The Wild West Rodeo was hosted by Gail and Craig Wetzler in Franktown, CO to celebrate Jean-Pierre Barral, the Founder of the Barral Institute. This “Colorado Experience,” was a long awaited international gathering of practitioners from 30 countries around the world. Jean-Pierre Barral is a French Osteopath and Physical Therapist who developed Visceral Manipulation. TIME Magazine named Jean-Pierre Barral, DO one of the Top Healing Innovators to watch in the new millennium. I had the opportunity to photograph the rodeo observe Barral teaching on the brain, practice my french and dance at Larimer Square.
Barral Dance Party at Larimer Square, Denver Colorado.
Dr. Phaedra Fegley teams up with Physical Therapist Karen Church to present practical strategies to optimize your health and well-being by balancing adrenal, thyroid and sex hormones. Here’s a clip “Normal vs Optimal;.”
Balance Your Hormones with Phaedra Fegley MD and Physical Therapist Karen Church.
Phaedra Fegley MD, IFMCP is a board-certified family physician with an additional certification in Functional Medicine. Her goal is to optimize personal health and well-being by addressing the root cause of an individual’s illness. Dr. Fegley also is trained in Autonomic Response Testing (Muscle Testing) and Ozone Therapies. Dr. Fegley has been part of the Steamboat Springs community since 2006. She practiced at Steamboat Family Medicine for 12 years before joining the team at Minds In Motion in 2019. Dr. Fegley enjoys spending time with her husband Pat and daughter Harper, mountain biking, skiing and playing with their new border collie puppy.
Karen Church PT, CFMT is a Physical Therapist in Steamboat Springs. She specializes in Functional Manual Therapy and Yoga and brings 30 years of experience as a private practice owner in Glenwood Springs. Church is a teacher, photographer and author of Therapeutic Yoga. She has presented extensively with nationally acclaimed yoga instructor Desirée Rumbaugh. Workshops are functional and integrate Physical Therapy and Yoga. She is an avid telemark skier and since moving to Steamboat has become a passionate skate skier.
I recently returned from a physical therapy training called “Integrated Systems Model” (ISM) with a Canadian physio, Diane Lee. Diane was assisted by 4 amazing PT’s: Cathy Rogers, Gail Wetzler, Dawn Sandalcici, and Brent Yamashita. Photo Above: Our ISM group celebrating at Red Rocks with Big Head Todd & the Monsters.
Diane Lee is an exceptional teacher and orator with enjoyable pacing of lectures/labs and beautifully written textbooks. I am learning to find the drivers and my palpation skills are becoming more efficient as we practice subtle “listening” techniques. We have completed Part 2/3 of a 9 month series and it’s already empowering especially with the integration of neuro-plasticity and yoga! I’m super grateful for this opportunity and hope to share ISM with to you for your future PT needs.
Desirée Rumbaugh and I had a great time presenting Wisdom Warriors™ in Schereville, Indiana this past week and in St. Paul, MN in February, 2018. These trainings have been an amazing opportunity for us to innovatively integrate our work together.
In October 2017, we presented Wisdom Warriors at Shakti Yoga Des Moines. It was very exciting to see this same integration of alignment based yoga and functional manual therapy in Des Moines. Matt Brevard PT, CFMT and his staff have been an excellent physical therapy resource to the Shakti Yoga community. Physical therapy and yoga at it’s best!
Wisdom Warriors is coming to Edwards Colorado, November 8-9, 2018! This resort destination an ideal retreat setting especially for those who stay for the weekend workshop with Desiree.
I’m super honored to be recognized as a “Notable Alumni” from the University of Toronto, Canada. U of T is celebrating their 100th anniversary of Physical Therapy. Thank you to my former PT director and mentor, Molly Verrier
Rehabilitation Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto. Class of 1989.
“Karen Church is an athlete, avid learner, seasoned physical therapy clinician and entrepreneur. She first studied at Queen’s University where, in 1985, she had the opportunity to be an exchange student in Human Movement Studies at Carnegie University in Leeds, England, and graduated with a BPHE from Queen’s in 1986.
Immediately she moved on to the University of Toronto and graduated with a B.Sc.PT in 1989. Karen was the Co-Valedictorian for her year and also received the Beatrice Hally Award of Merit for Leadership. For her independent study course she authored: Setting up a Private Practice in Ontario which became an official publication for the Ontario Physiotherapy Association, Toronto, Ontario, Canada – 1989.
Karen to this day has not stopped her education as evidenced by her studying at the Institute of Physical Art. She has and continues to integrate knowledge gained from all aspects of her life into her private practice in Colorado which she established in Glenwood Springs in 1998. Karen is certified in Functional Manual Therapy™, a distinguished honor held by less than 300 physical therapists in the United States. She integrates Functional Manual Therapy™ (soft tissue and joint mobilization, neuromuscular re-education and motor control) which is integral to her private practice as a physical therapist and also has been incorporated into the community classes at the Providence Apothecary and Hot Springs Pool where function, sports performance and injury prevention is emphasized.
Karen’s yoga background is impressive. She has studied with numerous senior Iyengar teachers beginning in 1993 and became an Affiliated Anusara Instructor in 2004. She is passionate about Ayurveda and an avid continuing student of Dr. Robert Svoboda. She teaches Therapeutic Yoga – Anatomy and Wisdom Warriors: Yoga over 50, a12 hour workshop training program, with nationally acclaimed yoga instructor Desirée Rumbaugh.
Karen provides “personalized physical therapy and yoga” in her clinic and onsite consultations at clients’ homes, workplaces and recreation venues. Mindfulness is not a new concept to be integrated into clinical practice for her as she values it as an integral part of clinical practice which aligns with her understanding of health and well-being.
Karen is a student, teacher, photographer and producer of educational media. Her published work: Therapeutic Yoga (ISBN 0-9741796-1-2) which integrates physical therapy, yoga and self-care for the human body shows how her continuing educational pursuits have influenced her practice. Karen, an experienced physical therapy practitioner, uses her integrative thinking ability to enhance “hands on” care for her clients in Glenwood Springs and beyond ……… physical therapy at its best!
Morgan is a therapy dog and works at Karen’s home office in Glenwood Springs, CO.”
I was honored to present a slideshow with the music Pony Boy, by Bruce Springsteen. Apparently, Jim’s mother Seville sang this lullaby to him as a baby and his wife Kathie sang it to him during his departure, Sept 20, 2017. The celebration was MC’d by Dr Robert Derkash and had special guests including Harald Dunn MD (Weaver-Dunn shoulder procedure).
I worked with Dr. Weaver in 1991 when I was hired by Trish Kramer to establish Valley View Hospital’s Sports Medicine Clinic. Dr. Weaver was supportive of my career by referring patients and helping transition VVH Sports Medicine to Glenwood Springs Hot Springs Pool and Athletic Club.
I became close friends with Jim and Kathie Weaver because of our mutual passion for dogs and No-Name Creek. I am forever grateful for their love and kindness, and my connection to Golden Retrievers and No-Name Canyon.
What do Prone on Elbows and Pincha prep have in common?
They are strengthening for the neck and shoulder core, especially when held for prolonged holds. They strengthen the rhomboids, serratus anterior, rotator cuff and deep neck flexors.
They allow for individual alignment strategies to bring our trunk into neutral position. For instance, someone who has a kyphotic thoracic spine needs to “melt the heart” while someone with a flattened thoracic spine needs to press upward to create more of a curve.
They emphasize a rib anchor AKA “stacking the rib cage” or “side ribs back.” This helps to keep your back in neutral as illustrated in the Trunk Core.
They are easily modified by placing your elbows on a table. This is an effective unloading strategy for your spine while sitting and can be used to simulate the position of bike riding either on or off the saddle. Lastly, a resistive band may be used for additional shoulder or neck core strengthening as directed by your physical therapist.
