I have been around the physical therapy world for about 15 years. One comment I have often heard from patients is, “I feel like no one listens to me.” Frankly, that is unacceptable. Axes believes in and practices by treating the whole person.
That means I, as a medical provider, must work to understand and fully address the different clinical (and nonclinical) factors that can determine health outcomes. There are so many components that make up who we are as humans – our biology and genetics, our behavioral and personality traits, the environment in which we live – and so on. Even though we may not be consciously aware of it, these characteristics have a significant impact on our physical and emotional wellbeing. However, these factors have historically been absent from the conversation about health and ways to improve health and movement.
To truly help my patients achieve their goals, I need to understand the entire person – their fears, their motivations, and their goals. This Therapeutic Alliance is emphasized through every interaction with our facility and our team and is reinforced through motivational interviewing and the questions that I ask my patients. Neglecting to consider the full range of physical and behavioral conditions impacting a person’s health and perceptions of their health can cause far reaching failures that drive up medical care expenses, and ultimately, can lead to poor outcomes in physical therapy.
I joined the physical therapy profession to help people like you. This is not a checklist, number, or clock in and out for me. It is what I am meant to do. It is how I serve my community. I want to listen.
I want to know YOU. I want to listen to YOU. I want to know YOUR story. I want to know who YOU are, not just your ailment. I want to treat you uniquely as a human being and know what you want to achieve. I want to know your goals. Not only your goals for therapy, but I also want to know your goals for YOU and your life. I want to achieve goals we set together and experience the joy and pride that occurs when we do. I do not want to be some therapist you see at some therapy clinic.
I want to be YOUR therapist.
If you are seeking a more custom program to manage your injury or chronic pain, Axes Physical Therapy provides free injury screenings at our 12 therapy locations in the Greater St. Louis area. We will work with you to find the best course of treatment to manage your joint pain and allow you to do the things you enjoy. Your therapist will even help coordinate with your primary care doctor to facilitate a prescription for therapy.