How Rupturing My Achilles Made Me Create PhsyioVenture

"So what do you do?"

It's the question we all face at birthday parties, first dates, and random encounters on Sunday afternoons. For some, the answer comes easily because their identity and career are inseparable. For others, like me, it's more complex.

Yes, I'm a physical therapist. But that title barely scratches the surface of what I actually do every day.

I'm an educator teaching people about their bodies.

An expert clinician solving movement puzzles.

A coach that patients lean on during their most vulnerable moments.

A voice of reassurance when pain feels overwhelming.

A compassionate friend who celebrates every small victory.

An attentive listener who hears not just what hurts, but what matters most to each person who walks through my door.

And yes, sometimes I'm the pain in the ass who pushes you to do that extra set when you'd rather quit—because I know you're capable of more than you realize.

The Moment Everything Clicked

I wasn't always destined for this path. In fact, I was what you might call a late bloomer when it came to finding my calling.

During my junior year at the College of Charleston, I went on a service trip to Morocco through a leadership program. I expected to help others and maybe learn something about myself along the way. What I didn't expect was to witness something that would completely redirect my future.

There, in a small clinic, I watched something that would forever change my perspective on healthcare. I vividly remember watching physical therapists work with young children—some with amputations, others with leg injuries—teaching them to walk with crutches. What struck me wasn't just their clinical expertise, but their unwavering patience and dedication as they guided each child through every careful step.

These weren't conditions that might grab headlines or seem dramatic to an outsider's eye. But what I witnessed was profound: healthcare providers completely dedicated to helping people live without pain and move with freedom, treating each small improvement as if it were a miracle.

I felt something I'd never experienced before—a deep sense of empathy, pride, and respect for work that truly mattered. I knew, in that moment, that I wanted to be part of that mission.

Breaking Down the Myths

Here's what many people don't understand about physical therapy: we're not just following orders or sticking to standard protocols handed down by surgeons and orthopedists. We are the movement and rehabilitation experts.

Yes, we work collaboratively with your entire healthcare team, but we bring specialized knowledge that goes far beyond what many people realize. We know how to appropriately progress and modify activities and exercises based on your unique response to treatment. We understand how to work around your specific limitations and address pain in ways that are both effective and safe.

And here's another myth I'd like to bust: manual therapy—hands-on treatment like massage or joint mobilization—isn't always necessary for successful outcomes. While these techniques have their place, the real magic often happens through education, targeted exercises, and helping you understand your body's incredible capacity to heal and adapt.

This wouldn't become clear to me until after I tore my Achilles. I navigated the same hurdles and followed the same standardized protocol that failed to recognize me as an individual. I had to learn to take control of my own situation.

This realization is exactly what led me to create a virtual therapy platform. If effective treatment can happen through proper education, movement analysis, and personalized exercise prescription, then why shouldn't quality physical therapy be accessible from wherever you are?

Remote therapy isn't just a convenient alternative—it's often the most practical solution for busy individuals who struggle to fit traditional clinic visits into their schedules. Parents juggling work and kids, professionals with demanding careers, or anyone who's ever sat in a waiting room wondering if they could be doing something more productive with their time.

More Than Just Exercise and Science

Graduate school taught me the foundations—anatomy, physiology, evidence-based research, musculoskeletal and neurological reasoning. They prepared me to understand the how of treating patients.

But six years into my career, I've learned that truly effective treatment requires so much more than exercises, modalities, and textbook knowledge. The psychological, social, and emotional factors that influence pain are just as crucial as the physical ones.

Finding My Purpose Through Connection

What I love most about this work isn't just the science—it's the human connection. Every so often, someone walks through my door for their initial evaluation, and there's an instant click. You know you were meant to be their PT, and they were meant to be your patient.

Those moments remind me why I chose this path.

After graduating from Langston University (whose mission to serve underserved populations deeply resonated with me), I've worked in various settings—outpatient clinics, acute care, inpatient neurological rehab. I've traveled from Alaska to California to Maryland, even to Croatia, always learning and growing in my practice.

Along the way, I became certified in dry needling and continued expanding my skills, but the core of what I do remains the same: I help people reclaim their lives from pain.

Why This Platform Exists

When I was working in Palm Desert, California, a fellow patient once shared something with me that stuck:

"Remember—even the pursuing of your pursuit is pursuit. Dreaming of dreaming, contemplating a more contemplative life, feeling like feelings are more and more important...all are part of the life process of self-discovery."

This blog exists because I believe that self-discovery happens not just in isolation, but in community. I want to share not only my expertise as a physical therapist but also the deeper lessons I've learned about resilience, purpose, and what it means to help others heal.

Oklahoma State Legislature Advocating for Physical Therapy

Whether your goal is running your next marathon, getting back to playing with your kids, or simply being able to walk again without pain, I'm here to help you pursue it.

Because that's what I do: I help people return to the things they love most.