill with mucus. That is not at all what happens in COVID-19. So a percentage of folks get acute respiratory distress syndrome and it's a dry cough. Andrew Ball (14:32): And the reason that it's a dry cough is that the airways don't fill with mucus. What's happening is that the capillaries begin to leak fluid into the lung tissue itself. So think that like lymphedema of the lung, which sounds horrible, right? So the airways are getting, a couple of things are happening, the airways are getting squashed, but still get kind of in and out, but the elasticity of the lungs is going to decrease considerably. And why she felt like she had pneumothorax. Exactly. So, the lungs start to stiffen. Much more fluid within the lungs in the lungs lining. So if you think of the lining like a balloon and having that kind of the alveoli, having that kind of consistency, normally it's as though you took Vaseline and you just slathered the balloon with Vaseline and then expect for the gas to exchange at the same rate in between that membrane and it just does a brand harder thinking of this and that. Andrew Ball (16:10): So the problem is not mucus. The problem is ventilation and perfusion. So part of the reason why I got very interested in this is there is a role obviously for quarantine workouts. And by that I don't mean, you know, our brave soldiers within our profession that are in acute care in the ICU and are turning patients so they don't get bed sores and turning them into prone for optimal ventilation profusion. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the therapist that the only thing that they're posting is information on what healthy people can do when they're stuck at home. And there's a place for that short, but I really feel like there is a role and a responsibility that our profession has to educate the public and to educate each other about COVID-19 and little things. So I started out just asking questions about what can we as physical therapists do? Andrew Ball (17:20): Right. You know, I went back to my cardiopulmonary books, you know, what is the role of putting people into a head down, a position that postural drainage. So they can get the mucus out. Well, newsflash, they don't have mucus, right? So that's not going to help. And it's not the best position for Benadryl for ventilation profusion. So that's important. And the other thing I started asking was, well, what about chest PT? You know, I was awesome at chest PT. I haven't done it since graduation, but I remember that as well. The problem with that, again, no mucus, the clear, the only thing that you are going to do if you are trying to help a performer with a mild case who is getting over COVID-19 is you will weaponize an aerosol the virus. So, you know, there were several folks that were suggesting that based on a poor understanding of the physiology and now we really have to retool and get the information out that no, the best position for somebody who has an active case of COVID-19 is prone because that optimizes ventilation profusion because of fluid dynamics and the anatomy of where the alveoli are. Andrew Ball (18:37): So I think that's important to understand because in performance, you know, we fast forwarding, we like to think about things like posture, right? Posture may, it can't hurt, but it's not going to make the huge effect that we think of. With some of the other respiratory structural kinds of problems. Can you see, Oh, taping can be somewhat helpful for folks who have breathing dysfunction and until folks get very, very, very far in their recovery process, that's probably not going to be helpful. When I talk about prone, these folks have been placed in a prone position for the minimum protocol I've seen is 12 hours, but usually it's somewhere between 16 and 18 hours a day and a 24 hour period to optimize ventilation perfusion. Jenna Kantor (19:35): Right. That's exactly right. Well, the other issue getting into the psychology of all this, Isolation, psychosis, delirium, and these are people who are in pain and I have a hard time taking a breath. Right? They can't have family members can't have family members in there. Right. So what do you think the impact of that is going to be when you see the patients six to eight weeks after the resolution of symptoms in outpatient or as a performance based therapist?   Andrew Ball: Yeah, it's going to be probable in more than 50% of cases, 54% of cases. It's going to have a huge mental health impact that you can see at least 12 months later as PTSD. Now, I don't know about you and the musicians or performers that you've worked with myself included. Andrew Ball (20:42): I don't think that we're the least bunch and you layer, post traumatic stress a top that and what you end up with if you don't understand that walking into the room with the patient when you do the evaluation or when you treat them is a whole group of individuals, half of these folks who are going to have behavioral reactions to everything from the frustrations of making their appointments down to frustrations with the treatment process. It's just going to blow up seemingly out of nowhere. And I'm here to tell you it's not out of nowhere. Jenna Kantor (21:25): I get it. When you're talking about the psychological component, Oh, that's such an untapped situation. This is also new to us. Jenna Kantor (21:39): I don't know. I mean I guess it would just, I mean, off the top of my head would just how I am with my people when I'm with them. It's just really checking in, just checking in, asking. I would just keep asking and being like, are you okay? Let me know if this is starting to freak you out in any way. I think that that's gonna be the big thing. Like I need you to feel comfortable. I need you to feel safe and has to just be that level of, I mean, which we always have any way, but a new level of thought process, you know, sensitivity where something like going, even prone could make them go, you know, and they don't even know. They don't realize they're doing it. Their whole body could just even just naturally tense up and it could just become harder to breath just because they develop a new habit to feel like that's what it's going to feel like when they're on their stomach. We don't know. Andrew Ball (22:28): Fortunately or unfortunately, there's a ton of research. Oh, I'm working with patients with post traumatic stress as a function of you know, I don't want to get political here, but as a function of endless military action that are had over the course of the past years. So there's a fair amount of information on that, but awareness is going to be critical in working with these patients. Going back to infection though the question that I get asked probably more often than anything else is when is it appropriate to begin working with these folks without personal protective gear? And the answer to that is, there's some guidelines from the European rehabilitation society, but we really don't know. What we know is that patients can go stealth and can be contagious long after their symptoms disappear. Andrew Ball (23:37): And there's at least one case study a well written case study showing that the symptoms that the patient can shed the virus for 37 days after they're no longer symptomatic. And the problem with that is that here in the United States testing is scarce, right? To diagnose it, to say nothing of when are you clear completely of the virus. I'm not aware of widespread secondary testing. And then some of the guidelines from like the world health organization suggest that someone needs to be tested. I think it was in China. Needs to be tested twice and have a negative result twice before they're clear. And if we're not doing that, then we really have to wait six to eight weeks. Andrew Ball (24:44): And that's why, because you're going to be long, long past what we know to be the longest reported case. Now whether or not your patient is that, you know, new one that can where they stick around shedding the virus for 42 days or 48 days, you know, we don't know. And one of the scarier things from a public health perspective for me is the recognition that this is an RNA virus, which means that it's going to be harder to create a vaccine because like the common cold, like the rhino virus it slips, it mutates quickly. No, fortunately that has not happened. Andrew Ball (25:49): But there is every reason to be worried. And I don't want to freak people out, but there's every reason to be concerned that if we don't kill this thing this year, that it's going to come back every year in a slightly different form, perhaps more contagious, perhaps more stealth, perhaps more deadly. Perhaps it will shed the virus for a longer period of time before we were able to begin working with patients, which kind of gets to that economic effect. I understand that people are hurting. I understand that folks have private practices and cash based practices that have limited cashflow and they're hurting. I totally get that. Yeah. I mean, you know, and folks go, Oh, you don't understand. You work in a situation where you don't own your own practice. Andrew Ball (27:01): Well, that's true. You know, I have a significant impact income from teaching. So, you know, I get it. I understand that the dollars are tight, but if you told me that if we shut down for an additional two weeks and we can kill this thing completely, I would do that even if that meant a significant decrease in my salary. And at some point, I think that, and I'm not saying that everyone is a clinical doctor in our profession, I've gotten some feedback for that. But as a clinical doctoring profession, I do think that we have a solemn responsibility to the public in terms of educating on COVID-19 versus kind of filling the Instagram space with Mmm. Lots of home workouts, which are important. People need to keep fit and certainly keep their minds going while they're in quarantine. Andrew Ball (28:10): The problem is that there's so many outpatient private practice, cash based PTs that have a such a voice on Instagram that some of this information about just the mechanics of the disease, the physiology of the disease, how long you need to wait in order to protect yourself and your patient from either reinfection or infecting others just isn't pushing through. So, once again, thank you for allowing me to come on this podcast because I do think that those of us who have a voice in that space have an obligation to get some of this information. Jenna Kantor (28:57): Wow. Yeah. Yeah. It really, it is very valuable. I want to actually dive in, even though we've been going for a while, I think it is important to dive into now somebody who had the ventilator. Yeah. I think that, that we can't overlook that. There will be some people who've been that unfortunate. So could you talk about what that means with somebody who has been fortunate to recover from such a horrific. Andrew Ball (29:28): Sure. So, as I said, about 80% of patients are going to have a mild to moderate and they won't be hospitalized. They may, because of the stress and strain on their lungs, they may develop pneumonia, so they may actually end up, you know, having secondary sputum. But those are folks who, even with the pneumonia are going to have something that we consider a fairly mild case. 20% are going to be severe to critical. And the severe group are the ones who are going to have dyspnea. They're the ones who are going to have rapid breathing that's defined as more than 30 per minute. Their oxygen saturation is going to drop to 93%, and they'll have on a cat scan, you'll be able to see lung infiltrate. That looks like kind of a grounded glass appearance of about 50%. Andrew Ball (30:30): So, and then you've got 14% that are severe that fit that classification and about 6% that are critical. And that's respiratory failure, septic shock, multiorgan failure. And within that group, okay 20%, about 25%, we'll end up in the intensive care unit most of which or many of which will end up on a ventilator. And if you end up in the ICU on a ventilator, your chance of survival is about 50%. So what tends to happen with that ventilated population is on roughly about day 14 we talked about how the viral load increases and then decreases while the inflammation increases. Well as the inflammation in the lung increases okay. A percentage of those folks, as I said, will end up roughly around day 15 needing to be ventilated for about four to five days. And half of them will come off and half of them will not. So the people who come off their recovery. So their recovery we don't, again, there haven't been a ton of folks, so we don't know a ton. What we do know is that in severe cases, there's going to be ICU acquired muscle weakness. They're going to have a severe loss of lung function, a severe loss of muscle mass. Andrew Ball (32:16): Yeah, we're getting younger too, but just as things been saying percentages. Yeah. neuropathy, myopathy. The good news is, is that we can begin to protect recovery. And the greatest, what we know is that the greatest amount in physical function will be seen. If the patient falls into acute respiratory failure, we'll see that within roughly the first two months of discharged. So that gives us some kind of a gauge. In addition the degree of disability at about a week after discharge determines the one year mortality and recovery trajectory of that individual. So we have some guidelines as far as that's concerned from acute respiratory distress syndrome, right? So that's not necessarily coded, but we believe that we can extrapolate in general what we haven't talked about is the impact on them. Andrew Ball (33:30): And the fact that about 30% of family members of individuals with acute respiratory syndrome end up with PTSD. So now you have this group, we're 50% of folks who have been in the ICU have PTSD and 30% those folks have family members who have PTSD. How do you think that's going to go down or like, a lot of them can't go into the hospital, but they can do a FaceTime video. So what they get to see in that FaceTime video with their loved ones in the hospital, I'm talking about after they're discharged. I'm talking about later. Yeah. No, but I'm just saying the family members with the person, I'm like their interaction. That's what I'm referring to, their reaction with it. If you're prone for 16 to 18 hours a day, right? Jenna Kantor (34:07): Yeah. So what do you do with these folks when you finally see them? Right. So you're going to have chocolate. Chocolate makes people happy. Right? It's funny, it's funny you say that. I'm doing a webinar with some some other instructors that I teach with and we're kind of talking about the format. And I'm a huge fan of the old school. I love the daily show, but I'm a huge fan of the old daily show with Craig Kilborne. He used to do the thing where he would like ask opinion questions. I'll ask you Reese's pieces or M&Ms no, I'm sorry. The correct answer is eminence. No, I'm sorry you were wrong. No, I would agree. But that's what he would say. Jenna Kantor (35:13): He would end with those kinds of questions. Kind of like his version of the James Lipton kind of five questions. What do you hope that God says when you die anyway, we're getting off track. So what I'd like to kind of go through is you're going to have folks that have worked with you in the past. They are post infection. Ah, they’re your dancers, they're your musicians in the pit. They're your directors. They're your loved ones that are going to refuse to see anyone. But yeah.   Andrew Ball: Right. And of those folks, you're going to need to know what to, you know, what to do. I would say if you hear nothing else from me, remember your vitals and there's, it has to be a Renaissance now of taking heart rate, taking respiratory rate, taking oxygen saturation, taking blood pressure with every patient. Andrew Ball (36:12): The functional tests that we're probably gonna have to start using are things like ambulatory distance, which is going to be severely decreased. We'll be lucky if some of these folks are able to walk 300 feet. Some of them, right, if they're severely impaired. You know, that's not far enough to get from your car to a doctor's office. You normally need about 500 feet for that to say nothing of getting back to your daily life and doing your own grocery shopping with which you need at a super target or R or Walmart, you need a good half mile, you need a good 2,500, 2,500 feet. But things like the five times sit to stand test or test that we're going to need to brush up on the six minute walk test. Fortunately we can remote monitor some of those things. Andrew Ball (37:05): Tele-Health isn't just you know, getting on a zoom call with somebody tele health, we need to think of that in an expanded way, right? There's apps that will allow for you to do a six minute walk test or your patient to do a six minute walk test and then send you those results remotely from there, from their app. Some folks aren't going to be able to walk for six minutes, right? So at that point we're going to have to back up into feet per second or four meters per second. And we have some metrics for that. You know, we know that somebody who's under 70 at a normal walking pace should be able to walk a good 2,500 feet at a 4.0 feet per second. So, you know, somebody comes in completely deconditioned and they're walking 1.5 feet per second for 500 feet. We've got some work to do. Jenna Kantor (38:36): Yeah, totally. Yeah. You know, don't forget about deep breathing, deep dive. And I don't just mean you know the breath, but I mean the breadth, I mean the deep diaphragmatic breathing, bringing it all the way down into your belly, your performers should be well for those dancers who sing, that's huge. That's so huge to reconnect with it, even though that may seem so basic with them before, but have they caught the disease. And, for sure to make sure that starts to get all connected and back in check and not a stressful Andrew Ball (38:43): Right. You know, and then I look into things that, Mmm, that as I've spoken with some cardiopulmonary specialist, you know, all of this comes from the European rehab society. I also want to plug the American physical therapy association. I shouldn't have done this at the very top of the of the discussion. But the pacer project, the post acute  COVID-19 exercise and rehabilitation program, it is completely free, but it's time intensive. Mmm. You know, they've tried to break things down into 45 minutes or hour and a half lectures, but there's like eight or 10 of them. You don't have to watch all of them. It's free. If you want to get the certification and the CEO's is fine, go through the APTA learning center, but they've put everything up on YouTube and all you have to do is search APTA cardiovascular section and you'll get the the literature. I think a lot of orthopedic sports performance based PTs they're really tech savvy and they kind of want to get the information through podcasts or a like a one hour presentation. So that's, well, essentially what I'm trying to do is to translate. Jenna Kantor (40:08): That's what's so great. I mean I'm going to be sharing this in groups as well to keep spreading the information, which is absolutely wonderful. This is good. Andrew Ball (40:21): Well, I do add in a couple of things that I've kind of brought to there. Okay. So some of their attention and because they're kind of case study oriented, they're like, well, we're really not teaching that. But particularly for it can't hurt. And particularly for performers humming and I don't mean like humming a song. I mean a long, deep droning Andrew Ball (40:52): There's evidence to suggest that it temporarily increases carbon dioxide and it temporarily increases nitric oxide. And in so doing leads to temporary base or dilation, so it can't hurt. I don't know how long it actually lasts. Certainly the deep breathing and increasing walking distance and walking speed is more important. But if you're bored and have nothing else to do while you're in quarantine humming is probably not thinkers would appreciate that. Jenna Kantor (41:28): They'd be like, yeah, for sure. That will be a vocal way for them to get that all connected. Also nasal, yeah, there's a lot of stuff with training and staying vocally fit, if you will. So that would actually speak to there values. Andrew Ball (41:44): Yeah. Yeah. I could go into a lot more here. I just want to make sure that that folks have a good kind basic understanding here. You know, we've heard, you know, wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. So I'll make a plug for wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. And even in some other countries where the health care workers understood the severity of COVID-19 the healthcare workers seem to be a risk to themselves because they didn't properly and thoroughly and frequently wash their hands. I would say whatever you think you're doing, it's probably not enough. Okay. The other thing that I would say about the hand sanitizers that we tend to use the world health organization and FDA suggest 75 to 80% alcohol. Andrew Ball (42:50): And that is not what most clinics have. Most have like the foam sanitizer or the like the Purell, which is 60%. Okay. You know, plugging performers amazing, okay. Guitarists, my performance Buddha and spirit animal is Ron Bumblefoot fall who is in the band spun. Do you know who that is? No, it's not the name. He's in sons of Apollo. He was the lead vocalist for Asia this last tour. And those of you who love guns and roses he was the guitarist the main guitarist on the last guns and roses album. Chinese democracy is ridiculous as a player and he's amazing as a teacher as well in any of that. He also has a line of hot sauce and one of the, and I just love when performers do this and kind of take responsibility for the position that we're in, but a Unitedsauces.com which is the distributor that he works with has retooled one of their lines to put out hand sanitizer that is 75 to 80% alcohol. Andrew Ball (44:20): So that will in fact kill the Corona virus. So, Mmm. Great. Local company here in Charlotte. Highly, highly recommend and plugged them. Hey, you want to support a performer you know, during these times. And the last thing that I will leave folks with is as you are working with patients post infection, ask yourself, do you need to put your hands on this patient? Can this be done remotely? And I'm really more talking you know, it really more talking to the folks who do outpatient work, who have their own side hustle who do work in a healthcare system who are going to be pulled inpatient, right? You know, either somewhere like New York city where you are. And folks have to be kind of pulled in, you know, right down to the rural hospital you know, in the middle of nowhere. Andrew Ball (45:32): And there's two physical therapists, one inpatient, one outpatient, and they need help working because now they have more folks that are getting ill. You know, really ask the question, both inpatient in your cash practice, in your private practice for the sake of killing this thing. And for the sake of decreasing whether or not you're a force vector, do you need to provide that treatment? And is there someone else who can be your hands? Can you delegate that to a nurse? Can you delegate that to a family member? I really think that we're going to a friend of mine who runs another podcast Adam Meakins, has been talking about physical therapy in terms of AC DC during COVID and after COVID. And I really think that all areas of practice are going to change as a result ranging from the little things that I just talked about, you know, having to do vital signs with everybody right down to really asking the question, can I go from an interdisciplinary model of care to a transdisciplinary model of care? Andrew Ball (46:58): Can I let go of that professional boundary and ego. And I know that a lot of my contemporaries are not going to be comfortable with that. I think we have to be secure in the knowledge that we have more than the hands that we place on people. It's all important, but I do think that there's going to be a paradigm shift. Jenna Kantor (47:30): I love it. Thank you. So, for coming on, Drew, this was an absolute joy. Where can people find you and reach out to you either on social media or email? Andrew Ball (47:39): Well they can reach out to me. I'm on Instagram @drdrewPT. They can email me at drdrewPT@gmail.com. If I don't respond, I have a ton of spam filters. So don't be shy about reaching out to me through social media. But I really want to make it clear. I'm not the expert here. The true experts, you know, are people like Steve Tepper Ellen Hilda grass Angela a beta Campbell Telia polic you know, these are the folks that we really should be talking to are Eric. And if you really want more information, I'm happy to direct people to it. Jenna Kantor (48:37): That is helpful. Yeah, absolutely. Andrew Ball (48:39): The Easter projects, the post acute COVID-19 exercise rehabilitation project is really where folks want to go for more in depth information from physiology to post acute through the entire spectrum of post acute care. Jenna Kantor (49:00): Absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming on. You guys give a big shout out to him if you have seen this, just so he can really see how he has impacted so many. Thank you so much for coming on, Drew. Have a great day, everyone.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Dr. Lex Lancaster on student loans. Dr. Lex Lancaster is a Doctor of Physical Therapy with a passion for performance, pelvic, and pediatric PT. Lex Lancaster also designs websites for health and wellness practitioners. In this episode, we discuss: -Lex’s experience navigating loan repayment as a new graduate -Considerations for pre-DPT students when applying to schools -Helpful tips to start tackling your student loan debt -And so much more! Resources: Email: AlexisLancasterpt@gmail.com Lex Lancaster Twitter FitBUX Website  Lex Lancaster Website   A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Learn more about Four Ways That Outpatient Therapy Providers Can Increase Patient Engagement in 2020!                                                                      For more information on Lex: Alexis Lancaster is the graphic designer on the Healthy Wealthy and Smart podcast. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology, a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Advocacy and Navigation, and graduated with her Doctor of Physical Therapy program at Utica College in Utica, NY. Lex would love to begin her career as a traveling physical therapist and hopes to eventually settle down in New Hampshire, where she aspires to open her own gym-based clinic and become a professor at a local college. She loves working with the pediatric population and has a passion for prevention and wellness across the lifespan. Lex also enjoys hiking, CrossFit, photography, traveling, and spending time with her close family and friends. She recently started her own graphic design business and would love to work with you if you have any design needs. Visit www.lexlancaster.com to connect with Lex. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:00): Hello. Hello. Hello. This is Jenna Kantor with Healthy, Wealthy and Smart. Really excited to be coming on and interviewing Dr. Lex. And what's really exciting is she is in the middle of this like name change possibility, so it may be Lancaster in the future or Brunel, her married name, we don't know. So you're getting an insight interview during the gray zone. Anyhow, want to thank you. First of all, thank you for coming on Lex for this interview. So for those who don't know, she actually works behind the scenes with Karen Litzy on this podcast and other things. She created the amazing logo for the women in PT summit and she's just kind of like really amazing on social media. For those who don't know, she's also a new grad who is dealing with loans. L. O. A. N. S. give me an L , give me an O, give me, ask him. Jenna Kantor (00:57): And that's right. That's what we are talking about. The fun, joyous roller coaster of student loans. Now before this. All right, before we go into details, right before we go into details of all your journey, if you were to compare the journey of loans, is it more the feeling that you get when you're going up the roller coaster and it's getting really, really high? You're like, Oh my gosh, am I going to live? Or is it that drop feeling like, Oh that first drop. So which one would you compare it to?   Lex Lancaster: It's more like, I would say it's more like the drop, but that drop happens like halfway through your third year of PT school and then you're like, crap. Oh my God. I guess that's if you're lucky. Cause sometimes you don't think about loans until after you graduate and then the rollercoaster happens. Then I will say though that after that initial drop and you really freak out, it gets better. Jenna Kantor (02:01): You remind me of Oscar in the office where he's talking to an imaginary child or person saying it gets better, it gets better, it gets better. Well, I wanted to reach out to, Lex, when I reached out to her because she had done a post on social media about loans and that's what inspired this in the first place. And I thought, of course there's great experts out there like Joseph Bryan who is a wonderful resource for loans. But I wanted to get a student perspective on this from beginning to end. So what were the first steps you did before you even graduated for your loans?   Lex Lancaster: So my first and second year, and really the first part of my third year, I didn't even think about loans. I kind of thought in the realm of it's just another drop in the bucket at this point. You know, I just didn't think like money. It's not that money wasn't factor. Lex Lancaster (03:00): It's that I had to pay for things. So it's not like I said, well, I can't really afford tuition, so I'll see you later. So it was just a drop in the bucket. And you know, I got to the point where $1,000, $2,000 books, whatever it ended up being, was just that drop in the bucket and halfway through my third year, aye, what to say? I saw a fitBux post about student loans and I think I actually got a bill from one of my loan companies and they had said, you owe money halfway through my third year of PT school. And I was like, Whoa, that is not okay. So I ended up contacting them and it was just a, you know, mistake on their end because we have that forgiveness for six months after we graduate or the deferment. However, at that point I was like, wow, this is what my monthly payment is going to be. Lex Lancaster (03:56): And that's what I had seen. And that was only one company. So at that point I kind of, I want to say it was January because I was on my last clinical and I reached out to fit bux and I just basically said, Hey, I don't know what I'm doing. It's all I said. And Joe was extremely helpful. I ended up setting up a class, an online class, because the third year, most programs, you're off campus. So with our program we were all on clinical and I figured my entire class was struggling the same way I was. So we set up a seminar, an online seminar with Joe and he went through, or Joseph, he went through every single aspect of student loans, what to expect, how to choose your plan, what works best, what doesn't work. And you know, for the students that attended, it was super helpful. Lex Lancaster (04:44): So we left that little online webinar with him with understanding definitions of the financial world. Because at that point in time, I had no idea what any of the terms meant, Mmm, you know, it's extended prepay, blah blah, blah, blah, blah. All of the things that they talk about that you need to understand before you choose your plan, make your payments and really get going on student loans. So at that point I felt okay. I was like, all right, we're good. We've got a plan and we understand the layout plan. And then what happened was I had to register for the NPTE, buy my study materials and for lack of better terms, wait around to get a job. So in that period of studying, cause I finished clinical in March, I took the test in July. So luckily for me, I had my online business to kind of keep me afloat to make a little bit of money within that period. Lex Lancaster (05:49): But without that, I mean I still took out, I put my NPTE on a credit card, I put my study books on a credit card and it was an interest free credit card. So I knew that I would be able to pay that off once I got a job. But I was still struggling because throughout college I did not save money. I had a job, I was a graduate assistant, you know, I had jobs, I just wasn't smart about it. I didn't save money throughout the entire process and that kind of put me in a position after I finished clinical. So while I was studying for the NPTE kind of saved some money, what I could save paid what I had to, but I did not pay on my loans. So I left my loan to start paying until the six months after I graduated. Lex Lancaster (06:33): And for lack of better terms, I cannot remember what it's called. But we have that six month period after we graduate that you don't have to pay on them. And then when six months hits you have to start. So I started at six months. But anyway, long story short, I met with Joe probably four more times. Just I think it was four times we went through every possible scenario after I got a job so that we could decide what, how much money I should be paying each month. And we went through the technology on the Fitbux website. That helps you decide what payment plan is best for you. So really fit bux helped me the most. I did not, there's a lot of podcasts out there that you can listen to, but I stuck with fit bux because it was one, it was free to talk to them and to Joseph pretty much, you know, he found time for me to talk and I really appreciated that. Lex Lancaster (07:29): So I guess like I said, it was the roller coaster. The drop of the roller coaster was when I got that bill and then it continued dropping until about November when I made my first payment. And now at this point I don't even think about it. I don't see the money, the money that I pay toward my student loans, I don't even see it. It just goes into an account. My student loans pay by themselves and I don't do anything. I'm on automatic payments. So now I'm kind of at that coasting I guess. So, yeah. Well and you post what, what? I forgot what your post was. It was a good one that was very pointed. I'm trying to like look it up literally during the podcast interview cause that's the way to go. Well. So discover sent me an email cause I have a credit card with discover, that's who I took out my interest rate credit card with last spring. And they sent me an email and I just said, are you paying too much in student loans? And I got the email and I just kind of chuckled and I was like, how'd you know? So I posted on my story. Mmm. Basically, how are you a mind reader discover? And then I've said, you know, I do pay, I pay $1,400 a month right now for student loans. Mmm. And I basically said that my payment is semi aggressive. It's aggressive by any means. If that was the case, I'd be paying close to two. Jenna Kantor (09:00): Mmm. Lex Lancaster (09:01): But then I had said, did you know that income based repayment is not guaranteed? Your forgiveness after 2025 years is not guaranteed. The interest rate on that can go up. Mmm. Or the tax rate on that can go up. Excuse me. And you have no idea what that tax rate can be. And when you forgive your loans, you have to pay that tax right then and there. So the way that I just look at it and everyone always says to me, well why are you paying so much on your student loans? They always question it. They're like, well you don't have to do that. But in reality, you know, I'm just like, yeah I am paying a lot my student loans, but I have to do it. Cause if I didn't do it, I'd be putting the same amount of money in a savings account to pay the taxes 25 years later. So I was frustrated at that. I think that day I was semi frustrated just because I had gotten an email and I was like, how'd you know? Jenna Kantor (09:58): Yeah, I am paying a lot. This is your post. It was sad realizations of being an adult on a high deductible plan. I pay greater than 500 a month for health insurance. I still need to pay 6,000 out of pocket before my insurance will help me. What a broken system. And I don't have a suggested solution because this is me right now. And you showed your brain like, Oh yeah, that was, that was my one about health insurance. Oh, that was health insurance. Oh my gosh. That's my health insurance. But I gotta pull up my story. I have it somewhere. Well that one's, that's another one. Another, another thing. If you want to reach out to her, that was a sidebar. It was smooth and yet totally off topic. It was so good. I'm glad you brought it up. It just felt so good to go there. So would you say you're out of that stress zone, you're out of that stress zone. Now that you have that plan going for you with your loans, you're just like, we're good. Lex Lancaster (10:59): You know? Yes and no. Yes, because I don't see the money come out. I know it's being paid. I know I pay a little bit over what I need to pay, so I'm paying it off a little bit more aggressive than I need to. And I'm on a 20 year plan right now, but my goal is to pay it off in about seven or eight years. I would say that because I'm transitioning from travel PT to permanent I'm back on the nervous train because with travel PT you make more money. You do pay more because you have a Oh, a tax home and you have a, you know, you duplicate your living expenses, so you do pay more in rent, et cetera, but you make more money because you don't have that permanent home and you're away from home. So I used my travel salary, most of the, I think I was putting close to 50% Lex Lancaster (11:53): Toward loans in the beginning. But then as soon as I found out that I was not going to be a travel PT anymore, I stopped. So I backed off. I took my monthly payment and my required payments and I decided to pay about $250 extra for both companies each month. So that's not even close to what I was paying. So I'm like I said, I'm back on that. I'm a little bit nervous. I don't know how I'm going to afford living. I don't know. You know, because I have a mortgage for a loan payment and my fiance Kyle also has a mortgage for a loan payment. He's also a PT. So we're both just kind of at the point where we're paying our required payment, paying a little bit over, and then we're going to see how it goes. Well, like I said, I don't see that. Lex Lancaster (12:44): I don't physically pay it every month, so I feel like mentally it makes me feel better. I'm not watching the money go out of my account more or less. It's already paid. I don't have to worry about it. It's paid on by the due date and then that's that. Mmm. So yeah, I would say talk to me in about two months and we'll see how I'm feeling when everything changes and I transitioned to a permanent. Jenna Kantor (13:36): That's hard too because when you are graduating, I did see this with a lot of my fellow classmates. Everyone had this, Oh, I'm going to go for this, this, I'm talking about niches. You know what they want to treat, and I saw a lot of people just start working for anyone and I think that's because when they see that number, those loans you owe, it's just you get, it's like, I need a job right now. I need a job right now. I don't talk to me. I just need a job I need. And it's really unfortunate and you're experiencing that now you're going, okay, now I want to go for what I'm dreaming of, like my dreams and doing that. You're seeing how that's causing that anxiety again about the financial situation, which is just, it just sucks what we owe in school. It's just horrible. And then even with what we get reimbursed for us physical therapists for most of us get paid on the low end as new grads, which I think that's just, I think those words are just an excuse for employers to offer lower pay. That's it. They were like, Oh, new grad. Cool. I can only afford to hire new grads right now. Right. So that's bad. That's bad. That's feeding into a really bad system there. That's my opinion. But that being said, it just, and so then you're just barely surviving with that. But then if you want to go off and do your own thing, if you are really going to be listen to your loans, you want to do it for 20 years. Exactly. More different 20 years cause you're like, Oh I need that. Lex Lancaster (14:51): Mean I think a lot of people do that. It's scary. Right? But then we get burned out. Karen Litzy (15:05): And on that note we're going to take a quick break to hear from our sponsor net health. This episode is brought to you by net health net health outpatient EMR and billing software. Redoc powered by X fit provides an all in one software solution with guided documentation workflows to make it easy for therapists to use and streamline billing processes to help speed billing and improve reimbursement. You could check out net hell's new tip sheet to learn four ways that outpatient therapy providers can increase patient engagement in 2020 at go.nethealth.com/patientEngagement2020 Lex Lancaster (15:39): No I never see this money, but I hate my life. And that's, and that's the thing. It's like, you know, Kyle and I are starting a cash based PT on the side. Our side hustle. We are going to start that because we just want to, we want to treat how we want to treat and not be dictated by insurance, but that's a talk for another day. Mmm. And you know, that's, it's great for us. And you know, to be honest, we would, we would burn the ships and just do our cash business right now and just do that and not have a full time job. But we can't because we need to have money to pay our loans because the last thing we need to do is default. And you know, I guess our method of payment was based on travel PT, not based on permanent and a cash business. Lex Lancaster (16:22): So when we moved our loans from federal to private, we have to pay that payment. Now income-based isn't a thing. So we're required to wait. We need to wait because we need to have guaranteed income in order to not default on our loans. But like I said, as soon as you put out a budget, the loans are 1400 rent is 1800 and then you add food and you know, a little bit, you have to have fun money, a little bit of fun money. And that's almost 85% of our new salary. Yeah. So I don't, I don't really know how yet to fix that because what is your option? You know, you can't just make things, you can't make rent less expensive, you can't make your loans less expensive and they're not going anywhere. So unfortunately, I think that this is a scenario that a lot of people face out of school if they don't choose trouble. And that's why income-based is the most feasible. That makes sense because how else do you live on that? You know, I was just a grad student income. Right, right. You know, how else do you live? You don't have money to pay on those loans. And some States don't let you pay. Don't let you practice on that temporary license. Like New York state, a lot. A couple of my friends practice on temp licenses, so they were able to, you know, build up some Lex Lancaster (17:50): Money. But if you're not part of those States that allow you to do that, you can't practice until you pass your NPTE. So it's hard to build up that savings account. So that's one recommendation I have for anybody that's in school who's listening to this. Make sure you're saving money, whether it's 10 bucks a week, five bucks a week, it doesn't really matter throughout school. Save money and just put it somewhere and don't touch it because eventually you're going to need it. Even if you don't think you will neet it. And even if you think it's completely out of this world that you'll ever have a situation where you need a little bit of extra cash but save that money. Mmm. And for lack of better terms, I would not use it until you absolutely need to start the savings account now and don't wait until you have a job. Jenna Kantor (18:37): There's no reason why you can't save five bucks a week. Yeah, yeah, no, that, that does make perfect sense. And that's definitely been something that I've leaned on is having a savings account myself. So I get what you're saying. Yeah. And for anyone listening, I mean, if you might find yourself going, Oh, but where's the answer? It's the whole process of this interview itself is not necessarily to give you all the straight up answers. I really would like to just resort to the fact that it's good to know you're not alone. Yeah. And it's okay to talk about this with people. It's okay to be frustrated with your pay. It's okay to be freaking out about your loans. It's okay to feel burnt out because you're working somewhere you don't like just to get escape those loans. All of that's okay. I mean, this is unfortunately a very common struggle amongst new grads and something that the APTA is working, really trying to figure out how they can address this issue. Jenna Kantor (19:34): Cause really at the end of the day, it's the schools that are choosing to charge you guys as much. It's the Dean and it's not just the PT, it's the entire school that's saying, okay, let's increase the amount so we can make a new building or whatever they're going to use the money for. So with that increase in cost, it's all by school. That's where you need to look first in my opinion. Yeah. You need to look first. The APTA it’s like how we treat patients. You know, we sit there and we're treating the symptoms, you know, or do you look at what caused it all along? So same idea. And if you, I want to just focus on your own plate right now on what to do for yourself. Absolutely. If you really want to make a larger difference, it's talking to your institution and become the voice which works. Lex Lancaster (20:28): But if that's something you just made up right now that speaks to you? Well it makes sense because I have, I have people that I know that literally they graduated PT school with less than 70 grand of loans and that was putting everything on within a loan that was not paying for part of school out of pocket. They literally graduated with that much because their school cost that little bit of money. And when I heard those numbers and I'm, meanwhile I graduated after undergrad and graduate school. I was at about $220,000 is where I'm at. I don't know where I'm at today because I haven't looked at it to be completely honest cause it's like I'm just paying one month at a time. But I just, I was baffled. How did you get out of school with that little of loans? Lex Lancaster (21:24): Like how did you do that? And they basically said that when they chose a PT school, they chose a cheaper school and you know, I, I loved my school, absolutely loved my school. I would have not wanted to go anywhere else. That program alone has, you know, changed me as a person. I love Utica college. So I'm not saying that I would choose to go somewhere else. However, I was so baffled that the tuition is so different. I had no idea. I literally had no idea that different DPT schools have different such drastically different costs and that particular person almost has her loans paid off and she's, I think, Hmm. Five or six years out of school and she barely had to pay anything. Yeah. So I guess so what you're saying is so true. You know, we have to talk to the right people. Lex Lancaster (22:22): You know, why is this and it's an increased by, what is it like one or 2% for a year? It goes up. I have not kept up on that, but I do know that what our parents paid alone was significantly less than what we paid. Yes. So it's just, yeah, it's a really vicious, right now it's bad. It's bad. So, I mean, you could, you could sit there and think it's the loan company to get back. I'm like, no, it's your school. It's just school. They're the ones who said you need to pay this much. We don't get reimbursed that much to be able to pay that in a reasonable amount of time to live our lives. Yeah. That's very sad. It is very sad. And when our degree went up to the doctorate level, our reimbursement didn't increase. So it made it when we required more school. Yeah. Our reimbursement is actually now going down propose anyways, that 8% correct. That it's, that's for specific situations and it's not for sure yet. I say this now, but it's still being fought. We're not doing well in fighting it, but I believe it's not set in stone yet. Like I said, I don't know when they go out, so I'm curious. Lex Lancaster (23:46): The state of things will affairs will be at that point then. Yeah. The reimbursement doesn't reflect, we're just not paid enough reimbursement wise. So employers don't really have a choice. Yeah, it's, yeah, it stinks. It's a shame. It is a shame. Jenna Kantor (24:06): Well, thank you so much for coming on. I really appreciate it. Do you have any last words you would like to give just regarding loans and the stress of it that you would like to give to anybody listening? It's just really feeling helpless right now. Lex Lancaster (24:20): Mmm. My biggest piece of advice, well, I'll say two things. The first thing is, like I said before, start saving money. Now. Don't wait. And my second thing is reach out to the people who know what they're talking about. Don't try to solve problems yourself because you're going to waste time and you might even waste money. Mmm. Fit bux is completely free and it's a shameless pitch because of how much they've helped me. They are free to talk to. If you have questions please reach out to them. Joseph is incredible and his teammates are incredible and I still do not know what I'm doing down to the T. I use their program to decide what I'm doing. Reach out to those people. Don't waste your time trying to figure it out yourself and Lex Lancaster (25:12): Understand that it does get better. As awful as it seems when you first start out, it does get better and you start to figure out a plan and everything just kind of goes from there. Don't feel like you're stuck. Reach out to people. Twitter is amazing. You're not alone. A lot of people are going through this, probably every single PT in existence. So just reach out. Don't feel like you're alone ever. And yeah, I think that's it. Jenna Kantor (25:41): I love it. Thank you for coming on. How can people find you on social media or email? Lex Lancaster (25:47): So my email right now is AlexisLancasterpt@gmail.com and on social media. I am @LexLancaster_ So you can reach out to me there. Jenna Kantor (25:57): I love. Good underscore is nothing like a quality underscore. Well, on that note, thank you so much for coming on. Thank you everyone for tuning in and have a wonderful day.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

In this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Adrian Miranda on the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy.  Adrian Miranda, class of Ithaca College Physical Therapy '07, was born and raised in Manhattan. He currently practices at Windsor Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, NY. In addition, he is a medical consultant and content creator at a Virtual Reality rehab start-up called Reactiv. In this episode, we discuss: -Educational resources available at the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy -Diverse mediums used to disseminate research to clinicians -How to be involved in advocacy on the state and federal level for the PT profession -The importance of research for both advocacy efforts and clinical practice -And so much more!   Resources: Email: AMiranda84@Gmail.com Cell phone: (585) 472-5201 Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy Twitter Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy Website JOSPT Website   A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Learn more about Four Ways That Outpatient Therapy Providers Can Increase Patient Engagement in 2020!                                                                      For more information on Adrian: Adrian Miranda class of Ithaca College Physical Therapy '07 was born and raised in Manhattan. He currently practices at Windsor Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, NY. In addition he is medical consultant and content creator at a Virtual Reality rehab start up called Reactiv. In the past Adrian has also worked in media including video producer and a television host for BRIC TV ("Check out the Workout") a local television station in Brookyn. Previously he was a faculty member in the TOURO College Orthopedic Physical Therapy Program as the Director of Clinical Residency education. He also was an instructor for Summit Professional Education teaching continuing education (Shoulder Assessment and Treatment) He is currently the Chair of the PR/Marketing committee for the Academy of Orthopedic Physical Therapy (APTA) and contributes to APTA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. He previously held positions in the NYPTA as Chair of the Minority Affairs committee of the NYPTA, member of the programming committee, and Brooklyn/Staten Island Legislative liaison. He also teaches media including video editing, video production at Brooklyn media non profit BRIC. In his spare time he swing dances, does crossfit, has a web series called Gross Anatomy on Firework, and dabbles in theater.     For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:00): Hello. Hello. Hello, this is Jenna Kantor. Welcome back to another episode on healthy, wealthy and smart. I am here with Adrian Miranda who is a physical therapist who you have probably seen on social media quite a bit. Adrian, would you first tell everyone exactly what your job is that we are going to be discussing and in which section of the APTA? Adrian Miranda (00:21): So my name is Adrian Miranda. I am the chair of the public relations committee for the Academy of orthopedic physical therapy. Jenna Kantor (00:30): Yes, that's right. A mouthful in which I could not get off. So I had Adrian saved for me. Well Adrian, first of all, thank you so much for popping on today for a nice little interview. So I want to first just dive in because I don't know anything about the orthopedic section in the sense of what is it is that you guys are doing for me as a new grad, I'm always thinking the JOSPT, that is a great resource and that is it. So we're going to be diving into more of what the orthopedic section is doing at this point so we can all learn and better appreciate it. And also for those who are considering joining the section, you'll go, Oh, this is for me. Or actually it's not for me. I'm just gonna be sitting with other sections instead. So first of all, what is the big focus for the orthopedic section? Adrian Miranda (01:23): Well, the orthopedic section does a lot of things. But let's talk about the focus on education. So as you said, the JOSPT that is actually a joint collaboration between the Academy of orthopedic physical therapy and Academy of sports physical therapy. One thing, so I became the chair, I guess I spent two years I believe now or going into my second year, but I was part of the community for about six months before that. And one thing I would challenge anyone or ask anybody to do is actually go to the website, orthopt.org. Look at all the tabs, scroll through it. And you can find so many things that when I became the actual a chair and I went, I'm just perusing and just looking at what the Academy does. Cause my goal was like I think the Academy does a ton of stuff that not many people know about. Adrian Miranda (02:12): You're going to learn so much about how much work and effort goes into and how many resources you can find for yourself or your colleagues educationally. There's a lot of independent study courses. The one that you may know if you've either going through residency finishing residency and taking your OCS, but it's the current concepts which is of, I say it's a staple. If you want to take the OCS, you should have the current concepts, you should be looking for the current concepts and reading through it. That's going to be a huge, huge resource and who get better to go to then the Academy itself. Besides that, cause there's so many courses, even things that I didn't know about. For example, there was actually a concussion independent study course. As you know, many of us, even myself in the clinic are starting to get more and more referrals for patients who have had a concussion diagnosis. So that's out there. There are other courses that are older. Some you get the current courses you get see you use for their courses that you don't get. For example, there is a triathlete course, there is a postoperative course, there is a work related injuries course, auto accident, all these are resources that anybody can use. And that's just kind of the tip of the iceberg as far as courses that you can purchase. And moving forward there are some free resources as well. Jenna Kantor (03:31): That's very helpful. So for somebody who doesn't have time, Oh, I feel like I'm speaking for everyone when I say that than going, Oh my God, I have to go and like playing the tabs. How much time is that? I have other things on my to do list. You just gave an overview of the education part, but what are some highlights on things that stood out to you personally within that that's being offered? Adrian Miranda (03:54): So none of us have time. You're right. And so I think one of the things that you're going to start to see is easier access to information. So for example, even if you look at any of our social media threads which if you’re looking at orthopedic within a you're gonna find, for example, we had a patellofemoral infographic. You're going to start to see some more smaller snippets because the Academy has realized that yes, people don't know how to digest the information and put into clinical practice right away. You have to really large clinical practice guideline is 70 pages or 50 pages. And then how to kind of digest that and to put it back out in the clinic. We’re trying to create easier versions of that, whether it's infographics. We are also partnering with podcasters like yourself to disseminate information from the authors themselves to give you the information so you can have passive listening. Adrian Miranda (04:46): In other words, you don't have to read, you can actually be driving to work going on the subway. You can be on your lunch break and listening to information from authors or researchers of these publications. So we're trying to make smaller tidbits to make it digestible in a form that's also accessible to most people. So we've been looking to long form writing. But right now it's infographics are trying to get onto podcast and educate more people, but we are looking into the fact that there is a time constraint in our physical therapy profession. Jenna Kantor (05:20): Yeah. That's excellent to learn. So for the orthopedic section, with the information that you have provided that they're already offering, which is incredible, who is your audience when you're creating the infographics or the infographics for us to better understand, are they infographics where we can reshare it to patients? Adrian Miranda (05:45): So good question. These are for us. So the push is actually for us clinicians to get a better grasp of this literature and a cliff notes initial format. However, if you look at JOSPT and I think moving forward, we're trying to also create a little bit of public awareness. So have you seen in JOSPT patient perspectives? That's one way that you can utilize and share it. And I actually remember when they first came out in my clinic, I printed them out in color, put it on the walls and the rooms and patients actually read it and ask questions about it. But as far as what you'll see further moving forward, like the infographics, it's going to be more for us, for the clinician so that we can actually suck in the information and be able to distribute it out to our patients in the easier manner. Jenna Kantor (06:27): Yeah, that's a big deal. As a clinician myself or I'm putting together a lot of dance research and creating it on this long form document with links to different research to have it disseminated will be great because the time is taking me to create that. It's a lot of time. It's a lot of time. And I know other clinicians don't have that, so I'm creating this for the dance community at large. So I think that's a really big deal that you guys are looking to make that information more available because there's always regular research and I just want to point this out because nobody can see it. Adrian Miranda (07:05): Anyways, I just wanted to put this out there before we continue. Another question. We are also looking for ideas. We want to engage with our members. So if you have any ideas about how to disseminate this information in a different way, we're talking about even long form writing. Some people love to read and that's totally fine. We're trying to look into different options. We're definitely looking for suggestions, people to collaborate with us people to a similar to what you are doing Jenna. To collaborate with us, give us new ideas. We're definitely looking for innovative ways even some old ways that we can bring back to help our clinicians better understand this information and be able to utilize it. Jenna Kantor (07:44): I love that. So this is a newer concept, but we have discussed about it. How is the orthopedic brainstorming, how to bring in other people who are providing information and education to help what we bring to patients. Adrian Miranda (07:58): I think it's people who are doing the work. Researchers, also clinicians, people who are in the clinic and researching, you know, we're in the clinic and researching. But the Academy definitely has some of the top researchers, people who have their pulse on newer topics. And one of the things that, that also stand in me was when the concussion dependence study came out. And I think that's to show that right now we're going to see an uptake in physicians referring concussion patients to our profession. And we have to be ready for that. Jenna Kantor (08:31): You are on the PR committee, so you know a little bit about the public and the relations. You're like Samantha from sex in the city, but not anyway, so I digress. What is it that you guys are doing and focusing on within the marketing committee alone and who is your audience for that? Adrian Miranda (08:50): We just want to show you stuff. We want to show you and teach you things. For example, if you look at our recent posts, we wanted to share what happened at CSM. We actually have the Rose award, which if you were in a, for example, a rural setting, if you're doing home health care, you can actually watch his full speech on his study. That had to do with how many visits was optimal for home health, physical therapists. So those are the things that we want to kind of bring you inside and say, Hey, look, this is what we're doing. We are finding committee members who are have skills in different aspects of the media. Which like I said, we're looking for people, we're always looking for people and new ideas. But when I came in, as I told you I wanted to share everything that the Academy was doing at one point I will look there's actually even some certification for imaging. Adrian Miranda (09:43): If you are interested in imaging or you think you want to dive into any type of imaging for your research, your PhD or even if you're a new graduate who says, Oh, I really want to learn more about imaging. There is a special interest group for imaging with resources and there's I believe there is either a discount or something and you can again, you can kind of scroll through the social media cause we did post it at one point. We just go through so much information that I can't tell you everything on the up the top of my head. But we're trying to share information that you would actually have to go and scroll and look for on the website. We're trying to make it more accessible. So there's just so many things that we want to it's like a media company really. Adrian Miranda (10:23): We're just trying to share what things we do and what opportunities. Oh, another example is the federal advocacy forum. So there is the money into the Academy will provide to a student to actually attend the federal advocacy forum. I believe the deadline has passed for that to apply for the scholarship or the grant. But those are things that we're trying to do. Before I was at CSM and the chair of the practice committee came up to me and said, Hey, is there any way that you can share this? And so those are things that we, even through email marketing, you may have seen it. There was also other programs like CoStar, which you'll have to kind of look it up or go online or go on the website or social media to find out about it. Adrian Miranda (11:07): It was about innovation and science. And it's not just for physical therapy. So there's a lot of opportunities, volunteer opportunities, ways to get involved, resources, educational materials. So the peer committees, just trying to say, Hey, you know, those of you on social media, there's all this stuff that you can do. Right now if you look online, soon enough there'll be like a residency Q and A. So there are many of you who are interested in going into residency or currently in residency and we're trying to reach out to that population as well. So there's a target population. It's really the Academy members. So we don't have new grads or old grads. There is a little bit more of a push to get attention from new graduates and students, but we want to be able to share as much information that will help our members. So we are a member facing organizations. Jenna Kantor (11:58): That's really great. That's actually fantastic. Okay. I'm going to ask a controversial question more because the concept and idea is definitely backwards was what we're pushing for in the physical therapy profession regarding research. We want to be research based, we want that these studies to back up everything we do. We're doctors for, you know, for sake. So what about physical therapists who are just going, I don't need the research in order to treat these patients and get them better. I'm not saying this to criticize them. I'm not saying this to separate us. For somebody who's not interested in all this data and everything, what do you guys have to provide for them that they would be specifically interested in where it is, where they treat primarily orthopedic cases. Karen Litzy (13:00): And on that note, we're going to take a quick break to hear from our sponsor and be right back with Adrian's response. This episode is brought to you by net health net house outpatient EMR and billing software. Redoc powered by X fit provides an all one software solution with guided documentation workflows to make it easy for therapists to use and streamline billing processes to help speed billing and improve reimbursement. You could check out net health’s new tip sheet to learn four ways that outpatient therapy providers can increase patient engagement in 2020 at go.net health.com/patientengagement2020 Adrian Miranda (13:34): Well, I mean, you can believe that, but it's the cases that you need research to show data, to show numbers, to go to Congress, to go to insurance, to push things and push agendas. Jenna Kantor (13:44): Oh, I like what you're saying regarding going to Congress advocating, thank you. Continue. Yeah. Adrian Miranda (13:48): So you need to prove that things work. Now there's many things that you cannot get data on or you just haven't created the right methodology for it. So you haven't created the right structure, the right research methods, the right way to capture those results. We're in a big data-driven time right now. So whether you believe that you don't need research and that it's there and we have to utilize it and it is actually necessary to help with reimbursements. So it might not hit you right in the face when the patient walks in, but it's going to hit you somewhere. So yes, research is extremely important. And it's not the end all be all as well. The way we get research is from an evidence case reports from the things that just occur. And then you go back and say, Hey, why did this work? Adrian Miranda (14:34): It didn't work. Or it did work and it worked because for all the wrong reasons. But if you don't have a scientific method for that, you're never going to know. Listen in the PR committee. So I'll tell you something. And many of you may be in the technology sector, marketing sector and digital marketing. We analyze what our members were engaging with and it turned out that CPGs our members were engaging with and we actually pivoted a bit more to give you more of that content. And we're seeing that you are engaging with it more. So if we didn't have that data, we wouldn't be able to give you what you want or even what you need. It is very important. You may not see it right away, but there are things that help agendas be moved forward and prove our worth. Adrian Miranda (15:20): As physical therapists, you can say it all you want, but if you have numbers, you really can't argue with numbers unless you're dealing with larger entities that have bigger pockets than you. But even at the end of the day, you fight hard enough for it. You're gonna get it. Direct access is moving along okay. And they're saying, we don't have any restricted direct access, but if we didn't have studies that are coming out saying that early intervention, but physical therapy reduces costs of healthcare achieves healthcare savings, we can't push that bill forward because we didn't have the data. Now we do have the data. So I would say that the sometimes or the reason for not agreeing with research has, you know, personal experiences and negative experiences. Maybe not even understanding research and what it does. Maybe you're wasting money on. These are one large universities doing all this data and research, but you need to think about it a little bit differently. Adrian Miranda (16:17): And the more research we have, the better research and better data. The more that you'll see we're helping more people in the community. The more that you're seeing businesses, physical therapy, business thriving, and being able to kind of give back to the community and give back to their employees as well. So it's this kind of circle. It's almost like a spin diagram that without research, without the community, without the clinicians to enforce it, we're not going to go anywhere. So I would say those people that don't believe in research it's like air. It's there. You need it. Love that. Jenna Kantor (16:50): Start to touch upon it. I want to dive into it. More advocacy. What is it that the orthopedic section, say three things right now that you know of, that they're advocating for on Capitol Hill? Adrian Miranda (17:03): Okay. So one of the things that did for the 40th anniversary was create almost like a mini documentary. Which was eyeopening to me. I didn't realize how much the Academy of orthopedic physical therapy advocated for States and governor and national issues. They actually were very instrumental in practice things all over the country and even helping with the right access bills right now at this moment. I couldn't tell you specific things. But if you go look at that video, which I think it was ast year, CSM I interviewed a lot, most if not most of the past orthopedic presidents who actually served on the APTA board. And yes, and some of them currently do it will be enlightening to see how much advocacy in the Academy actually provides. So having said that I couldn't tell you on top of my head exactly what they are working on at this moment legislatively, but just know that they are and they're also helping other components with their efforts and their resource. So if you, again, maybe you don't want to be in the public relations and marketing, but if you have some type of legislative issue or some type of issue that you have reached out to the Academy, they might be able to either guide you, steer you or help you connect with the APTA itself. Anybody in the government affairs, we actually have a committee directly for government affairs. Jenna Kantor (18:38): That's great. And you can even go on the website I'm seeing right now there is a tab for governance. It's literally on the major main page, so you go to governance and when you put your little mouse or a little hand on there, it'll go down and you can get information on what they're doing in their strategic plan. You click on that and it will take you into vision statement and goals so you can really see what they're doing right now for the lines with you and what you want them to be fighting for or if you want, there are points you want them to address in which you can then reach out to them to make that difference. Thank you so much, Adrian, for coming on to speak and educate about the orthopedic section. I really am a beginner with this myself because I've been a member for, since I was a first year student and never looked into any of the resources until this conversation right now. I think this is literally with the exception of joining the performing arts special interest group. The only time I've really gone into the the webpage. Oh look and we just opened it up. So current practice issues right now. Jenna Kantor (19:43): In what month, we are March, 2020 direct access imaging, dry needling, mobilization versus manipulation and practice issues state by state. And then you can get more details on that as well on orthopt.org. You just click on that governance and it'll get you there. Adrian Miranda (20:03): Is that answering the question about what issues are being dealt with by the Academy? Jenna Kantor (20:08): Yes, that does. That does. And the one who clicked and fell and grabbed that page. So we could just go onto practice, current practice issues and boom, bada bang. Thank you for coming on. Are there any last words you have for anybody who is considering joining the orthopedic section? But they're on the fence right now. Adrian Miranda (20:27): Join. There's really no drawbacks. If anything, here's what I recommend to anybody. If you have, there's two aspects. If you really want to get involved, there's someone who has been involved in school or someone who really wants to help other PTs. You wanna help the profession get involved. There's ways to get involved. You can be a member and do nothing and just hang back however you can make such an impact. I've had people recently asked to join or to be able to assist in the public relations committee. If you are somebody who has a lot of gripes and is really upset with what we're doing, go ahead and join anyway because you could actually be a change. I remember having this conversation with somebody in New York state. I was at a PT pub night and they were complaining to me about what this time I was actually in the NYPTA and what the APTA does. Adrian Miranda (21:11): And I let him go and just vent. And finally after like 20 minutes of venting, I was like, you know, I'm the chair of this committee, I'm a part of this committee. I'm on the MIP team that the board needs. I thank you for saying all that stuff. And his whole face going to drop. Like, Oh my gosh, I'm talking the wrong person. And I said, no, no, no. The fact that you're that passionate about it, you should join and you should make a change. All of a sudden, you told me you should bring it up at meetings or talk to your district. That's at the state level. At the Academy level. You can do this same thing if you're upset at the laws of dry needling and your state joint Academy, see how you can be part of the practice committee if you're upset about direct access, if you want to get involved in writing, if you want to get involved in editing you know, there's small, obviously there's very few worlds for that, but there are opportunities if you wanna get involved with pure committee, please join. Adrian Miranda (22:04): But there's so many things that you can help fix if you're upset about something and there's so many things that you can help improve if you're pleased with it. So I think there are so many opportunities to also enrich your life, enrich some of your skills and goals and even your practice. So I don't think there's any drawbacks to joining. And then we would love to have as many members as possible. You also want to have members that engage. I think when I talked to the board, we have meetings, our main goal and the people who've been around longer is that our members engaged with us. And you're not just someone who's going to sit back and just watch. Although that is okay, we want to be members. But I think it's also important to if you have a skill, if you have a passion and if you want to help our profession or your community get involved in and find where your spot is. Adrian Miranda (22:48): There's so many areas. There are seven special interest groups, there's several committees. There are several task force that you can be a part of. So I would definitely encourage you to reach out and listen. Organizations are challenging. There's a lot of people, there's a lot of need out there. There's a lot of different opinions and even it might say, this is an issue in my practice is an issue. My employees is my employers. That reimbursement is patients, this the demographics. There's a lot of things that we can help with numbers. Just like we're talking about research, we have a lot of numbers can be powerful. So if there's anything I can impart is that you can help be part of improving or be part of a change.   Jenna Kantor: I love that. Thank you so much. Adrian. How can people find you on social media and do you also have an email even for them to reach out to you? Adrian Miranda (23:36): Well, how about this? I'll do you one better because I learned it because usher and Gary Vaynerchuk are doing it now. I'll give you my cell phone. Feel free to reach out. I will give you my email just for sure. The social media Academy of orthopedic physical therapy. And my name is Adrian Miranda. You can find me at AMiranda84@Gmail.com. And my cell phone is 585- 472-5201. I'm very available. So I happy to talk on the phone cause sometimes, actually nowadays that's quicker than an email or even texting back and forth. Send me a text message. I would love to hear your input and hopefully we want to hear how we could be better as well.   Jenna Kantor: Wonderful. Thank you so much for coming on. Have a great day. Everyone.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Clay Watson, Tyler Vander Zanden and Kelly Reed on the Private Practice Section’s Key Contacts. PPS is more effective with the support of members who are dedicated to advocating on behalf of the industry. You can get involved in the section's advocacy efforts by becoming a Key Contact, joining the key contact subcommittee, or by taking action online via the APTA Legislative Action Portal. In this episode, we discuss: -What are the responsibilities of the PPS’s Key Contacts? -How a Key Contact bridges the gap between legislators and constituents -The personal and professional benefits of being a Key Contact -And so much more!   Resources: Tyler Vander Zanden Twitter Private Practice Section Key Contacts   A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Check out Optima’s Top Trends For Outpatient Therapy In 2020!                                                                      For more information on Clay: Clay Watson a Physical Therapist and owner/operator of Western Summit Rehabilitation, a consulting and therapy services staffing agency for home health. He is a  Past President of the Homecare and Hospice Association of Utah, a member of the Utah Falls Prevention Alliance and a recipient for an NIH falls prevention grant. This year I received the Excellence in Home Health Therapy Leadership Award from the Home Health Section of the APTA. For more information on Kelly: Kelly received her COMT (Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist) from the North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapy in 1994 and is an Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS). She received her Physical Therapy degree from Pacific University in 1983. Kelly prides herself as being an excellent general orthopedic physical therapist. She specializes in lower-extremity dysfunctions, biomechanical assessments related to running/sports injuries, and assessments from minimalist training to custom-molded orthotics. She focuses on injury prevention through balancing the full body, not just the area of pain.  Additionally, she has specialized in the area of Temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD) for over 30 years. Most recently she has been active in starting a BreathWorks program focusing on evaluation and education related to breathing physiology and its effect on overall wellness and healing. Her clinical skills continue to move in a direction that empowers clients to achieve their highest level of function in a balanced fashion. Kelly was a 3-sport collegiate athlete and continues her love of athletics through her own personal training, running, yoga  and being a supportive presence  at her kids’ sporting events. An outdoor enthusiast, she loves trail running, hiking, gardening, camping, and keeping up with her husband Greg and their 3 active kids. For more information on Tyler: Dr. Tyler Vander Zanden is the former Founder and CEO of Movement Health Partners, a private practice company partnering with federal, corporate, and educational agencies to provide physical therapy services.  Tyler currently serves as a member of the Key Contact Subcommittee for the Private Practice Physical Therapy Section (PPS), where he meets with legislators to increase awareness of the key issues facing physical therapist-owned businesses and their patients. Tyler earned his Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Marquette University along with a BS in Exercise Science.  Upon graduation, he completed a post-doctoral residency in Orthopedics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  Tyler is a board-certified by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS), as a clinical specialist in Geriatric Physical Therapy. Tyler has an avid passion for high performance, technology and entrepreneurship and speaks regularly about finance and technology as it relates to the future of physical therapy.  He currently resides in Austin, TX where he serves his church and community and is launching his next start-up venture. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:00): Hello, this is Jenna Kanter with healthy, wealthy, and smart. I am here with three newer friends this year. We all our key contacts with the private practice section and we're coming on. Well, they're going to do more of the talking here. I'm just going to be doing the questions and if we're coming on to just say, Hey, this is a great opportunity to get involved. If you do not like the CMS cuts, this is what we do. We go and speak with the legislators to talk about that. We're getting more people to come and join us in this huge movement to fight for our profession, especially the private practices for all you people are working for private practices. This is the committee to be a part of, so please, please join the APTA, come join us and be a part of this great movement. I am here with Kelly Reed, Tyler Vander Zanden and Clay Watson. Yes, you guys. First of all, thank you so much for coming on. So I'm going to hand it to you first. Kelly, how did you first learn of being a key contact? Kelly Reed (01:06): Yeah, so I've been a member of PPS since I got out of PT school and I've always been involved. I've been on the board of PPS and wanting to get back into it. And so I just put my name out there, who needs help, how can I be helpful, wanted to kind of get on the government affairs committee. And instead I got asked to be on the key contact task force and it's been amazing. Clay Watson (01:33): I'm friends with some other physical therapists who've participated in this project and we had some interesting legislative successes in our state that helped reform some payment policy issues. And it kind of led to them asking me to help out with the congressional level. Tyler Vander Zanden (01:53): I actually got invited last year at the 2019 Graham sessions in Austin and I live in Austin. And that really kind of propelled me to do something, a call to action and how can I get involved personally. And so I looked at PPS to see where I could be of service and one of the openings was this key contact position. Jenna Kantor (02:15): I love it. And just to make sure for any students who might be listening, PPS stands for private practice section. So it is a section of the APTA. Clay, I'm going to move to you just because my eyes just happened to look up at you. So what does a key contact do? Clay Watson (02:33): We have been asked to develop relationships with specific legislators and every member of the private practice section and the APTA lives in a congressional district or they have a Senator and it makes sense to pair up people who have vested stake in policy to have a relationship with a representative or a Senator from their state. And this program designed to help us have longterm relationships so that when policy needs are coming up, we'll have a listening ear and there'll be able to hopefully hear the sides of our argument that are most beneficial to our profession. Jenna Kantor: Kelly, what is the time commitment with this? Kelly Reed (03:14): Yeah, minimal. We are asked, well a couple things, we have a monthly meeting and we are given contacts of which you just email the people and try and hook them up with their legislator and that might take, depending on how long your list is, you know anywhere between 15 to 45 minutes. Then we have an hour meeting and then the bigger thing is that we are provided all the information we need and when an action item comes out they send it to us and then all we have to do is basically cut and paste a letter and send it off to our legislature.   Jenna Kantor: Yes. Would you Tyler mind differentiating between being a key contact with private practice section and also being a key contact on the committee? Tyler Vander Zanden (04:09): Yes. So being a key contact in general, what we're asking of those individuals that they be a private practice member and that they live in the district to what we're trying to assign them to. So we want them to have a relationship with that Congressman or Congresswoman in their specific district. So like as Kelly said and clay said, when there's an issue at hand in the profession or just to private practice in general, that congressional leader has a name and face of a person or a clinic that they can say, Oh, wow, you know, Kelly or Jenna or clay, like, you know, you're dealing with this right now and you're one of my constituents. And so we can have that relationship. And so that's what it looks like more at the key contact level. For us, like Kelly said we're on the committee side. Tyler Vander Zanden (04:55): We're the ones who are providing education to that specific key contact in the form of emails. We'll kind of give them block templates. So when they have to make that communication, it's not so hard. We send them and the practice or a chapter here sends us emails that they can be kind of up to speed on these legislation things. And then we recently had shot some videos in DC explaining the roles of the key contact. And so there'll be some videos that we'll have on the PPS website that they'll be able to always link back to if they need more education. Kelly Reed (05:33): Yeah. And I just wanted to build on those videos. They're short snippets, they won't take a lot of your time, but it gives you a lot of key information, just the nuts and bolts of what you need and you can look at them at your leisure and really helpful information.   Jenna Kantor: Yeah. Clay, does it work? Does making a phone call if instructed to do that to sending an email or meeting with the legislator? Does that or is that a waste of people's time? Clay Watson (05:59): Well, it wouldn't be a waste of time or we wouldn't do it. Right. I mean one of the most interesting things when we had a legislative fly in this fall, I was with another therapist who had actually written the letter to get the wife of one of our congressmen into physical therapy school and it was her first employer. Now she's a home health physical therapist and that's what I do. I'm private practice owner, but I work in home health and when we are asking him questions specific to our industry, he understands private practice and he understands home health better than almost any Congressman out there. And so that's just a huge listening ear that we wouldn't have if we didn't have those longterm relationships. Jenna Kantor (06:41): I really just want to add in person is more effective than on the phone. On the phone is more effective than email. It is like any other relationship. So really the best way to make no change is to not do anything. What we're doing is the best way to make a change. It's where we have this insane power as constituents. Now for you, Kelly, what has been the biggest thing that has moved you and how the private practice section runs and works with the key contacts? Like what do you think is just so incredible that they do to make us so efficient with what we do to put our message out there to the right people? Kelly Reed (07:27): Yeah, I've been really impressed with the amount of information that PPS already has put together and the task force and members before us that are currently on the task force. Basically they hand you everything you need to be able to do your job to make and develop a relationship with your Congressman. It's really easy and I want to say for those who may be put off a little bit about not getting politically involved, we have to, this is our profession and when we know what we know, we know what we love and all we have to do is communicate that message. We build relationships every single day and that's exactly what this is just talking about what we love. Jenna Kantor (08:11): I think that's excellent. And any last words that any of you would like to say in regards to becoming a key contact for anyone who might be hesitant on jumping in? Clay Watson (08:23): One of the most important things I've learned is the value of the mentorship I've received from participating in this. Every time I have a question about how to approach an issue with one of our legislators, I have three or four other therapists who are also doing it that I can ask. They may know context about the legislature themselves and how to approach them on specific issues and they know the nuance of the issues in a way that helps me understand them with a lot more depth. So it's sort of like a pretty high value team to help the whole situation move forward and that's invaluable. Jenna Kantor (08:56): I love that. Thank you so much. And if you're wondering, I don't know what this is for me, why am I listening to this? They're just selling me, telling me to get involved. This is where the change you want to happen. I get the most interactions on my personal Facebook page when I write the word happiness because people are happy in the physical therapy world. This is what we are doing to make that huge change. I am saying this statement very strongly. I know everybody can have their own opinion. This is mine, but this is the majority of the profession in which I interact with which are non-members. This is the big culture of unhappiness and this is where we make that change. The private practice section are movers and shakers and are listening and taking such great action. These people who are here, who I'm interviewing are passionate, kind humans. We are all volunteering our time. We are all not getting paid and we're all doing it for you and we would love for you to join us because your voice is valuable. Clay Watson (09:58): Well, I think most of the time the people who are unsatisfied with the profession are the least engaged and sometimes they are very engaged in are not happy. But generally speaking, the more you're involved with the APTA, the more voice you have and the more ability you have to affect change. As physical therapists, our whole life is based on helping people affect change. And if you feel disempowered or however you want to describe it, the way to get that power back is to follow your own practice and dig in and take responsibility for it as much as you can. And there are many times when you're going to do it for not, that's just how life works. But the truth is trying to get better is amazingly empowering. And once in a while you get lucky and you actually do make a big change. Tyler Vander Zanden (10:46): Yeah. And I just wanted to say one more thing to dovetail is you're not alone. So if you're right now, if you're stuck and you're trying to figure out what to do, you have to start somewhere. And one of the beautiful things about getting on this subcommittee now less than a year is the networking and everything that the PPS and all the people that I've been able to meet not only in private practice, but then as a result of this legislative work that we've done. So something really to consider and if your slot is taken if you want to get on here and we don't have a specific slot open in your district, you can always start these efforts on your own and we would always be able to help you with that education that's still on the website there for your use. Jenna Kantor (11:28): I love it. Thank you. Thank you to each of you for coming on, this has meant so much to me. I know it means a lot to you as well. If any of you want to learn more, you can go to the private practice section website. It's under the advocacy tab where you'll find committees and you'll find key contacts. That's how you can get involved. Thank you for tuning in. Take care.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Domenic Fraboni on content creation for social media.  Domenic Fraboni is a physical therapist in Los Angeles, California and lifestyle consultant focusing on mindset, movement and meals through online coaching. In this episode, we discuss: -How to choose the right social media platform for your target audience -The importance of developing engagement with your content -How to stay authentic and avoid the negativities of social media use -And so much more! Resources: Domenic Fraboni Instagram Domenic Fraboni Twitter A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Check out Optima’s Top Trends For Outpatient Therapy In 2020!   For more information on Domenic: Domenic Fraboni is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach. He earned this after graduating from Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences in Rochester, MN IN 2018. He is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), attending many events nationwide to advocate for the advance of the physical therapy profession as well as accessibility to higher quality of care. As a recent member of the APTA Student Assembly Board of Directors and active advocate for healthcare reform, Domenic likes to focus his efforts on systemic healthcare change. He was an avid coach, unified partner, and volunteer coordinator for Special Olympics. He now has relocated to Los Angeles where he coaches people into their bodies using a unique approach of Health and Lifestyle consulting in the areas of mindset, movement, and meals through his company, The Wellness Destination. Domenic focuses his services on the true and authentic connection he hopes to create with patients, clients, or those who looking for help on their health journey. Then he may be able to help empower individuals overcome some barriers and create true progress and independence in their lifelong healing journey!    For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:01): Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with healthy, wealthy and smart, super excited to be here at Graham sessions 2020 with Domenic Fraboni, who I know from student assembly running for that, the board of directors and then also now on social media, which is our big focus because he has been putting a lot of work specifically on Instagram. So I wanted to have a discussion on this journey, I'm going to call you Dom now. Let's make it casual with Dom, so, first of all, thank you so much for coming on. Domenic Fraboni (00:37): Thanks for having me and being interested in what I might have to say. It's been kind of a journey this past six months with a lot of changes for me, especially career-wise, location-wise, and the social media thing. You just want me to dive in a little bit. Jenna Kantor (00:50): Actually first, let's start with why you chose Instagram, because when choosing a social media platform that you're thinking of a specific audience, so would you mind diving into that so people can start picking their brain and thinking, even if Instagram is where their audience is? Domenic Fraboni (01:06): I think my choice in platform had a little less to do with what I was wanting and just have more by chance. You know, I started dating somebody who has a big following and notice some of them started taking a liking in me or an interest in me. And it was at that point that I realized, Hey, Instagram, I've wanted to find a place I can start creating some content, whether it's recording exercises, whether it's just putting out thoughts, thought provoking things for potential clients or potential humans. I'm all about getting access to good information out to the humans so that they can make the decisions for themselves. And we know in this online era and the age of information, I would love to be contributing to what I think can be, you know, more trustworthy information that's online. So I started getting this Instagram following and I'm like, okay, let's do this. Let's put out some content. And I think it worked great for that because a lot of times people go to Instagram for content of that sort. So I'm like, Hey, great marriage. So that's kind of how choosing Instagram as a platform came about more by chance than by my direct choice. Jenna Kantor (02:12): How did you figure out what your content would be on? Domenic Fraboni (02:19): Yeah, that's another great question. I'm kind of in my purpose moving into this career as a professional. I always said I want to empower people to independence in their journey, right? And then kind of my themes that came out of that were movement. I'm a doctor of physical therapy. So clearly movement is huge to me and how I deal with clients and patients. Mindset. Cause I do also understand that in the psychosocial realm of how we treat humans and how we deal with humans, our mindset, our emotions, our mental state has a lot to do with how we feel physically and how we move and meals. So I'm like, Hey, maybe if my content surrounded those three themes, that can be my stick mindset, the movement and the meals. And it had a little, a little bit of a ring with the three M's there. Domenic Fraboni (03:03): So that's where I just started with those three things in mind and trying not to question myself was the biggest thing going in where you asked, Hey, how'd you know what kind of content to put out? I knew I had these people following me and that they might be interested in what I have to say. So my first step was just doing, it was starting to put out content and asking questions. If you ever have a time online where you have people following you and you don't know what they want, ask them. And so I started asking questions. I was very lucky to have people around me who had kind of gone through a transition like this into putting themselves out there. And a lot of what they said is just do it. You know what you're good at, you know what you're passionate about. These people have started following you for a reason, the ones that need to hear it will resonate and the ones that want certain things, we'll let you know when you ask. So I started asking questions to the people that were following me and they also just started putting out content and realizing what it was that people resonated well with. Jenna Kantor: (04:04): And for you, what were your measures that you are using to go, Oh, this is what they want to see from you?   Domenic Fraboni: So I like to say that and a lot of people in social media want to try to separate the success of their posts and their media from the likes and the comments and that stuff. And it can get really kind of cloudy in our head as, Oh, why did this not have as many likes as this? And so really early on when I started doing this, I tried separating myself from likes. Everyone wants a lot of likes on their stuff and it really is not likes on your posts that mean people are engaging with it or connecting with it. The things that I really started to realize is the more direct messages, the more DMs or the more comments that people are connecting with are saying like, Hey, I love this. Domenic Fraboni (04:56): I tried it. It feels this way or I'm glad you shared that. Thanks so much for sharing more about yourself, whatever that means that I'm connecting with them personally in some manner. And so I liked to kind of dive into those ones that got a lot of personal direct messages or comments. And I'm big when it comes to feel and the energy between an interaction with people. So when I got interactions back from people that fueled that same purpose or energy, that was the reason I put that post out. There we go. Like those are my metrics. And I live in more of a subjective world myself because research makes me cringe a little bit sometimes. But it's the field that you can't get away from. So when I had people responding to me that made me feel something, I understood that maybe they took something away from that that made them feel something inside. Domenic Fraboni (05:43): So try to steer away from becoming obsessed with likes or comments and really steer towards and into the things that, you know, people feel something when they read it and will connect with it and reach out because of that. And I feel like I've helped to engage my audience a little more.   Jenna Kantor: I love that. And with all the content that you're doing, how did you figure out how often you're going to be posting?   Domenic Fraboni: Yeah, so like the frequency is huge too because consistency breeds trust, you know, people, although we are putting out this free content and it does take time to put together, you know, people like following, you know, people are content providers that they know are going to be there for them or that they know are going to be there and continue to put that out. So I'd say the first thing was like, okay, I need to be consistent. Domenic Fraboni (06:35): And initially when I was starting this, I had a little more time on my hands and I was, I decided, okay, I can take Sundays off and I'll post six times a week. And then I realized as I started getting more coming onto my schedule that that was a bit tough and so I landed on doing something about three times a week, three to four times a week and making sure I'm very consistent in that, but then also engaging when possible and making sure that those connections that are made aren't just done because I need to make my three posts a week again is all has to come from this intention inside me, so whether it ends up being two times a week or six times a week, I know that it's all still coming from this great energy that I trust and in behind what I'm putting out. Domenic Fraboni (07:18): Again to create those relationships, whether online or whether in person or whether just through DMs or comments. We are creating relationships and connections with these people in some way and so if the post I can put out has a slight influence on that energy that might drive them to be open to different options, then that's what I'm going to put out. I've landed somewhere in that realm of three or four days just based on how much other work I have in my collective sphere right now. But I think that's plenty for me to continue that frequency of engagement to make sure people know that I'm going to show up. Domenic Fraboni (07:54): Do you have to know everything to start something on Instagram? Yes. If you're not an absolute expert, then you no, absolutely not. And I think if you look through Instagram pretty quickly, you'll realize that not everybody is an absolute expert or knows everything in what they're posting. And I hear a lot of PTs or specifically younger PTs who will see other pages and be like, what the heck is this? Like, this isn't how it is or this isn't how you should do that exercise. Or like, wow, they aren't even paying attention to this. And my thing to them is like, we'll record an exercise and put it out or record a video of yourself doing it and say like, this is how I do it. Not to bash or be against that person. I'm very, very much so against calling people out. I put my air quotes over that even though we're on audio, but calling people out or having turf Wars with other people because you don't agree with them. We don't have to agree. We do also just have to understand that there are a lot of people that are open to those other routes. And this isn't for PTs. Jenna Kantor (08:56): This is for people. Domenic Fraboni (08:57): Yeah. So leave your ego at the door, leave your ego away from your phone and put out great content that you know you can stand behind and you won't have to worry about that as much. Jenna Kantor (09:10): I love that so much. What has been the biggest lesson you've learned since really diving into your consistency and all your content on Instagram? Domenic Fraboni (09:19): Yeah. Be authentic and trust yourself. It's really empowering. Well one, when you find that empowerment within you just to say like, I know what I know and I know where that comes from. And when you sit in that space, no matter what you put out or what someone says about it can impact that. And so yeah, I spend time on posts that I put out and they don't go anywhere. Maybe I have a slight bid or a question in my head like what happened there? Why did that not get that following? But I don't emotionally attach myself to any expectation on that. So the biggest challenge is the expectation of yourself or the comparison bug that might come out. Instagram's doing this thing where they're taking away the ability to see likes on a lot of posts now, which I think in a lot of aspects is great cause there are a lot of people in these younger generations that are going through anxieties and depressions because of this technology addiction, which is a whole nother topic. Domenic Fraboni (10:17): And that's the initial reason I never wanted to get into this cause I knew technology draws on these very addictive processes to get people to continue to use and to continue to abuse those processes until literally we are physiologically addicted. And that's why I stayed away from it. And instead knowing that that can happen and the intent from where I'm coming, I know that we can use these processes that may be addictive to get great information out to people and to help them understand and have access to that kind of stuff. So yeah, my biggest challenge, a challenge is going back to your initial question was you know, comparison and seeing what other people are doing, which is why I brought up the likes and like, Oh they got that many likes and they have this many followers and this and that. You know, like you start wanting to do that in your head again, shut those things down right away because you don't know what their purposes are, where the people that follow them are coming from or what they're looking for. And so be authentic and try not to get that comparison bug on your shoulder. Jenna Kantor (11:18): Boom, Shaka Laka I love that. So where can people find you on the Instagram? Domenic Fraboni (11:24): So if you type in doctor, just drDomDPT, it's drDomDPT, you can find me. I put out stuff on movement, mindset and meals. And my goal is to empower you to independence in your journey. Cause everybody could use a little bit of good information to maybe open up what other possibilities could be on your path. Jenna Kantor (11:45): I love that. So thank you for everyone who tuned in to listen to this podcast. You can also get that information on where to find Dom in the bio as well. Dom, thank you so much for coming on. Domenic Fraboni (11:56): Thanks. This has been amazing. Jenna. I love getting to see you here at Graham sessions and thanks for interviewing me.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Keaton Ray and Scott McAfee on how to develop a successful business partnership.  Keaton and Scott are MovementX business partners.  MovementX is on a mission to heal the world through movement.  We believe that if you can move your best, you can live your best.  We are doctor-founded and patient-focused to help bring more convenient, transparent, and personalized physical therapy care to the world. In this episode, we discuss: -What is MovementX and how is it revolutionizing physical therapy practice? -The importance of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your team -Why you need different channels of communication in a partnership -The key elements of a successful business partnership -And so much more!   Resources: Movement X Website Movement X Instagram Keaton Ray Twitter   Scott McAfee Twitter Email: info@movement-x.com   A big thank you to Net Health for sponsoring this episode!  Check out Optima’s Top Trends For Outpatient Therapy In 2020!                                                                      For more information on Keaton: I am a passionate physical therapist and wellness/fitness specialist in Portland, OR specializing in reducing pain, increasing strength, restoring mobility and balance, and optimizing performance. I've worked with clients across the lifespan from those who have never exercised a day in their lives, to those who are afraid to exercise because of pain, to advanced athletes looking to take their performance to the next level. For more information on Scott: Dr. Scott believes in a world where anyone can move & live their best. The problem is that with today's healthcare system, finding the best care, avoiding crowded clinics, and dealing with insurance can be frustrating. That's why he chose to do things differently. Dr. Scott's practice is 100% mobile–he provides care in the comfort of your home, gym, or office. He brings a mobile treatment table and helps you decrease pain, increase strength/mobility, prevent injury, restore function, and coordinate your care plan. Wherever & whenever you need care, he can be there. It's convenient, valuable, & personalized to whatever you need. Dr. Scott works with a wide range of people, from youth athletes & avid runners to active grandparents & busy businesspeople. Call or text the number above to get directly in touch with him, and you can have a free phone consultation about what health goals you want to accomplish!   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor (00:00): Hello, this is Jenna Kantor here with Healthy, Wealthy and Smart. I'm here with Scott McAfee and Keaton Ray and I am tired. We are at Graham sessions 2020 and I am so lucky to be interviewing the two of you on your partnership with movement X. So first of all, thank you so much for coming on. It's an honor to be speaking with both of you. So first, would you mind explaining what movement X is and then dive into how your partnership began?   Keaton Ray: Sure. So movement X is a group of United providers across the country who are providing care in an inspired way. So we refer to it as the 11 star experience. We're going above and beyond the five star experience and providing care where people need it most, when people need it most, whether that's at their home, at their gym, at their workplace, on the track and field at their doctor's office. We're showing up and providing care that makes a difference. So improving lives on both sides of the treatment table for the provider and for the patient. Jenna Kantor (00:58): All right, and now your partnership.   Keaton Ray: Sure. So where to begin? So Scott and I first connected on movement X in 2016 or early 2017. Started with a phone call. I knew that Josh D’Angelo and myself couldn't do this on our own, so we called up some trusted partners that we had known closely through the APTA. Scott was one of the very first people we talked to and immediately had a connection over the mission, which is you know, help people move their best so they can live their best. And I'll hand it over to Scott who can explain the transition from that first talk about movement X to him, actually quitting his job, moving across the country, dropping everything to help us with our vision. Scott McAfee (01:50): So it was a very exciting time for me. I was just finishing up my residency program in Southern California. And I loved the people that I was working with. I loved my coworkers. I love my patients. And it was really an amazing residency experience at this hospital. However, I was somewhat displeased with the with the environment of dealing with insurance companies and being somewhat limited in my ability to truly and deeply care for people that I knew I had the potential to as a physical therapist. And after my conversation with Keaton, I got really, really inspired of what the opportunity looked like for physical therapists in this more mobile cash pay model. And it was I think about a week after I had passed my residency when I knew, wow, there's some real opportunity here. Scott McAfee (02:52): And Josh D’Angelo one of the cofounders along with Keaton he had been in the Washington DC area for seven years, was very well connected out there. And at the time right when I was finishing up my residency, I was very comfortable down in Southern California. I had a very strong network. My life was just going straight according to plan per se. And I've never quite learned at any point in my life from a point of comfort and I wanted to flip that on its head. So I decided to move all the way to the East coast to join forces with Josh D’Angelo in Washington DC in addition with Fred Gilbert who moved from Alabama to Washington DC and that's how the partnership began and we began expanding from there and it's just been an absolute wild ride since Jenna Kantor (03:49): I love it. And I love how you two interact with each other. You're both good friends as well as definitely business partners. How the heck did you get to that point? Cause I would love for you to first go into your struggles and then what you did to implement something that would work between the two of you. Keaton Ray (04:08): That is a good question. So all of us, everyone who started the company actually started as friends way before we ever started at business partners. And that is both one of our deepest strengths as well as probably one of our greatest challenges as well. But from day one, it was intentional on our part to learn each other's strengths and be open to each other's weaknesses and communicate if not over communicate about each one of those. So there is times when Scott and I probably are just at each other's necks, including other people. I get frustrated on a daily basis with everyone and they get frustrated with me. And that is okay, that is normal. But what we've done is we've gone through intentional work where we set aside hours at a time, both on the phone and in person to be open about those strengths and be open about those weaknesses. And each and every one of us over the past two, three years has just grown because of that intention that we've put into growing each other. So it is not easy. It definitely changes the relationship, but it's worth the intention. Scott McAfee (05:12): And Keaton and I, we both go back to the student assembly board of directors, although we never served together. I learned so much about how I function on a team in that environment. And I would imagine that you learned the same. And I think once you truly understand yourself and then also once you truly understand and appreciate and realize the mission of what your team is trying to accomplish, that how you get to the end goal of accomplishing that task is irrelevant. You just have to get there. And yes, you are going to agree on certain things you're going to disagree on probably even more things if your team is actually functional. But at the end of the day, as long as you are on a team, it can get to the end goal. That's what matters most. And from there you walk out of the room, no matter what discussion happened inside of that room, all with the same mindset of, Hey, this is our goal. We may have disagreed on how we got here, but now we're all in agreements. Hey this is what matters most. And, you have a clear sight of where you're going. Keaton Ray (06:27): One thing I'll add to that, the other two areas of strength. You said it perfectly, Scott. I think one is putting infrastructure into being able to build a communication pathway. So we have a lot of various company languages that we use that help us recognize when we're falling into several habits that may affect the growth. So one example is the six thinking hats. So six thinking hats. You know, the red hat is the emotional hat, the white hat is the fact hat. The green hat is the innovation hat. The yellow hat is the optimism hat. The black hat is the devil's advocate hat. Josh D'Angelo would be so proud. I just remembered that. And so sometimes when we're in a heated conversation or we don't see things eye to eye, we need to recognize, Hey, I'm wearing my red hat right now and you're wearing your white hat. No wonder we're not seeing each other. And various communication pathways like this have helped us to recognize where we're falling short and where we need to improve. And so without those types of things, it would be a lot harder to grow as a team. Scott McAfee (07:25): I love how you brought that up as an example because not only does that help us make decisions in the board room per se with business it's also helped me make personal decisions, look at problems that I'm facing in my own life from many different angles, right? Hey, if I had a green hat optimist view of this versus a devil's advocate, why would I talk myself out of this? I think I've been able to look at things from somewhat of a stoic and very objective point of view rather than getting to red hat emotional about certain things. And it's also helped in personal relationships as well. So as much as you can grow together in the boardroom, I think you take away so many different things on a personal aspect as well. And yeah, I love that analogy. That was something that Josh D’Angelo initially introduced and has just been so helpful. Keaton Ray (08:19): One more. The last thing I'll say too is if you ever want an ego check, join a group of six. We started with six incredibly innovative, intelligent, outspoken leaders. Sit yourself in a group of six outspoken leaders and have them debate your mission and your vision and your processes and everything in the background there. There is no space for ego when you are working with this large and this capable of a team. So you cannot be a solopreneur and accomplish what we're trying to accomplish. So we've all really worked hard in our egos and it's not always easy, but every single person on this team has done a great job.   Jenna Kantor: Would you mind sharing your own personal things you've learned about exploring how you work? I think that'd be interesting for people to hear. You're like, I am actually a person who's like this, I would love for you to share that. So then people could even learn how you are so different. Scott McAfee (09:16): So I might take a second to think about that. And that's something that I have learned about myself is that it often times helps me to take a second and think of getting my thoughts together on how to approach a certain question or an issue or how to solve a problem. Rather than to just speak my mind immediately. But I will say that right off the bat that going into this team, I'm in just awe of everybody who I get to work with on a daily basis. And people often ask me, Hey, why did you move to Washington DC? It wasn't only for this like larger mission and this larger purpose. It was to have conversations late at night with people who inspired me who I just looked up to in so many different ways. And that was a goal of mine when I was actually looking for different colleges to apply to. I was like, who could I surround myself with and have just really deep and insightful talks late at night with and I just feel so fortunate to be able to do that as part of this team and as our youngest member on the exact team that we have, I oftentimes do try to just be a sponge and take in as much information and inspiration from my team as possible. Keaton Ray (10:41): I was laughing through Scott's excellent explanation because sometimes I think we can explain each other's work habits at this point better than we can explain our own. And so I am the opposite of Scott, although it's gotten, I have the team probably operate the most similarly. But you know, there's differences between everyone. So I am very blend and I should take more time to stop and think first. But if something's on my head, it is right out in the open. And so one of the things that we've really worked on as a team between Scott and I, but also between all the team members is managing conflict. So some of us on the team are much more comfortable with conflict. Me being one of them, while others have a little bit more of a reservation around conflict. Now compared to other people, everyone is excellent at managing conflict, but it's a personal comfort as to how you actually deal with that. Keaton Ray (11:31): So I would say while Scott says he's much more, you know, maybe has to think about it in, in the background a little bit. I am much more of that writing your face. Oh, I don't agree with that. Or Oh, I totally love that. You know, kind of person. So a lot more forward facing. But what Scott and I have as an extreme similarity is that we are the doers. We're like, let's do it tomorrow. We have idea. Great. Okay, I'm going to stay up all night. We're going to crank this out. We're going to have a product tomorrow. We're going to launch it, we're going to test it a little bit and we're going to redo it. Whereas Fred and Josh tend to be much more of those visionary. Like, let's stop. Let's look longterm. Let's think of how this affects this. And, it is a wonderful combination because all of us compliment each other so well. You can't have one leadership style without the compliment of the other, but it can lead to frustration. You're moving too fast, you're not moving fast enough. You know, back and forth. So the communication puts us all in alignment and we're stronger because of it. Scott McAfee (12:30): Yeah. Actually one of the core values in our company is passion times purpose. And you can't have one without the other. And the way that I think about that is you cannot have action without strategy as well. And that's one thing that Josh and Fred are so instrumental in teaching us and teaching me and even keep me, is inspired me in so many different ways to behind everything that I do. Always have a strategy and don't skip steps in the action that you want to take. So I think that's very important. Jenna Kantor (13:03): I love that. I love that very much. What made you decide to hire out to figure out how to work better together? How did that, I'm sure alone cause you hadn't figured it had something in play like you do now. How did you get to that agreeing point to go, okay this is who we're going to invest in to improve our communication, to improve our partnership? How'd you get there?   Keaton Ray: Yeah. So I think what you're referring to is the consulting work that we did for a team development. So we actually got incredibly lucky. We got chosen by a graduate program working on human resources and team development as their trial team to take a deep dive look into each one of our personalities and our work habits and then do basically a report. So we each had a one-on-one like hour long talk with this consulting firm and they went deep into our work styles. Keaton Ray (13:53): We'll look it up, we'll look it up. And so then they came back at us and basically gave us a very honest report about how our team is functioning and then gave us assignments on how to dive deep and improve the report essentially. So it was a really hard activity and emotionally draining, but it was so bonding and we're so much stronger because of that consulting work we did. You have to recognize your weaknesses. We knew we're not perfect, nobody's perfect. And so we're willing to invest in the team to improve because without this team, the mission of this company doesn't go anywhere. Scott McAfee (14:33): So it was a graduate program at Georgetown university. Jenna Kantor (14:42): Yeah, that's very cool. I love that you guys said that is still looking it up to see if she could get more information. And I want to find this information for the listeners in case there is somebody starting a business who might want to look this up and see if this program might help them as well. Because seeing how you two interact, like I said, there really is some magic, dare I say Disney magic happening between the partnership and I think that is absolutely spectacular. Did you find the name?   Keaton Ray: So it was Georgetown's graduate program. Robin Goodstein graduated from that program and started her consulting firm called Balcony consulting. So anyone looking for team-based collaboration and consulting, she's incredible.   Jenna Kantor: Now what are your biggest challenges that you have and the easiest things for you guys overall? Cause you guys have grown together, but what are just the constant things that you expect to be like, okay this is a little challenging and this is like easy. Keaton Ray (15:58): So this is a hard question. That's a great question. But I think that the easiest thing that we have now is a baseline understanding of how each other operate. The first few months in definitely year plus was just learning each other's habits, learning each other's needs and learning each other's emotions. And now I think we have such an intricate understanding of how we each operate that it's much easier to move the company with speed. Knowing that, I think the hard part is, is we're now in a place with the company that we're really truly starting to grow and we're going to run into barriers that are unlike anything we've ever had. And so, so far we've been able as a team to come together and hustle and make this thing work and create an amazing movement. But we're going to max out of our own knowledge. And so we're going to have to find new team members who come into our company who do not have the same intricate knowledge of one another. So now it's not just managing each other, it's managing other people and having them fit into the culture as strongly as we do. Scott McAfee (17:00): I think that's perfectly said because we agreed too much. No. because it's going to be so special and like I said, such a wild ride ahead as we do grow and with as many things that are going to change and as many new obstacles that we're going to face, I truly do believe that we do have a very strong foundation and like you said, baseline understanding and respect for each other and how we both operate. And that goes for everybody in our team and in our community. The more that we can better understand how we operate and all speak the same language they all have the same core beliefs and core values and share so much of the same culture. If you know from a deep level that binds you together, I definitely believe that no matter what obstacle may come your way, you can adapt your team in a very nimble way, in a very strategic way, in order to accomplish that. We're with as many problems as we face and with as much as we have accomplished you know, the sky's the limit. And, I think there's so much growth waiting to be had that it's just so important to have that foundation before you have anything else. Jenna Kantor (18:21): I love it. Thank you so much. You too, for coming on here at this crazy, magnificent time here at Graham sessions, you two really set a great bar that is possible for anybody to achieve at their business partnerships. So thank you. Scott McAfee (18:36): Appreciate those words, Jenna and I couldn't echo the same thing about you and Karen. You guys are great. This podcast has inspired me when I was a student. So I just feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to speak to your audience and hope that we've spread something valuable worth listening to. So I appreciate you Keaton Ray (18:58): Agreed all around. Thank you so much for this opportunity. The one thing I'll leave the listeners with is if you want to build a team and you want to grow a mission, you have to be vulnerable. You have to put yourself out there and let people see what you do know, what you don't know, your hesitations, your fears and your vulnerabilities. Because without that, there's no way you can connect with people enough to build something as meaningful as we're trying to do. So be vulnerable. Put yourself out there, let go of your ego and you're going to create an amazing company culture. Jenna Kantor (19:37): Thank you so much. I was wondering where can people find you online if they want to try to reach out to you? Scott McAfee (19:44): So we are on Instagram @movementXinc and we are a online also www.movement-x.com. Keaton Ray (19:55): Note, our company name is movement X. No space, no dash, but our website is movement-x.com.   Jenna Kantor: Wonderful. Thank you so much. So thank you listeners for chiming in to this great discussion. This will also be in the bio as well. If you want to just check that out too, if you're having a hard time remembering what was just said on how to reach out to these fantastic individuals. Thank you so much.   Keaton Ray: You can also reach us at info@movement-x.com. We want to hear from you. We're always willing to hop on a phone call.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this week’s episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Cameron Massumi on new graduate engagement within the American Physical Therapy Association. Cameron Massumi, SPT is the president of APTA's Student Assembly Board of Directors. In this episode, we discuss: -Cameron’s passion for new graduate engagement within APTA -Inclusion and diversity within APTA -How to engage in networking events -Ways you can get involved within your professional organization -And so much more!   Resources: Cameron Massumi Twitter                                                                Outcomes Summit: Use the code LITZY for discount     For more information on Cameron: My name is Cameron Massumi, and I am the President of the Student Assembly Board of Directors. I believe that APTA serves an integral role in ensuring the future of our profession through advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and the sharing of a unified vision. However, there is, unfortunately, a marked decline in membership as students graduate from PT school and become active clinicians. It is my goal to stop this from happening and hopefully bring new graduates back into the APTA. My strong background in sales and marketing as well as my leadership experiences prior to entering PT school will allow me to bring a unique skill set to the Board of Directors. I will use these skills as well as my connections to ensure membership and engagement increase so our profession can continue to grow and become stronger. My vision is that through my leadership the student assembly can help promote awareness of the profession, increase diversity, and boost member retention. As a profession we need to collaborate, innovate, and strive for excellence. APTA is the best tool to ensure the success of our profession so that we can #MoveForward, so let’s get together and create some real change. After all, we’re #BetterTogether!   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with healthy, wealthy and smart. I'm here with Cameron Massumi who is currently the APTA student assembly president, all those things, however you prefer to pronounce it. First of all, Cameron thank you so much for coming on. First of all, it is a joy to interview this gentleman before we go into our topic on new grads. Cameron is one of those rare bulls who has massive stamina where he ran twice to become part of the student assembly. And that alone just shows that if you've seen the movie Rudy where he never gives up on his dream, Cameron, you definitely exemplify that. So thank you for being a person with the stamina to run again. And very, very well represent students at large. Cameron Massumi:       00:49                Oh, thank you for that Jenna. I have to say that I wouldn't say it's a stamina aspect more than it's just perseverance. I think you really learn from your experiences. I did run twice the first time I was unsuccessful. But I'd say that I gained a lot of knowledge from that. You know, you learn a lot about who you are. You really take the time to do some introspection and see what are the areas that you're most passionate about and you find ways to stay motivated and stay involved. I was thankful to the previous board. The students tell me they really helped me find an area in which I could contribute. And so I was a member of the professional advocacy committee and did some work on playing national advocacy centers and then did what I could to stay involved and really kind of figuring out what I would like to work on the next time around when I applied. Jenna Kantor:                01:41                I love that. I love that. All right. Let's now jump into the new Grad stuff now. Why are we talking about new grads? Cause right now you're currently a student. I actually am a new Grad. I'm experiencing what we are going to be discussing. So why do you specifically have a passion for new grads and have some futuristic plans for that, which we will get into in a bit, but why specifically new grads? Cameron Massumi:       02:03                Sure. I think the best way to address this is looking at friends and connections that I've made. I think APTA does a phenomenal job of first of all engaging students and finding a platform for them to have their voices heard and for them to be able to network with other individuals. You know, firsthand that we can make some great lasting friendships. But what the APTA I think struggles that a little bit is retaining some of that engagement when it comes to new grads. We have no secret that we have a decline in our member basis as people transition from students to working professionals. There's a positive in that the trend is moving forward as we are retaining more and more. I think early career started years has incentivized the ability for the association to retain members. Cameron Massumi:       02:51                I think the fact that with our rebranding that we're currently going through as an association, we're finding what matters to its members and really utilizing that to make the association more applicable and more exciting for demonstrating value to members. For me as a person that's about to embark on my own career, transitioning from the role of student to professional it's how do I find a way to stay engaged and how do I find a way to contribute to not only association but my profession. One of the things that most of the feedback that I get from a lot of my friends having graduated is they feel that they're going from a space where they have an existing platform to, you know, share their views and their desires within the profession to one where they don't. So this is a passion project of mine and something that I'm really looking forward to contributing on. And I think APTA's done a commendable job in engaging student voice and looking for collaboration on this. Individually myself, I'm looking at utilizing my state chapter to help with this. But also really pulling students and seeing what we can get collaboratively and seeing where that goes. Jenna Kantor:                04:17                I love that. So regarding new grads, how do they have a voice right now? Cameron Massumi:       04:23                Ah, it's interesting question. I think that ultimately it comes down to you finding your voice. You can use social media. It's a very powerful tool. You can use open floors within APTA. We just had our house of delegates and there's plenty of opportunities for members to get involved there. You can become an active member in your delegation. You can seek leadership opportunities within your chapter, within sections, academies or even at national office. I think that there is a plethora of opportunities for people to utilize. But it ultimately, it comes down to you what level of motivation that the individual has. Jenna Kantor:                05:02                I want to dive a little bit deeper onto the negative specifically for us as new grads and anybody who's listening, not you, you're not a new graduate currently a student. But for being a new Grad, there is definitely a dropoff. There are these opportunities but a lot of it has to do with after five years of experience, doors really do open for getting to apply for some greater leadership positions. And even that when you go, well for me, I specifically experienced this in my state, there is still a level of trust, meaning distrust for me being a new face and energetic face, a creative face, not somebody who's been around to learn the ways of how that specific area wants it to run. So would you mind speaking on that? Where is there a voice for somebody who is still waiting to be trusted? Cameron Massumi:       05:53                Sure. Tough question. Thank you for that. I'd say a lot of that really just comes down to you as an a association, as a profession or as a whole what we are doing to uplift and support individuals. There was a good bit of discussion at house of delegates and at next about diversity, equity and inclusion and for our student assembly meeting at next conference we had a round table and we invited some key panelists as well as students to share their insight and experiences on the topics. And it's interesting because when it became apparent really quickly is how diversity was highlighted almost exclusively at equity and inclusion. I think that as we try to shine more light to that and looking at what equity really means and inclusion and equity, meaning truly leveling the playing field and supporting people and giving them all the tools they need to have equal opportunities. It's not just saying here go, we're really building up individuals and letting them get to a place where they can create change and they can make their mark. And inclusivity is just ensuring that we're doing that with everybody and we're bringing them to that point. Jenna Kantor:                07:29                I just want to express my appreciation for this. With the diversity, equity inclusion coming up in these conversations at this conference, at the house of delegates. It's great, although we do not have a game plan at this moment, which is very clear in this conversation. It's good that it's being brought up on the national level, not just at the state level. I definitely personally represent this being a person with a personality that is out of the norm. Now, if I went to musical theater people, I'm in the norm. My personality blends in and actually Cameron, you would stand out. So I do appreciate that it's beyond just the color of your skin. So I appreciate that the equity and inclusion is also being included in this whole picture with the actual definitions to provide the opportunity that people, so desire. Cameron Massumi:       08:23                So the quote about diversity is being asked to the party and inclusion is being asked to dance. And I think that's a pretty powerful statement if you really break it down and you know, I commend APTA for their effort in or renewed effort in ensuring that we move forward with this as a profession. But it's really interesting. You know I see a very diverse group of people that come to these conferences and in my program back at Virginia, I see a vast diversity within our student population. Inclusion is one of those ones that's a little bit harder to utilize. Because you can't really force somebody to do something. You have to elevate them and promote a way in which they can take that opportunity to really get their voice out there and heard. And, and I think that we're moving in the right direction and it's exciting times and I can't wait to see where it goes. Jenna Kantor:                09:24                Yeah, yeah, for sure. I think I really liked that you gave that definition. It was worth the wait. It was worth it. So for me, I was just at house of delegates to share a little bit and I'm new. It was my first time at house of delegates. So as a new Grad I went there and I was not voted in as a delegate, an elected delegate. But I was an alternate delegate and with that I was able to attend and sit in the gallery, which is in the very back in order to just listen and learn, which is very valuable during the breaks I am very extroverted. Jenna Kantor:                10:05                And where for you Cameron, I mean you are present so people want to talk to you. You have that. It's amazing for me. I want to meet people. So I did find regarding specifically inclusion, which is why I wanted to, I was like oh I thought of this. I'm like, oh this'll be a great one with Cameron cause this is where your passion lies. I found myself in the room, you know when you see two people bonding that, oh they know who I am so I'm going to stand on the side and wait until you know you're kind of like smiling awkwardly on the side, you know, so I can get in the conversation and maybe have some bonding time. I think maybe one time, the whole time was it actually successful with me standing on the side because people were so focused in on their individual conversations. Jenna Kantor:                10:46                So I did not get any networking at all in at house of delegates, which was a shame. And, as you are saying right now about that, inclusion is hard because you can't force anybody. I think what I experienced would be a perfect example of a very, very eager beaver wanting to meet people. Cause that's the thing. You need to meet people. You need to gain that trust and you develop those relationships. And I'm not important enough. That's what I'm assuming where they would go, oh wait, Jenna's here, let's include give eye contact, equal eye contact in the conversation where you can somehow become a part of it even as the new person. So I really like how you're bringing that up, the individual. What are ways that we as the APTA team members where we could start thinking outside of the box outside of our own world to maybe pay attention to when we are actively being exclusionary because of the own world that we live in. Cameron Massumi:       11:46                Well first I like to say I'm sorry that you were made to feel that way. The House of Delegates is definitely crazy, especially this year when we had over 70 motions to get through. So you have a shorter amount of time and always so much to really get some of those meaty discussions out of the way that can present quite a problem to be able to communicate and network, I guess. Jenna Kantor:                12:09                Oh, for sure. But these are half hour breaks. Cameron Massumi:       12:12                Well my suggestion, I mean this really goes down to what are you doing to engage in conversation. You know, I recommend that if it's something that you're passionate about to find alternative means of starting dialogue, you know, it's fine to use the tact where you're kind of standing by respectfully and waiting, but there are other times where it may be more appropriate to interrupt but to you know, find a way to segway into the conversation and say, you know, I was just standing by and I really heard you discussing this. You know, it's actually something that I'm really passionate about. Would you mind if I shared my input? Or you know, maybe ahead of time, reach out and say, Hey, I know I'm a member of your delegation or I am a constituent and this is a passion area of mine I'd love to be involved in discussing this. Cameron Massumi:       13:10                There's all sorts of different ways that you can approach individuals and it's going to vary based on your personality and the personality of who you're trying to reach out to. So that's where I'd say it took to really start and just find ways to do it. I mean, I'm a very extroverted person. I have no problem really walking up and saying, hey, you know, I would love to engage in some dialogue, but there's other people that are more timid and you just have to find different ways of doing it. I don't think that it is plausible to really expect people to just notice you at all times and be like, Hey, like I see you over there, come on in. And I don't think that that is an issue with inclusivity, more so than the fact that there's just a lot of things going on. So, it's important for people to take more active roles to get involved with things that they're passionate about. Jenna Kantor:                14:09                This is really helpful. I mean and you make a very good point here Cameron, on just like seeing the real big picture of like the barriers, even though we may be all be in the same room of just the chaos that goes on in the rooms. And this isn't just like one thing. I mean we have these annual wonderful events, CSM, NEXT, we have the national student conclave. We had these other events which are also other opportunities and then of course the local opportunities as well. So for you, what are your future plans that you want to explore with the new grads? Because I remember us talking at Graham sessions, I believe. No, Federal Advocacy Forum. We're like plugging all these places everywhere, by the way, attend all these things at the federal advocacy forum. And you were talking about your passions, some things that you might want to develop one day for new grads. Would you mind starting to go into that? Cameron Massumi:       15:04                I'm sure I don't have any true plans at this point. All I know is that I feel that the new Grad, early career professionals population is kind of a lost area. And what I mean by that is that there's no formal engagement targeting that group. And that's unfortunate in my mind. So I'd really like to see more active participation engagements available for that demographic. And currently myself, you know, I'm looking to kind of transition from the current role that I'm in and to more of one focused on my local chapter level for a little bit as I also work to you know, further my own practicing career and then really just find a final way to increase involvement and engagement with that population. So there's a good number of early career professionals that I'm friends with that live in my home state. So I would just want to collaborate with them and see what we can get off the ground going. Jenna Kantor:                16:13                I love that. And for those who don't know, Cameron’s a champ.  I cannot express enough how this is somebody you do want to meet. You do want to have in your life in some capacity because of just he is a person who really speaks his truth but really from the heart and has so much love for others and seeing everybody really have the ideal professional career that they so desire. And we had a great bonding moment at federal advocacy forum talking about this and though I have most definitely put you in the hot seat, but for reasons to really help identify that there is and what you just said, there is a gap on the support that's available right now. It's not the APTA is ignoring it, they see it, but it's still there. It's one thing to see it and then figure out exactly how can action be taken. That would be exactly what people need. It's definitely been discussed. So I really appreciate and I'm honestly happy and excited for people in your area to be getting your wisdom and you even just like figuring out what you can do. That's very powerful. So just honestly, thank you for that. Cameron Massumi:       17:25                Oh, thank you Jenna. I'm just one person, you know, and I'll speak in, like you said, from the heart, and these are just my own thoughts, but I really think that that the heart of it is collaborative efforts. You know, people from various backgrounds are gonna be able to come together and really problem solve a lot. And then as far as APTA goes, I think that they do a terrific job of acknowledging areas for improvement. And they are really actively trying to pursue avenues in which they can rectify some things and improve existing methods. I don't think that they do a bad job by any means with early career professionals, but I just don't think that it's where it needs to. I don't think that where it currently is where it needs to be. But you know, everything's a learning process and as we continue to grow as a profession, things will inevitably improve. Jenna Kantor:                18:18                Oh, for sure. I was looking at things like that as opportunities. I'm like, oh look, we have more opportunities. And I think, it is really good at looking at things as opportunities and you have to look at it in a positive light. So for anybody who might be listening and being like, ah, you know, waiting for us to say something bad. Like what is it going to, how in this particular conversation right now where we're really trying to reach out and pull in the new Grad audience, like, is it gonna do us any good to sit here and bad mouth or to actually acknowledge what the APTA is doing and how they're regularly acknowledging things. So that way it gives you a rightful reason to hope and believe in an organization that has the power to make a huge difference. They have a huge audience. Jenna Kantor:                19:02                They have a huge following. Even if right now in June 2019 just for when this goes forward, and time passes, there's one third of the population. There's no denying. Even for nonmembers they have a huge, huge audience. So it is very important. Even if you don't currently believe are not currently a member which join if you're not currently a member, you cannot deny the outreach that they have. So what is very good news? You want to hear that they're talking about it. You want to hear that it's on their mind. You want to hear that they're seeing the opportunities and are trying their best to explore it to the right thing because you know, as soon as they take action on it, they got to stick with it to see if it works, you know, and get that feedback. Well Cameron, thank you so much for coming on here. Thank you for dedicating this time. You've been in meetings this whole time and I was able to fortunately schedule you here at NEXT 2019 and I could not appreciate it enough. Do you have any final words you would like to say? You're like Mic drop to people who are new Grad physical therapists or even soon to be. Cameron Massumi:       20:14                Thank you Jenna for the opportunity. I think the biggest thing is just be an advocate for the profession and for yourself in whatever capacity that is. The APTA provides a lot of platforms for you to be able to get involved, for you to be able to get your voice out there and heard, support your PAC. You know, that's how we get things done legislatively. How we improve things regulatory too. As an example from a student perspective, you know, lots of lobbying has allowed for legislation to be enacted to help with student loan forgiveness. That's massive. You know, that helps not only students, but early career professionals and we're relieving a lot of their financial burden. Stuff like that is really powerful. Don't underestimate your voice. You have much more volume, your actions and your voice speak volumes and just find a way to get involved. Jenna Kantor:                                        I love it. Thank you so much.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this week’s episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Lynn Rivers on Robert’s Rules. Dr. Rivers is currently the Speaker of the Assembly for the New York Physical Therapy Association (NYPTA) and sits on the Board of Directors for the NYPTA. She strives to facilitate the active engagement of the students in becoming advocates for the patients/clients they will serve and their profession. In this episode, we discuss: -What are Robert’s Rules and how debate is conducted at the House of Delegates -Different ways to collect votes from the delegates -Point of Order, Point of Inquiry and Point of Information -Can a guest speak during a meeting? -And so much more! Resources: Email: riversl@dyc.edu Robert's Rules for Dummies For more information on Lynn: Dr. Lynn Rivers has 25 years experience as a clinician and 20 years as an educator in higher education. Her clinical experience has focused on adults with neurological disorders and traumatic injuries such as head injury and spinal cord injury while working in a Level I Trauma Center. Before becoming chairperson of the department in 2001, Dr. Rivers was Director of Clinical Education for the physical therapy program. Dr. Rivers is currently the Speaker of the Assembly for the New York Physical Therapy Association (NYPTA)and sits on the Board of Directors for the NYPTA. She strives to facilitate the active engagement of the students in becoming advocates for the patients/clients they will serve and their profession. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello and good morning. This is Jenna Kantor. I'm here with healthy, wealthy and smart and I get to interview Lynn Rivers who knows so much about Roberts rules. Okay. Robert's rules. You know I'm going to actually hand over the mic because I can already imagine me describing it and Lynn going, well not exactly. So would you mind first just defining what Robert's rules is and where it is in applied within the APTA? Lynn Rivers:                  00:26                Sure. Well Good Morning Jen. Thanks for the opportunity. Thank you for the opportunity to be able to share just about 28 years that I have sort of gotten myself involved and love Robert's rules of order. So what is Robert's rules of order? It goes back hundreds and hundreds of years. It is the philosophy and the construct of how do organizations, any organization, whether it's a small church board or it's Congress or its parliament in England, how does a civil society with lots of divergent opinions, how do we conduct our business so that there are two principles that are met and the two principles are that the will of the majority will rule, but we must protect the rights of the minority. So it is for the voices of everyone in whatever society, whatever group, whatever meeting that every opinion gets heard and heard with respect. And that there is civility so that when very strong, strong opinions can equally be heard, both sides of the debate can be heard. Lynn Rivers:                  01:41                But there is civility and respect. And then when the decision is reached that the minority will agree that the will of the majority will rule. So that those are the two principles. So then the rules, holy smokes, there's, you know,  I'm sure if people have looked into it, the 11th edition is 800 pages long and there are so many minutia rules. But the bottom line is that the rules guide how people make decisions about what gets heard and how we make choices. So there are just the word motions is a tenant of Robert's rules of orders. So what is a motion? A motion is just an ask. It is an idea that someone has, that they want the society, the group, the organization to do. I want to ask that we pursue buying a piece of property or I want my APTA to look into this or work on this legislation, create a document for us to help us write. Lynn Rivers:                  02:56                It's an ask and then there's a way to make the ask. And so they give guidelines on how you make the ask. And then there are rules of then how do people debate. So you have to write out your ask. It becomes a motion. And then it's agreed during the meeting. It will be, they call it lay it on the table, but it just means say it right. Make the ask for the whole body to hear. And then there is the leader of the meeting who is neutral and just trying to facilitate the discussion and they have different titles. Then everyone respectfully just raises their hand or makes a motion. They have to be recognized to speak. And then when you speak to the motion there are just rules of civility meeting respect that you aren't shouting that you are just speaking to the facilitator of the meeting and you are making your case but you tend not to speak only about the motion, not who made the motion and don't speak ill of any other opinion. You just state your own opinion and the debate goes back and forth and then there's a vote. Jenna Kantor:                04:16                Actually could we go on this a little bit more with the ask, cause there's some things in this that I think is so fantastic with the civility that you are discussing and you guys, anybody listening, all you new grads, anybody who hasn't done house of delegates or been to any of these type of meetings before. You know how easy it is for things to get heated when it should, when it's a touchy subject. And of course within physical therapy we're extremely passionate about what we do. So those issues can get personal very easily. So would you mind going into the process of who is actually getting the eye contact, when you are standing up to speak about something and say it might be something you are quite passionate about, you have a written out exactly what you want to say. Who do you make eye contact with? And how do you address or refer to somebody who may have spoken before? Would you mind giving an example of that so people can get a better idea of how important and valuable it is to keep this going? Lynn Rivers:                  05:18                Be Glad to Jenna. So I'm just going to think back to the most recent house. The American Physical Therapy Association taking a stance against firearm violence. And there are some very passionate opinions in the room. So what will happen is in order to not hurt feelings or offend anyone, what happens is that the individual who wants to now speak passionately against the APTA taking any kind of social stance, they make direct eye contact, the room is full of 400 people, face forward. You're looking directly at the speaker of the house, which is the title of the individual who's standing up in the front, who has recognized you to speak and you say, Madam Speaker, I would like to speak vehemently against this. I respectfully disagree with the previous speaker from Oregon who made this claim. Lynn Rivers:                  06:22                And I disagree with that. So you don't say, I think Henry is an idiot. You say, I respectfully disagree and you speak about people in the third person and it's amazing how that sort of takes the emotion out. You can be emotional, you can feel passionate about your stance and you could be angry about the thought of an action being taken, but you are looking at the neutral speaker of the assembly and you are referring only in the third person to previous speakers or to a speaker from another state. And it is amazing how that can really deescalate the emotion. Jenna Kantor:                07:08                And then for such a very important debate and which I'd like to say that, you know, it's nice that there's an opportunity for every single motion to be debated on. So whether or not you think it's important, it still doesn't obliterate the opportunity for other people to debate on that, which I think is wonderful as well. But of course these things can go on forever. So how is it handled to end, you know, as a group cause you have a group of 400 people you know, for us at the house of delegates. So how is it handled, you know, to rightfully decide when it's appropriate to stop the discussion and move on to a vote? Lynn Rivers:                  07:48                Yes. So again, what happens is, you know, people have raised their hand or we do it electronically now in the house of delegates with a blackberry, you can put yourself what they call in the queue. So you're in line to speak. And so the speaker will monitor and you must indicate to the speaker whether you're speaking for or against it. So they try to balance debate. And at times after a bit of discussion, the speaker will say, at this time there appears to be no one who is in line or in the queue to speak. Are you ready for the vote? Other times, the speaker that we do have an opportunity and in Robert's rules there is a motion it to what is called call the previous question. And all that means is that person has put a motion to say, I think I've heard enough. Lynn Rivers:                  08:38                I have heard both sides of the debate. I am ready to vote. And so then if the speaker of the house, the leader of the meeting, observes that there are many people who think it's time to vote, then he or she will ask the body, that group at the meeting, are you ready for the vote? And if there's no objection, then you move to the vote. So it can either be everyone has stopped talking or there has been a lot of balanced debate hearing both sides of the story and enough people have spoken that the group feels they can make a vote. Jenna Kantor:                09:16                I also saw in the meeting, and we're not gonna hit all 800 pages of the book, but I'm just pointing out some interesting things. Sometimes the voting switched between standing between saying Aye and then also the electronic vote via the device. So how does, in this case, the speaker of the house who was running the meeting, how does the speaker of the house decide which way to do the vote? Lynn Rivers:                  09:43                Yeah, so certainly, what happens is each organization has also something that's called the standing rules. So we use set rules at the beginning of the meeting. And one of the key rules you decide is how much agreement does there have to be in order to pass that motion to say it's going to go. So for normal business, the actions of the house, we agree in the house of delegates, a simple majority, so just over 50%, 51% of the group. So the default or easiest for 404 was our voting strength yesterday, that the speaker starts with a voice vote. All those in favor say Aye. So she listens to the volume of the ayes compared to the volume of the no’s. And many times it's very clear if 300 people say Aye and 100 say no, then it's pretty clear by voice. Lynn Rivers:                  10:42                And that's the simplest and quickest. If it's still a vote for simple majority and she couldn't tell by the voices, then we have to use the electronic voting. Within that everybody has their clicker and they vote Yay or nay and it comes up. The standing vote is typically done when there is a vote that is more precious than just a normal business action. It's any vote that is going to hurt the rights of members. And I'll give the example then if you need to know, if two thirds of the people agree, many times the speaker will do a standing vote because that is much easier to see two thirds clear by standing. And that is when there is an objection to calling the question, meaning stopping debate. And because that is a right of the minority to continue to be heard, that is when the speaker calls for a standing vote. And then there was one time, even in the standing vote, she was not 100% sure it was two thirds. So she had us sit back down and do the clickers. Jenna Kantor:                12:05                This is great. So, you know, it's so funny, earlier you mentioned the word Henry and now I'm thinking of the Henry Bar, the candy. And I'm like, oh my gosh, what do these conferences do to me? I'm like, I need sugar all the time to like stay awake. Can we get into some of the language, just the intro that people say when they say parliamentary inquiry, like why do we say that instead of something else? Does it make it more efficient? Lynn Rivers:                  12:35                So again, there is a protocol to how one introduces a motion. And one of the first again for civility is whenever you are recognized to speak, you start by introducing yourself so speakers know who you are. We also ask them to state what component they are from, component or state. So I'm Lynn Rivers from New York would be how I would start. And you must be recognized in order to speak. There are three instances, and someone can shout out and not wait to be recognized. Point of order, point of inquiry and point of information, point of order. They there is shouted out and you are allowed to shout it out if you believe what is happening right now is not following Robert's rules of order. We are not doing it correctly and we believe that we have to ask the speaker that. Lynn Rivers:                  13:45                So if someone shouts out point of order, all debate stops immediately and the speaker says state your point and that person comes up to the mic and says speaker, I believe it is not in order for this motion to be heard. And there is a reason why we did not have due notice before this motion came. I don't think it's right that we are hearing it and then they would confer and decide whether that member is correct or the speaker rules. No, I do believe it's in order point and I'm sorry I misspoke. Point of inquiry or point of information are very similar. There is no real difference between that. A point of inquiry is sometimes said because people are really wanting data and facts, point of information. People tend to say they just have a question. They don't really understand why the makers of the motion wrote it this way. They don't really understand the intent of the motion. So they are asking a question to better understand the motion point of is just a little more precise if they want to. If someone wants to ask someone else other than the maker of the motions, they understand the motion but their point of inquiry is we'd like to hear from legal counsel is what the maker of the motion asking us to do. Is that legal in all 50 states? So then the speaker will say, is there an objection? Does anyone object to legal counsel addressing the body and answering this person's inquiry? Jenna Kantor:                15:16                Yes. That honestly makes more sense for me. Now listening to that because there was a motion on creating a virtual historical museum and there was a lot of point of inquiries to the board to find out how much work would this be putting on them. Would this be possible for them to take on? And also what would the game plan, where would the financial resources come from? What would we be taking away from? So that makes even more sense. And it's also respectful way to be like, it's just clarification. It's not going to be an attack. We just have a question to like know what this means. And of course, it's pointed in a very professional way of just saying, we really just need to know to get the full picture on if this is a good thing to vote on. So, I'm getting some massive light bulbs here right now. And then I think I want to finish with one more or the Lord knows we could go on forever with Robert's rules. And, honestly, if I really do recommend, yes, it's an 800 page book, but if you're interested in it, read it. Why not? Lynn Rivers:                  16:30                Well, and I'm going to say the caveat. Please don't start with that book because you will run away screaming, but please know, and you can just Google it. Robert's rules for dummies is one version. There are about four levels of books. There's Robert's rules simplified, right? So Google Robert's rules and look at the different books and start with the first one and then move up to the next one. That gets a little deeper into it. If you really think you want to fully understand it, you want to join be a member of the national parliamentarian society. That's when you buy the 11th edition of Robert's rules. Nearly revised. Yes. Jenna Kantor:                17:17                Awesome. Thank you so much. And See, this is a perfect example. Why bring the expert on to help? Correct me as I'm going, why don't we just do this? You're like, Whoa, whoa, Whoa, whoa, Whoa, whoa. Well, thank you for helping prevent people from walking away and pulling their hair out. Trying to read it going, oh, I give up. So that's good. I love those dummy books. Those are amazing, Lynn Rivers:                  17:36                I guess. But I just want to say the dummy books are not always helpful. Right. But I can assure you for Roberts rules, that book is a great start. If you just want to be able to be a voice at a meeting, not necessarily run one yet. You know, you just want, you want to write a motion, you want to get up and state your opinion and don't want to look foolish. Start with Robert's rules of order for dummies. Jenna Kantor:                18:03                Love it. Love it. Oh, I've been forgetting what my last, Oh yes. So for those who don't know, so at the house of delegates, I'm not sure if this is elsewhere, so you can definitely clarify this, Lynn. So at that house, all the people who are elected delegates sit in, I want to say an organized clump with their states and everything. But then there can be guests attending the event and they are sitting in the gallery in the back. And these are, it's separated in the back of the room. Is it true that they can come up and say point of order or speak to a motion or ask a question and so on and following Robert's rules and when or how, if that is appropriate? Is it appropriate? Lynn Rivers:                  18:49                Yeah, no, that's a good question. And the short answer is no. A guest in the gallery does not have the right to state point of order. Point of inquiry, they cannot shut out. But with the permission of the group permission has to be asked, can a guest speak? So guests can be invited to speak. A guest in the gallery can ask a member of the group to request permission for them to speak. So, so there's two things. There may be a member in the audience that knows there's a lawyer in the audience or in the gallery and they may initiate the request, but the lawyer may be sitting there antsy thinking, I have something to contribute. There are guests in the gallery. They are allowed to walk up to a member and say, would you ask the speaker of the House to request permission for me to speak? Because I have something to say. And almost always the body would say yes. If someone really wants to speak. I've never seen a guest be denied, but there must be permission given. Jenna Kantor:                20:07                Thank you. That's very helpful. Well, me as a performer first I see this mic sitting in front of us that's clearly not pointing to the people. You know, anybody sitting in amongst the delegates. And I remember staring and going, I mean, do they want us to sing? What is this opportunity? This mic Beholdeth on us? So no, they give them one for clarifying. But thank you Lynn, thank you so much for coming on and clarifying. Just even giving people a little glimpse of what Robert's rules is and just really learning how valuable it is. I think this will be such a good thing for so many, even experienced physical therapists to really know more of and understand what goes on behind the scenes and why we are following such rules. I'm new to this, but honestly, I really do believe in them because it is not easy to have these hard discussions in a nice manner. Jenna Kantor:                21:01                You don't want to leave pissed off. You want to leave like, okay, that was fair. That was a discussion. I can see why we might be moving a little slowly on this matter or why we might move quickly on this matter. It was eye opening in a very positive way. So I was wondering, Lynn, if people wanted to reach out to you or find you to learn more or maybe even get more guidance if they start finding themselves passionate about getting much more involved in this whole parliamentary process, how could they find you? Lynn Rivers:                  21:31                Thanks Jenna. Well, I'm in Buffalo, New York at D’Youville College and I am happy to share my email. It is riversl@dyc.edu. Jenna Kantor:                21:48                Thank you so much for coming on.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Kathy Mairella on how to get elected to the House of Delegates and other APTA positions. Dr. Mairella is Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education at Rutgers University.  Dr. Mairella has served in a number of leadership positions, including service on the American Physical Therapy Association Board of Directors, and terms as president and chief delegate of the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey. In this episode, we discuss: -How to make yourself known to the Nominating Committee as a potential candidate -Referencing the candidate’s manual and seeking guidance from your campaign manager -Candidate interviews and Kathy’s experience with election day -The continual pursuit for leadership experience -And so much more!   Resources: APTA Engage Website Kathy Mairella Twitter                                                                      For more information on Kathy: Kathleen K Mairella, PT DPT MA, received a Baccalaureate degree in Physical Therapy from Boston University, and a Master of Arts in Motor Learning from Columbia University. She received a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the MGH Institute. Dr. Mairella is Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Education. She teaches Professional Development I, and Health Care Delivery I and II. Her professional interests include health policy, professional leadership, and clinical education. She has presented on these topics on the national and state level. Dr. Mairella has served in a number of leadership positions, including service on the American Physical Therapy Association Board of Directors, and terms as president and chief delegate of the American Physical Therapy Association of New Jersey. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with healthy, wealthy and smart. And I'm here with Kathy Mairella and we are at the house of delegates and going to talk about the process, the election process for people who are running for positions within the APTA. And I know nothing. So first of all, Kathy, thank you so much for coming on. Kathy Mairella:                                     Thanks. This is fun. I'm looking for to talking about this. Jenna Kantor:                                        So for those who haven't listened to any of the interviews that I've done before that were kind of similar, I am totally beginner and I'm just going to be asking step-by-step and learning with you the listener about this process. So let's start from the very beginning. And honestly, I don't even know what that is. So Kathy, would you start, how does it just even start in the first place? Is it a piece of paper you signed? Do you raise your hand in a meeting? Like how do you get the opportunity to run for a position within the APTA? Kathy Mairella:             00:49                So that's a great question. So many, many of the leaders who run for positions at the APTA level started the component level and they often, it means state component mainstay or it can be an academy section as well. Those are also components. So every state has a chapter and then your sections are also considered components. So most candidates who run at the national level have had some level of leadership experience at the component level. And so you start there simply by showing up and getting involved in different activities. Usually if you have a leadership interest, somebody will notice and give you some direction and it helps to get that direction if you ask for it. If you're doing some work on a committee level or a task force level, you can ask the people who are more engaged. Kathy Mairella:             01:55                How did you do this? How did you get started? I started as a New Jersey component leader. I started as a secretary and moved through vice president and president and then to chief delegate. And so I got to know people on the national level through my work as a chapter president and as a chief delegate because that's where you come to a national meeting and you start to connect with people beyond your component. You start to meet people who are either other delegates or serving on the national level. And you develop connections, you develop relationships. When I went to my first delegates, I looked at the candidates who ran and I thought I would never in a million years do that, but I was a delegate and I watched and then people came to me and said, we think you have some leadership, would you be in check? Kathy Mairella:             03:00                And I was totally floored. I did not expect that at all. In fact, I was a member of APTA's nominating committee. So nominating committee members are elected to slate the candidates who run and they start years ahead of time identifying those who are interested. And so I was approached and I thought, not really, no, I don't think I really want to do that, but it gave me the idea of perhaps in the future serving at a national level. Jenna Kantor:                                        I want to pause you just very briefly. Would you mind saying what a delegate is for those who don't know what that means? Kathy Mairella:                                     Sure, absolutely. So each state chapter elect delegates who go to the house of delegates to vote on motions which are ideas, ideas for action. Really the house of delegates is considered a representative body, just like Congress as a representative body. So you are elected by your state or there are also section delegates, but you're elected to represent them in the house of delegates. Kathy Mairella:             04:21                And the house of delegates has about 402 delegates. And so the states with larger membership have more delegates, states with smaller memberships have at least two. They will never have fewer than two. So they call that apportionment. Jenna Kantor:                                        So you're bringing up the delegates cause they're the people who vote for you. So it’s important to be introduced to them because it can help your candidacy if you should run. Kathy Mairella:                                     Correct. And when you decide you want to run, it's important to get a sense from people. Is this a good idea? You don't want to put in all the work and then not be successful. So you really do start to observe people who have been elected or people who are doing work within the association that inspires you, that interests you and you know, you can observe them, you can ask them questions. Kathy Mairella:             05:24                You can start to connect with people. And then running for offices really a matter of experience. But it's also a matter of timing. We all have work life integration and we figure out the timing that works best for us. And in my case, I had three growing children. I knew I wanted to serve at a point where they were a little bit more independent. So that determined my time frame. So again, I had been a chapter president, a chief delegate, and then at the end of the time I was a chief delegate. My youngest child was graduating from high school and I thought, okay, this is the time for me to start pursuing that. So, I would observe then you need to know what the positions are. You need to know. Jenna Kantor:                                        So just to run for say, secretary or President or director, you need to know what it means that you would need to know what to do. Kathy Mairella:             06:29                Correct. So, the board of directors at the APTA level is 15 members. You have nine directors and then you have house officers, speaker and vice speakers. So those are two board positions that actually run the house of delegates. And then you have president, vice president, secretary and treasurer. So you would need to know, you know, kind of the roles and responsibilities of each of those. And you can also run for the nominating committee, which I mentioned earlier. So those are the people who are elected by the delegates to determine who the candidates are each year. So, you know, you run through a process that starts immediately after each house of delegates. So we literally just finished the house of delegates today on June 12th, and the next cycle starts for the 2020 election today. And it starts by forms that are available on the APTA website that any member can complete. Kathy Mairella:             07:34                They don't need to be done. You don't need to be a delegate. You don't need to be a leader. You can go on the APTA website and you can put in what's called an NC1 form, which stands for nominating committee one form. And you put that in and as an individual and you recommend someone that the nominating committee should contact as a possible lead for them to slate for office and you can you choose, I think this person would be a great secretary. I think this person would be a great treasurer. And you put in the recommendations for the offices that are up for election in the following year and the nominating committee collects all of that information. They also keep an ongoing spreadsheet of people who have expressed interests cause sometimes people will say, yes, I'd like to do this in the future, on completing a residency now and I'm getting married the year after that and I'd like to practice for three to five years and then maybe I'll be ready. Kathy Mairella:             08:47                They start to keep that spreadsheet and they turn that over every year from nominating committee to nominating committee so that they have a database of potential candidates. Jenna Kantor:                                        I have a question. I have a question about that. I'm definitely a person who wants to work on the board one day. Definitely a dream of mine. And what if I'm in a position where I don't have somebody saying, Oh, I submitted for you. Like what if you don't have something like that? Does that look low upon yourself?  I would love to know that perspective. Kathy Mairella:                                     Sure. So the volume of those NC1 forms really doesn't make a difference. It's important to have a few people say, yeah, it would be nice for nominating committee to talk to that person. You're not committing to anything. It simply gives your information to the nominating committee as someone that they should talk to and it just gets you in kind of in the system. Kathy Mairella:             09:47                So, I think for anyone who is interested, you can contact someone on the nominating committee directly. Their list of names and contact information is on the website. And usually they’re assigned to a region. So who's ever assigned, you know, if you're from New York, from the northeast, you know, you can directly contact, you don't have to have NC1 forms until you're actually ready to run for office. So once you decide you are ready to run for office, it usually is a good idea to ask a few people. Would you be willing to put in an NC1 form for me? And talk to people kind of before you’re ready, you know, do you think this is a good idea? Cause as I said earlier, you don't want to put in all the work and then find out that you're not successful. Kathy Mairella:             10:35                You're spending this time looking at your leadership skills. Learning about leadership. Always growing, always growing. There are some resources. APTA has opened, a new platform called APTA engage. And they are in the process of transferring some of their leadership development resources to that place. When I was on the APTA board, I chaired the leadership development committee and we came up with some core competencies of leadership. So, they were self function, which is how an organization works people, which is managing people's skills and visions. So knowing how to be visionary. And so I would recommend that you would look at all of those areas and they're always, they're not linear. It's not as if you develop self first and then people and then they're cyclical. Right?  So you can be, you know, you can work on all of those things and constantly come back to developing yourself as a leader. Kathy Mairella:             11:43                You're always developing yourself no matter how experienced you are. So the nominating committee, these NC1 forms are available between now, which is June and November. Usually it's around November 1st they close and then the nominating committee takes those forms. They look at who the possible people are that might be good to be slated for these positions and they actually reach out to these people. They interview people, to figure out who should be slated for this next year's offices. And they come up with a slate and what they decide how many candidates to slate. So usually if it's an officer position, president, vice president, secretary, they try to slate two people because there's one position. And for director there's usually three positions. They try to slate six individuals for those three. So two for each position is the goal. And that's what they would consider a full slate. And sometimes that's a challenge to get a full slate to get people to commit to run and you have to consent to run. They will call you to say, do you consent? They don't just put people's name on a list. Jenna Kantor:                13:15                So for you, you went through this whole process yourself and several times. Oh my gosh, this is for those who do not know, Kathy, she has the stamina of wonder woman just doing the whole process. So you knew you were going to run. Is there a meeting to teach you about principles or how are you trained for what is to come. Kathy Mairella:                                     And that's a really great question. So the nominating committee members are mentors or guides for you. They're not your advocates because they remain neutral in the election process. But they will assist you with some resources. But then APTA staff who work in the governance department become your assistants as well with the process. There is a candidate manual that contains much of the information and that's available to anybody. You don't have to wait until you're a candidate. Kathy Mairella:             14:16                Any member can go on the website and locate the candidate manual and read lots and lots of information about this whole process. And it really describes the nominations process, the candidacy process, and the elections process. So once the nominations process ends, the candidacy process begins and the nominated committee publishes the slate and the slate goes up on the website. And that's when people find out, it's usually early in December. They usually find out these are the people who are on the slate and then the campaigning begins. And as candidates, you are given a question to answer that goes in written form that goes on the website, on your candidate page. You also have to have your CV that gets posted there and that becomes available to the delegates and to the members to look at who are these people. Kathy Mairella:             15:21                And that's how you get information. The CSM meeting in February is usually the first live appearance of the candidates. When delegates start to pay attention to who are these people who are slated? And so the candidates pick a campaign manager and your campaign manager is the person who helps you. They are your advocate. They are the ones who help you navigate the candidacy and election process. Jenna Kantor:                                        I love that you guys do that. Kathy Mairella:                                     Yeah, and I actually I served as a campaign manager last year and I loved it. It was really a lot of fun. I really enjoyed that. So usually you want your campaign manager to somebody who does understand this whole process and who can again be your advocate, you know, let you know if your hair is straight and you know what you know, look at the things that you're writing and give you feedback and be sort of your sounding board when you have questions on strategy and who should I be talking to and here's what I'm hearing and how do you think I should handle it? Kathy Mairella:             16:38                That's your campaign manager's job. Because they have the job of being your advocates. Do you show up at CSM, you go through the process of contacting people, you know, asking them for your support, putting together your platform. Why are you doing this? Why should somebody vote for you? You have to have a pretty clear picture of why, if you're going to convince people, you know, to vote for you, it's politics. It's absolutely politics. And the thing about elections is that not everybody can win. You have to understand that the delegates vote for a variety of reasons. It's not always personal. If you are not the one who is elected. And there are multiple reasons why delegates will look across the slate at everyone that they're electing. They will be looking at the balance, they'll be looking at geographical balance. Kathy Mairella:             17:43                They'll be looking at age, they'll be looking at male versus female. So they're looking at all of those things for a mix. Again, because your board is a team of 15. Jenna Kantor:                                        I would love for you to go into now the day off, so the day off. So, for those who don't know, at the house of delegates, it begins of course with a bunch of meetings, but the real star time where people are coming together for delegates to start voting on things are the interviews for these candidates. So if you wouldn't mind talking about that experience. Kathy Mairella:                                     Sure. And candidate interviews are identified by potential candidates as being one of the biggest barriers to serving because many members find the idea of doing these candidate interviews to be really intimidating. Kathy Mairella:             18:42                The candidates at this point get at least one of their questions in advance. So you work on that and get it, you get that one prepared. So I ran this year for the office of Secretary. And so there are 20 minutes allotted for your interview. You get a two minute opening and you get a one minute closing and then the other 17 minutes you are interviewed by delegates to the house. They're divided into four groups. And so you how you do this four times, so you do 20 minutes, four times with a break in between each. And really, the delegates can ask you almost anything. And there's a standardized rotation and about who gets to ask the actual questions. So again, because I've done this a number of times, I actually enjoy the experience. The first time I did it, I found it to be, you know, completely intimidating and scary. Kathy Mairella:             19:39                Because it's been identified as a barrier, there's been a lot of discussion about how else can delegates get information about candidates besides these interviews. You know, when you’re a board member, you're not necessarily a performer. You know, it's not necessarily about being a good person who answers questions well on your feet, but yet that's how you are being evaluated based on, you know, on these interviews. There's a lot of behind the scenes leadership roles. So this process I think does favor those who interview well for lack of a better term. And again, it scares a lot of people. Jenna Kantor:                                        I get that. I get that. I was wondering for the last question now. So you've done all these interviews, who you finally get to go eat, drink, try to take a nap cause then you're waiting for the votes. So the votes go through. What's that experience? And so the last question, what's the experience of getting the votes and how it ends? Kathy Mairella:             20:36                This is a great question. I had to explain it to my husband the other day. So, the actual election takes place in the house of delegates and the delegates use a ARS device for electronic voting. So it is anonymous. And so they vote for each office and then ARS system tabulates the results. As that's happening, the candidates are asked to go with their campaign managers to a special room and you are handed in your hand an envelope with the results. So you get, as a candidate, you get the results before they're publicly known, which is very much a kindness. So you're not like sitting in the house of delegates getting the results at the same time that everyone else is. So you have some privacy around getting the results. You get that envelope, you either stay in the room, you go somewhere else with your campaign manager, and then you open the envelope and there you see the entire slate with the vote tally and how many each candidate and who you know, who is elected and who's not. Jenna Kantor:                21:57                And for anybody listening of course there can be mixed opinions on how this is run at seeing the tallies, seeing the numbers. I've honestly heard the ying and the Yang version of that, but overall this is the process. So I'm not doing this interview to add on all those opinions. This is just for just that blanket, like this is how the candidacy people running for the APTA. This is how it's run. This is how it works. Of course. Thank you so much Kathy. You just gave all these references for people, for them to look up and find out more details on their own if they really want to see details by details. That's amazing that there's a packet of book you said. The candidate manual. That's amazing. But thank you so much, Kathy, for coming on. This is a pleasure and I cannot wait for people to learn this information though. Kathy Mairella:                                     I think it's really important that this information is shared. I think it's really important that members and potential members know how their leaders are elected and how they can get involved.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Sneha Gazi and Maria Muto on Physical Therapy International Service. Dr. Sneha Gazi is a physical therapist based in Manhattan who specializes in orthopedics and pelvic health. Sneha’s desire to bring her skills beyond her immediate reach drove her to start PTIS in the hopes of bringing PT services to underserved populations. Dr. Maria Muto is a physical therapist based in Manhattan who specializes in orthopedics. In this episode, we discuss: -How Sneha and Maria started Physical Therapy International Service as students -The logistics around organizing a volunteer event abroad -Roadblocks Sneha and Maria encountered along the way -Advice for those interested in following in Sneha and Maria’s footsteps -And so much more!   Resources: #PTIS #PTInternationalService #CerveraDelMaestre #Spain PT International Service Website Email: pt.internationalservice@gmail.com                                                                      For more information on Sneha: Dr. Sneha Gazi, DPT earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Columbia University with a focus on orthopedics and pediatrics. She holds a BA in Honors Developmental Psychology from New York University where she completed a Concentration in Dance and published a scientific article on infant motor learning and development. Dr. Gazi worked at clinical rotations in both outpatient orthopedic practices and acute care hospitals, gaining knowledge on high-level manual therapies and evidence based exercises to help her patients return to the activities they loved. She’s treated pelvic pain in pre/post-partum women, rugby players in New Zealand’s sports training facility and helped many NY’s Broadway and Off-Broadway dancers, actors, vocalists, and instrumentalists to get back on stage. She combines her knowledge of how to rehabilitate lower back pain, neck pain, TMJ dysfunction, sports and dance injuries along with a compassionate energy. Sneha is also a certified yoga instructor and professional Indian classical dancer. She integrates yoga asanas, breathing techniques, guided mediation, and mindfulness exercises into her treatment sessions to enhance her patient’s recovery process. Sneha has a strong passion for service overseas and pioneered the first ever Physical Therapy International Service trip to Spain with Dr. Maria Muto.   For more information on Maria: Dr. Maria Muto is a physical therapist based in Manhattan who specializes in orthopedics. Maria received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Columbia University where she began to analyze runner's running mechanics. In recent years, Maria has worked with the athletic population as a personal trainer. She hopes in the near future to obtain her certified strength and conditioning specialist certification (CSCS) to practice both training and rehab with high level athletes. As a physical therapist, Maria’s treatment approach is team-based between her and her patients. She believes that getting to know and involve her patients as much as possible within his or her care is the best way to optimize function and maximize movement mechanics for a true recovery. This belief of involving patients within his or her care at this level persuaded Maria to expand herself to this world and discover how to truly connect with others of varying conditions, cultures and fortunes. Maria has now practiced in Italy and Spain. Overall, Maria is excited and eager to continue to learn more about the world and her profession by these experiences.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:04                Hello. This is Jenna Kantor. I am partnering as a host with healthy, wealthy and smart. And today I get to interview Sneha Gazi and Maria Muto. And they are the creators of physical therapy international service, which is PTIS, where they led the first ever international service trip in Spain, which is incredible. So I'm extremely excited to be interviewing these two. One they're good friends of mine, two their big goal getters. Literally this wasn't any teacher or any mentor telling them to create this service trip. This is something they just found a real hardcore desire to create from scratch. So this podcast is extremely valuable because they are going to be sharing exactly how they did it, maybe a little bit of obstacles, and then hopefully put a fire in your flame if you're considering doing something like this yourself. So the topic for today is very simple. It's just creating a service trip. All right, so first Sneha, would you just mind just saying hello one more time so people can really hear your voice. And Maria, would you do the same? Perfect. Alright, so first question, why did you decide to create a service trip? Sneha Gazi:                   01:31                So we had multiple reasons to create a service trip, but two of the main reasons were, one, we wanted to provide physical therapy services to a group of people in a different country who didn't have that opportunity already. So we chose a small town in Spain. They have no physical therapy services in that town and the closest medical services they have to travel quite far to obtain even basic medical services. So physical therapy is sort of a luxury treatment for them in that town. And these are also people who work high levels of labor, their agriculture workers, they do a lot of physical demanding work, so they end up having a lot of physical stressors. So, that's one main reason we wanted to provide a service to people who didn't have it. And then the second reason, our main reason to join with two folds. Sneha Gazi:                   02:23                The second one was to provide an opportunity for students to learn in a different setting. So this provides cultural awareness. This provides an opportunity for students to bring things outside of a classroom setting, even outside of a clinical affiliation setting where they have, you know, very structured environment into sort of the blue and an environment where they won't have a chance to, you know, readily look something up on the Internet, but they have to think on their toes. They have to know how to modify a treatment. They have a licensed physical therapist there to guide them throughout to make sure everything is safe and everything is moving forward very well for the patient to have the patients' interests in mind. But it's to provide these students an opportunity where they're kind of thrown out of their comfort zone. Jenna Kantor:                03:05                That's excellent. So, okay, you started from scratch. How did you guys fundraise for this trip? Maria Muto:                 03:14                Yeah, so we had three separate events. These were a happy hour events, that we advertised to people that we knew in the local area to come hang out with us downtown, come out and support this service trip. We had great turnout the first two times. It was so much fun to just gather with these people to help promote this amazing trip. Super supportive. It was a true gift, honestly. So, you know, we hope to continue doing this. Jenna Kantor:                03:49                That's great. Yeah. Sounds so simple that you guys were just able to create these social nights and you're able to just make money from that. Was it difficult just to follow up a little bit more money? Yeah. So was it difficult putting together these fundraising events or was it rather simple? Maria Muto:                 04:04                Well, the simple fact that we are housed in Manhattan kind of make it easy because there's so many opportunities to go out and explore the city. So, you know, between Sneha and I, and a third member, we kind of were just thinking about, you know, where do we want to be? Thinking about the audience that we were targeting, like young 20s, let's think about the area and location. So we did our research, we contacted, the coordinators of these local areas that we were interested in and things, you know, led to another. And we were talking about deals and we got really great offers and apparently our audience loved it too. So, it wasn't really that difficult. You just have to kind of reach out and speak to the right person. Jenna Kantor:                04:50                That's great. I like how you say it. It almost sounds like boom, Bada Bang. It happens. Maria Muto:                 04:56                New York is a land of opportunities so it is put yourself out there and you never know what you're going to get. Jenna Kantor:                05:03                Yeah. So we learned right here, moved to New York is a good suggestion. Did you choose a location then for your actual service trip? Sneha you start to go into this a little bit saying all the benefits of Spain, but I'm sure you must have explored other locations as well. So would you mind telling me that journey? Sneha Gazi:                   05:24                So, I actually had the wonderful opportunity before joining PT school to do a Yoga Shiatsu program where I got my yoga teacher certification in this very town. So the way I found that was I just looked up yoga teacher certifications in Europe because that's where I wanted to do it. And I know a little bit of Spanish. So I knew that that would be a little bit easier for me to mingle in with the folks in the town and have a good time and get to know different cultures. So I chose Spain, I ended up going there, made some amazing connections, you know, the smaller the town, the lovelier the people in a lot of ways. Everyone is so humble in that town. Everyone is so open and warm and you know, willing to let you into their homes and their town in their community, which is already so small to begin with. Sneha Gazi:                   06:11                So I made some really good friends there and when I was thinking about places, Maria and I were discussing, that was one of our many options. And it also was the one that flew the quickest for us because of that connection that I already had there. So it wasn't easy to do the communication and you know, do the long distance back and forth, emails, thousands of emails, thousands of things to coordinate. But at the end of the day, that was the best route for us to go to because I already had been there before and I had known that it was a safe place. The people were wonderful and I knew that this would benefit both the town in the students and the licensed therapists who are coming along with it to make it a safe working environment and a safe learning environments. And that's why we chose that. Jenna Kantor:                06:52                Yeah. Yeah. That's great. Oh so good that you knew that it was a safe area to cause I know for people traveling overseas that would be a concern. So having that background with Yoga, by the way, power to you being a physical therapist and knowing yoga. Wow, that's definitely given you a leg up for sure. But being able to have that experience before that, that's great. What a great way, how your life and kind of led you to creating something more in this area that you fell in love with through yoga. Jenna Kantor:                07:53                So we talked a little bit about fundraising. Now my mind's going to how much would this cost if I was a student now I wanted to participate. How much did it cost for a student to go and be part of this service trip? Maria Muto:                 08:17                So, because this was the first event, we kind of hope that the next following will be similar into what the expenses were for this one. But you know, as a student, finances can be very difficult. So, you know, trying to keep that within our minds. We calculated a fair of 450 euros, that would be per students. So kind of just thinking of the numbers, we were, you know, that's why we had those three fundraising events to try to cover for those costs. So, you know, we were planning accordingly. We did tell the students, which we have three students with us and two licensed PTs, we did tell them that their airfare would be on them. Because we wouldn't be able to cover that. Hopefully as we grow as an organization, we will be able to, you know, create larger fundraising events and have, you know, even more money to, you know, help us move this opportunity along and help you know, out the students, or whoever's participating more. But for the first time, that was pretty much what we had the students pay. So, you know, we'll see what happens in the future. But, it wasn't really that expensive. When you look at a larger scale of what it actually could potentially be per person. Sneha Gazi:                   09:46                We have to say what the fundraising money went to. So we have to say that we covered the entire cost for the licensed therapists. 450 euros for two people. Maria Muto:                 09:56                The 450 was covered like we provided coverage for the PTs and then everything, the airfares and all that stuff was on their own. Jenna Kantor:                10:17                Selecting students and selecting mentors, I feel like this is almost like a raffle, you know, like who gets it? How did you do this? Was there some sort of like people wrote in letters and mentors. I mean, you were students at this time. So how many professionals did you know at this point to be able to pull in the ideal people to guide you over in Spain? Sneha Gazi:                   10:40                Yeah, so the licensed PTs who came on this trip, the way we approached that was we emailed, texted, Facebook message called, kind of in any way, a form of communication to every license PT that we knew and our contacts list, and then ask our friends to give us more context. We had many people show interest, but we knew that we were asking a lot from them because they weren't getting paid to go on the trip. All we were able to do was completely cover they're living, food, transportation in Spain, which was the 450 euros that Maria mentioned, but we weren't going to be able to cover their airfare. So what these therapists had to do, and we are forever grateful for you, Patty and Michelle for doing this. They actually took off of work and paid their airfare to come to be a part of this trip. Sneha Gazi:                   11:32                And the two therapists who came in were the ones who were able to give us a commitment as soon as, and we knew that everybody who we reached out to was a reliable, intelligent and wonderful therapist who we knew would be an amazing form of guidance for the students and for ourselves because we were students while we went on the trip. So we knew whoever came in and whoever signed our contract and said they were on board. And you know, there were many who are very enthusiastic about this. But whoever came in first were those. And then in terms of the students, we reached out to several schools. We did not want this to be a school trip. You know, never really was a school trip. This is an independent project. So we reached out to several schools outside of our own school. Sneha Gazi:                   12:18                Maria and I go to the same school but reached out to other students to make sure that we get a diverse group of people so we can learn from other schools as well. And we wanted everything to be a sort of from different pockets of the states. So we were able to get three students from three different schools who joined in.  A lot of people sent in their applications and we sort of chose based on, you know, their essay of why they wanted to do it and sort of their background on the classes that they had taken just to make sure that we had a diverse group of people but single minded in terms of what we wanted to accomplish, which was service and learning because it's physical therapy international service trip. So yeah, that's how we chose everyone. And you know, that was initially we thought that this was a struggle but we found very quickly moving forward that that was the least of our worries. It was easy to get those. Jenna Kantor:                                        Oh that's so good to hear. Cause I mean putting everything together from scratch is already enough on its own. So that's great that that ended up being a smooth journey for you both. Now, what was your biggest obstacle, because I'm sure you've had many obstacles as you were putting this together, but what would you say is your biggest obstacle that you encountered and how did you overcome it? Maria Muto:                 13:30                I'm really glad that you were asking that question now. Just because the last thing that you said kind of segways into my response in that starting from scratch is pretty difficult. So as students, you know, we're trying to think of who do we know, what do we know, where do you know we want to go and how do we want to do this ourselves? You know, as very ambitious PT students, we really tried to, you know, Gung Ho and take sail what this in which we did. But that wasn't really easy to do because of who we are as just students. And with the experience that we had at that given time, which, you know, was a decent amount of experience and, you know, led us to having this project follow through. But I think, you know, we just had to kind of keep on rolling, keep on thinking, make sure that, you know, we had all of our grounds covered. You know, just having the trust in the people that we selected and which we did. So I think that that was hard to kind of try to really piece everything together. But you know, we just kept on powering through. We just really wanted to make this work and we're so thankful that it did. Jenna Kantor:                14:52                We're up to the last question and this is just getting words of wisdom from each of you. What words of wisdom do you have for someone who's listening to this and goes, that's it. I want to plan a service trip now. What do you have to say to that person? Sneha Gazi:                   15:20                So there are many, many things that go into planning this trip. I'm going to tell you that it ends up being sort of a part time job, especially towards when you get to the end of the race, when you're putting everything together. It took over a year and a half of preparation. We had many obstacles along the way like Maria had mentioned, but even through that, it did take quite a bit of time to put everything together. So I would say number one is make sure that you have a contact in the location that you want to do your service in A to make sure that this place is a safe learning environment and a safe working environment. And secondly, to make sure that logistically that you have a point person to get information from, to coordinate the patient's there to coordinate the simple things. Sneha Gazi:                   16:10                And we had a wonderful lady Alaina, who did all of this for us while we were there and Kudos to her because if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have been able to do this trip. But she was a local who volunteered her time to put together plints, towels, pillows, sheets, dividers, coordinate the schedule of the patients, get together the schools when we did our educational workshops to coordinate the location, the projector, everything. So I would definitely say you need somebody like that in this location. If you are not yourself able to travel back and forth throughout the year or however long it takes for you to plan it, to get there, you need to have somebody there. And the second thing is to make sure that you know how the money is going to play out from the beginning. Sneha Gazi:                   16:56                So making sure you're very transparent with how much is food, how much is transportation, and how much is living costs, how much your supplies, and then devise a plan of how you're going to make this feasible. Like Maria and I had planned before we even got the location, we already started fundraising because we knew this was going to be expensive. So we put together the fundraisers, you know, three months before we even nailed the location down. So I would definitely say, make sure that you have a plan financially to get everything together and make sure that the place is a good place to be in and you will do wonders if you just have those two solid. Maria Muto:                 17:51                So everything that they have said totally feel the exact same way. Wonderful, wonderful advice. But I think when you go abroad into another country, be very accepting and welcoming to the new culture that you're in. Embrace where you are, feel it, feed it, do everything that you can. Because at least from my experience, these people are so welcoming and just want to know about you as a person. They're very intrigued that you're American and there's so many other ways that you communicate with people other than just words. But I would advise for you to study up on the language in which that you're going to be treating in because it makes it a little bit easier. But there are other ways to, you know, understand people if you have that language barrier, but for sure, really tried to, you know, embrace the culture that you're in. And I think that would really make the experience even more fulfilling. Jenna Kantor:                18:36                That's great. I actually just thought of something, I'm wondering what Spanish phrase did you use the most there? Maria Muto:                 18:46                Because I was speaking so broken Spanish, like I was actually speaking more Italian. I think I would say like siéntese, por favor. Hola. Or Ciao. Aquí. Dolor. Sneha Gazi:                   19:05                I think I used boca arriba the most, which is face up. It literally means upwards. Oh yeah. But it means supine. And I had to say, I had to tell people, can you lay flat or lay on your back? And it was very difficult for people to understand this. So one of my patients who spoke broken English was like Boca arriba. Jenna Kantor:                                        For anyone who was interested in starting a service trip. Please reach out to Sneha and Maria. They are huge Go getters. I really, really appreciate you guys coming on here. This is extremely valuable. Thank you so much.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

  LIVE from the NEXT Conference in Chicago, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews the teams from the Oxford Debate which covered the question: Is Social Media Hazardous? The Pro team consisted of Karen Litzy, Jimmy McKay and Jarod Hall. The con team consisted of Ben Fung, Jodi Pfeiffer and Rich Severin. In this episode, we discuss: -How each of the debaters prepared and crafted their arguments -Bias and how to research a question openly -The importance of respectful debate on controversial subjects -And so much more!   Resources: Jimmy McKay Twitter Rich Severin Twitter Ben Fung Twitter Jarod Hall Twitter Karen Litzy Twitter Outcomes Summit: Use the discount code LITZY   For more information on Jimmy: Dr. Jimmy McKay, PT, DPT is the Director of Communications for Fox Rehabilitation and the host of five podcasts in the category of Science & Medicine. (PT Pintcast, NPTE Studycast, FOXcast PT, FOXcast OT & FOXcast SLP.) He got his degree in Physical Therapy from the Marymount University DPT program and a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from St. Bonaventure University. He was the Program Director & Afternoon Drive host on the 50,000 watt Rock Radio Station, 97.9X (WBSX-FM). He has presented at State and National Conferences. Hosted the Foundation for Physical Therapy research fundraising gala from 2017-2019 and was the captain of the victorious team in the Oxford Debate at the 2019 NEXT Conference. Favorite beer: Flying Dog – Raging Bitch   For more information on Rich: Dr. Rich Severin, PT, DPT is a physical therapist and ABPTS certified cardiovascular and pulmonary specialist. He completed his cardiopulmonary residency at the William S Middleton VA Medical Center/University of Wisconsin-Madison which he then followed up with an orthopedic residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). Currently he is working on a PhD in Rehab Science at UIC with a focus in cardiovascular physiology. In addition to research, teaching and clinical practice regarding patients with cardiopulmonary diseases, Dr. Severin has a strong interest in developing clinical practice tools for risk assessments for physical therapists in a variety of practice settings. He is an active member within the APTA and serves on the social media committee and Heart Failure Clinical Practice guideline development team for the cardiopulmonary section.   For more information on Karen: Dr. Karen Litzy, PT, DPT is a licensed physical therapist, speaker, owner of Karen Litzy Physical Therapy, host of the podcast Healthy Wealthy & Smart and creator of the Women in Physical Therapy Summit. Through her work as a physical therapist she has helped thousands of people overcome painful conditions, recover from surgery and return to their lives with family and friends. She has been a featured speaker at national and international events including the International Olympic Committee Injury Prevention Conference in Monaco, the Sri Lanka Sports and Exercise Medicine Conference, and various American Physical Therapy Association conferences.   For more information on Jodie:  Jodi Pfeiffer, PTA, practices in Alaska, where she also serves on the Alaska Chapter Board of Directors.   For more information on Jarod: Jarod Hall, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS is a physical therapist in Fort Worth, TX. His clinical focus is orthopedics with an emphasis on therapeutic neuroscience education and purposeful implementation of foundational principles of progressive exercise in the management of both chronic pain and athletic injuries.   For more information on Ben: Dr. Ben Fung , PT, DPT, MBA is a Physical Therapist turned Digital Media Producer & Keynote Speaker. While his professional focus is in marketing, branding, and strategic change, his passion is in mentoring & inspiring success through a mindset of growth & connectivity for the millennial age.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with Healthy, Wealthy and Smart. Super excited to be talking here because I am at the NEXT Conference in 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. And there was an awesome debate an Oxford debate and I'm with almost all the team members. So that being said, I want to just interview you guys on your process, especially because everyone here is either extremely present on social media or uses social media. So it's funny that we had these two opposing teams really fighting different arguments here where everyone pretty much is on the same page that we all use social media. It's great for business. There's no denying. So as I ask my questions, would you guys say your name because people aren't going to necessarily, well maybe for some recognize your voice and also say what team you were on, whether it was team hazardous, which was correct me, Jimmy, which was the pro argument. The pro argument was saying that social media is hazardous and then the Con team was team Blues Brothers, which I've learned from Ben Fung it would have been the star wars theme except it had already been used in the past and they needed to be original. So that being said, I want to start off with #teamhazardous. What was your individual processes with finding your arguments since each of you are very present on social media? Jimmy McKay:               01:39                Jimmy McKay team #hazardous. I think first of all, this was a very difficult argument for our opponents because, well, first of all, we didn't get to pick which sides. A lot of people think that we've vied for the sides. We were literally just asked if we wanted to do the Oxford debate and then been given a side and given a team. So I want to make that very clear. I think they did a great job. I was keeping track of all the points that I would've hit if I were on that side, I thought that was the uphill battle. Because people, when they found out we were pro social media it was like, oh, you don't like social media. But if you read the prompts for a debate very closely, it's like, is it hazardous? Jimmy McKay:               02:18                Not is it good or bad? Right? So we agreed like all the things that the con side said, we agree with it's fantastic. It should be utilized. But just like PT why do we take the NPTE for example? Because if improperly used physical therapy could be hazardous. So that's why we take a test that makes sure that we're a safe practitioner of physical therapy. So, my thought process was I went on social media and wanted to grab all the kits, right? Like emojis and gifs and videos and Beyonce doing dances because that's what people resonate with. But then focus on the things where I think it falls short. Everything falls short, right? There's no Shangri-la and social media is no different. So just focus on the issues that stood out, right. Jimmy McKay:               03:01                So all I had to do is can I just ask, what do you love about social media? Like what irks you, you know, what are things that you wish were better? And as you heard from tonight, I think in past Oxford debates, sometimes it was hard to get four or five speakers to ask questions. And I think they had to cut them off because everybody, it resonates with everybody and it's super personal, right? I mean, what was the stat? How many people, I mean minutes that people spend a day, 140, 116 minutes a day Jimmy McKay:               03:29                It's probably hard, so it's super personal for people but I think again, the argument from the other side was just is really hard. I mean, I think you guys were put in a corner. But here's the funny part. Like you defended it, I think you defended that corner pretty well. So that was my process. Karen Litzy:                   03:50                Hi, Karen. Let's see, #teamhazardous and yes, this is also my podcast, so that's, yeah. Karen Litzy:                   04:00                So my process was pretty easy because I had just spoken about social media and informatics at WCPT in Geneva. So I was able to use a lot of that research and a lot of that information to inform this debate. And what I wanted to stick to was, I wanted to stick to the idea of fake news, the idea of misinformation versus disinformtion because there are different and how each one of those are hazardous. And then the other point I made was that it's not individual people, it's not individual groups, it's not even an individual platform. But if put all together, all of the platforms add in misinformation and disinformation, add in people who don't know the difference between something that's factual and not. So if you put it all together, then that's pretty hazardous. But the parts in and of itself maybe aren't. And then lastly that social media is a tool we need to really learn how to use it as a profession because it's not going anywhere as the team concept. It's not going anywhere. So the best way that we can reach the people we need to reach is by using it properly and by making sure that we use it with integrity and honesty and good faith. Jodi Pfeiffer:                 05:22                Hi, I'm Jodie Pfeiffer. I was for the con team blues brothers. I got to be the lead off person as well. So I really just kind of wanted to set the tone. It was a hard argument. Everybody uses it. I would like to think most people try and use it well we know this isn't always the case and it is a really useful tool for our association and for our profession. But there are times when it is not, we were trying to just, I was trying to set the stage for my other team members to give them things to work off of, give everybody a little introduction of the direction we were going. And I also tried to play off of our opponents a little bit as well because you know, really their argument that they made so well kind of proved both sides, how good it is and the hazards. So yeah, that was the direction that I went. Jarod Hall:                    06:20                This is Jarod Hall. I was on the pro team #teamhazardous and I remember when I was asked to be on the Oxford debate panel, the same day I was scrolling through social media of course, and I saw Rich Severin on Facebook saying, Hey, look, I was selected to be for the Oxford debate. And I thought, man, he's super well-spoken. This dude knows his stuff. He's going to come in strong. And then like I checked my email an hour or two later and I had been asked as well and I was pretty floored. I didn't know what to say. And they're like, do you want to do this Oxford debate and what side do you want to be on? And of course I said, I'm super active on social media. It's been helpful for me to find mentors and it's really positively influenced my career. I want to be on the side that's pro social media. And they said, cool, you're on the opposite side. Jarod Hall:                    07:21                And I thought to myself, oh, ouch. Okay, I need to look at this subjectively. You know, I need to, I need to step back away from the situation and look at ways that either I myself have been hazardous on social media or things that I've seen that were hard for me to deal with on social media. And, when Karen and Jimmy and I were strategizing, you know we kinda came up with a couple of different points. We wanted to 8 mile, you guys, we wanted to 8 mile the other team and kind of take the bullets out of your gun. We wanted to address the points that we knew you would address. And Karen did a really awesome job of that because we knew you guys were gonna come with such a strong argument and so much fire that we had to play a little bit of defense on the offense. Jarod Hall:                    08:07                And Karen got everybody hyped up and then our strategy was maybe, go the opposite way in the middle with me and maybe bring a little bit of the emotional component the other side of emotions and have people reflect on what does it feel like to feel not good enough? What does it feel like to see everybody else's highlight reel on social media when in reality, you're doing the day in the day out, the hard grudge, the hard trudge, you're putting in so much hard work and all you see is everybody's positive stuff around you. And it can, it can be a really defeating feeling sometimes. So we wanted to emphasize, you know, a lot of the articles that have been coming out across the profession about burnout and how that could potentially be hazardous. And you know, obviously we're all in favor of the appropriate usage of social media and when done the right way. Jarod Hall:                    08:55                But to take the pro side of this argument, we had to reflect on how could this really actually pose a hazard to us both personally and professionally. And, you know, I think that that's one of the things that directed our approach. And it was a hard thing to do to take the opposite side of, you know, how I position myself. But, all of my own errors on social media were really good talking points and learning points to drive home the discussion. And, you know, we just knew that the other team was going to have such a strong argument. We knew that it's really hard to ignore the fact that social media has connected us. It has allowed me to meet everybody sitting at the table with. It's allowed me to have learning opportunities and mentorship and it's allowed me to have business opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. So we knew that the argument was just, it was going to be tough to beat. And, you know, I think that the crowd just resonated with everything that was said from both teams. And at the end of the day we were able to shed light from both sides on a really difficult topic and have people, you know, reflect on it and really have some critical thought. Ben Fung:                     10:10                Ben Fung here. I was a part of the con team. So that was so difficult. Pro Con. So I mean like it was interesting. I had a very similar experience when they asked me to be on the Oxford Debate. They're like, hey, you know, we'd like you to captain the team. I was like, okay, great. What am I debating? Or like, then when they would actually did tell me, they're like, oh, it's about social media. I was like, okay, yes, I'll do it. And then they're like, okay, you're on the con team. And so immediately I thought like, Oh, I have your job. Like I have the team, you know, #Hazardteam, I needed to somehow slam on what much of my success had been attributed to, you know, and I was like, okay, that'll be a tough job. Ben Fung:                     11:01                Right. And then what's interesting is that, you know, then they sent me the prompt and I was like, oh no, no, no, I'm against the against statement. So I'm pro social media and, you know, then the other side I can promote this. And it was actually only in retrospect that I was like, oh, it can be an uphill battle. But then I decided just personally not to think about it from that perspective, from my, you know, debating approach cause we're trying to present, you know, we're trying to present a point, more importantly, just engage the audience, you know, because, the Oxford Debate in the past, for the most part it's been really positive and entertaining. But then in some past years have gotten a little too intense I think for the audience and some afterthoughts. Ben Fung:                     11:40                So I just wanted to make sure that the thumping in the background stops, but also that you know, people were engaged, entertained, you know, that generally said some critical thought. You know, like those might've come into this being maybe a con member goes over to pro and vice versa. But really, you know, it was just really, really fun. You know, as people, I was like, you know, I know all these folks, it's going to be so much fun. And you know, if we can bring even like an ounce of the kind of energy that I know we all have and put it together, that stage is just going to be vibrant. So, you know, from what I can tell, that's what happened. And, you know, I'm very pleased regardless of who won, but congrats you guys though. You guys did a great job. Rich Severin:                 12:32                And this is Rich Severin, was on the con team, which is again this incredibly difficult to kind of, yeah, team blues brothers. That's a better way to go about it. Everyone's said it, you know, this was, it's a difficult topic. You know, I asked like, who were, you know, were on the other teams, you know, realizing that, you know, we're going against some of the people who have, you know, some of the largest profiles in PT, social media and Karen and Jimmy and like, they have a really tough task here. I'm interested to see how they're going to go about this. Cause it's like, I even, I was like, man, I'm kind of glad I met on that side, but I don't know if I could somehow think of a tweet quoting me and like saying, ‘PTs social media is hazardous’ or whatever. Rich Severin:                 13:12                But anyway, realistically the Oxford debate, you know, it's to present a topic that's challenging, that's facing the profession and dissected and debated. And that's kind of the beauty in having fun. And I think everyone there had fun. I had a lot of fun. And it was just, it was just good. And I think, you know, the pro team, or #hazardousteam, you know, they did a really good job. It's not an easy topic to debate because again, social media is kind of a tool in a lot of the problems are kind of the human nature in a certain stance on a platform. But, you know, addressing the issues of burnout, addressing the issues that people wasting time, fake news, misinformation, you know, those were our, you know, those were all good things, but you kind of brought to light throughout that debate. Rich Severin:                 14:04                And I think our group, you know, came across with obviously with a good argument, but, you know, Karen came on the short and a little bit today. But, you know, it was a great spirit's good spirited debate. It's a lot of fun. It's a great time and having these conversations about tough issues, having to kind of take some time for introspection and looking through things was enjoyable. And enjoying hearing other people kind of, you know, doing the same. You guys definitely did like, I think put a lot of time into researching and discussing topics cause it's a serious issue, you know, our younger populations growing up using social media in middle school, you know, and it will, you know, the topic I thought you guys would get into was like the bullying and esteem issues that are happening and the mental health issues, anxiety, depression, it's linked to social media, you know, and whether or not that's the cause or it's a vehicle for that outcome. Rich Severin:                 15:03                So like, you know, I do agree with the safe  #safesocial, right. Like you know, and it kind of led to like kind of on our side too. It’s a tool and how you use it, it's kind of really an issue and I think you guys brought a really, really good light to that issue. So yeah, I was like, it's a great spirited debate and the crowd had fun. I mean dressing up as the blues brothers in Chicago, right? I mean, so, so much fun. Jenna Kantor:                15:28                Thank you so much. Now, I just want to leave it. Not Everybody needs to answer this, but I would like if anybody would like to do a little last words in regards to this debate, whether it be some sort of wisdom on doing an Oxford debate in general or pretty much what rich started to do on when he was just last talking in regards to social media being hazardous or not so hazardous. Would anyone here like to add onto that as a little like last mic drop, which is your outlet. Rich Severin:                 15:54                I think we've hashed out the debate on both sides pretty well. Which I think, again, it's the spirit of the debate is they present both sides. And that's kind of where I'm getting yeah. Is that we need to have more of these kind of conversations and discussions. And you know, to me it's almost kind of a shame that this is the only really time in our profession. Like, you know, at a high level where we have these discussions where both sides do their due diligence and say, like, legitimately argue, like, you know, and like arguing is not a bad thing. Right? Debate is not a bad thing if it's done well done amongst colleagues and friends and with mutual respect and we need to have more of that. Rich Severin:                 16:39                Social media is not necessarily a bad thing, but arguments necessarily a bad thing, but it's how you go about doing it. So, you know, I would encourage the profession to have more of these outside of just the Oxford debates. Well, when it was the women's health section, they did one on dry needling a couple of years ago and that was awesome. And I'd really encourage and support that again, you know, so that's my little, I don't know if it's a mic drop or not, but we need to debate more and do it well. Karen Litzy:                   17:29                Rich, I totally agree with that. And this is the thing, we were able to do that because we were in front of each other and we knew that there is no malicious intent behind it. We can hear each other. We know that we're smiling at each other, we're clapping for each other and we're kind of building each other up. And I think that's where when you have debates on social media, as Jarod attests to and Rich, sometimes those spiral into something that's really not great. And so I think to have these kinds of discussions in person with our colleagues and it's good modeling for the next generation. And it just, I think, you know, social media has a lot of great upside to it. There's no question, but there is nothing that beats in person interactions. Karen Litzy:                   18:20                And I think that that's what we need more of and I do see that pendulum shifting and you do see more in-person things happening now. But I agree. I also thought it was like a lot of fun and I was really, really nervous to do it and super scared to get up on stage and do all of this. But then once it started, it was a lot of fun. Jenna Kantor:                                        Thank you so much you guys for taking this time, especially after, literally right after the debate. It is an absolute pleasure to have each of you on here.   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of the Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Megan Sliski and James Nowak on the New York Physical Therapy Association Student Special Interest Group. Megan is the NYPTA SSIG President, National Student Conclave Project Committee Chair and NYPTA Central District Conclave Committee Chair. James is the NYPTA SSIG Vice President. In this episode, we discuss: -The roles and responsibilities of the President and Vice President of the NYPTA SSIG -A few of the highlights and accomplishments of the SSIG this term -What Megan and James look forward to in their future leadership roles -And so much more!   Resources: NYPTA SSIG Website Megan Sliski Twitter James Nowak Twitter                                                                      For more information on Megan: Favorite PT Resource: PT Now School: Utica College: DPT 2020; Utica College: Health Studies, Healthcare Ethics “I’m excited to see the team grow & work together to create opportunities for DPT/PTA students around New York.”   For more information on James: Favorite PT Resource: New Grad PT School: Utica College: DPT 2021; Utica College: Health Studies “I’m so excited to be a part of a growing team that has the opportunity to truly enhance the student physical therapy experience in New York State.”   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor here with healthy, wealthy and smart. And I'm here to interview Megan Sliski and James Nowak. First of all, thank you so much for coming on and agreeing to speak about drum roll please. The student's special interest group. You're here in New York and you two are a power duo and Megan here is the president and James is the vice president and you're halfway through now. Is that where you're at? About halfway through. So I would love for those who don't know, when people say, what does this SSIG do? That’s the student special interest group. Could you start from the elections? Don't worry about taking me through the whole year. I'll ask you questions as we go through. So you got elected. What happens next? I'm going to hand it to Megan and then when you need help you can pass it over to James. Megan Sliski:                00:57                So when we first got elected, Jenna, a lot of it was just trying to figure out what the dynamic of the new team was going to be and how we were going to encompass the goals of the SSIG into the individuals that we were introducing into the SSIG. And so the beginning of the term involved a lot of transitioning and a lot of, of trying to make sense of, you know, what we were going to do and how we were going to progress forward. And the SSIG being just only in its infancy, only two years old at this point. You know, we had a lot to consider. We had to, to figure out, you know, what had worked the previous year, what hadn't worked, how are we going to move forward? How are we going to make this organization successful? How are we going to pair with the NYPTA and, and really make this an organization that was going to succeed. Megan Sliski:                01:44                And so at the beginning we really focused on trying to get to know each officer individually as well as trying to get to know the positions individually. And so the nominating committee chair from last year did a wonderful job slating candidates. And we were very fortunate that the candidates that we had were so wonderful and that all of the individuals who are elected were just so great for their positions. And you know, we're really lucky for that. And so what we did was move forward. We got to know the individuals on an individual basis and we figured out how we were going to make the organization work for us. That being said, you know, there were times where there were hurdles, but when aren't there hurdles will a new organization, especially when the organizations only in it’s second year. And we were fortunate enough that, you know, James and I actually go to the same school. Megan Sliski:                02:32                And so we were able to meet almost weekly to talk about some of the challenges we were having in some of the successes and how we were going to make sure that the successes continued. But at the same time, how are we going to approach the challenges that we were having? Again, with it being a new organization. And I happen to think that we're very lucky that James and I went to the same school because in the second year of this organization, we were able to work through some things that were a bit challenging that we hadn't maybe thought about before, that maybe weren't issues the year before. And I think that we've been very lucky so far with the caliber of people that we've had and the team that we've had. And I think that the rest of the year it's going to be so wonderful. I love that. Jenna Kantor:                                        So, James, for you, when you got elected, what happened? Was there a meeting? Was there, I mean, you already knew Megan, I'm assuming. I would love to know. James Nowak:               03:26                It's actually a really funny story. So I'm wrapping up in my first year of DPT school and I remember, It's the fall with heavy musculoskeletal stuff. And then this girl by the name of Megan comes in and does a little introduction on this state organization, state student special interest group called the NYPTA SSIG. And immediately within, probably within a couple of minutes of her presenting it, I said, oh my God, this like, like this is for me, this is what I want to be a part of. And at the time, I probably saw Megan around a little bit, but I had never talked to her. And I gathered up the courage and I introduced myself and I said, you know, this right here is something I want to be a part of. James Nowak:               04:13                I want to make a difference, not only at my school, but on the state level I want to interact with students and professionals both throughout the state, you know. And so I said, I went up to her and I said, how do I get involved? And then she kind of talked me through the election process and how that was gonna be coming up. She did a little presentation right before elections ran. And so from there I decided to apply. And thankfully I got slated. Luckily, luckily enough, I got elected as the vice president. And I was very, very thankful for that. And I think my process after that really my first initial thought was, okay, so now I'm a part of the state organizations, such a phenomenal opportunity. I wanna be able to work with students throughout the state. James Nowak:               04:58                I'm here in central New York. You know, if you think of a map of New York state, you put a dot right in the middle. That's where I am. And I'm going to get to work with people who are all the way down south in the city and all the way up towards Canada. And getting to being able to really get the wealth of knowledge and experience from them. It was very exciting to me. I hadn't had the opportunity to interact with the students yet. So I think my first thing was really getting to know my team, you know, getting to know the people who were elected. So initially it was phone calls, just to get to know them. Eventually as the year turned to the start of our term. James Nowak:               05:41                We had a nice transitional meeting, so we had a transitional meaning from our board from the previous year and the people who are elected for this year that we're currently in. And that it wasn't just a phone call on the phone, it was face to face through the computer. Really, it's almost like Skype, but they use, it's a platform called goto meetings that we use. And I got to see the past president of the SSIG and I got to see all the people that I was working with throughout the year and it was such a unique opportunity to be able to interact on that level. Even though I'm sitting in my apartment in Utica, New York, I got to talk with students who were from, you know, places like Columbia all the way down in the city. And that was such a unique opportunity. Jenna Kantor:                06:25                I love that. So for you, James, what have you been doing? Cause you look over all the regional reps. So for those who don't know, I was part of the SSIG, so I'll educate you guys on this. So there are regions within New York in which there is a student that represents several schools and we'll handle the communications with several schools because New York is huge and we have a lot of schools here. So when you're working with the regional reps, how often do you meet and how do you run those meetings? James Nowak:               07:00                So I think that's a great question Jenna. As of right now, we try and meet on a monthly basis. And with that being said, coming up towards our midterm here where, you know, something we really put at the forefront is getting immediate feedback on things and we're going to get feedback from students and see is that something that's working? Is this something that's not working? You know? So that's something we're going to see. But as of right now, that's kinda how we do things and enables us to really, on a monthly basis be able to say, okay, so these are the things we're working on. How can we contribute? How can the representatives throughout the state really add various ideas to your advocacy dinner? Let's say for example, that you're planning, you know, how can we bolster this? How can we support you to make this a reality? Jenna Kantor:                08:11                I love that. I love that. So they're not thrown to the wolves. Megan, for you, we went a little bit backwards because I jumped to the interactions with the regional reps. You're working with the board. So I always forget because there's the main board and then there's the extension people. What are the terms? The advisors and the advisory panel. I should know this because I was on the advisory panel but, but so in these meetings with the advocacy chair, somebody who's in charge of volunteering and somebody who's in charge of events. What do you guys discuss or what even did you guys discuss and how was it passed along to James to be passed along to the regional reps? I mean just throwing out 5 million ideas. Megan Sliski:                08:56                So I think that that was something that was a challenge last year. We were trying to work through how do we communicate from the executive board and advisory panel to the Board of Representatives. And that's something that James and I did not take very lightly this year. We worked very hard to figure out how we were going to communicate with the board representatives. The Board of Representatives and the liaisons are our main contact with the schools. And without them, our structure falls apart. We need them, we need the communication with them. They need to know what's going on. And so the way that we worked through this was yes, we had our executive board meetings where the executive board talked with the advisory panel and we figured out the plans for everything and we figured out, you know, what we were going to do for the rest of the term or even for just the upcoming months. Megan Sliski:                09:53                Not even extending until the end of the term and just focusing on the now. So we would talk through that. But what we added this year, Jenna, that I think you'd be very happy to hear is that the board of Representatives were invited to every single executive board meeting. And so not only do they know what's going on at the executive board meetings, they have active voices in what's going on at the executive board meetings. So the board of reps have become this voice for us, the voice of we know what's going on in this region, we understand our schools, we can give you the information that you need to help the SSIG be successful right now in these regions, in these schools. And I think that that was what was crucial and that's what we added in, that's really been beneficial to our organization is that we've been able to encompass all of our officers and we've been able to involve all of those officers in the decisions and we've been able to hear all the different perspectives and I think that's been great. Jenna Kantor:                10:55                How did you narrow down exactly what you were going to be doing this year, Aka advocacy dinners or even conclaves? Megan Sliski:                                        We haven't actually, we haven't narrowed that down and I think that maybe that's one of our strengths is that we're trying to figure things out as we go. I talked earlier in the podcast about how this organization is in its infancy and how we don't actually know exactly where it's going. And I think maybe that's the best part of this organization right now is that we don't know. You know, so we've thrown off ideas, we've talked, we figured out what everyone's strengths are. We figured out where we can go with the ideas that we have. And from that we've decided that, you know, we have a very strong advocacy chair who's really great at working with the student assembly and working with you as the past advocacy chair. Megan Sliski:                11:47                She's had wonderful mentorships. Which I can say for a lot of our officers, actually all of our officers, they've had wonderful mentorship to be able to guide them to what we've done now. I think that talking about the strength and talking about, you know, what succeeded last year, you know, what we can do better from last year. We had such a strong board last year and they left us with such monumentous advice and you guys were so wonderful in guiding us to where we needed to be for the next year. And we've taken that and we've run with it, you know, and everyday we may not have the answer to what we're doing tomorrow, but I think that right now the plans that we have in place are wonderful and I think they're great for enhancing the student experience. Megan Sliski:                12:36                And I think that as the term continues, we're just going to keep coming up with more ideas and we're just going to be able to keep invigorating students to be able to get involved with the special interest group. And personally, that's what I love about it. I think that every day we just grow more and more as an organization and I love that. Jenna Kantor:                                        So what have you guys accomplished this year so far? You share some and you share some split the mic. Megan Sliski:                                        So I’ll start. I don't want to sell so much of James’ thunder, but I think so far one of the wonderful things that we've come up with is that we've voted in the establishment of an advocacy task force. And we've also voted in the establishment of a service task force. Megan Sliski:                13:21                The advocacy task force is going to promote legislation nationally and statewide to help students become more informed on the issues that really pertain to us as physical therapists and physical therapist assistants. And the service committee, the service Task Force, I'm sorry I should use the right language, is going to really focus on helping our service chair with implementing a really great day of service project. Something that we really hold to high standards in New York state. And I am so excited to see what they accomplish. So I'll give the mic to James and I’ll let him talk about more of our successes. James Nowak:               13:55                Well, without further ado, so I think really two things stand out to me early on. One first is it's really a continuation of last year and it's really implementing the advocacy dinners. We've really tried to put a focus on students networking not only with themselves but with professionals as well too, to really advocate for our profession out always. PTs with PTAs as well with one common goal of, educating folks, educating just our regular public along with educating our legislators. You know, that's put a focus on is initially, you know, extending that to things such as lobby day.  And really just letting students know that, hey, this is something, you know, your classroom education has relied on. It's very important, but you also should be concerned about some of the legislative issues that are going on cause it's really going to impact your future. James Nowak:               14:48                So we've already had a couple of advocacy dinners. We've had some standout speakers such as former NYPTA president, Dr. Patrick VanBeveren. He gave a phenomenal presentation at Utica College. And really I want to say with that is a huge shout out, not only to our advocacy chair Liping Li for, for really making these things happen, but also, our regional representatives, down to the liaisons at each individual school. Really Planning and being our boots on the ground. We're making these things happen. They did a phenomenal job. And I would say our second accomplishment of this year, which I really feel strongly about is connecting with the NYPTA and specifically the NYPTA districts. Something we've really made a push for is to start to really try in and promote similar events, you know, and get students involved in mingling with the professionals in their various regions. We had our regional representatives actually reach out to the district chairs and the NYPTA and really trying to foster that relationship. So then you know, in the future we have that great connection with professionals who are in the field, and that will really provide students with phenomenal networking opportunities that they might not be able to get at their individual programs, but they can receive that from us. Jenna Kantor:                16:16                I freaking love that. Okay. So I am going to move you both forward into the future. The future of when your term ends. What are you going to miss most? Megan Sliski:                16:36                I think what I'm going to miss the most is being able to inspire the students in New York from my leadership position as the president. I'm going to miss talking with them on a weekly basis and you know, hearing their thoughts and hearing their opinions on how we're going to better things for the physical therapy profession in New York state. But I say I'm going to miss that. Although I have a feeling that those relationships aren't going anywhere and I have a feeling that knowing myself, I'm still going to be reaching out and talking to all of those individuals I think I’m going to miss inspiring the team. I think I'm going to miss the SSIG. This being my second year involved I think the SSIG has really given me an opportunity to grow and I think it's helped me realize who I am as a person and who I want to be as a professional. And although I'm eternally grateful to the SSIG for what it's given me in my role as a graduate student, I'm gonna miss that. I think I'm gonna Really Miss Interacting with the people that I've met, but I also know that that's not the end of what I plan to do. And although it'll be a little bit of a bittersweet ending, I'm excited for what comes after the SSIG for me. James Nowak:               17:58                Just got to wipe away my tears after that one. I don’t know how I’m going to follow that. What I think really going off what Megan was saying, our organization, one of the things were really true is we try and do is deliver the experiences to students throughout the state. And that I think I would miss a lot is hearing feedback from schools saying, did you know, did you like this? You know, and stuff like that. And really being able to implement things that, you know, and give students the experiences that they might not be necessarily getting in the classroom directly. But I think just Kinda like what Megan was saying, working with the team, you know, when you're in an organization like this and you're able to network with students throughout the state, you really do build close bonds, you know, and there's something about that atmosphere of, you know, coming together, collaborating, sort of to deliver those experiences and really make a difference. You know, what we're doing here is we are inspiring and we are educating the future professionals of our field and to really be at the forefront of that is something that I think I'd miss greatly. Megan Sliski:                19:09                I want to comment James on what you just said. So I happen to think that our dynamic duo of leading a team isn't quite over yet. And so our sounding all somber here and sad about leaving, I have a feeling that James and I are going to continue our little teamwork and leading teams and things are just going to get a little bit better. So look out for the dynamic duo. Jenna Kantor:                                        I love it. Well, thank you so much dynamic duo for coming on. Take care everyone. Thanks for tuning in.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

LIVE from Graham Sessions 2019 in Austin, Texas, Jenna Kantor guests hosts and interviews Lisa VanHoose, Monique Caruth and Kitiboni Adderley on their reflections from the conference. In this episode, we discuss: -The question that brought to light an uncomfortable conversation -How individuals with different backgrounds can have different perspectives -How the physical therapy profession can grow in their inclusion and diversity efforts -And so much more!   Resources: Lisa VanHoose Twitter Monique Caruth Twitter Fyzio 4 You Website Kitiboni Adderley Twitter Handling Your Health Wellness and Rehab Website The Outcomes Summit: use the discount code LITZY                                                                     For more information on Lisa: Lisa VanHoose, PhD, MPH, PT, CLT, CES, CKTP has practiced oncologic physical therapy since 1996. She serves as an Assistant Professor in the Physical Therapy Department at University of Central Arkansas. As a NIH and industry funded researcher, Dr. VanHoose investigates the effectiveness of various physical therapy interventions and socioecological models of secondary lymphedema. Dr. VanHoose served as the 2012-2016 President of the Oncology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. For more information on Monique: Dr. Monique J. Caruth, DPT, is a three-time graduate of Howard University in Washington D.C. and has been a licensed and practicing physiotherapist in the state of Maryland for 10 years. She has worked in multiple settings such as acute hospital care, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient rehabilitation and home-health. She maintains membership with the American Physical Therapy Association, she is a member of the Public Relations Committee of the Home Health Section of the APTA and is the current Southern District Chair of the Maryland APTA Board Of Directors. For more information on Kitiboni: Kitiboni (Kiti) Adderley is the Owner & Senior Physical Therapist of Handling Your Health Wellness & Rehab. Kiti graduated from the University of the West Indies School of Physical Therapy, Jamaica, in 2000 and obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Utica College, Utica, New York, in 2017. Over the last 10 years, Kiti has been involved in an intensive study and mentorship of Oncology Rehabilitation and more specifically, Breast Cancer Rehab where her focus has been on limiting the side effects of cancer treatment including lymphedema, and improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. She has been a Certified Lymphedema Therapist since 2004. She is also a Certified Mastectomy Breast Prosthesis and Bra Fitter and Custom Compression Garment Fitter.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly YouTube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with Healthy, Wealthy and Smart. And here I am at the Graham sessions in 2019 here. Where are we? We're in Austin, Texas. Yes, I'm with at least. And we're at the Driscoll. Yes. At the Driscoll. Yes. I'm here with Kiti Adderley, Monique Caruth and Lisa VanHoose. Thank you so much for being here, you guys. So I have decided I want to really talk about what went on today, what went on today in Graham sessions where we were not necessarily hurt as individuals. And I would like to really hit on this point. So actually Lisa, I'm going to start by handing the mic to you because you did go up and you spoke on a point. So I would love for you to talk about that. And then Monique, definitely please share afterwards and then I would love for you to share your insight on that as well. All right, here we go. Awesome. Lisa VanHoose:             00:52                So first of all, thank you so much for giving us this opportunity just to kind of reflect on today's activities. And so, I did ask a question this morning about the differences in the response to the opioid crisis versus the crack cocaine crisis. And I was asking one of our speakers who is quite knowledgeable in healthcare systems to get his perspective on that. And he basically said, that's not really my area. Right. And then gave a very generic answer and as I said earlier to people, I'm totally okay with you saying you don't know. But I think you also have to make sure that that person that you're speaking to knows that I still value your question and maybe even give some ideas of maybe who to talk to and this person would have had those resources. But, I guess it was quite evident to a lot of people in the room that they felt like I had been blown off. Lisa VanHoose:             01:48                So yes. So that was an interesting happenings today. Jenna Kantor:                                        And actually bouncing off that, would you mind sharing how this has actually been a common occurrence for you? You kind of said like you've dealt with something like this before. Would you mind educating the listeners about your history and how this has happened in your past? Lisa VanHoose:                                     I think, anytime, you know, not just within the PT profession but also just in society as general when we need to have conversations about the effects of racism. Both at a personal and systemic level, it's an uncomfortable conversation. And so I find that people try to bail out or they try to ignore the question or they blow the question off and ultimately it's just, we're not willing to have those crucial conversations and I think they almost try to minimize it. Right. Lisa VanHoose:             02:41                And I don't know if that comes from a place of, they're uncomfortable with the conversation or maybe they just feel like the conversations not worth their time. But, I can just tell you as just a African American woman in the US, this is a common occurrence. As an African American PT, I will admit it happens a lot within the profession. But I do think that there are those like you and like Karen and others that are willing to kind of move into that space because that's the only way we're going to make it better. Jenna Kantor:                                        Thank you. Thank you for giving me that insight. Especially so because people don't see us right now, so, so they can really get a fuller picture of it. And now, Monique, would you mind sharing when you went up and spoke, how that experience was for you, what you were talking about and how you felt the issue that you are bringing up was acknowledged? Monique Caruth:           03:37                Well, as Lisa said, we're kind of used to talking and it going through one ear and out the next day and our issues not really being addressed. I think it comes from a point where a lot of Caucasians think that if you try to bring it up, they would be blamed for what was done 400 years ago, 300 years ago. So it comes from a place of guilt. They don't want to be seen as they have an advantage. And I think as blacks we had a role to play in it by saying, oh, you’re white and you’re privileged. So you had an advantage, which structurally there is an advantage. There is structural advantages as I was discussing with Lisa and Kiti last night that as an immigrant, even though I'm black, they're more benefits that I've received being here than someone who was born maybe in Washington DC or inner city Chicago or maybe even, Flint, Michigan. Monique Caruth:           04:51                I can drink clean water, I can open my tap and drink. What I don't have to worry about, you know, drinking led or anything like that. I can leave home with my windows open, my doors open and feel safe that my neighbors will be looking out for me and stuff that I can walk my neighborhood. So there are privileged even though I'm black, that some people that can afford and would I be ashamed of being in that position? No, acknowledge it. And even with an all black community, there are a lot of us, we may not have been born in a world of wealth. I wasn't, my parents sacrificed a lot to get me where I am today, but not because I have somewhat made it means that I have to ignore the other people that have struggled. Monique Caruth:           05:43                And this is a problem that I'm noticing in a lot of black communities, like when someone makes it or they become successful, Aka Ben Carson, Dr Ben Carson, we feel that if I can make it, why can't you? And because some of those people were not afforded the same privileges that you were afforded, and it's kinda not fair to make that statement that if I made it. So can you, and you can't tell people that you worked your butt off and pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you were afforded welfare stuff. Your, you know, your mom benefited from stuff. I was afforded scholarship so that I don't have to have $200,000 in debt. So I could afford to purchase a home after I graduated and all that stuff because I was not in debt. Monique Caruth:           06:47                And a lot of people do not have that luxury. So I can tell people if I can do it, you can do it too. I have to try to find ways to address their concerns and see how I can better help them to move forward and live better. And the problem within our profession is that many in leadership, even though they see themselves as making it, they don't want to have acknowledge that not everyone comes from the same place. It's not a level playing field. And they try to dismiss those by saying, Oh, if I can make it, everybody else can as well. Jenna Kantor:                                        Thank you. Well said. Well said. Kiti. would you mind sharing in light of what everybody said, some of your thoughts on this matter? Kitiboni Adderley:         07:30                While it was interesting to watch the conversation, listen to the conversation today. I have a unique perspective in that I don't practice in the United States. I don't live in United States, but I frequently here taking part in education, but also watching the growth and development of the physical therapy profession. So I'm from The Bahamas and it's predominantly African descent population. Right? And so some of the issues that people of color in the United States deal with, we don't really deal with those in terms of that limitations and privileges. And you know, it's more of a socioeconomic for us. And once you can afford it, then you go and do. And, and I think we're pretty fortunate if we talk about while across the board that most people can afford some form of education and get it. Kitiboni Adderley:         08:30                So I'm in a unique position because I look African American, it was, I don't open my mouth. You don't know. And so I'm privy to some conversations on both sides of the role, you know, and if people are probably, so what do you think about this and how do you feel about that and how does it bother you? And you know, so while I'm not the typical African American and they see them start to take a step back and it sort of gives you the understanding that they don't truly understand that every person of color does not have the same story. And so you can approach us expecting us to have the same story. Right? Cause your three x three women of color here, one's born and bred African American ones born and bred Trinidad and transplanted United States and one's born and bred, still working in The Bahamas and the Caribbean. Kitiboni Adderley:         09:17                Good. So we all have different perspectives that we all come from different backgrounds and different experiences. But it was interesting and when Lisa asked a question and you know like, you know, people say you will, you know you need to bring it up if we don't talk about these things enough. And it's almost like, okay, you bring up the conversation. So the balls in play, it's tossed from one play at an accident and be like, Oh shit, we can handle, listen to bar this draft again. And so the conversation shuts down and you're like, but you didn't answer the question and you're like, you know, well, yeah, okay, well we'll throw the ball up in the air. And at another time, and I think this is where the frustration comes in for people of color that live in United States because you want us to have these conversations were given quote unquote, the opportunity to ask questions or have these discussions and the discussions come up and at the end of it it's like, okay, we just gave you the opportunity to discuss where do we go from here? Kitiboni Adderley:         10:14                What's done, what's the recourse, what's our next step? What's our plan of action? And when we talk about inclusion and diversity, if you're not going to take it to the next step, if you're not going to have a call to action, then what's the point? And this is why probably people of color don't come back out again because what's it's a bit, it's a bit annoying. It's like frustration because you stand there, you're waiting for a response. And I was like, oh, well, you know, this isn’t my field and I appreciate the honesty, but then let’s address this at some point we have to address this. So do we need another meeting just to address this? Do we have to have, you know, just, let's pick the topic and work on it. So like I said, it was a very unique perspective. Kitiboni Adderley:         10:57                I sort of like watching the response of the other people in the room and see how they respond to it, but the conversation needs to keep going for those of us who can tolerate it or have the patience to deal with it at this given time. And, it was a great experience. It was a good experience. Jenna Kantor:                                        I love it. So I would have just one more question for each of you and it's what would you recommend we do as a profession, both individually and as a collective in order to grow in this manner? Monique Caruth:           11:37                Well, piggy backing off of what Kiti mentioned, I was sort of blown away too when he said that that's not his field because he's a reporter, he does documentary stuff all you was asking was one opinion you want asking for, you know, an analysis or anything. It was just an opinion and he refused to give that. And his excuse was, I don't know much about it and what was, it wasn't surprising but no one else in the crowd said well we then address her concern and immediately he was, she didn't put it in a way that made it seem or the crack epidemic was black and the opioid crisis as white. He was the one who drew it up cause I was actually praising her for how skillfully she worded it. I'm learning a lot of tack from obviously Lisa I'm not that tactful and my family tells me I need to be tactful, but it's that no one else said, okay, let's discuss it. Monique Caruth:           12:51                Really. Why, why is APTA making such a big push choose PT. Now. Versus in the 80s when the crack and the crack epidemic was destroying an entire city because DC was known for being chocolate city on the crack epidemic, wiped it out and it got judge all. Alright, it rebuilt it. But now again, it's trying to find like I went to Howard University, you know, I could walk around shore Howard and I'm like, am I in Georgetown? Because you don't recognize, you know, the people live in that. It has driven out a lot of blacks that were living in drug pocket. You know, it's now predominantly, young white lobbyist living in the area. So if we don't have the support of our colleagues, how can we address inclusion? How can we address equity if they're not willing to put themselves out there to say, Hey Lisa, I got your back. Monique Caruth:           14:05                We need to talk about this. We need to discuss it. Let's have a discussion. Your question was not answered. It wasn't even to say that it was acknowledged with a dignified response because we're spending millions of dollars under choose PT campaign. Why is it because the surgeon general is saying, oh there needs to be another alternative because Congress is trying to pass bills to lower the opioid crisis. Why? If you asking people to choose PT what makes it different? Okay. Even with the Medicaid population, the majority of people who receive Medicaid are black and brown. Are we fighting to get make that people have medicaid coverage or other stuff. Or are we fighting running down Cigna and blue cross blue shield and Humana and all those other types of insurances? Because we think the money is in these insurances. When they could dictate whatever they want, then you could provide a service and say you're providing quality service. Monique Caruth:           15:14                But if they say, oh, we're just gonna reimburse you $60 we are getting $60 and people on our income. So people complain on Twitter and on social media about, you know, insurance stuff. But if I see a medicaid patient in Maryland, I am guaranteed $89 and that person has the treatment. They’re being seen, they're getting better. It's guaranteed money. But a lot of people don't want to treat the Medicaid population because they think they're getting blacks or Hispanics. And I hear complaints like I don't really want to treat that population because we are going to have no shows and cancellations and all that stuff, which is bs. It's excuses. And we have to do better as a profession to acknowledge or biases and work on ways to help work with the population that we serve. Because let's face it, America is not going to remain white? It's gonna get mixed. We're going to have some more chocolate chips in the cookies. Okay. All right. It's going to be more than two chocolate chips in the whole cookie next time. Jenna Kantor:                16:33                Before I pass it to you, Kiti, I really like where you're going with this, Monique, and I think it's important to acknowledge why, which I didn't at the beginning. Why, why, why we're tapping on this one incident and really diving in and it's because what I learned today from my friends is that this is a common occurrence in the physical therapy industry. It's not just it and it's not just within our industry. It's what you guys deal with regularly. And if we are talking about our patients providing better patient care, we need to really, really be fully honest with where we are at. Even as they are speaking, I'm constantly asking myself, what are my things that I'm holding within me where I'm making assumptions about individuals? There's always room for growth. So please as you continue to listen to Kiti speak next, just keep letting this be an opportunity to reflect and grow. Kitiboni Adderley:         17:50                Okay, so I recognize that incident was uncomfortable. It was an uncomfortable conversation to have and it's okay to have uncomfortable conversations. As physical therapists, we have uncomfortable conversations with our patients all the time. We have uncomfortable conversations with our colleagues and we have to call them out on some mal action or when they call us out on something that need to do. And because the conversation is uncomfortable, it doesn't mean that we don't have it. We probably need to talk about it more. And so if there's anything that I want to say, I think we need to have more of these conversations and have them until they no longer become uncomfortable until we could actually sit down with, well no, I shouldn't say anybody but, but the people of influence, cause this is what it's really about. We were sitting with very influential people today and all of us there, I'm sure where people of influence and you know, this is what we need, this is what we need to use. And don't be afraid to have the conversation. As uncomfortable as it may make you feel. Why are we having this conversation? We want inclusion, we want diversity, we want a better profession. And those are the goals of the conversation. We shouldn't shy away from it. Jenna Kantor:                                        Thank you. I'm gonna hand this over to Lisa for one last one last thing. Lisa VanHoose:             18:43                So I just want to talk about the fact that part of the conversation was this dodging right? Of a need to kind of have this very authentic and deep conversation. The other part of today's events that I'm still processing is this conversation about the need for changed to be incremental, right? Comfortable. And for those of us that are marginalized to understand that the majority feels like there has been significant change and that was communicated to me in some side conversations and I was challenged by one person that was like, well, I think you have this bias and you're not recognizing the change that has occurred and how that this is awesome that we're even in a place to have this, that we're having this conversation today. Lisa VanHoose:             19:46                You know, that you need to acknowledge that success that we've made. And so I do agree that, you know, what all work is good work and I will applaud you for what has been done today. But I also would say to people who feel that way, step back and say, okay, if the PT profession has not really changed as demographics in the last 30 years, and if you were an African American and Hispanic and Asian American, an Asian Pacific islander or someone of multiracial descent would you be okay with that? Saying that, you know what, I started applying to PT school when I was in my twenties and I'm finally maybe gonna get in my fifties and sixties. How would that feel? Right? That wasted life because you're waiting on this incremental change. And I think if we could just be empathetic and put ourselves in the other person's shoes and say, would I be okay with waiting 30 years for a change? Lisa VanHoose:             20:53                Would I be all right with that? But I often feel like when it is not your tribe that has to wait, you okay with telling somebody else to wait? Right? And so, I want to read this quote from Martin Luther King and it was from the letters from Barringham where he criticized white moderates and he said that a white moderate is someone who constantly says to you, I agree with your goal, with the goal that you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action. Who believes that he can set the time table for another man's freedom. Such a person according to King is someone who lives by a mythical concept of time and is constantly advising the Negro to wait for a more convenient season. And that's how I felt like today's conversation from some, not all was going. King also talked about the fact that that shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than the absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Luke warm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection. And I say that all the time because I would prefer that you be very honest with me and say, I don't really care about diversity and inclusion, but don't act like you're my ally. But then when it's time to have a hard conversation, you say, I can't do that. I'm like, choose a side, pick a side. There is no Switzerland. There is no inbetween. Jenna Kantor:                22:25                Thank you so much you guys. I'm so grateful to be having this conversation to finish it with a great Martin Luther King quote, which is absolutely incredible. I'm just full of gratitude, so thank you. I'm really looking forward to this coming out and people getting to share this joy of learning and growth that you have just shared with me right now.   Lisa VanHoose:                                     And thank you for being an ally. We really appreciate that. So we're not, I just want people to know, we're not saying that the African American or the immigrant experience is different from the Caucasian experience. I think we all have this commonality of being othered at one time or another, but yes, with being a white female LGBTQ, I think the complexities of who we are as a human, there's always going to be a time where you're an n of one or maybe of two and you get that feeling that, Ooh, am I supposed to be here? But I think what we're talking about is being empathetic and if we're going to talk about being physical therapists, being practitioners and compassionate, and we're going to provide this patient centered care, how can you tell me you're going to provide patient centered care when you can't even have a conversation with me as a colleague, right. When you can't even see me. So I just want the audience to know, that we're not coming from a place of being victims were coming from a place of really wanting to have collaborative conversations. Monique Caruth:           23:59                I like to view my colleagues as family members. There are times, as much as I love my family, my mom and my dad and my sisters and my brothers in law, there are times we will sit and have some of the most uncomfortable conversations, but at the end of it it’s out of love. It's all for us to grow as a family. And Yeah, you may not talk to the person for like a day or two, but you're like, shit, you know, that's my sister, that's my brother in law. You know, I have to love him. But you know, you try to hear their perspective, you try to make sure they hear your perspective and you come out on common ground so that the family can grow. And we don't treat this profession as a family, the ones who are marginalized are treated as step children. Monique Caruth:           24:57                And that's a bad thing because stepchildren usually revolt. And when they revolt, the ones who are comfortable with incremental change and are afraid of chasing the shiny new object. Because when I heard that comment today, I felt like the shiny new object was diversity, equity and inclusion that people were trying to avoid without saying it outright. And, someone who feels like they have been marginalized. It was like a low blow. So I, for one, appreciate people like you, Ann Wendel, Jerry Durham, Karen Litzy, and stuff. Who Have Sean Hagy and others, Dee Conetti, Sherry Teague reached out to us and say, how can we help? And you need people like that to be on your side. Martin Luther King needed white people. Okay. Rosa parks needed white people. Harriet Tubman needed white people to get where they're, even Mohammed Ali needed white people to be as successful as he is. We all need each other. If we are saying championing better together, how can you be better together if you're not willing to hear the reasons why you feel marginalized or victimized, it's not going to work. Stop turning around slogans or bumper stickers and start working on fixing the broken system that we have. That's all I'm asking for and we got to start working as a family, as uncomfortable as it may be. All right, we'll get over it and you're going to like and appreciate each other for it later on. Jenna Kantor:                26:44                Thank you guys for tuning in everyone, take care.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guest hosts and interviews Duane Scotti on social media marketing.  Dr. Duane Scotti is a physical therapist, educator, researcher and founder of Spark Physical Therapy. He is considered a leader in the fields of rehab, sports medicine, performing arts medicine, and human performance optimization. With years of experience as a physical therapist, runner, and dance instructor in combination with his strength and conditioning background, Duane has been working with many patients to improve all aspects of human performance. In this episode, we discuss: -How to decide which social media platform is right for your marketing strategy -What social media content will best build loyal customers -The benefits of scheduling out social media content in advance -And so much more!   Resources: Duane Scotti Twitter Duane Scotti Instagram Spark Physical Therapy Facebook Spark Physical Therapy Website  The Clinical Outcomes Summit  For more information on Duane: Dr. Duane Scotti is a physical therapist, educator, researcher and founder of Spark Physical Therapy. He is considered a leader in the fields of rehab, sports medicine, performing arts medicine, and human performance optimization. With years of experience as a physical therapist, runner, and dance instructor in combination with his strength and conditioning background, Duane has been working with many patients to improve all aspects of human performance.   Duane is currently the founder of Spark Physical Therapy, providing prehab, rehab, and performance optimization services either onsite or in the comfort of your home within the Cheshire/Wallingford CT region. He also is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Therapy at Quinnipiac University responsible for coordinating and teaching musculoskeletal examination, intervention, and advanced manual therapy within the orthopedic curriculum.   Duane received his Bachelor of Health Science degree and Master of Physical Therapy degree from Quinnipiac University in 2001 and 2003. He then went on to receive a clinical Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Ph.D. in Physical Therapy from Nova Southeastern University in 2017. Duane is a board-certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist, Certified Mulligan Practitioner, certified in dry needling and has advanced training in spinal manipulation, dance medicine, gymnastics medicine, and rehabilitation for runners.   Duane has been in clinical practice working with orthopedic, sports, and performing arts populations since 2003. He has strong clinical and research agendas in screening, injury prevention, and rehabilitation for runners, dancers, and gymnasts. Duane uses an integrative model of manual therapy including manipulation, mobilization, and soft tissue treatment including dry needling and the Graston technique for the management of musculoskeletal dysfunction. Duane is a physical therapy advocate and is actively engaged with the American Physical Therapy Association and serves as Vice President of the Connecticut Physical Therapy Association.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Janet Kantor with Duane Scotti, a physical therapist from Connecticut who is joining me today on healthy, wealthy and smart. And today we're talking about doing a specific niche on social media and really just nailing it. You are nailing it, Duane. So first of all, thank you so much for coming on. Duane Scotti:                00:19                Thank you for having me. This is awesome. I'm very happy to be able to talk to you about this topic today. Jenna Kantor:                00:26                Yes. So I would love to know first, how did you choose what social media platform you were going to put most energy on or also I've seen you on Instagram, but you may also be on other platforms and I would just love for you to expand on that. Duane Scotti:                00:41                Great question. When I was looking into kind of getting into social media and using it as a platform, I thought about what is my audience, right? So most of the patients that I treat are adolescents, so I basically treat gymnast runners and dancers and a lot of them are on Instagram. So I started the Instagram account and started learning everything I could learn about Instagram, but their parents are on Facebook. So a lot of, you know, their parents are on Facebook and there's different groups on Facebook. So that's been beneficial from that standpoint. So those are really the two platforms that I utilize. I do have a Twitter but I haven't used it. Primarily because that's more for professional and other PT’s and that's not really my target audience. Jenna Kantor:                01:27                Right, right. Absolutely. I like how you hit the nail on the head regarding Twitter specifically, I'm not as active myself. I have something set up where it automatically posts, but my heart isn't there because that's like you said, not where my target audience is. And I like how you bring that up. So how does your content differ from Facebook where the parents are, to Instagram, where the kids are? Duane Scotti:                01:52                There's not too much differences in terms of I do post the same content basically to both platforms. The messaging is a little different if I'm sharing it to a group. So specifically at our local dance studio, we have a closed group so my messaging is going to be a little bit different, kind of targeting the parents and looking out for their dancer, as well as the stories on Instagram. So the stories are on Instagram are a little different, but the content posts that I do on a daily basis, they are going to be the same post that just instantly goes over to Facebook and I'll shoot it over there from Instagram. Jenna Kantor:                02:27                And you just mentioned a little bit about you have kids who are going to these dance schools. There's a relationship you already have with these parents that's helping you build these groups. Would you mind elaborating a little bit more on how that came about? Duane Scotti:                02:44                Yeah, so, well I guess first off, I do have two daughters. One is a dancer and one is a gymnast Jenna Kantor:                02:49                Shout out to your kids. Duane Scotti:                02:51                So they are at the local gym, the local dance studio that I've been affiliated with awhile. I also taught at the local studio, I was a dance instructor there. And you know, obviously those relationships, the families, they kind of have known me and trusted me for years and I've helped out their dancers before. So those are kind of how those relationships have been built. It's really more of me just being present and being there for, you know, picture day and you know, I'm there doing, you know, kind of complimentary screenings and things of that sort. So you kind of develop that rapport and relationship with the families where you kind of earn their trust, that you're going to be kind of looking out for their dancer. Jenna Kantor:                03:34                You know, you hit upon something that I think is so valuable. I actually interviewed Karen Litzy the other day for her own podcast, this podcast in which we are interviewing for right now. And she was talking about these relationships and how she just lives her life and through the things that she's already passionate about. She's made these relationships and help those relationships grow. And it sounds like that's what you have hit upon, which you agree. Duane Scotti:                04:01                Absolutely. Absolutely. Relationships are everything and from a practitioner standpoint, your relationship with your patient and their families are important. But then expanding beyond that and you know, things are a lot different than the healthcare world. And when I first graduated, you know, it was prior to direct access time and everything was about trying to foster that relationship with your referring physician. Now it's a completely different animal. You know, my relationships I'm fostering with are the communities in which I serve. So looking at the gymnastics community or it's the relationship with the coaches, right? And having, you know, I'm just thinking about the first facility that I started in, it was talks with coaches, not just one saying, Oh yeah, I'm a physical therapist, let me treat your gymnast. But it was many talks, many conversations you developed that rapport, that relationship, and then that turns into, hey, can you help this gymnast out? Duane Scotti:                04:56                Oh we have another one. Can you help this one out? And then you kind of foster that relationship over time and then you wind up seeing, you know, your practice or your business kind of growing from that standpoint. And it's really kind of getting into our communities and for me at least that has been successful is having those relationships with, you know, the dance studio owners, the gym owners, now we're treating out of an aerial silk studio. So really you develop that relationship and then they recommend your services to people that are in their circle, right. And their business because they trust you. So I think those relationships are definitely, definitely important for kind of long term success. Jenna Kantor:                05:38                Yeah. And it just makes it more enjoyable because you honestly enjoy each other and so I think that's great. So let's go back to the social media stuff. Your content itself, I mean, I've seen the video of you dancing with your daughter, which was great. What was it? The diggy? Duane Scotti:                05:53                That was the Kiki challenge. Jenna Kantor:                05:56                I think that video pretty much went viral. Am I correct? Duane Scotti:                06:00                Yeah. That one was definitely my best performing video. So yeah, it was fun. That was something that, you know, a lot of people were doing that. And I think you saw on the news like a dentist had done it. I was like, you know what, we should do this as a physical therapist and just showcase what physical therapists do. So, you know, my daughter's a dancer and she was interested. I said, Gabby, let's do it and let's do a little dance. So we just kind of put it together real quick and that was fun. And that's the thing I do like about social media. It's really nice. You can have fun with it. We are professionals and we always have professional interactions with our patients, but we also have fun with them. Duane Scotti:                06:37                Right. And we're human, we’re people.  So just kind of showing some of that human side I think has been definitely beneficial. And you know, if you look at your insights on, you know, Facebook or Instagram, the posts that do the best are the ones where I am not trying to be super serious and I'm not showing the best technique and the best tool in my toolbox that I know it's more of me just being genuine and it's more of you know, doing a silly dance or you know a picture with the family or you know, something that's kind of outside the box. Jenna Kantor:                07:14                It lets people feel more connected to you. So let's go into more on Instagram because Instagram unlike Facebook, Facebook you can schedule posts for free, Instagram you can’t right? So are you using one of those paid for platforms to post or do you just post daily and what is your schedule that you abide by to be consistent? Duane Scotti:                07:40                Well, you hit a really important point is that consistency is key with Instagram and Facebook. It is one of those things and it's just like anything we do in life habit, right? Exercise goals, running goals, wherever it is. Getting to the gym, you gotta be consistent and I don't know, people for different things what like two or three weeks to form a habit and then it becomes a habit. And for me that's been helpful where now it's just part of my daily routine and scheduling it in advance and doing batching and kind of putting videos together, putting, you know, writing, you know, batching all your posts together. It's definitely helpful. It makes it easier. But unfortunately Instagram does not have, like you said, where you can schedule out your posts, so you do need to post it. Then I have heard of other platforms that you can utilize to put your posts in, but it still will send you a reminder to your phone saying this post is ready to go. And then you'd have to open Instagram and actually post it. So that is the limitation in terms of time management. So it is “work” where you need to think about it. Hey, I have to post on this day. I've thought about and you know, and maybe in the future trying to delegate a bit of that out, just to ease a little of the burden of having to do that. And I actually trialed that shout out to Nikki when I was on vacation. Jenna Kantor:                09:04                Hi Nikki. I don't know who you are, but thank you. Duane Scotti:                09:07                She did an awesome job and I wrote all the posts in advance and she did the posting for me when I was out of the country and I couldn't post. So I think it's a doable model, but you still needed to write the post. And because I think, again, going back to being human and genuine, right? So a lot of these bigger businesses, you know, they have marketing people who are doing their posts, but you can tell it's more from a marketing angle and standpoint. It's not that person being genuine and who they are. Jenna Kantor:                09:34                That was so eloquently said. I don't know if we'd go out for coffee, but good, good job. Duane Scotti:                09:41                Right, right. So that is, you know, on Facebook they do have the scheduling, but if you're going to wind up forcing an Instagram, again, like I said, you can just shoot it over to Facebook then. So yeah, I unfortunately don't have a scheduling system that will just like send them all out. Which would be nice. Jenna Kantor:                09:58                And then for the content preparation, do you pretty much do like on Sunday you prepare for the week or do you kind of do daily? Do you have a system for that yet or how do you do that? Duane Scotti:                10:10                Sure. I don't do that specifically on Sundays, but on Sundays I do iron all my outfits for the week. Jenna Kantor:                10:15                You buy clothes that you need to iron? That's lesson number one. You're supposed to buy shirts that are iron free, like you don't need an iron. So let's start there. Now move onto the creating of content. Duane Scotti:                10:33                Yeah. So it's really whenever I have free time, so there's no specific day where I'm like, okay, Sunday is the day that I'm going to do all that. It's whenever I have a chunk of time, then I have a calendar. I have a plan for what's going to be coming out when and then it's a matter of all right, I'm going to do these videos, whether I'm going to write some captions in the videos from adding music, whatever the case may be. And then I have all those ready to go. So that's like my videos ready to post folder on my phone there. And then I will have the write ups. So then whenever I have free time it's like, okay, let's write up this post that post that post. And so then it's kind of done in advance. Ideal world is I would have like a full week's worth of content and I found that is so much better because it's not stressful thinking about because your day is busy, right? Duane Scotti:                11:17                So I teach during the day, you know, doing the practice in the evenings and on the weekends. And you know, if I get to the point where it's, oh, I don't have a post today, it’s stressful and then you have the pressure of coming up with something right on the spot. And so having it in advance, it's a lot easier where it's ready to go, the writing is done, the post is actually done, the videos are done and then it's a matter of just literally opening up the platform and hitting the plus button and there's your video and copy paste, boom, boom, boom and then you're off and running. Jenna Kantor:                11:48                Yeah. And you're hitting upon why I'm actually considering investing in an Instagram, a paid for platform to post for Instagram because this is where the value of being able to schedule it out really comes in because you could schedule it out for a year. I mean, imagine that you just hammer it out, you know, you're like, I love you children. You go play, you get to watch movies this whole weekend while I create content. And then you pull them in, you say, hey, you know what, I would like you to create choreography to five songs. So then you could do the family thing a couple times. But yeah, I think that is a key thing to maybe even tap on. I'm actually brainstorming for myself, not even giving you advice because for me, Instagram personally is a platform that I'm just about to start going for. I took the time with Facebook first, I'm very on top of that and now Instagram is my next target to like create those habits. So it's really good for me as a practitioner to hear what you're doing, what your experience is and how possible it is, so thank you. Duane Scotti:                12:58                Yeah, I know. And on Instagram, you know, it is a little different from Facebook in that I feel like you need to write a little less. And attention spans are a little different on Instagram. So, you know, those things are different and obviously the hashtags are important on Instagram, whereas Facebook, they're not. So you know, knowing which, you know, tags to use can help bring your reach to a wider audience and kind of your target audience. So you do have to give some thought to the actual tags that you are going to use on Instagram, which I think helps, you know, get your stuff seen. Jenna Kantor:                13:35                Yeah. How did you find the Hashtags for you? Because you could sit there and say Hashtag dance and see that a lot of people post dance, but if you're going to really target the people in your area, how did you get those hashtags? Duane Scotti:                13:48                So I do some local hashtags. I'm still looking at towns, right. So Wallingford, Connecticut, Cheshire, Connecticut, North Haven, Connecticut and we'll look at those local tags. And I don't know if anyone really truly knows the answer to the algorithm. But it is, you know, do you go with the hashtags that have the most numbers or because there's so many things posted on them anyway your stuff's never going to be seen. Or do you go with some that aren't in the millions or the hundreds of thousands so you can get into your niche, right? So I try to make them relevant to whatever the post is and then relevant to my target audience and you know, looking at if it is something on the ankle and ankle pain or maybe you're someone searching for that or ankle sprain I use those tags. Jenna Kantor:                14:38                Yeah. That's great. Well, thank you so much and my last question would be do you consider yourself an expert on social media? Duane Scotti:                                        Definitely not. Jenna Kantor:                                        That is where I think it's perfect to end for all you practitioners. We have worked so hard to get our licenses to work on these patients in physical therapy or honestly in any health career that you are pursuing. You don't need to be an expert. You just need to start. And the more you do, the more curious you get and the more you will learn. And Duane Scotti here is definitely a perfect example of that. So thank you so much for coming on this podcast and sharing your knowledge. Duane Scotti:                                        Yes, thank you so much for having me.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guest hosts and interviews Jim Dunleavy on the New York House of Delegates.  Jim Dunleavy is Chief Delegate of the New York Physical Therapy Association Chapter.  James Dunleavy graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Health Education from Manhattan College in 1976. He received a P.T. Certification in 1977, followed by his MS. P.T. in 1983 from Columbia University. James was a Co-founder and acted as its first President of the Acute Care Section from 1992-1997. He served as an APTA Director from 1998-2004 and received the APTA‘s Lucy Blair Service Award in 2005. Currently, James is the President of the New York Physical Therapy Association, an office he took in 2006. In this episode, we discuss: -What is a motion? -An overview of how the delegate assembly functions -Jim’s advice for new graduates who are looking to get involved in professional organizations -And so much more!   Resources: Jim Dunleavy Twitter New York Physical Therapy Association   For more information on Jim: APTA spokesman James M. Dunleavy is administrative director of Rehabilitation Services at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He also serves as adjunct faculty in the Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Rutgers University. As an active member of APTA, he founded the association’s Academy of Acute Care Physical Therapy and served as its president for 5 years. He has held various volunteer positions within the association, including serving as a director on the APTA Board of Directors. Dunleavy also has held many volunteer leadership positions on APTA’s New York Chapter Board of Directors, including treasurer, district chair, district director, and president. In 2005 he received APTA’s Lucy Blair Service Award. He was the first recipient of APTA’s Acute Care Section Leadership Award, now named after him. He received a bachelor’s degree in education from Manhattan College, a master’s degree in physical therapy from Columbia University, and a doctor of physical  therapy degree from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with Jim Dunleavy who is the NYPTA chief delegate. And I am very excited to be interviewing this morning. So first of all, thank you so much for agreeing to be interviewed on the wonderful, healthy, wealthy and smart. So delegate, chief delegate. Would you mind explaining what that is for anyone who does not know and what that is related to within the New York Physical Therapy Association? Jim Dunleavy:               00:30                Well, the chief delegate actually leads the delegation from New York to the national house of delegates each year. I'm basically the organizer. I do the assignments of motions. I hold webinars and phone calls with the delegates during the course of the year to get them up to speed with the issues that are facing us that are brought before the house of delegates each June. Jenna Kantor:                00:58                Yeah, it's excellent. And I'm on that email list and so I'm always just going reading, having different physical therapists help transcribe it for me. So thank you, you just are so good at keeping us up to date with that. So for you, I'm just wondering on a weekly basis, how much time do you need to put into your job? Jim Dunleavy:               01:17                I would say it varies. It gets more as we get closer to the house of delegates each June. The APTA has gone through kind of a metamorphosis and has created almost a year round type of governance process. So, the motions are starting to be brought out in concept form, usually early in the fall. In the past it's just been we get it in March, we read it, we go to the house, that's it. But now we have to really look at it almost as a year round job to keep people on top of it. Make sure we see what issues are coming possibly before the house. And giving our input from New York as to how we feel about these motion concepts and then the full blown motion will affect us in New York. Jenna Kantor:                02:15                So when you're saying motion, what do you mean by motion? Is that a new law? What is that? Jim Dunleavy:               02:20                We run a house of delegates. It's similar to a mini Congress or a mini house of Representatives. And so the issues that come before that house have to be in the form of a motion, which is a clearly defined statement, whether it be a policy, whether it be charging the APTA to do something, whether it be a philosophical or sociological position. And the group will review it, they will discuss it, they will argue about it and then they will vote on that motion. Jenna Kantor:                02:54                Oh, so it's like when it goes to the Senate or Congress. So if I was to think of the school house rock video where they're singing, I'm just a bill. Do you like that reference? Yes, but honestly, that's where my brain needs to go cause I'm massive beginner with this. So I right now I'm an alternate, which I'm very just honored to even be an alternate for the possibility of going. So I was wondering what is it like, let's say day one at the delegate assembly? Is it just people just kind of, you know, is it, how are things brought in order? Is there an introduction? Are there, is there a ceremony with candles and, and you know, it was some sort of like traditional dance. What happens on day one at the delegate assembly? Jim Dunleavy:               03:49                The candles and the dancing, that's a good idea. Maybe we'll get them going a little bit more. First two things. One, you mentioned the term delegate assembly. The delegate assembly is actually New York's own little congress, little house of Representatives. What I'm chief delegate of is the delegation of New York that goes to the national house of delegates. So in New York, we're a little different than other states. We have 10 districts. We have representatives from each of those districts come to our delegate assembly, usually in April or May, where we review all the things that are going to come before the house of delegates plus vote on any bylaw changes or other issues that are going on in New York state alone. In terms of how it's structured, you have delegates are voted upon to go to the house of delegates by our delegate assembly. Jim Dunleavy:               04:51                So that's one set. Then in addition, each district has the ability to designate one person. So there's 10 and then whatever is left in the order of the voting in the delegate assembly, those people are on our alternate list. So, believe me, it happens every year. We have people who drop out for various reasons. In fact, I have one right now that I have to replace, so I don't know where you were on the list, but you might be getting a call from me later. I have to keep track of that and I have to constantly update the APTA delegate list and the chapter deligate list. So they get all the information that they need either as now an active delegate and not an alternate. Jenna Kantor:                05:44                If somebody was an alternate, like my situation and then I'm down at the end of the list. But I'm also, honestly, I really am grateful to be on the list especially as a new Grad. So I'll take it, so if I was able and fortunate enough to, you know, be able to fill in for someone, does that make me for the next year as a regular delegate or am I still considered an alternate? Jim Dunleavy:               06:10                The delegation is a one year service time. So we will vote this coming April I think is the delegate assembly. We will vote for the delegates going to the 2020 house of delegates. This group of delegates that are going to Chicago in June of 2019, they were voted upon last delegate assembly. So it's a one year cycle. We've actually talked about changing that to maybe get a little bit more experience in four people. So we're talking about maybe changing the bylaws to two years of service. I'm not sure yet, but it is a one year service time. Jenna Kantor:                06:58                Okay. Very good to know. Alright, so let's go back to day one. So we're at the house of delegates day one. So apparently there was no dancing ritual.  So what is the order usually on day one at the House of delegates? Jim Dunleavy:               07:24                For the New York chapter, what we usually do is our delegation comes in usually the day before the house opens. And I usually try and hold a, what we call a caucus meeting to just orient everybody, go over any changes that I'm aware of and in any of the motions, prepare the delegates for the next morning, which are the interviews for people running for national office because the house of delegates is the voting body that votes for president, vice president and so on. We have interviews of those candidates all morning and we have I think four rooms or five rooms that we have delegates in who asks these candidates questions, we will then come back as a delegation together. We will talk about the candidates, make our selection and then start to work on the motions. Then after that, usually in the late afternoon, early evening, the house of delegates starts and it's a pretty impressive place if you've never been there because you have over 400 plus of your colleagues from around the country sitting in front of a large dais with the speaker and other officers there. And we run a parliamentary rule meeting with the idea of making the best decisions for the profession in the United States. Jenna Kantor:                08:53                This is honestly very exciting to me as much as I'm calm as I'm saying this, like it's just, it's getting my heart beating and I'm like, I want to be there one day.  This is just a random, silly question, but Lord knows anyone who knows me, I love random silly questions. So if I was to be interviewing for any of these amazing higher positions, that can make a great difference. If I did the splits or broke into a song and dance, would that help my position or possibly pull things back or maybe would you cast me in a Broadway show instead? Jim Dunleavy:               09:24                I'd probably go with the Broadway show. Probably doing the song and dancing in an interview here, I don't think the culture would really take to that very well. I think though that the culture in the interviews is changing with the age of the delegates. We talk a lot about millennials. We talked a lot about all of them, gen x’ers and everything else. And how we have to change our communication style in order to reach out to our newest members and future leaders. I've seen a change in culture and that it's a little bit lighter, but I don't think we're doing the song and dance just yet in the interview process. Jenna Kantor:                10:18                So no Hamilton rap? No, no, no. Okay. Okay, good. Just good to clarify it. In the hallway, right to take care of those nerves. So when going in the rooms, this honestly reminds me cause I have the musical theater background of auditions. It really does. So for you guys on your end, as you are interviewing these people, I mean aside from the buckets of coffee that you're probably having to just stay really focused. You really need to see that people are right for these positions. Do you try to make it a friendly environment or like what kind of environment are you trying to create to help that person who is being interviewed? Jim Dunleavy:               10:59                Well, I think we're trying to make it a level playing field because what we have done is we have agreed to do a set questions in every room so that the delegates that are in each room gets to hear each candidate's answer to the same question. Then each room does have an opportunity to ask some of their own questions. So when I ran for APTA board and I had to do these interviews myself, that was not the case. I had no idea what was going to be thrown at me in terms of questions. You could be asked anything. I think now it's at least fairer, it's a level playing field for the candidates. They know they're not going to get any serious kind of Gotcha questions cause we went through a period of time where people thought that was fun. So I think it's a much easier experience for the candidate then perhaps maybe it was when I ran. I think people still get insights into these people. Jenna Kantor:                12:16                Absolutely. And for working with your team when you are discussing, cause you're saying people are in different rooms, you know, you have the different rooms and are you guys all, is it say Melanie goes in, she gets interviewed in one room. Does she get sent to the next room and the next room? So all three groups interview? Jim Dunleavy:               12:37                Yes. The candidate will get a schedule for the morning, what rooms they have to be in.  So usually very close to each other Jenna Kantor:                12:48                And muscle relaxers. Anything for the nerves, right? Jim Dunleavy:               12:51                Absolutely. Yeah, there is. And there is a candidate's lounge where they set up food and coffee and everything else. So you have a place to go and cry when you mess up in the interview. It really is a very well oiled machine how they do it. So what I'm going to have to do as chief delegate, I'm going to have to basically divide up our delegates equally for each room. And then I'm in one room with what we call the Northeast Caucus, which is all the states, pretty much in the northeast. But they'll be New York delegates probably somewhere in the neighborhood of six or seven, maybe eight in each room. So they can hear the differences in the different questions and then I will bring them all back together after the interview session and go through that and make sure that everybody hears what was said in every room by each one of the candidates. Jenna Kantor:                13:48                Oh, that's so smart. Yeah. I really like how you guys have a system because that's not easy to even develop that system that works for everyone. So I think that's really, really cool how you guys have that organized. So you're done with all these interviews, you have to decide that night for that or was that during the whole weekend that that's part of the house of delegates? Jim Dunleavy:               14:09                It used to be much more laborious until we went to electronic voting. So after the day of our interviews that evening, the house will open and one of the first orders of business is that we will all vote on the candidates. And then at the close of that session, which is usually around eight o'clock that night, the results are posted both outside the house of delegates room. And on these huge screens that we have in the house of delegates proper. Jenna Kantor:                14:40                Wow. Wow. Well organized. So you've done the interviews and now we're at lunch. Jim Dunleavy:               14:49                Up to the interviews, I bring my delegates back to a caucus room that I've got assigned and we start to talk about the candidates and start talking about the interviews. Jenna Kantor:                15:02                Okay. And then after that discussion, what's after that? Jim Dunleavy:               15:07                Then later in the afternoon, we're going to have what we call motion discussion round tables where chief delegates and some delegates if they want to come, can come. But we come and discuss strategy issues and or changes in motions, get more information on particular motions that are going to come before the house. And usually we have two or three of those in the course of the days that we're together. So that once we get to the floor as many of us as possible, have the same information about a particular motion. Jenna Kantor:                15:44                Oh that's so great. So you can get on the same page. That's brilliant. I really liked that. That's so smart. And that's the new thing you were saying. Jim Dunleavy:               15:50                Well we used to do it a different way. We used to have these called motion discussion groups where motions were assigned to a room and then you would run around and trying to listen to the information that way. We're going to try these round tables where I'm assuming it's going to be set up, like each table is going to be a motion and you could go to whatever one you want, and just do that for a period of time. I think that's a good change. Jenna Kantor:                16:18                I love that. I like how you guys are always trying to fix a problem, solve and improve. That's really incredible. And then we get to the meeting after everybody's on the same page. Everyone understands what's going on. Everyone then comes together. There's that vote at the beginning, right, like you said. And then is it all run by Robert's rules? Jim Dunleavy:               16:39                Yes. Everything we do is via Robert's rules. We have a speaker of the House who's basically our facilitator, making sure everything moves forward as quickly and efficiently as possible, but also within the realm of Robert's rules of orders. So everybody is dealt with in a fair way. We don't want people, we have very small states. For example, we have states that may only have two delegates there. New York is a larger state. We have 25 delegates. So if you're looking to influence votes in order to get something passed, you're generally going to try and go to the California's, the New York's, the Illinois’, the Florida’s, the Texas’, to try and garner as many votes as you possibly can for whatever issue you're trying to support. So the smaller states need to have protections. And so I think the caucus process of them being assigned to the caucuses from throughout the United States, they get much better information before they meet because then they're just not talking amongst themselves and they also have the ability to create relationships with some of the larger states. So we all know what everybody is doing. Jenna Kantor:                17:57                What do you mean by caucus? Would you mind defining? Jim Dunleavy:               18:00                There are caucuses set up throughout the United States. The one New York is in is called the northeast caucus. It's actually the oldest. We have states from Maine down to DC, I think it is on the east coast. Jenna Kantor:                18:17                Oh. So it's like a region essentially? Jim Dunleavy:               18:19                It’s a regional Caucus. Now that caucus does not have any authority in terms of voting. We don't block vote. We don't try and get everybody together and vote one way at a particular issue. That's not the purpose of the caucus. The purpose of the caucus is to share information, to perhaps bring a motion concept like I did with the New York motion this year to the caucus to get viewpoints and ideas. And perhaps as a caucus, ask for information, ask for changes in the way we do things, and send that to the house officers. So it's an information gathering, sharing and actually very stimulating meeting. We have one in the fall and we have one in the spring, and we have one here. We had one here the other night, so we're looking I think in March or April to have one. It's up in Vermont, I think. And then the one in the fall, I don't remember where that one is, but basically it is part of a year round governance process where we'll be talking about motion concepts at all of these. Jenna Kantor:                19:38                And for those who don't know, we are actually at the combined sections meeting, which I did not say. So when he's referring to here, he's talking about here in DC 2019. Yes, yes. This is excellent. So during Robert's rules, how was it handled for someone who's new and they're not familiar with what even Robert's rules is? Is there somebody who teaches them when to raise their hand or say a motion or a vote of where somebody to just make sure, for lack of a better word, that they're in line? Jim Dunleavy:               20:16                It can be intimidating the first time for a new delegates especially when they first walk into the house and they see the physical enormity over get it. You don't get a sense of that until you're there. It's also very, I find it very exhilarating to have all our colleagues together in one place. What APTA does, it's a PowerPoint slide presentation to orient new delegates to the process. We have an orientation handbook in New York where I do a conference call and we're probably going to move to a webinar format next time, with all the new delegates each year. So I basically go over what their role is, what to expect, some of the mechanics of what they need to do. And even with that, I know some of them are still not totally clear, we did that in November. And so I'm still getting questions. So, the good part is I'm getting the questions. In the past, I remember when I was a new delegate, we had no such orientation. It was, here you go and you're done and you just deal with it. Jenna Kantor:                21:42                Oh, just praying that you just rose your hand the correct way. Jim Dunleavy:               21:47                Exactly. Right. They do have a lot of resources now. In New York, we usually buddy up, the new delegate with an experienced delegate. So if they feel for whatever reason, they don't feel like you can find me or talk to me, they have this other person that they can reach out to. Jenna Kantor:                22:09                Yeah, that's wonderful. I definitely could see myself wanting to lean over and be like, what are they talking about? And you know, would you mind defining this? So I think that is a great thing that's already in play to get that mentoring. I could definitely imagine myself, and this has been advice from others that the first year, not that  I wouldn't vote on things, but to spend more time just being quiet and listening because there's so much to take in. Would you agree? Jim Dunleavy:               22:37                Absolutely. It takes time to get used to the process. And so you have to, early on as a new delegate, you have to spend your time dealing with the mechanics of what's before you. But there are also situations where new delegates may feel very passionate about a particular issue that's coming before the house. And so how we've done it in our chapter, is we've tried to keep it as open as possible. I do not restrict our delegates from getting up and having their say at the mic. And what I have noticed is I think the newer delegates are much more better equipped, I guess the best way to handle that situation. I know in the past and I was one of them, the first time up to the mic in front of 400 of your closest friends can be a little intimidating. I've seen with our newer delegates, a much higher sense of confidence in and a knowledge base and again, the passion that they bring. I think we're going to have a number of delegates here in New York for many, many years to come that will be great representatives of the chapter. Jenna Kantor:                24:06                I love hearing that. It's very exciting. I'm so grateful to have somebody like you in New York who's really leading us with such clarity. And I just want to thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for coming on to this podcast because this is going to be a resource that I'm going to be sharing out with people who are interested, a lot of students for sure. Cause I'm definitely, even though I'm still a new Grad so I still have that, you know, flowery perspective. So for you to take the time and sit with me on the last day of CSM when we're very exhausted. I am truly grateful. So thank you Jim Dunleavy for coming on. Do you have any final words of advice you would like to give to anyone regarding the house of delegates? Jim Dunleavy:               24:50                Well, I would just say for everyone to get involved. In New York you have multiple places to get involved. You can get involved at your local district level. That's where I started. Somebody invited me to a meeting and here I am years later doing these types of things and also having served in national office and creating a section. It's been a wonderful, wonderful part of my career. You always get paid back 10 fold, what you give. And so I would say get involved. Call the chapter, call your local district representative, find out when the meeting is locally, and start that process there because the thing that drove me was going to a meeting that a friend brought me to actually when I was in PT school. And I left that meeting thinking I do not want these people making all these decisions without me talking about this. And that was kind of my driver. You know, people have different drivers, but I think get involved because that's the only way the profession is going to move forward. Jenna Kantor:                25:58                Thank you. Thank you so much. Those are excellent words of wisdom. Thank you for coming on.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guest hosts and interviews Karen Litzy on her journey to become a leader of the physical therapy profession. Karen Litzy, PT, DPT is a licensed physical therapist, speaker, owner of Karen Litzy Physical Therapy, host of the podcast Healthy Wealthy & Smart and creator of the Women in Physical Therapy Summit. In this episode, we discuss: -How Karen started her career in New York City -The importance of relationship building to grow your practice -Why you should say yes to things that align with your values -A sneak peek at the Strictly Business Mastermind -And so much more!   Resources: Karen Litzy Twitter Karen Litzy Instagram  Karen Litzy Facebook FOTO Outcomes Summit, use the discount code LITZY   For more information on Karen: Dr. Karen Litzy, PT, DPT is a licensed physical therapist, speaker, owner of Karen Litzy Physical Therapy, host of the podcast Healthy Wealthy & Smart and creator of the Women in Physical Therapy Summit.   Through her work as a physical therapist she has helped thousands of people overcome painful conditions, recover from surgery and return to their lives with family and friends.   She has been a featured speaker at national and international events including the International Olympic Committee Injury Prevention Conference in Monaco, the Sri Lanka Sports and Exercise Medicine Conference, and various American Physical Therapy Association conferences.   Karen has been featured in magazines and websites like Redbook, Women’s Running, Martha Stewart Living, Family Circle, Health.com and CafeMom. She has been a guest on several podcasts including Entrepreneur On Fire, Hack the Entrepreneur, and The Healing Pain Podcast. She lives in New York City.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor interviewing for Healthy, Wealthy and Smart. And I am here with the founder, the original Mama Jamma, Healthy, Wealthy and Smart Karen. And I am going to be a major fan girl. No apologies for this at all because I've been wanting to interview Karen for a long time because she is just one of the most inspirational people in physical therapy. And I would say honestly amongst women and physical therapy, the leadership that you take is absolutely incredible and I appreciate you agreeing to coming on. So thank you. Karen Litzy:                                           Well thank you. And I think this is the first time I've been interviewed on my own podcast. I think so unless you count the time Bronnie Thompson was asking me questions and made me cry. But for the most part, this is definitely the first time. Jenna Kantor:                00:51                Not a meltdown in this one. Well what I'm really excited about as so anybody who is a fan of Karen lets you see all that she does. This is to really learn about her backstory and also how possible it is to get to where she is at now. So one thing we were talking about the other day, Karen, as you were saying, how you moved to New York and you knew no one, I would love for you to expand upon that and how you took those steps to knowing everyone. Karen Litzy:                                           Well, so when I first moved to New York, I knew my roommate because we had gone to high school together and maybe two other people that we went to high school with. And what I decided to do when I first moved to New York is I couldn't find a physical therapy job that I felt like it was a good fit. Karen Litzy:                   01:43                And so I ended up working at what was then called Reebok Sports Club. It's now an Equinox, but it was this sort of a country club in the city. So it was a very high end, very expensive gym. So I started working there as a personal trainer. And because of that environment, there were so many personal trainers, Pilates instructors, nutritionists, not to mention all of the people who go in and out of the gym and all the clients I was lucky enough to work with. And because of that I was able to meet hundreds and hundreds of people. And to this day, those trainers, the people who work, like a computer program there for children, there are nutritionists, pilates instructors. To this day they still refer patients to me. And that was wow, 18 years ago. So, you know, we talk about building relationships and how important that is. Karen Litzy:                   02:41                And I think having that as my first job in the city and being exposed to so many different people, I felt like it really helped me build relationships and friendships at this point that have continued to blossom and grow. And I mean, I just had a patient that was looking for a strength and conditioning coach. And so I said, well, I work with one, a person who is amazing. And he was one of the first people I met at my new job 18 years ago. So it was a bit of like an unconventional path for a physical therapist and it's just cause I couldn't find my fit. I couldn't find that niche that I really wanted and maybe the clinic that I really wanted to work at and now that being said, I knew ahead of before I moved to New York that this gym existed and that it was a high end gym and that I would be exposed to a different kind of clientele. Karen Litzy:                   03:36                I don't know why I looked that up to begin with, but it was because of that, that gave me the idea to go out on my own and to start seeing patients in their homes and home gyms and homes and offices because all of the personal trainers at this gym, we're seeing people outside of the gym. If they're doing that, then why can't I do that? Why can't a physical therapist do that? Why do they only have to come to a clinic in a more traditional sense of the word? So it was because of that first job that I met so many people and those relationships continue to grow other relationships and that I got the idea to do my business. Jenna Kantor:                04:28                That's incredible. So for you, now that your network has expanded over time, clearly it's like full bloom. Hello, I look at you almost like the Oprah of physical therapy here. So how do you keep in touch or maintain these relationships with all these people? Like what is your skill for that? Karen Litzy:                                           So as far as maintaining them within New York City, it's pretty easy because we'll get together or you send a quick text. Cause most of these people are my friends and I credit working at that gym and also playing softball in central park that I was able to meet so many people. Jenna Kantor:                                        You play softball. Hold on, pause, elaborate. Karen Litzy:                                           So one day I was running in central park and I was like, Ooh, softball. So I went down and I was like, Hey, do you guys allow girls to play? And they were like, no. And I was like, oh, um, okay. And they said, well, what do you do? Karen Litzy:                   05:16                And I said, well, I'm a pitcher. And then they asked if I was good. And I peeked my head around and looked at their pitcher. I'm like, I'm better than the one you have. And so the next week I went for my tryout and then I became their pitcher. And then the following, summer I was recruited to play in a fast pitch like windmill fastpitch league. So I played there for several years and all the guys that I played with on that softball team, are lawyers, and they have referred patients to me. And you know, you just keep in touch. And so I met my two best friends that way in the city and they refer people to me from a business standpoint, but they're also my friends, you know, and they're part of my lifeblood of being in the city. And so my best advice if you're moving to someplace where you don't know anyone is to get involved in things you like to do. Karen Litzy:                   06:07                So I love playing softball. So that's what I did, you know, and I loved working out. So I decided to work in a gym as my first job. So instead of kind of pigeon holing yourself into what just physical therapy or just this, just that, like really kind of open yourself up because you never know who you're gonna meet. So in this city it's easy to keep in touch, well, I shouldn't say it's easy. It's not easy, but if it's a priority for you and your life, you make it and you make it a priority and you put in the effort. And so for me, and as you know, Jenna, you keep in touch with a lot of people. You spend your time on networking and on making those relationships. And the best way to do it is to make it a priority. Karen Litzy:                   06:47                And so I may have, you know, my week is sort of chunked out so I have patient care, but then there's times where I'm like, okay, all I'm going to do is write emails and send messages to people and it's in my calendar, it's write emails and send messages to people just so that you're still in there hemisphere. Jenna Kantor:                                        You know, it's keeping those relationships. Otherwise it becomes that long lost relationship. Even if when you hang out with them again you could just act like no time has passed. It's still something that needs to be rekindled. So it avoids that. Karen Litzy:                                           And it's putting in the effort. Like a good friend of mine, his name is Dr. Jordan Metzl who's a physician in New York and he does free workout classes every month. And so I try and make it a point, okay, I'm going to go to one of his classes even though I can't walk for two or three days because my legs are so sore afterwards. But I make it a point because he's my friend and I want to support him and I think what he's doing is important. Jenna Kantor:                07:37                I love that. I'm sure I've probably seen pictures of you after the workout going, just finished the workout with Metzl right now. I love that. And you actually are tapping upon something that I know we are 100% agree upon is really supporting what other people are doing. Showing up for what they do is a real big part of the networking and how your life and your career has truly grown. Karen Litzy:                                           Yeah. It's just being supportive of people that you believe in. So going to something like the CSM where there's 16-17,000 people here, like there are people that I want to make it a point that I at least say hello and that I have a conversation with, even if it's just five minutes, you know, because it's important to me and I hope it's important to them, but I know that it's important to me because I want to show up for them and I want to support them. Karen Litzy:                   08:31                And so that's just what you do if you want to keep your relationships going. And as far as keeping relations with international colleagues, it could just be a quick, a quick note on Twitter or a quick email or hey, I thought about you the other day because I really want to introduce you to this person because I think you guys should at least know each other cause you're doing the same research or you know, I met a colleague in the Netherlands and he has since referred patients to me in New York and he's a physio in London, but you just keep in touch with people and you do good work. And I think that's the best way to keep your relationships going. And it doesn't have to be every day, right? It could be consistent. Karen Litzy:                   09:24                It takes five minutes. A lot of times I do this when I'm on the bus cause I'm going from patient to patient. So what else am I supposed to do on the bus? You know, so that's sometime when I'd be like, okay, I'm going to make sure that I reach out to so and so in Australia or to this person in Pennsylvania or to this and that's a good time. So I'm lucky in that sense that I have like random downtime. Chunks during my week and you just, if you think about someone, just let them know. Jenna Kantor:                                        Yeah, it takes seconds. It takes seconds. Okay. So you have your hands on many things which I love about you. So you have this podcast, which is amazing and soaring and now you also have a team working for you with this podcast. Jenna Kantor:                10:07                You have your own practice, you have the speaking course. What am I missing? You have a course coming up that's going to be helping practitioners, which is amazing. You’re the nominating committee for the private practice section? Am I missing anything? I want to make sure we tap and tap everything. Okay. So you're doing all these things now, did they all come about all at once for you to achieve it? Or did some of them overlap as you were developing them? Oh, and you're working to become a paid speaker. I mean these are a lot of fantastic things, all a hundred percent possible to achieve in a life, but for you achieving each and every one, have some of them overlapped in the process of growing? I would love to hear that journey. Karen Litzy:                   10:56                Yes. And I also think that one allows for the next and allows for the next. So one event allows for the next event and for the next and for the next or one experience allows for the next. So for instance, starting the podcast many years ago, I took a couple of years off to go back to get my DPT, but starting the podcast had led to credibility and has led to visibility and in maybe some vulnerability on my part. So when people can see that you're being credible and you're being authentic and you're putting yourself out there, they're drawn to that. And so from that, I was invited to be on a proposal to CSM and then that got me public speaking a little bit. And then maybe from that someone sees you, it's like, hey, you know something, I really like this. We should try this. Karen Litzy:                   11:50                And so I kept saying yes, yes, yes, yes. And to say as a piece of advice, say yes to everything until you can say no, terrible advice. I don't know. It was terrible advice. Awful. So what I started to do, cause I was saying yes, everything and it is overwhelming and you get burnt out and you start to cry and then you don't feel like you have a personal life. And I want a personal life as well. So now what I've started to do is say yes to things that align with your values. Say Yes to things that in your gut it's a hell yes. Because when you start saying yes to things that are like, I guess I should do it, it's a no, like if you're saying I guess I should do it, you don't want to be shoulding things. Karen Litzy:                   12:30                It's like, yes, I want to do this. Not, yeah, I guess I should do it. And so I think having that in my mind has been able to narrow my focus a little bit more. So it sounds like I'm doing a lot, but it's all inter related. Jenna Kantor:                                        It's connected.  And I even left out that you have the annual women in PT Summit. Karen Litzy:                                           But again, that's all connected, right? So I think it started with the podcast and then doing a little bit of speaking and then I really started to enjoy speaking more and more. And because of that I have made that a priority. And for me each year I pick a word that I like to kind of follow my year and to base decisions on and things like that. And so this year it's courage. And so one of the things that I really wanted to have the courage to do was to do more public speaking and to put out a course to help physical therapists create their own private practice and occupational therapists create their private practice. Karen Litzy:                   13:27                And these for me, takes a lot of courage and planning and things like that. But if you, like I said, I sort of planned my week in little chunks. So if you can do that, you can get everything done. You just have to put your mind to it. And I also as just a FYI on how I manage my time is that I kind of use pomodoros. So a Pomodoro is a concept that's a 25 minute work block. So I'll set a timer for 25 minutes. I turn everything else off. Sometimes I'll put theta wave music on in the background or binaural beat music because that music is supposed to help increase theta wave, excitability in your brain, which is supposed to have, this is all very, you know, but it's supposed to help you be able to block out distractions and help you focus and things like that. Karen Litzy:                   14:17                It's the kind of music you hear when you're at the spa. And so I will do that and block everything else out. And it's amazing how much you can get done in 25 minutes. Like so if you are full of distractions, yeah, it's going to take you forever. But if you can really focus for 25 minutes, then you can write that blog post in 25 minutes instead of screwing around for three hours. You know what I mean? And if emails come in, like I'm not the president of the United States, like it's not that important. It's just not. I think we're in a world now where everything has to happenmnow. Now, now, now, now. Whereas I mean, I can say, I mean I started my podcast in 2012 and then took a couple of years off. Karen Litzy:                   15:03                It's 2019 so it's not like it's an overnight success. You know, I started speaking, the first CSM I spoke, it was in Indianapolis, which was, I don't even know how many years ago. So again, this is just been years of work and years of working on your reputation and years of working on myself in order to get to these points. Nothing is an overnight success because you're always laying foundations and groundworks that can take months or years. So I think it's really important for people to understand that. Jenna Kantor:                                        And habits, habits are a big thing too, because I'm sure it took you a bit to even make this, this 25 minute habit. Karen Litzy:                                           Oh my God. Yeah, because I love to be distracted. Squirrel. I'd be like, what? I love to be distracted. But it's true. So to be able to do that and calm my mind down to focus on one thing took practice, but just like we tell our patients with like practice your exercises, if you practice these methods, you become better at the methods. It's the same thing. Jenna Kantor:                16:02                Yeah. I definitely can relate with that. So now for you, what is your next, oh my gosh. I can't wait for you to listen back to this podcast in like a couple of years and be like, what is your next, cause you have, you have things coming up and maybe those will be your next you would want to discuss, but I would love for you to share that. Karen Litzy:                                           My probably biggest next is the soonest are the quickest next, let's put it that way. The quickest next would be this course that I'm developing for physical therapists and occupational therapists called Strictly Business Mastermind. And it's to help them create their own cash PT or hybrid or if you already have a practice and you're trying to transition out into a cash based practice. Karen Litzy:                   16:52                So it's really for those two groups of people. And I'm really excited about that and hopefully we'll have that solidified in the next couple of weeks and put that out there. Jenna Kantor:                                        That's going to be incredible. And honestly to speak to the fact that we don't have a woman and physical therapist yet leading something like this and we need to, it's for anyone. You need to see somebody who you can even visually identify with. So on top of the content that you're going to be providing, which is going to be off the charts, I'm grateful that you are filling a void that needs to be filled in. Karen Litzy:                                           And I think it's important to know that I'm not teaching this on my own because I don't have the answers to everything. I can't do everything. It's just physically impossible and mentally impossible. Karen Litzy:                   17:36                Like I can't do it. So I'm lucky to have a lawyer involved. I'm lucky to have an investment advisor involved. And someone who's an expert at SEO and Michelle Collie who's an amazing colleague with like 5,000, no, not really, but like a whole bunch of clinics in the Rhode Island area because these are people who quite frankly are doing things better than I am. And so to be able to share their knowledge with people, I think it's going to be a little bit unique in that space. Because I know I can't do it on my own. And so I asked for help. Jenna Kantor:                                        And it's okay to ask for help. And honestly, I definitely wouldn't use the Hashtag better together right now for this because it really is, as much as you are taking the lead on it, it is so good to get to work with other people and everybody benefits from it. Karen Litzy:                   18:26                Of course. Of course. I just feel like that's important for people to understand that you can't do any of this alone. And that if, if you do, you'll burn out, but if you have the wherewithal to find out, well, what are your weaknesses? Like, what are you good at? What are you not so good at? What do you love? What will someone pay you for? And if you can fill that out and kind of connect the dots, then you'll know what you're good at and then what you're not good at. Just find someone else who is. Because you're doing a disservice to yourself and you're just doing a disservice to people who are spending their money and their time to learn from you. So it's all about respecting the audience. And so what I really want to do is respect the audience and give them the best user experience that they can get and meet those expectations. And I'm my harshest critic. Jenna Kantor:                                        So I think everyone is, I think everyone is their harshest critic. Well, thank you so much for coming onto your own podcast to just share this. I love how you're just so authentic and insightful and just so true to your own story. And I think a lot of people just appreciate that about you and I definitely do. So thank you. Karen Litzy:                   19:52                Thanks for having me on.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!  

Through teaching ballet to kids, Jenna Kantor discovered she had a deep interest in the human body and a desire to help others on a higher level. Jenna co-founded Fairytale Physical Therapy which brings musical theatre shows to children in hospitals, founded a YouTube evidence-based series called Injury Prevention for Dancers, co-founded a podcast titled Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives, was NYC Conclave 2017 committee, and co-founded the NYPTA SSIG. Jenna owns Powerful Performer, which is a company that empowers performing artists to become their own health superheroes. Listen in to this episode of Women Inspired where you will hear: How Fairytale Physical Therapy is helping children in hospital How Powerful Performer is helping performing artists to be in control of their own health The value of advocacy Full show notes

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guest hosts and interviews Sue Griffin on how to be the speaker for the APTA’s House of Delegates.  Dr. Sue Griffin is the Speaker of the House of Delegates for the American Physical Therapy Association. In this episode, we discuss: -What are Robert’s rules of order -The responsibilities of the Speaker of the House of Delegates -What roles you should seek in order to prepare for Speaker responsibilities -Why Sue loves the APTA -And so much more!   Resources: National Association for Parliamentarians  Use the discount Code: LITZY   For more information on Sue: Dr. Griffin has been a physical therapist for more than 30 years. She has practiced in a wide variety of clinical settings throughout that time, and continues to practice in acute- and long-term care. Dr. Griffin has taught ethical coursework for entry-level and post-professional PTs and PTAs at the state and national level.   Examples of Dr. Griffin's accomplishments include:   Elected Speaker of the House of Delegates for the American Physical Therapy Association in 2014. Full-time professor for the Physical Therapist Assistant Program at Blackhawk Technical College in Janesville, WI for more than 20 years. Served on the Ethics Committee for the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association from 2007-2013. Chaired the Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association Task Force in 2004, when the Wisconsin PT practice act was updated.   Lead instructor in a PTA program, delivering content in a wide variety of clinical areas. Long-term and indepth involvement in clinical education. Licensed doctor of physical therapy with a broad background in many areas, including longterm care, acute and rehab spinal cord, acute head injury, inpatient and outpatient orthopedics and neurology, and amputation. Board certified in geriatrics. Very active member of WPTA and APTA.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor with Healthy, Wealthy and Smart. And I'm here with Sue Griffin, which is absolutely incredible. I am just a fan of anyone who is involved with the APTA and really making a change. So would you mind sharing, your the speaker of the House of delegates, would you mind explaining what is that position? I would love to learn. Sue Griffin:                   00:20                Sure. So speaker of the house runs the house of delegates. So the house of delegates is pretty analogous to like a representative body like you'd have in your state legislature, like the assembly. So, every state chapter gets to elect physical therapists as representatives. And it's the number is based on the number of members they have in their chapter. So we have about 400 every year that together and they kind of look like, you know, if you've seen those old convention things like the long tables and the state signs, I mean, that's kind of what it looks like. It's in these huge ballroom. There is a day is, and so up on the day is, that's where I preside from. And so the speaker stands on the day is and runs the meeting and it's incredibly formal because you can't have 400 people like talking over one another. Sue Griffin:                   01:09                It sound like, you know, English parliament or something, which we don't want. So that's the state chapter part. And then we also have all of the sections have a representative, the student assembly sends two representatives, the board of directors are there and the PT Caucus. So they all have representatives. They don't have a vote, but they are able to speak and debate and offer motions and things like that. So that's how our association creates positions and policies. Jenna Kantor:                01:44                So with all these people together, you are leading the meeting? Robert's rules and all. Sue Griffin:                   01:51                Yes, very, very formal. And so we stick to Robert's rules really strictly because otherwise again, like it would be chaos. Jenna Kantor:                02:00                Oh yeah, absolutely. And would you mind explaining what are Robert's rules for those who do not know? Sue Griffin:                   02:06                Everyone knows what. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. No. Sue Griffin:                   02:09                So Robert's rules of order is a specific kind of school of parliamentary process. So there are a couple of different schools, but this is probably the most famous. And so there's literally a book that kind of like a thick little mini Bible and it helps you run a meeting. So it has rules about procedure, like who can speak when and if someone brings a motion, in other words, if they want to take action, they present in a very carefully worded format and then there are processes for how people can change or amend that motion so that you can, it's a way for a group to make decisions. Jenna Kantor:                02:47                And it makes it easier for everyone else to follow. Sue Griffin:                   02:50                Right. And the basis is really to protect the voice of the minority and yet still let the majority accomplish their will. Jenna Kantor:                03:00                I love that kind of the whole purpose of it.  And what is the time commitment for your position? Sue Griffin:                   03:05                It varies a little bit, but there's kind of a low level steady level of commitment that's probably five to 10 hours a week because I also serve on the board of directors, so I have to participate on all the board activities as well as manage the house activities. And then like times like this, like pretty much from January through June. So the house of delegates right now is always in June, so pretty much from January to June, or at least CSM to June is when people are really working hard on their motions and we're trying to help them craft them. And so I would say the time commitment is, you know, probably 15 to 20 hours a week. Jenna Kantor:                03:45                That's great. That's great. Well, you're making a big difference, so that makes sense. And then of course as it gets closer, I'm sure it increases. Sue Griffin:                   03:52                It does. I don't know that I'm making a big difference. I think I'm helping everybody make a big difference. Now, I'm going to think I'm trying to just, you know, I'm the facilitator. I'm not the, I'm not the maker. Jenna Kantor:                                        Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So as the facilitator, why do you like this job? Sue Griffin:                                           Oh, it's just great. I mean, first of all, it's just so many passionate and really smart people, you know, coming together and they all have such great intent. I suppose every process like this is political to some extent, but you know, we don't have, everybody is really trying to move and accomplish what they really believe is best for the profession. And I feel like we really have a group that shares common values at a really deep level. And it's just so exciting to see those people come together and be able to accomplish things because physical therapy is the best profession. Right? And so for us to be able to do things that can help us elevate our level of practice, get people to access us better. I mean that's the kinds of things that you know our association is trying to drive to do. And this is, this is a big part of that. This is the driving body in many ways. Jenna Kantor:                04:59                Oh absolutely. That's honestly why I love the APTA personally. So for you, what past experiences greatly contributed for you being able to handle and take on this position? I would love to hear your journey. Sue Griffin:                   05:12                I think a really formative part was when I served as the secretary of our state chapter in Wisconsin and I did that role for four years and you know, secretaries have to take minutes. And so, you know, you're in a meeting with maybe 12 or 15 people and that meeting is not run very strictly on Robert's rules of order. So, you know, there's a lot of discussion, which is really perfectly appropriate. But at some point, you know, I would find myself kind of listening and then I'd say is so is this what you're trying to say? No, I'd take notes and I help people craft motions and they're like, yeah, yeah, that's, that's what I want to say. That's good. So it really helped me learn how to listen to a lot of conversations and try to distill the essence of what people were trying to accomplish. Sue Griffin:                   05:55                And that has served me very well because part of the speaker's role is to serve on a committee called the reference committee, which is a group that helps people guide and craft their emotions in a way that's specific. And so it's really helpful for that, but it's helpful when you're trying to facilitate a group of 400. You have to be able to listen and kind of hear and try to sense where people are going. Cause they kind of know where they want to go. They don't always know how to get there. So I think that really helped. But then, you know, early on I became a member of the National Association of Parliamentarians, which has a lot of great educational resources. So that's how I learned a lot about, more about the intricacies of Robert's rules. And I was really lucky that I got to serve for seven years. Sue Griffin:                   06:39                So I'm from Wisconsin, and Illinois runs a state assembly like New York does. So I served as their parliamentarian for several years. And so, you know, again, I wasn't running the meeting, but I had to understand it. I had to prepare it, it had to help me learn how to anticipate when amendments might be coming, how would you handle them. And so it really taught me a lot about how to prepare for the meeting in a way because you never want to be surprised if you can avoid it. So I would say those are really the main things that helped me prepare for the speaker role in particular. Jenna Kantor:                07:15                I love that because there's not one way. What are other jobs, as obviously from what you got to be part of was helpful, What are other jobs that you would recommend people try to be appropriate for your position? Sue Griffin:                   07:34                I think anytime you can be in a position where you are responsible for facilitating, so certainly, you know, being a chapter president, but even, you know, running a committee meeting. So, I think those are good roles. There's a position on the board of directors called the Vice Speaker of the house. So that person becomes obviously intimately involved. Jenna Kantor:                08:00                So going back to that question, so what jobs, aside from the ones that you just mentioned, would you recommend people could take on in order to be appropriate for your position if they were looking and going, oh, one day I'll be Sue Griffin. Sue Griffin:                   08:19                Well probably one thing I should've mentioned that I didn’t and it's you really need to be a delegate to the house of delegates, right? I mean, I did that for 15 years at least. So they need to be a delegate and that really helps them, I think link into other, I mean, at least to help me link into other opportunities, either at the chapter or section level so that they can kind of figure out their path. But again, being a secretary I think is a really good role. Anything where they have to run a meeting so they could be like even a SIG chair or a, you know, a committee chair. It doesn't have to be president, but certainly being chapter president could help because you obviously have to run meetings. Being on the reference committee is phenomenal. I mean it gives you a great role. And then we also have another position on the board called the Vice Speaker of the house of delegates. And sometimes people who've been in the vice speaker wanted to go to speaker and sometimes they haven't. So I mean it's not obligatory of course. And it's not required to be vice speaker, but those are some other ideas or options I would say. Jenna Kantor:                09:20                Awesome. I love that. And what motivated you to work specifically towards this position? Cause there's a lot of positions that make a great difference in the APTA. So what made you go this is the fit for me. Sue Griffin:                   09:33                Yeah, that's actually the only one I've ever really wanted. And you know, my very first probably hour as delegate, you know, back in 1995, I just was captivated by the formality of the proceedings. I was captivated by how he managed everything and how he really helped people accomplish their work. And that was very appealing to me to be able to help people move forward and accomplish what they wanted to do. Jenna Kantor:                10:01                What is something you have accomplished in this position that makes you so proud? There may be many.  I can see your brain going tick, tick, tick. Oh Gosh, there's a lot. But I would love to hear one or maybe a few that pop in your head. Sue Griffin:                   10:14                Well, it's funny cause you know, I'm a Midwesterner so I can't be proud of myself for anything. You know, I can be proud of other people. Jenna Kantor:                10:21                That counts, that counts. We're all in this together, so I would love to hear that. Sue Griffin:                   10:25                I mean I'm really proud of how the delegates work really hard. Well first of all I guess I’ve been really honored because they really have put a lot of trust in me and so they have allowed me to help them enact procedures and activities that make the house more efficient. And so I'm really proud of how people who've been really entrenched in something that's really formal and very traditional laden had been really willing to change and to take on change and to try different things and procedures to see if we can improve. I feel like the association on the whole is like on the cusp of really bold things and so I'm really proud of being able to help the house as a major decision making body try to also change in ways that are kind of in lock step with that boldness. I'm really proud of all the work the house created for the first time in my knowledge, a special committee to do a complete revision of every single policy position, standard document guideline in our whole association, like 350 documents and they've done this over the course of two years. So I'm really proud of their work and again, how they've really elevated the level of work and function of the house. So that's pretty cool. Jenna Kantor:                11:40                That is. That is, and you've been around for all of it to happen. I love that. What goals are you working towards now or goal that you are working on in your position to just up the ante. Make it even better. Sue Griffin:                   11:52                I think it's just kind of that same thing right? Like trying to continue to move on with that progression, stay in with the boldness, we're all moving into our next century, right. As a profession and as an association. So I think again, you know, people don't come together and meet in the same way that they did 50 years ago and the house is 75 years old this year. That's very exciting. It's got a solid feel. So you know, we don't do these things, obviously nobody works the way they worked even 10 years ago. And people I think think differently and want to interact differently than maybe they did 10 or 20 years ago. Sue Griffin:                   12:38                So in order for the house to be meaningful and be a way for people to make decisions, it has to allow processes that are comfortable to people in that they facilitate the way they're used to working together. Jenna Kantor:                                        Oh yeah, absolutely. Final question. Why do you love the APTA? Sue Griffin:                                           Oh Man. Cause I said, you know, this is the best profession ever. And to be able to come together with a group of like minded, passionate, brilliant people, to be able to, you know, move our profession forward and to get people to access physical therapy who really need it. There's nothing better. Jenna Kantor:                                        Yeah. I couldn't agree more. Thank you so much for coming on and just sharing your passion and also helping people understand not only what you do, but if they want to be the next Sue Griffin, how they could do it. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Sue Griffin:                                           Well, thank you for having me on and everybody should go be a delegate.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor guest hosts and interviews Phil Tygiel on bylaws within the APTA Private Practice Section.  Phil Tygiel, PT, MTC, is the PPS Bylaws Committee Chair.  The Bylaws Committee reviews, maintains, and updates the Section bylaws to meet the needs of the membership and the requirements specified in the guidelines set forth by APTA. In this episode, we discuss: -What information is contained within the bylaws -The process for changing a bylaw -The multiple avenues you can enact change within your professional associations -And so much more!   Resources: PPS Member Bylaws Email: tygielpt@aol.com FOTO/NetHealth Outcomes Conference (use the code LITZY)   For more information on Phil: Phil Tygiel, PT, MTC, is the PPS Bylaws Committee Chair.  The Bylaws Committee reviews, maintains, and updates the Section bylaws to meet the needs of the membership and the requirements specified in the guidelines set forth by APTA. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Read the full transcript below: Jenna Kantor:                00:00                Hello, this is Jenna Kantor. I am here with Phil Tygiel who is the head of the bylaws committee for the APTA private practice section. So first of all, thank you so much for coming on to healthy, wealthy and smart to be interviewed. So I just wanted to do this podcast for people to get a better understanding of bylaws and their value and why it can be a long process for some, for change. You were actually, before we even started, you started to talk about how there is this rule where it's like this five year rule and I would love for you to go into that. Why there's a five year rule for change. Phil Tygiel:                                            We're actually, that's for APTA, not for the private practice section. Jenna Kantor:                                        Oh, okay. Okay. Oh, thank you. So there we go. It's something you already clarified. Thank you. So for the private practice section, is there some sort of rule like that? Phil Tygiel:                    00:51                No, you can bring up bylaw changes anytime you want to. I always discourage it. I always say my job as chair of the bylaws committee is to put the bylaws in an envelope, seal the envelope and keep it sealed for the duration of the president's term. Bylaws are great. They outline rights, privileges and responsibilities, and they are not to be taken lightly or changed lightly. And very often people will come to me and say, we need this change in the bylaw. And when I look at what they want to do, they don't have to change the bylaws to do that. Bylaws, as you mentioned, are somewhat rigid and they're supposed to be, they're not easy to change. It requires prior notice to all of the members that you intend to change the bylaws. And the reason for that is you're changing their rights and privileges. Phil Tygiel:                    01:41                They have a right to know that you're changing the rights and privileges. You have to have prior notice of at least 30 days prior to the meeting. And then there's debate and it takes a two thirds majority to change any bylaw. As I said many times, the board will come to me and say, I want to change this bylaw. And I usually try to discourage it and figure if there's ways to do what they want to do without changing them is all too often people run to the bylaws and we have to change this when actually the bylaws are pretty good. They don't need change. For instance, there was one year the board, I think it was the membership committee wanted to have lowered starter dues for new members and they wanted to change the bylaws. Biggest dues are outlined. The dues structure is outlined in the bylaws. But I looked at the bylaws though the board had the right to lower the fee but not raise it. So they didn't need a bylaw change to get that starter dues change in that case and discouraged it. And we didn't go in there and change the bylaws. Jenna Kantor:                02:47                So you were saying that you guy’s meet and they have to submit it 30 days prior. So I'm wondering for the 30 days prior, like how often do you guys meet in general, so how many times would there be that opportunity for it to be heard and voted upon if it would get that far? Phil Tygiel:                    03:07                Technically we have two meetings a year, one at the private practice section annual conference and I think they have one at CSM this year. I'm not even sure about that. So those are the only two times that you can change the bylaws. You do need a quorum at a meeting, which was a certain number of people have to be there. And usually the CSM of business meeting you don't have one. So pretty much the only time we tried to change the bylaws if needed is at the annual conference. As I said, the 30 days notice goes out and all of the discussion occurs at the business meeting when we vote yes. Jenna Kantor:                03:46                How long have you been in this position, first of all. And then from your experience and all the years that you've been in this position, how many bylaws have you actually changed? Phil Tygiel:                    04:00                Yeah, I think I've been doing it about 20 years now. Nobody else wants it. So I keep on getting recycled and in those years I think we've probably changed, made minor changes to the bylaws about five times. Don't ask me what those changes were. I put the envelope away. Jenna Kantor:                04:23                So for you it doesn't sound like it makes much of a difference when these bylaws are changed that much because it really is set up pretty well already. Phil Tygiel:                    04:33                I think they're pretty good. I mean they let members know what they're entitled to do, what the dues are going to be. If they have concerns how to raise those concerns. It tells them how often we have meetings. What prior notice we have for those meetings. It lays out the fiscal responsibilities of the board and all the board positions. So most of that doesn't have to be changed. It can stay where it is. Sometimes I've been in situations where one of the positions on the board has certain responsibilities that are assigned, like they're in charge of three committees and sometimes people want to put that in the bylaws that the vice president will be in charge of these committees. And that's usually a mistake because you'll change committee liaisonships based on the new personnel you have, you know, you're going to let new people every three years and you might have one person who's vice president who was very good on programming. So they will be liaison to the program committee. The next vice president might be much better off from communication. So they'd be the liaison to publications committee though, that type of thing. So you don't want certain things you don't want etched in stone and the bylaws, remember, if you make a mistake with the bylaws, it also takes a two thirds majority to correct that mistake. So sometimes bylaws mistakes stay in place for years and years. So again, you want to tread very lightly on changing them. Jenna Kantor:                06:11                Well, I mean you were already saying that you're only meeting two times a year, so that already is a limitation on getting that two thirds majority vote. So I can definitely see how that could be impeding on change. No, I definitely have to be honest. From my perspective, this seems like a definite area where there might be room for change and my mindset, because I'm a new Grad, so I'm thinking, oh my gosh, this sounds so stagnant. Like there is not a set way to really make big, big changes. I would love for you to speak on where my brain is going and educate me. Phil Tygiel:                    06:47                Oh, actually there's a way, there's lots of ways to make big, big changes that don't require bylaws changes. For instance, let's say there was direction that you wanted the private practice section to take, you wanted them to lobby congress to do something and you wanted to make that a priority. That's not a bylaws issue. You would show up at a business meeting and say, I move that the private practice section endorse this position. Okay. Now, first of all, it does not require prior notice. It only requires a majority vote, not a two thirds vote. And those are the more important things that most of us are concerned about. Which way we're going, what do we want to accomplish? Those things are not in the bylaws. What is in the bylaws is how you can do those things. The fact that you have to have these meetings, that you have the right to speak, that you have the right to vote, that you have the right to make motions. So that's a very, very fluid process. Also remember sometimes if you have a really good idea that nobody else thought about, you can go to the board and say to the board, hey, why doesn't the section do this? Same with your state association and all that. So you can just say, let's make this happen. And that can be done with the snap of a finger. So not being able to change the bylaws does not restrict what you want to accomplish. Does that make sense to you? Jenna Kantor:                08:10                And then what you do as somebody is saying it's not in the bylaws, it doesn't allow it in the bylaws and then you can't find that it's in the bylaws. What is the professional way to handle that kind of communication with that individual that you're trying to work with? Phil Tygiel:                    08:28                The first thing I usually do is ask what is it you are trying to accomplish? And I want to see if there's a way they can accomplish that without having to change the bylaws. If we find that they do need to change the bylaw to accomplish what they want to accomplish. Let's say they want to add two new people to the board of directors, that would require a bylaws change. We would then draft a motion and to change the bylaws by changing this section on the board of directors by adding two positions.  The executive board would look at it and see if they approved it, which they don't have to do. Membership has priority over leadership. We should always keep in mind that the pyramid is inverted. Membership is on top president is way at the bottom. Phil Tygiel:                    09:22                So the membership has the right to do what they want to. So anyway, then we would draft the bylaw in the case of APTA sections, chapters, any bylaws change that the section has, has to be in keeping with the bylaws of APTA. So we'd run it by APTA to make sure it's not in violation of anything that APTA wants to do or says you have to do. For instance, let's say we wanted a bylaw change that would prevent life members from being members of the section. I don't know why anybody would want to do that, but the APTA would look at that and say, you can't do that. That's a violation of the APTA bylaws. So we do have that higher authority anyway. If the bylaws are keeping with what the APTA will allow we would publish it to the membership and probably in Impact or maybe online saying we will be voting on this bylaw at the next meeting. Phil Tygiel:                    10:31                Next meeting comes and the bylaw is moved. And someone has to say it and then there's debate and then they call for a vote. Since you need a two thirds majority with a standing vote, it's carried if it's not clear with standing vote, but it could be close, you do a roll call vote where everybody stands up and counts off. And if you don't get your two thirds, you don't get the bylaws. And it's important to remember what I said originally. The bylaw protects your rights and privileges as do Robert's rules of order. So even if there’s a fairly hefty majority that feels that their rights and privileges of being violated, they have a right to say we're not going to let you pass this. Jenna Kantor:                11:21                I like how you connected it back to the APTA because they are the Higher umbrella organization if you will, of the private practice section. And this actually can segway into what I was mixing up at the beginning of this interview. So if you wanted to make a change but it didn't go in accordance with the APTA bylaws, now this is where they have the time limit on how often? Phil Tygiel:                    11:47                Yes. It got to be a nuisance of people would come in with requiring bylaws changes every year and many of them were really not necessary, but they are very time consuming to debate. So many years ago, and don't ask me how long ago it was moved and seconded and passed that it's in the bylaws that you can only have bylaws amendments every five years I think it is with the APTA and that goes through the house of delegates which is a completely different process membership doesn't vote, your delegates do. That can be bypassed. It requires a two thirds vote just to hear the bylaws if you want to do it in an off bylaw year. So it got rid of some of that cumbersome activity that really wasn't necessary. Jenna Kantor:                12:38                No, it's good. It's really good to hear your perspective and just gain a better understanding of how well put together everything already is and why it may not be the fastest for the change, but there's a big reason for that. So thank you so much Phil, for coming on to just share your knowledge. So people who are looking for change, they may not necessarily, well now they know they may not necessarily need to go to you to find out about how to change the bylaws. They are actually still a lot of opportunities to get it done elsewhere. So thank you so much. Phil Tygiel:                    13:10                My pleasure. I think the main messages that the association, whether it's private practice section, or any other section, belongs to the membership and they have rights and privileges. They can make change and sometimes the change comes from a single person with a new idea and sometimes that new ideas violently objected to by people in leadership, people who have been there forever. But there is a mechanism to be heard. There is a mechanism to make change and advance and we do very well with it. Sometimes, a good idea, it takes three or four years to pass. But that's not because of the system. It's just cause it took you that long to get people to understand what you were trying to do. That's not necessarily bad. Jenna Kantor:                13:50                That's good. And I love that. I like how it really does revolve around membership because we are all in this together. And for us to just come forward with an idea, thinking, oh, I'm right, I'm right, I'm right. That's not how it works in a community at all. So thank you. Thank you so much. Phil Tygiel:                    14:04                Thank you.     Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram  and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest!  Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Dr. Kristen Schulz, DPT on how to make exercise fun. Kristen is a Physical Therapist and running coach who helps runners achieve their next PR without nagging injuries. She is the creator of the Run Your Life Method, an online course providing a comprehensive and individualized approach for runners. Run Your Life’s mission is to provide runners the resources (prehab, rehab, strength training, recovery, nutrition, training, and mindset) they need to stay healthy, so they can enjoy the sport they love for their entire life. In this episode, we discuss: -How Kristen’s exercise routine has evolved into adulthood -Kristen’s favorite go-to exercises -How variety in activities can help you avoid burnout -And so much more!   “If you’re burnt out and you’re not enjoying what you’re doing, try something new.”   “There’s a lot of different ways to incorporate fitness into your life and it doesn’t have to look like someone else’s.”   For more information on Kristen: Kristen is a Physical Therapist and running coach who helps runners achieve their next PR without nagging injuries. She is the creator of the Run Your Life Method, an online course providing a comprehensive and individualized approach for runners. Run Your Life’s mission is to provide runners the resources (prehab, rehab, strength training, recovery, nutrition, training, and mindset) they need to stay healthy, so they can enjoy the sport they love for their entire life. Kristen’s passion for her work stems from suffering a number of injuries herself. She ran competitively in high school and college with plans of continuing to improve her running times after college. However, injury after injury kept her from reaching her goals. It wasn’t until she started incorporating a comprehensive approach to running that she found herself able to run without constantly being injured. She finds great joy in being able to teach others how to do the same. Kristen has had the opportunity to live in many different parts of the country and currently resides in North Dakota. She graduated from Northern Michigan University with a degree in Exercise Science and Spanish, completed her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Kristen Schulz Instagram Kristen Schulz Facebook   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Matthew Villegas on how to deal with anxiety in physical therapy school. Matthew Villegas’ goal, as someone born with a brachial plexus injury (trauma to the bundle of nerves near the shoulder blade and collar bone), is to help others with brachial plexus injuries live life to their fullest and dare to run and compete in crossfit through his skills as a Physical Therapist. In this episode, we discuss: -How anxiety manifested itself in Matthew’s DPT experience -Matthew’s tips on how to tackle the challenges of a DPT program -What pre-PT students should do before going to PT school -And so much more!   Memorable Quotes from this episode:    “Give everything it’s due time and not necessarily focus too much on one thing.”   “Live through the moment and let whatever happens, happen.”   “The staff, the faculty are there for you and do want to see you succeed.”   For more information on Matthew: My name is Matthew Villegas. My goal as someone born with a brachial plexus injury (trauma to the bundle of nerves near the shoulder blade and collar bone) is to help others with brachial plexus injuries live life to their fullest and dare to run and compete in crossfit through my skills as a Physical Therapist. I host the Capable Body Podcast (available on iTunes, Google Play, and Stitcher), which aims to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and real people with real stories. Also, the podcast features an active Facebook community that is a safe space where I share more means to connect with my guests as well as some behind-the-scenes extras.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt Resources discussed on this show: Matthew Villegas Website Matthew Villegas Facebook   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Tameka Duncan on physical therapy for high school athletes. Dr. Tameka Duncan, DPT, Cert. MDT is a licensed physical therapist. It is one of her greatest passions to impact people's lives daily through preventative and rehabilitative services by helping restore quality of life and improve overall function through physical therapy services. In this episode, we discuss: -Why Tameka is passionate about working with high school athletes -The experience needed to treat high school athletes -How Tameka has established expertise and rapport with athletes in her community -And so much more!   Memorable Quotes from this episode:   “A knowledge of the sport and some continuing ed classes are needed.”   “They have a vision, they have a reason and they are motivated to get back to whatever that sport is.”   “I’ll just let my results and my reputation speak for themselves.”   For more information on Tameka: Dr. Tameka Duncan PT, DPT, Cert. MDT is a licensed physical therapist in Clarksville, TN. One of Dr. Duncan’s greatest passions is physical therapy. She loves fostering change through preventative and rehabilitative services. She takes great pride in helping restore patient’s quality of life and improving their overall function to return to the things they love doing most. Dr. Duncan attended Howard University in Washington, DC where she obtained her Bachelor of Science degree (2005) in Health Science with a concentration in pre-physical therapy. She later went on to attend the University of Maryland- Baltimore in Baltimore, MD where she obtained her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree (2010). Dr. Duncan has worked in a variety of settings throughout her practicing career. She spent 8 years in the outpatient orthopedic setting and recently transitioned to the home health setting, while starting her own mobile physical therapy practice, Vitality Sport & Rehab, LLC. Dr. Duncan’s area of specialty is treatment of the spine, to include both the neck and the back. Dr. Duncan obtained extensive training in the McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT) obtaining her MDT Certification in January 2017. Dr. Duncan is also very experienced and enjoys treating various injuries sustained by the young athlete to the aging geriatric. In her spare time, Dr. Duncan enjoys spending time with her husband, her family/friends, working out, attending church, salsa dancing, mentoring youth, and spending quality time with herself. She loves fitness and has participated in several physique competitions. She is also a Beautycounter consultant, a skincare/makeup line that aims to get safer products into hands of everyone. Dr. Duncan best describes herself as a down to earth, outgoing, fun loving person that enjoys meeting and experiencing various people and cultures. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt Resources discussed on this show: SFMA Website Vitality Sport and Rehab Facebook   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Carrie Callahan and Matthew Bremekamp on the non-profit Empower SCI: a residential rehabilitation program for individuals with spinal cord injuries. Carrie Callahan is a physical therapist and one of the founders of Empower SCI and Matthew Bremekamp was a participant in the program who has now become a mentor with Empower SCI. In this episode, we discuss: -Empower SCI’s mission to integrate patients back into their community -The benefits of volunteering with a non-profit -A multitude of ways to get involved and support Empower SCI -Carrie and Matthew’s favorite memories while working with Empower SCI -And so much more!   “A lot of the topics that are covered in inpatient rehab are vital to survival but not necessarily knowing how to enjoy life once again.”   “Those seeds were planted and the information that was given to him years ago as a participant has literally rolled into this full, meaningful, substantive existence for him that he could come back and share.”   “The power of the human spirit is the biggest thing that I’ve learned about during the time we’ve had Empower.”   “Look at life more of as a why not instead of a why.”   For more information on Carrie: Carrie Callahan has practiced physical therapy for over 12 years, graduating from Ithaca College in 2003. She currently specializes in seating, positioning and wheeled mobility, earning her Assistive Technology Professional Certification in 2015, and now holds a position as Territory Sales Manager for Permobil, TiLite and ROHO products in the Boston area. She has a passion for teaching manual wheelchair skills, and has led Empower SCI in teaching these skills at Abilities Expos and through day courses for students, therapists and wheelchair-users in the Long Island and Boston communities. She also enjoys taking part in the adaptive sports community through Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers, and in January of 2016, she was part of a team of one doctor and three clinicians who pioneered the monthly Adaptive Sports Medicine Clinic at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. At Empower, she is co-founder and president of the program, leader of wheelchair skills activities, leader of the Knobby Tire Ride and Roll Fall fundraiser, coordinates participant applications and communications, and loves to co-lead the Back on Board surfing event each July with the Testaverde Foundation.   For more information on Empower SCI: Empower SCI is a non-profit corporation established to enable individuals with spinal cord injuries to lead happier, more meaningful and more independent lives. Empower SCI seeks to fill the gap in the rehabilitation industry that has been created by a decrease in length of stays at rehabilitation hospitals and outpatient services during the recovery from a spinal cord injury. Through community outreach and a two week residential rehabilitation program at Stony Brook University in Long Island, NY, Empower SCI will provide the knowledge, tools, strength, and support that individuals with spinal cord injuries need to thrive.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Empower SCI Website Empower SCI Facebook Empower SCI Twitter Matthew Bremekamp LinkedIn Matthew Bremekamp Twitter Matthew Bremekamp Facebook Carrie Callahan Facebook   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Dr. Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Dr. Andrew Tran, DPT on building a business from memes. Andrew Tran is a Physical Therapist who has worked in a variety of settings as a new grad. From travel PT, to Skilled Nursing Facility, outpatient ortho, and starting his own practice in his first two years. He is the founder of Physio Memes, LLC with the goals of connecting Physios globally via humor and merchandise to proudly represent our profession. Also, owner of Transcend Health, LLC which is an outpatient private practice with the vision to create a healthy, empowered, and educated community to build a life of resilience. In this episode, we discuss: -How Andrew got started in building physical therapy memes -From hobby to business: Andrew runs through some of the business 101 basics -Why entrepreneurs must master time management -Andrew’s advice to ignite the fire for budding entrepreneurs -And so much more!   “I had no clue how to turn this into a business.”   “If I’m going to do this, I have to be consistent.”   “The big thing was time.”   “Take that first initial step.”   For more information on Andrew: Andrew Tran is a Physical Therapist who has worked in a variety of settings as a new grad. From travel PT, to Skilled Nursing Facility, outpatient ortho, and starting his own practice in his first two years. He is the founder of Physio Memes, LLC with the goals of connecting Physios globally via humor and merchandise to proudly represent our profession. Also, owner of Transcend Health, LLC which is an outpatient private practice with the vision to create a healthy, empowered, and educated community to build a life of resilience. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Physio Memes Website Physio Memes Instagram Andrew Tran Instagram Andrew Tran Facebook Transcend Health Facebook Shopify   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Jasmine Williams on the act of giving. Jasmine Williams is a Doctorate of Physical Therapy student who has a desire for inspiring people and Pre-DPT students. Jasmine enjoys sharing information to those who want to pursue a career in physical therapy along with inspiring individuals through her experiences as a Doctor of Physical Therapy Student. In this episode, we discuss: -The benefits of giving to others -Easy ways you can begin giving to others daily -Jasmine’s most rewarding experience helping an individual -And so much more!   “You get to see the product of what you put into that person.”   “If you don’t regularly give, you could have other people missing out on what ever goodness you could be giving to that person.”   “It can amplify with one simple act of giving.”   For more information on Jasmine: Jasmine Williams is a Doctorate of Physical Therapy student who has a desire for inspiring people and Pre-DPT students. She enjoys playing volleyball, roller skating, biking, listening to music and spending time with the people she loves. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Jasmine Williams Facebook Jasmine Williams Twitter Jasmine Williams Instagram   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Dr. Meghan Wieser on dance physical therapy. Meghan is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and received her PT degree from Widener University. She enjoys working with motivated individuals who take an active role in their health. She loves working with dancers, athletes, and active adults. In this episode, we discuss: -Why Meghan became a dance physical therapist -Do you have to be a dancer to treat dancers? -Is dance a sport? -Meghan’s recommendations and resources on dance physical therapy -And so much more!   “Half of PT is building a relationship with somebody.”   “If you can’t connect to what they do every single day—what they live and breathe—you’re only going to get them so far.”   “Shadow somebody who treats dancers.”   “Immerse yourself in the art first.”   For more information on Meghan: I’m a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and received my PT degree from Widener University. I enjoy working with motivated individuals who take an active role in their health. I love working with dancers, athletes, and active adults. I’m an avid traveler and love trying new foods and learning about the cultures of the places I travel to. I’m a very active person, I dabble in a little bit of everything: weightlifting, yoga, running, hiking, etc.  I have a strong passion for physical therapy and hope to someday change the face of healthcare. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Meghan Wieser Instagram Meghan Wieser Facebook Meghan Wieser Personal Facebook Neuro Tour Website Performing Arts Special Interest Group   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Megan Leigh McLain on physical therapy advocacy. Megan McLain is a new graduate physical therapist from Atlanta, Georgia with a passion for advocacy. She is working in outpatient orthopedics and enjoys treating patients in persistent pain and those with chronic illnesses. In this episode, we discuss: -How Megan became interested in advocacy -Is it difficult for physical therapists to get involved in advocacy? -How telehealth can improve access to underserved populations -Future advocacy efforts in pain science -And so much more!   “All of us are advocates for PT.”   “We do not have pain science education in our curriculum.”   “The National Advocacy Dinners for students are a great idea.”   For more information on Megan: Megan McLain is a new graduate physical therapist from Atlanta, Georgia with a passion for advocacy. She is working in outpatient orthopedics and enjoys treating patients in persistent pain and those with chronic illnesses. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: American Physical Therapy Association Website Megan Leigh McLain Facebook Megan Leigh McLain Instagram Megan Leigh McLain Twitter CONNECT for Health Act of 2017 Fearless Speaker 1/2 Day Workshop Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Ruth Backlund on emotional and physical trauma. Ruth Backlund is the founder and owner of Energy Works Myofascial Release, specializing in John Barnes Myofascial Release and Active Myofascial Therapy- Irene Diamond. She helps active men and women enhance their health and well-being, improve mobility, and avoid unnecessary surgery.   In this episode, we discuss: -The difference between emotional and physical trauma -Should physical therapists differentiate trauma with their patients? -How Ruth reacts to emotional patients to facilitate the healing process -The importance of being present with patients who may be dealing with emotional trauma -And so much more!   “Emotional trauma is usually less visible.”   “Everybody has emotional trauma. Everybody has physical trauma.”   “Sometimes with emotional trauma, they blank out.”   “Rushing in abrupts that processing of that emotion.”   “Don’t judge them in advance.”   “A person comes in as a whole package.”   For more information on Ruth: Ruth Backlund, RN, BSN, CGEI RN – 30 yrs Expert Level MFR Therapist – 9 yrs Founder and Owner of Energy Works Myofascial Release, specializing in John Barnes Myofascial Release and Active Myofascial Therapy- Irene Diamond.   I help active men and women enhance their health and well-being, improve mobility, and avoid unnecessary surgery.   I use a clinically comprehensive whole-body approach to healing through gentle myofascial stretching to decrease pain and increase range of motion. My goal is to help my clients achieve physical and emotional health and well-being by facilitating the healing journey, teaching self-care techniques, and enable sustained long-lasting relief.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Energy Works Myofascial Release Website Ruth Backlund Instagram Energy Works Myofascial Release Facebook Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Dr. Kitiboni Adderley on continuing education for international physical therapists. Kitiboni (Kiti) Adderley is the Owner & Senior Physical Therapist of Handling Your Health Wellness & Rehab. Kiti graduated from the University of the West Indies School of Physical Therapy, Jamaica, in 2000 and obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Utica College, Utica, New York, in 2017. Over the last 10 years, Kiti has been involved in an intensive study and mentorship of Oncology Rehabilitation and more specifically, Breast Cancer Rehab where her focus has been on limiting the side effects of cancer treatment including lymphedema, and improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. In this episode, we discuss: -The importance of continuing education -Common barriers to pursuing continuing education -Highlights from Kitiboni’s experiences in post-professional education -Kitiboni’s top recommendations for professional development -And so much more!   “The medical spectrum is changing so quickly.”   “You have to stay learning. Don’t get comfortable where you’re at.”   “Learn a new skill so you can serve your population better.”   “Find an authority in something that you love.”   “There’s almost no excuse to not be better educated.”   For more information on Kitiboni: Kitiboni (Kiti) Adderley is the Owner & Senior Physical Therapist of Handling Your Health Wellness & Rehab. Kiti graduated from the University of the West Indies School of Physical Therapy, Jamaica, in 2000 and obtained her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Utica College, Utica, New York, in 2017. Over the last 10 years, Kiti has been involved in an intensive study and mentorship of Oncology Rehabilitation and more specifically, Breast Cancer Rehab where her focus has been on limiting the side effects of cancer treatment including lymphedema, and improving the quality of life of cancer survivors. She has been a Certified Lymphedema Therapist since 2004. She is also a Certified Mastectomy Breast Prosthesis and Bra Fitter and Custom Compression Garment Fitter. Kiti is avid believer in continuing education to advance her skills and improve her treatment offerings to her patients and clients. She has a passion for orthopedic and women's health and strives to provide high quality, personalized care. She is a very manual therapist and is trained in Myofascial Release and McKenzie's Techniques she is certified in Pregnancy Massage and is a Certified Kinesio Taping Practitioner and Instructor. As she continues grow and to expand her skills, she provides a higher standard of care for the community she serves. Kiti believes prevention is better than cure and that there must be a holistic approach to the patient and the community. She has dedicated her time and knowledge educating the public about wellness and how to manage chronic non communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. She is about to launch her podcast “H.E.A.R. (Health Education Awareness & Rehabilitation) Caribbean” which will highlight the Medical and Wellness Professionals and education those in the region and beyond. Kiti is a Professional Advisor of The Bahamas Breast Cancer Initiative Foundation, the One Eleuthera Foundation and a Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Educator. She has served as President of the Bahamas Association of Physiotherapists for four years and currently represents the Bahamas at the World Confederation for Physical Therapy. She has worked with numerous National Sports Teams and has volunteered with the National Kingdor Parkinsons Association.   Kiti enjoys spending time with her husband, and her three daughters. She also enjoys immersing herself in Nature, traveling and experiencing other cultures, reading, cooking and crafting.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Handling Your Health Wellness and Rehab Website Kitiboni Adderley Twitter Handling Your Health Instagram Handling Your Health Facebook HEAR Caribbean Podcast Facebook Kitiboni Adderley Facebook Kitiboni Adderley LinkedIn   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Juan Michelle Martin on why pelvic health is gaining popularity. Juan Michelle Martin earned a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) in 2007 from New York Institute of Technology and over the last 10 years she has amassed significant experience in orthopedics, women’s health including high risk pregnancy, pediatrics and neurological disorders both within the acute and outpatient settings. In this episode, we discuss: -Juan’s transition from outpatient orthopedics to pelvic health specialty -Stigma surrounding pelvic health conditions -How to find a qualified pelvic health physical therapist -And so much more!   “I always wanted to dive into that niche but having kids solidified it for me.”   “There’s more popularity due in part to social media.”   “Just because it’s common does not mean its normal.”   “If you have an issue, you shouldn’t have to suffer.”   For more information on Juan: Originally from the beautiful island nation of Barbados, I moved to the US for college via a volleyball scholarship. At the time I also had the honor of representing the Barbados Senior National Volleyball team having competed at the junior level. I earned a Bachelors degree in Biology in 2004 from the University of Montevallo with minors in Psychology and Kinesiology as I knew I wanted to pursue a career in therapy and wellness, due in part to my own personal experience as an athlete. As a student and athlete I also had the privilege of working in the training room under the head athletic trainer and expanding my knowledge base regarding return to sport from injury as well as prevention. I earned a Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) in 2007 from New York Institute of Technology, working as a graduate assistant in the athletic training department with several of their sports teams while there. Over the last 10 years I have amassed significant experience in orthopedics, women’s health including high risk pregnancy, pediatrics and neurological disorders both within the acute and outpatient settings. However my desire to focus on women’s health came not only out of a love from my work experiences but developed even more as a result of my own experience with 2 pregnancies. I developed stress urinary incontinence during the pregnancy which seemed to worsen after and more with my second child. After engaging in rehabilitative exercises and strengthening, I was able to return more intense physical exercise, without any issues. I have continued to strengthen my skills and knowledge through mentorship with other amazing therapists within the field as well as several continuing education courses to continue to focus on evidenced based treatments and solutions. My goal with JMM Health Solutions is to bring awareness to the area of pelvic health and all it’s associated issues, not only for the female, but also the male and pediatric populations. Just because it’s common doesn’t mean it’s normal! When not treating patients I love to spend time with my family, my awesome dog Miko, Crossfit and other sports.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Email: jmmartin@jmmhealthsolutions.com JMM Health Solutions Website APTA Women's Health Directory Herman and Wallace Directory Pelvic Guru Directory JMM Health Solutions Facebook JMM Health Solutions Instagram   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Dr. Liz Koch, DPT on work life balance. Liz was raised in western Kentucky, Paducah. She then played soccer at TN Tech while pursuing an engineering degree. She finished her engineering degree at the University of Kentucky. After taking a year off of school, she completed her doctor of PT at the University of Kentucky. Many reasons lead to the switch from engineering to PT. In this episode, we discuss: -Why Liz opened her own practice to achieve her ideal work life balance -What work place qualities you should look for when applying to jobs -How participating in hobbies increases your ability to reach out to your target population -How to achieve a full body workout and achieve mental clarity in the outdoors -And so much more!   “Being outside and doing activities is part of life.”   “It allows me the freedom to do what I love to do.”   “Whenever I travel to go ride on a different trail, I am marketing too.”   “It’s not just the workout, it’s also the mental clarity that you get from just being away.”   For more information on Liz: Liz was raised in western Kentucky, Paducah. She then played soccer at TN Tech while pursuing an engineering degree. She finished her engineering degree at the University of Kentucky. After taking a year off of school, she completed her doctor of PT at the University of Kentucky. Many reasons lead to the switch from engineering to PT. From being an athlete from a very young age including kayaking, mountain biking, and horseback riding, she has had to deal with injuries and different pains. Her mother was a PT and always helped get he back to the sport as quickly as possible while still factoring in her long and healthy life. One of the biggest injuries landed her two different weeks in the hospital. She understands the need and drive to get back. After 8 months of PT she was back competing in freestyle kayaking. She has had to do PT for many injuries including several mountain bike crashes. The great thing about Liz is that she understand the movement patterns of each individual sport and the mechanics of it. With her engineering background and her life long love of these sports, she can help you ride the trail, the water, the horse sooner. She has a wonderful support system of her family including her husband and dog and loves living in the blue ridge mountains.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Blue Ridge BioMechanics Website Blue Ridge BioMechanics Instagram Blue Ridge BioMechanics Facebook Blue Ridge BioMechanics Youtube   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews David Bayliff on relationship building. David Bayliff is the owner of Bayliff Integrated Wellness which provides mobile concierge physical therapy and wellness services to residents of Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale. In this episode, we discuss: -Why David began building new relationships through social media -What David does daily on social media to recognize the efforts of others -How David manages his in person relationships with his online relationships -How consistency demonstrates your authenticity -And so much more!   David’s mission is to bring more joy into the world and he stresses, “I’m just a believer in being positive.” And, “I just want to spread good cheer.”   By putting in the effort to recognize others, David has found that, “In supporting others, I have been able to attract the people I want to support me.”   To develop true relationships, David recommends, “Be authentic with what you have to say.”   For more information on David: Hi. I am David Bayliff, owner of Bayliff Integrated Wellness; providing mobile concierge physical therapy and wellness services to residents of Paradise Valley and North Scottsdale. It is very common that individuals do not seek help because they are in pain. But, rather, they seek help because pain prevents them from doing what they Love. I focus on providing solutions to helping people find that missing Love. Many of my clients seek my help because they are proactive, and they choose to invest in their health before it becomes an expense. My slogan: Move. Live. Life.   I am dedicated to encouraging Movement, to promote healthy Living, so that one can lead the Life they desire. I bring the playground back into people’s lives!   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Bayliff Integrated Wellness The Mobile PT Podcast   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Alex Engar and Will Boyd on creating a partnership online. Healthy Funnel is a healthcare digital marketing company created by Dr. Will Boyd and Dr. Alex Engar - Two physical therapists who are insanely passionate about helping other PTs grow their dream business without tech overwhelm! In this episode, we discuss: -How Alex and Will began their partnership through online media -Digital marketing in healthcare -Why your partnership should have a shared vision -Alex and Will’s first in person meet up -And so much more!   While communicating across social media, Alex and Will stumbled into an amazing partnership with one another. Alex and Will believe, “If we teach each other and kind of team up, maybe something good could come out of it.”   Take advantage of social media and the connections that are possible as Alex and Will remind that, “Communication happens so easily online now, if you let it.”   Starting a partnership is almost like being in a work marriage as Alex and Will recommend, “Find someone who shares your ultimate end goals.”   For more information on Alex: As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, I’m an enthusiastic human movement expert with a passionate focus on fighting sedentarism. You didn’t know sedentarism was a thing? That’s a shame, because it’s probably killing you... I’m a fiercely energetic believer in our own power to create the life we want. I’m always learning and never afraid to back down from a good challenge. I know that you can’t reach your potential without pushing your limits. With an unyielding disposition to work hard until the job’s done, I'm comfortable setting and accomplishing goals that drive progress towards both personal and organizational change. I believe in thorough planning with a dash of early morning inspiration to get things done in the best way. I’ve been a leader in pushing forward multiple endeavors, crossing a wide variety of disciplines. From leading the charge towards interprofessional diabetes management to exploding hydrogen balloons in front of hundreds of happily screaming kids, my skill-set easily adapts to present needs. In short, I’m an optimistic, personable, trustworthy guy emboldening those around me to positively challenge their perception of what they can accomplish. I make amazing things happen, while having a blast the entire time. For more information on Will: My path into the health world has been a rather unorthodox one. Once an English teacher working abroad, I took the LSAT expecting to go to Law School before having a revelation: I couldn’t sit all day. My next move was to head back to school and try to get into Physical Therapy School. I’ve been a lifelong competitive soccer player and advocate for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Some of my current interests include treating patients with chronic pain, self-development research, and learning the cash-based practice principles that are out there. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Healthy Funnel Website Will Boyd Website Email: will@willboydpt.com Email: Alexjengar@gmail.com Healthcare Digital Marketing Group Will Boyd Twitter Alex Engar Twitter Will Boyd Facebook Ads For PTs Facebook   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Jeremy Sutton on empowerment. Jeremy Sutton is the host of The Servant PT Podcast which is about servant leadership in the medical field. There are interviews with professionals from the medical, fitness or sports fields that have been leading with a servant's heart. There are also episodes with tips or steps to being a better servant leader. In this episode, we discuss: -Why you should empower others -How much time does it take to invest in others? -What Jeremy does to empower others one-on-one -Jeremy’s favorite moments of empowerment -And so much more!   As a servant leader, Jeremy has found that, “When we empower other people, we help them live out their purpose.”   From posting short Facebook LIVE videos to typing a short text message, Jeremy believes that, “You can really invest in people really easily these days.”   Not only does empowering others enhance their life, from Jeremy’s experience , “I usually get more out of doing something for someone else.”   For more information on Jeremy:   Jeremy Sutton PT, DPT has been a Physical Therapist for over 8 years, mostly in outpatient orthopedics. Jeremy Sutton owns a clinic (Vivian Physical Therapy, Inc.) in rural North Louisiana where he treats people through a servant leader’s mindset with the goals of returning them back to living life the way they enjoy by restoring mobility, restoring hope, and ultimately restoring their life! He is also the creator and host of The Servant PT Podcast. The Servant PT Podcast is about servant leadership in the medical field. There will be interviews with professionals from the medical, fitness or sports fields that have been leading with a servant's heart. There will also be episodes with tips or steps to being a better servant leader.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Servant PT Podcast Website Servant PT Podcast iTunes Servant PT Podcast Facebook Jeremy Sutton Facebook Jeremy Sutton LinkedIn Email: vivianpt@aol.com Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Angelica Napolitano on her physical therapy golf niche. Dr. Angelica Napolitano is a Jupiter, Florida native who earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University, and then went on to further her education by receiving her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Florida International University. Through her passion of the sport and extensive knowledge base regarding physical therapy treatment, Angelica is sure to provide you the pain free transformation you’re striving to achieve that will allow you to execute next level performance in your golf game or any sport you desire to enhance. In this episode, we discuss: -How Angelica developed a niche in golf -Unique challenges that face a female treating in a male dominated sport -Angelica’s advice for budding female entrepreneurs -And so much more!   Having first-hand experience in your niche is important to build patient rapport as Angelica has found that, “You build that trust and it just starts from there.”   As a female treating in a male dominated sport, it is integral to maintain a professional environment as Angelica stresses, “There needs to be boundaries.“   For those interesting in breaking the mold and starting a practice despite their fear, Angelica reminds, “The what-ifs are going to hold you back from success in life ultimately.” Angelica advises to, “Be a trailblazer.”   For more information on Angelica: Dr. Angelica Napolitano is a Jupiter, Florida native who earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Exercise Physiology from Florida State University, and then went on to further her education by receiving her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Florida International University.   Angelica has had experience in various practice settings from pediatrics to geriatrics and everything in between. She has spent the last couple years as the Regional Manager and Lead Physical Therapist for a company that provides physical therapy and wellness services to those who are battling substance abuse and addiction disorders. Angelica quickly developed a strong passion for helping this patient population as she got to experience their transformations not only physically, but mentally and emotionally by witnessing each patient’s journey to recovery on a first-hand basis.   Her ability to positively impact others through her advanced skillset to promote a pain and drug free lifestyle has been the most rewarding experience in her career thus far. It not only magnified her competency but allowed her to develop her own identity and autonomy as a practitioner while simultaneously gaining managerial experience in her supervisory role. Although, Angelica devotes most of her time to serving others, she also enjoys spending time playing golf with friends, family and clients. She has successfully treated patients who suffer from pain and functionally related movement disorders directly associated to golfing.   Through her passion of the sport and extensive knowledge base regarding physical therapy treatment, Angelica is sure to provide you the pain free transformation you’re striving to achieve that will allow you to execute next level performance in your golf game or any sport you desire to enhance.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Optimal PT and Wellness Website Angelica Napolitano Instagram   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Felicia Wenah on networking as a physical therapy student. Felicia enjoys managing, branding and marketing for those in private practice within the health and wellness profession (especially Boss Women in Physiotherapy). In this episode, we discuss: -Advantages to networking as a student -How to maintain professional relationships with a busy school schedule -Felicia’s top conference recommendations -And so much more!   Felicia seeks guidance from physical therapy professionals and has found that, “As you seek knowledge and you are able to apply it, whether it’s instantly or later on in the future, you feel more confident and comfortable with taking the steps you need to take in life.”   Managing school on top of new professional connections can be a juggling act but it allows you to “better decipher where [your] priorities need to be for that moment.”   Maintaining relationships doesn’t have to be forced. From Felicia’s experience, “I let them come to my mind and then I reach out to them.”   For more information on Felicia: She enjoys managing branding and marketing for those in private practice within the health and wellness profession (especially Boss Women in Physiotherapy). She is most likely with a client, training and development staff/mentee, traveling to a conference/seminar OR most importantly spending quality time with mi familia. Contact her to see how I can guide you with connecting your YOU-nique skill sets to obtaining and maintaining the interest of your target audience in the health and wellness profession.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Felicia Wenah LinkedIn Felicia Wenah Facebook Felicia Wenah Youtube Felicia Wenah Twitter Felicia Wenah Instagram Smart Success PT Live Ascend Conference Women in PT Summit   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Dr. Kaylee Garrett Simmerman, PT, DPT on how to deal with negativity. Kaylee is a 27 year old, passionate, driven Doctor of Physical Therapy who is striving to surpass all of her goals and dreams in order to change the world one step at a time. She was a ballet dancer for approximately 20 years and had to quit due to injuries, bringing her to her current career choice. She is ultimately interested in being able to treat the dancer population, incorporating her expertise in pelvic health as well as pain science education. In this episode, we discuss: -What is a negative Nancy? -Kaylee’s experience with both a friend and a colleague naysayer -How to handle negative feedback and not let emotions overcome you -What qualities to look for in your support team -And so much more!   Receiving feedback from your team or mentor is important for growth and from Kaylee’s experience, “I love feedback but if you’re not going to be constructive about it, that’s not helpful on either side.”   In the face of negativity, Kaylee recommends taking a moment to compose yourself instead of leaping into defense mode and, “assess the situation and decide whether or not it’s worth being upset about.”   One of the most important qualities your support team should posses is strong listening skills. Kaylee stresses, “Finding the person that’s going to give you positive feedback instead of negative feedback is very important.”   For more information on Kaylee: I am a 27 year old, passionate, driven Doctor of Physical Therapy who is striving to surpass all of my goals and dreams in order to change the world one step at a time. I’ve been married to the love of my life for close to a year and cannot wait for many more! I was a ballet dancer for approximately 20 years and had to quit due to injuries, bringing me to my current career choice. I am ultimately interested in being able to treat the dancer population, incorporating my expertise in pelvic health as well as pain science education.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Kaylee Garrett Simmerman Facebook Kaylee Garrett Simmerman Website Smart Success PT Live   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Lindsey McAlonan on advocacy. Lindsey McAlonan is the SPT Delegate in the Student Assembly and she wants to inspire students to find their passion within this profession. Most importantly, she has found the value of being an advocate for patients and the PT profession. She wants to challenge all students to take a step outside their comfort zone to educate people on physical therapy, continue to stay active in the APTA, and bring a positive change to the profession in order to enhance their experience. In this episode, we discuss: -Why Lindsey loves her position in the Student Assembly -The difference between advocacy and policy -Grassroots advocacy outlets to get involved in -How to utilize the APTA Action App -And so much more!   Advocating for physical therapists and patients is as easy as telling people about the benefits of physical therapy.   Simply, “Being able to tell people about what we do is advocacy.”   As the SPT Delegate, Lindsey welcomes student concerns as she states, “I want to be that voice for the students at the House of Delegates.”   For the most impactful advocacy, Lindsey recommends, “Bring a personal story.”   For more information on Lindsey: Draw a circle that relates to your comfort zone, and then think about the outside of that circle, this is where the magic happens. I heard this quote from a physical therapist a couple years ago, and these words of wisdom have resonated with me ever since. I used that quote as a key to unlock my future on which PT school I should attend. I was faced with a decision to attend a school close to home in Kansas or find the courage and strength to move to Connecticut where I didn’t know or have anyone to support me. I knew these opportunities would lead me down different paths. This decision has impacted me and helped me to become the best version of myself as a PT student. I currently serve as Secretary at Sacred Heart University, the VP of the CT Student Special Interest Group, and am a member of the Membership Project Committee. I was consistently pushed outside my comfort zone to pursue leadership opportunities and attend conferences, National Advocacy Dinners, and the Federal Advocacy Forum. I am running for SPT Delegate to inspire students to find their passion within this profession. Most importantly, I have found the value of being an advocate for patients and the PT profession. I want to challenge all students to take a step outside their comfort zone to educate people on physical therapy, continue to stay active in the APTA, and bring a positive change to the profession in order to enhance their experience.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Lindsey McAlonan Twitter APTA Action App   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen  

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Greg Todd, PT on mentorship. Greg Todd is the co-owner of Renewal Rehabilitation in Wesley Chapel and Hyde Park. He graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Physical Therapy, and received his strength and conditioning certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association in 2000. Greg now serves as a consultant for 12 (and counting) medical and technology companies and has lectured at numerous universities and nationally recognized seminars on his innovative business and technology strategies that he has used throughout his successful 15 year career. In this episode, we discuss: -What is mentorship? -Work and life time management trade-offs -Some of Greg’s most challenging and rewarding experiences as a mentor -Top qualities a mentor should possess -And so much more!   With every decision you make, there will be other opportunities affected as Greg reminds, “Whatever you say yes to, you’re saying no to something else.”   Having been a mentor for hundreds of people, Greg has found that, “It’s amazing what happens when people jump.”   One of the most important qualities of a mentor is being a great listener because, “A mentor doesn’t tell people what to do.” Greg stresses, “If you can’t listen, then you will be really ineffective in your mentorship.”   For more information on Greg: Greg Todd is the co-owner of Renewal Rehabilitation in Wesley Chapel and Hyde Park. He graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Physical Therapy, and received his strength and conditioning certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association in 2000. He has over 15 years of experience in outpatient physical therapy. Greg is a board certified orthopedic certified specialist through the American Physical Therapy Association, and has served as the official physical therapist for Saddlebrook Tennis and Golf Resorts for the past 10 years. He also works as a consultant for professional tennis players on the ATP and WTA tour. Greg is also an avid runner, and has completed four marathons, seven half-marathons, and numerous 5k races. Over the past 10 years, Greg has grown his 2 private practices from 3 to 17 employees, and has had a 10% increase in net revenue for the past 8 consecutive years. He credits this to the amazing team culture of his company, using innovative marketing strategies, having a thorough understanding of the business of physical therapy and embracing the use of technology as a way to connect with more frequently with patients and build the brand of what makes physical therapists so vital and powerful to the healthcare industry. Greg now serves as a consultant for 12 (and counting) medical and technology companies and has lectured at numerous universities and nationally recognized seminars on his innovative business and technology strategies that he has used throughout his successful 15 year career.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Greg Todd Website Greg Todd Twitter   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

LIVE from the Federal Advocacy Forum, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Jeremy Curtis on freedom of speech in the APTA. Jeremy Curtis is a Doctor of Physical Therapy student at Tennessee State University and President of the APTA Student Assembly. In this episode, we discuss: -Why did Jeremy run for president of the student assembly? -What Jeremy loves about the APTA -Things the APTA can look to improve with new leadership -Words of wisdom Jeremy shares regarding student advocacy -And so much more!   Taking on a leadership role as a student is a large time commitment however Jeremy found he was passionate and, “The biggest thing for me was just wanting to create change and wanting to be a voice for minority students as well.”   Jeremy believes that the APTA can improve their representation as, “The population is becoming more diverse and we need to reflect that as well.”   Growing organizations should always strive for excellence and, “As a professional organization, we should be open to critiques and constructive criticism of ourselves.”   For more information on Jeremy: The foundation of any profession is having an effective team to establish a vision, and to have the wherewithal to carry out the vision in an efficient manner. There also must be a productive leader in place that has a clear plan that he believes will have a positive effect on those that he is slated to serve. Virtually, an effective leader must know the way, go the way and lead the way. As class president, I have been able to hone and practice my leadership skills. I focus on open communication, proactivity, and practicing ethical standards. I am also a leader that is involved beyond the status quo. In 2016, I served as the Student Government Affairs Liaison for Tennessee. The opportunity to attend the Federal Advocacy Forum increased my yearning for professional knowledge. These opportunities have molded my communication skills when speaking about the profession. It is imperative to relay the positives about the profession in an understandable manner to outside professionals. Additionally, I hope to aid in the fight against student debt. Soaring costs of education, without linear advancements in income, has the potential to be a deleterious issue. Now is the time to combat this issue, and I plan to continue the fight that the SABoD has initiated. Additionally, I would like to aid in creating initiatives for financial growth for the PT-PAC. We are the future and it is our duty to invest now to ensure the steady growth of the profession. Thank you for your consideration.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Email: aptasa.president@gmail.com APTA Student Assembly Facebook Jeremy Curtis Twitter Jeremy Curtis LinkedIn   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

LIVE from the Federal Advocacy Forum, Jenna Kantor, DPT guest hosts and interviews Doreen Frank on advocacy in physical therapy. Doreen chaired the New York Physical Therapy Association’s Legislative Committee from 1992 to 2003 and is a past recipient of the American Physical Therapy Association’s State Legislative Leadership Award and the New York Chapter’s Outstanding Service to Chapter award. She was also the recipient of the Doreen Frank Legislative Leadership Award, an award given to those who serve the NY Chapter of the APTA. She remains a consultant to the Legislative Committee.   In this episode, we discuss: -The driving factors for advocating for the profession -Doreen’s extensive involvement in advocacy throughout her career -Doreen’s experience overcoming discouragement and learning from her mistakes -Doreen’s advice to inspire physical therapists to join the advocacy effort -And so much more!   Doreen remains inspired by the connections she has built with both the therapists and patients in her state and has found that, “That feeling of being consistent and getting to know all of your people, that made a difference.”   Bringing physical therapy concerns to legislators is well received as Doreen encourages, “We really have so much respect both on the state legislative level and on the federal level.” Doreen reminds that, “People want to hear from physical therapists, they truly consider our opinion.”   Doreen believes that change only happens when more and more people join the advocacy effort and she stresses, “Democracy is not a spectator sport. You have to participate, you have to be the ones to advocate change.”   For more information on Doreen: Doreen Frank is a 1981 graduate of SUNY Upstate Medical Center where she earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Physical Therapy. Prior to establishing Columbia Physical Therapy, P.C. in 1987 with her husband Bob, she worked in Brooklyn, San Francisco and Seattle. She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association with membership in the Sections on Private Practice, Orthopedics, Women’s Health Care and Sports PT.   Doreen chaired the New York Physical Therapy Association’s Legislative Committee from 1992 to 2003 and is a past recipient of the American Physical Therapy Association’s State Legislative Leadership Award and the New York Chapter’s Outstanding Service to Chapter award. She was also the recipient of the Doreen Frank Legislative Leadership Award, an award given to those who serve the NY Chapter of the APTA. She remains a consultant to the Legislative Committee. In 1986, she became certified by the Neurodevelopmental Treatment Association for treatment of Adult Hemiplegia. In 1991, she earned certification in Isenhagen Work System Functional Capacity Evaluations, Work Conditioning, Functional Job Analysis and Pre-Work Screening.   In 2009, Doreen was certified by Atlas Ergonomics, LLC and was qualified to join the Atlas network as a full-service provider. After rigorous training and testing in the specific needs of employees in call centers, commercial transportation and public transit, as well as in general office settings, she now joins the nation’s largest provider of ergonomics services to employers. Known for its results-based ergonomics programs, Atlas works with its nationwide network of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and ergonomists to reduce work-related injuries among employees, with an emphasis on measurable, bottom-line results.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Email: doreen@columbiapt.com Doreen Frank LinkedIn   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Dr. Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT hosts and interviews Roger Herr on advocacy in physical therapy. Roger Herr is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Roger is a graduate of Temple University and has practiced physical therapy on both the east and west coasts. His involvement in the APTA has been longstanding at local, state and national levels. He is passionate about making a difference and communicating that to his audience.   In this episode, we discuss: -Why is advocating for physical therapy important? -How each generation of leaders enhance New York’s advocacy efforts -Loose guidelines to follow to land a leadership position -Why different perspectives enrich professional advocacy -And so much more!   A major advocacy goal is to educate the public on the benefits of physical therapy as Roger expresses, “I love advocating because we get to explain what we do to others.”   As the physical therapy profession continues to grow in scope, both young and old physical therapy advocates are needed for different advocacy aims as Roger believes, “Different generations have different attributes.” Younger generations will lead online media outreach programs as Roger has found that, “Our society has less of that legacy role and more like what do we need to do now.”   Getting involved in advocacy can follow multiple courses as Roger stresses, “Written rules or guidelines kind of give a path but there are so many untraditional paths in our profession.”   For more information on Roger: Roger Herr is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA). Roger is a graduate of Temple University and has practiced physical therapy on both the east and west coasts. His involvement in the APTA has been longstanding at local, state and national levels. He is passionate about making a difference and communicating that to his audience.   History: Physical Therapist at New York University Medical Center; taught in NYU’s Physical Therapist and Physical Therapist Assistant programs and has worked in both home health and a nursing home; spent a decade on the West Coast: 8 years in Seattle and 2 years in San Francisco; returned to NYC in 2014 to join ICS and be closer to family.   Where have I seen you before? As a physical therapist (BS Temple 1987), health care manager (MPA NYU 1992) who has worked in post-acute care with a focus on community health; as a site visitor/surveyor, CMS (Medicare), serving on NQF Technical Expert Panels, and with a national health care analytics organization specializing in post-acute care measures and reporting; at Sutter Care At Home in San Francisco; on the Board of the American Physical Therapy Association and as an appointee to the National Quality Forum Measurement Application Partnership Post-Acute Care (NQF MAP PAC).   Extracurricular: Walking, running, swimming, biking and yoga; certified yoga teacher; plays upright bass and enjoys good food and mood enhancing beverages…such as coffee.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Roger Herr Twitter   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor, SPT guest hosts and interviews Allison Gibbons, SPT on The Backstage of Medicine. Allison is a first year physical therapy student at New York University and is Head of Operations and Outreach of the Backstage of Medicine. The backstage of Medicine (TBSOM) has been created to allow any and every one to explore the many medical fields out there in the world. In this episode, we discuss: -The Backstage of Medicine: a non-profit organization providing healthcare occupation mentorship -Allison’s experience navigating the pre-health undergraduate journey -How to connect the perfect mentor and mentee -And so much more!   Young students are exposed to a set few occupations from their parents and are not exposed to other opportunities. Allison believes, “You are not set in stone for one thing. No one should tell you what’s best for you; you should be able to explore it.” Allison encourages, “You’re the only person who knows what’s right for you.”   The Backstage of Medicine brings a variety of healthcare bloggers together to accumulate information for those interested in exploring different careers in healthcare as, “No one person has the key to success; we have to learn from each other.”   For more information on Allison: Allison is a twenty-one year old first-year Doctorate student at New York University pursuing a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Neurological Rehabilitation aiming to blend physical therapy and soccer in impoverished areas throughout the globe. She grew up in the woods on a lake in tiny Rhode Island and now currently roaming the East Village of Manhattan. When I'm not studying chances are I'm cutting up my knees playing soccer or spending hours creating Spotify playlists. I spent my undergrad working as a tutor/TA and soccer coach. I was able to combine the best of both worlds by joining the Soccer Without Borders team in 2012. Continuous education is what becoming a health professional is all about     For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: The Backstage of Medicine Website  Allison's Twitter Allison's Instragram Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

LIVE from the Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jenna Kantor, SPT guest hosts and interviews Ali Schoos on opening a physical therapy private practice. Ali owns Peak Sports and Spine Physical Therapy and enjoys leading and learning from her dynamic and passionate team, and believes in excellent customer service. She specializes in biomechanics of the shoulder, spine, and lower extremity, including gait analysis and orthotic fabrication. In this episode, we discuss: -How Ali’s experience in different physical therapy settings contributed to her success as a private practice owner -Ali’s top 3 business strategies for a successful private practice -Ali’s management mistakes with employee satisfaction and patient acquisition -How to attract your dream patients through community involvement -And so much more!   Ali advices people who are on the cusp of starting their own business to be brave. From her experience, “I trusted that I knew I was going to be able to do this. I trusted I was going to have that ability.”   To manage a team that is dedicated to the values, mission and vision of the company, Ali has found that, “As a boss, you can be respectful and you can be collaborative but you can’t be nice to everybody. We don’t lead by being nice.”   Ali has honed her skills as a manager through trial and error. She advices, “It’s learning how to have honest conversations with people… It’s not about the person, it’s about the behaviors. ”   For more information on Ali: Ali enjoys partnering with her patients of all ages. She has treated professional baseball, tennis, and soccer players, as well as high school, collegiate, and weekend athletes, and everyone in between. She’s dedicated to finding a solution to complex problems, and helps people overcome their body’s obstacles, no matter the challenge. As a Certified Orthopedic Specialist since 1993, Ali works with a variety of difficult cases and utilizes her “Sherlock Holmes-type” skills to find an answer. She leads each patient toward a more active lifestyle. She specializes in biomechanics of the shoulder, spine, and lower extremity, including gait analysis and orthotic fabrication. Ali owns Peak Sports and Spine Physical Therapy and enjoys leading and learning from her dynamic and passionate team, and believes in excellent customer service. She hopes you’ll be an active participant in choosing your health care provider and recognize Peak Sports and Spine as your primary care physical therapy clinic. “I believe in a partnership between you and your physical therapist.”   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Ali Schoos Twitter Peak Sports and Spine Physical Therapy Website Jenna Kantor Twitter   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

LIVE from the Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jenna Kantor, SPT guest hosts and interviews Sandra Norby on women in leadership roles and their presence on social media. Dr. Sandra Norby PT, DPT is the president of the American Physical Therapy Association Private Practice Section. In this episode, we discuss: -Social media for private practice owners -Sandy’s reflections on her social media experience -Do men tend to be more recognizable on social media? -Ways women can showcase their accomplishments -And so much more!   Social media is an important tool for business owners to market their existence because now, more than ever, “People find you through social media.”   One of the benefits of social media is being able to engage with people all over the world. Sandra believes, “It’s a way for us to share our story to a wider audience in a split second.”   Sandy recommends building connections with people who will help share your successes on your behalf. She has found that, “We need to support each other.”   For more information on Sandy: Sandra Norby, PT, DPT is CEO and Co-Founder of HomeTown Physical Therapy, LLC. This Iowa based corporation provides a practice model for ownership and champions the leadership of women in physical therapy. Sandra has served on many leadership positions in APTA and PPS, including being a member of PPAC and two terms as a Director on the PPS Board. She was awarded the 2017 APTA Federal Advocacy Leadership Award for her instrumental work on making Locum Tenens a reality for physical therapists. Sandra received her Physical Therapy Masters degree from the University of Iowa and her DPT from the University of Montana – Missoula. She has an expertise in compliance and billing and has been a speaker at many state and national events on topics that include technology, leadership, and championing the success of women in physical therapy.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: APTA Private Practice Section WendySueSwanson MD Twitter   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

LIVE from the Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jenna Kantor, SPT guest hosts and interviews Brianne Showman Brown on hydration. Dr. Brianne Showman Brown has been a licensed physical therapist since 2006. Since that time, she has been helping active adults and athletes get back to the activities they love. As ideas and theories in rehabilitation, functional movement, and nutrition are constantly changing, she is constantly searching for the new information in order to get you back to the activities you love as quickly (but safely) as possible. In this episode, we discuss: -The physical and mental effects of not consuming enough water throughout the day -Physical therapy setting and productivity requirements and their implications on water consumption -How to fit water breaks into your day and busy patient schedule -Increased water consumption results in more bathroom visits? -And so much more!   Relying on your thirst signal for your body’s need for water is surprisingly not accurate as Brianne states, “By the time your body even tells you to drink water, you’re already passed that point of being dehydrated.”   For our body to function at the most optimal, Brianne stresses, “All of our organs need water to function.”     Being chronically dehydrated leads to poor performance because, “If you’re so dehydrated, your body is going to shut down what it has to in order to keep you alive.”   For more information on Brianne: Dr. Brianne Showman Brown has been a licensed physical therapist since 2006. Since that time, she has been helping active adults and athletes get back to the activities they love. As ideas and theories in rehabilitation, functional movement, and nutrition are constantly changing, she is constantly searching for the new information in order to get you back to the activities you love as quickly (but safely) as possible. Being a CrossFitter and runner herself, she also understands the desire to want to push through the pain, not wanting to take time off, and wanting to get back to activity as soon as possible when required to take time off. She does her best to keep you active in the things you are able to do, modifying as necessary, but not taking you completely out of the gym, off the track/field, or off the road. For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Get Your Fix Physical Therapy Website Get Your Fix Physical Therapy Facebook Get Your Fix Nutrition Facebook Brianne Showman Brown Facebook Get Your Fix Physical Therapy Instagram Get Your Fix Nutrition Instagram Brianne Showman Brown Instagram Get Your Fix Physical Therapy Twitter Brianne Showman Brown LinkedIn Servant PT podcast episode with Brianne Brown Duck Legs Podcast episode with Brianne Brown The Capable Body podcast episode with Brianne Brown PT tech talk episode with Brianne Brown AZ Culture Weekly Blog   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen

LIVE from the Combined Sections Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, Jenna Kantor, SPT guest hosts and interviews Bronté Miller, SPT on how to create a student special interest group in your state. Bronté Miller is a Student Physical Therapist at Stony Brook University, Class of 2019. Last year, she led a team of students to co-found the NYPTA Student Special Interest Group (SSIG). The SSIG is an organization designed to promote PT and PTA student professional engagement, networking, and inter-school collaboration. The SSIG is currently in its first term as an organization, with Bronté as President. Bronté believes that transforming our profession starts with empowering students to grow as leaders and problem solvers through earlier engagement in the physical therapy community. In this episode, we discuss: -The role of student special interest groups in the physical therapy industry -Considerations for working with a SSIG including how to balance the time commitment with school -How to recruit the right leadership team for success -The future of the NYPTA Student Special Interest Group -And so much more!   Jump starting a Student Special Interest Group in your state is both rewarding and feasible. Bronté recommends, “Have a plan from the get-go on how you’re going to do this.”   Working with a diverse and dedicated group of people is key to achieving better results as Bronté found that, ”Having such a fantastic team was absolutely essential for our SSIG to succeed.”   While developing a SSIG in your state can be challenging, Bronté advises, “Don’t be afraid to reach out to other students because I think you’ll be surprised how many want to really dive in and get involved.”   For more information on Bronté: Bronté Miller is a Student Physical Therapist at Stony Brook University, Class of 2019. Last year, she led a team of students to co-found the NYPTA Student Special Interest Group (SSIG). The SSIG is an organization designed to promote PT and PTA student professional engagement, networking, and inter-school collaboration. The SSIG is currently in its first term as an organization, with Bronté as President. Bronté believes that transforming our profession starts with empowering students to grow as leaders and problem solvers through earlier engagement in the physical therapy community.   For more information on Jenna: Jenna Kantor (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life – a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University’s Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, “Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives,” has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled “Injury Prevention for Dancers,” is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   Resources discussed on this show: Bronte Miller LinkedIn Bronte Miller Twitter Bronte Miller Facebook Student SIG Leaders Facebook Group Email: elizabeth.b.miller@stonybrook.edu   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen    

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jenna Kantor and Katie Schmitt join me to discuss Fairytale PT. Jenna Kantor, SPT and Katie Schmitt, SPT, both physical therapy students from Columbia University, developed Fairytale PT, a movement-based musical program where children get to actively participate in shows based on popular fairytales. In this episode, we discuss: -The ambitious beginnings of Fairytale PT and the dedication of Jenna and Katie to their mission -How Fairytale PT incorporates therapeutic exercise into the choreography -Interprofessional collaboration with occupational therapy students -Jenna and Katie’s vision for Fairytale PT and how you can get involved -And so much more!   Physical therapy schools without performance backgrounds can still participate in Fairytale PT. Jenna stresses, “It’s not about talent, it’s about enthusiasm.”   Navigating the medical world as a pediatric patient can be scary and intimidating. Katie clarifies the challenge as, “How do we give these kids a break and how do we give these parents a little bit of a break and take them out of the beeping and the sounds and the doctors coming in and out and rushing around.”   In a fun environment, Fairytale PT is able to achieve therapeutic goals as Jenna states, “The movements the kids are doing are extremely healthy for them.”   For more information on Jenna: JENNA KANTOR (co-founder) is a bubbly and energetic girl who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. Growing up, she trained and performed ballet throughout the United States. After earning a BA in Dance and Drama at the University of California, Irvine, she worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years with tours, regional theatres, & overseas (www.jennakantor.com) until she found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life - a career in Physical Therapy. Jenna is currently in her 3rd year at Columbia University's Physical Therapy Program. She is also a co-founder of the podcast, "Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives," has an evidence-based monthly youtube series titled "Injury Prevention for Dancers," is a NY SSIG Co-Founder, NYPTA Student Conclave 2017 Development Team, works with the NYPTA Greater New York Legislative Task Force and is the NYPTA Public Policy Committee Student Liaison. Jenna aspires to be a physical therapist for amateur and professional performers to help ensure long, healthy careers. To learn more, please check out her website: www.jennafkantor.wixsite.com/jkpt   For more information on Katie: I fell in love with Physical Therapy when I realized that with it, I could breathe on my own. My background is as an actor. I have done Shakespeare in New York, film and television in Los Angeles and ran a travel web series with my husband where, for five years, we went to every state and reviewed bed and breakfasts. It was when I challenged myself to run a mile, that I realized the more I work out and listen to my body the less I need medicine. I learned what it is like to breathe without inhalers, steroids or machines. Today I am an avid cyclist and third year student at Columbia University Medical Center working on my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. 
 There is so much about PT that I love. My clinicals have been in outpatient orthopedics at Miccass Physical Therapy in New York and Imagine Physical Therapy in South Carolina and sub-acute rehab at The New Jewish Home. I have spent time with dancers and Broadway performers, on the inpatient TBI floor at Bellevue, observing at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and with the outpatient cardiopulmonary PT team at Columbia University Medical Center. From all my experience to my husband's story of recovery from a car accident and coma when he was a teen, I have realized that PT affects many aspects of life. My goal is to help little kids learn how to breathe, help patients fight cancer and help dancers perform to their peak.   Resources discussed on this show: Jenna Kantor Website Fairytale Physical Therapy Website Jenna Kantor Facebook Jenna Kantor Twitter Jenna Kantor Instagram Jenna Kantor LinkedIn Physiotherapy Performance Perspectives Katie Schmitt LinkedIn APTA Blog on Fairytale PT The 90 Day Year   Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!   Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!   Xo Karen