Dr. Rita is a doctor of physical therapy in practice since 2013. She brings her practice to Wellness Minneapolis with a passion for holistic health and specialties in pelvic floor conditions, chronic health illness, hypermobility and chronic pain.
Q: What made you choose to pursue your profession?
A: I chose to pursue physical therapy because I have always wanted to have an understanding of the human body - how it works, how it moves, and how we can make it be the best for us! I still remember my first anatomy and physiology class in high school and it piqued a curiosity in me that I don’t think will ever run out! I was drawn to physical therapy because of the amount of time you get to spend with each client; to really get to know them so that you can form a partnership to work toward reaching their goals. I love how physical therapy combines science and art to facilitate healing.
Q: What keeps you engaged as a physical therapist?
A: I love teaching people how to improve their connection with their mind and body and it is exciting for me to see how much research is coming out backing the benefits of a mind-body approach. I think that physical therapists have a unique training in this realm and I am excited to see what is to come!
Working with the human body draws out a creativity in me that I don’t find elsewhere. I love being able to combine the client’s story with what I see and feel to help solve the puzzle to unlocking movement patterns and helping the client feel better.
Q: What kind of clients do you like working with most?
A: I enjoy working with client’s who have complex conditions or have had difficulty finding solutions. I approach each client as a puzzle and love to think outside the box to provide customized care that meets the client where they are at. This has been my motivation for opening my own practice - so that I can truly provide an integrative approach to physical therapy that factors in all aspects of a person. I also enjoy working with client’s who have gone through a recent change with their body’s, whether it be postpartum or after a significant injury or illness because I love to help people shift their perspective and develop a new relationship with their body.
Q: What conditions do you like to work with most?
A: I enjoy working with client’s who have been living with persistent pain or chronic illness, as well as more complex orthopedic injuries. I also have a great passion for treating pelvic health conditions as these can impact quality of life so much, but I see such great progress when people are able to get the care they need!
Q: What is your favorite breakfast?
A: Currently my favorite breakfast is a three ingredient pancake (well, four, if you include the extra chocolate chips I throw in ;) ). It’s made with banana, oatmeal, and egg/flax egg- simple and delicious!
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: I love to spend my free time outside as much as possible, whether that’s going for a morning ski with friends, going on a camping trip, or hanging out at the lake. I love being outside in all of the seasons that Minnesota brings us! A long ski in the woods, followed by a hot sauna and then a warm bowl of soup and a nap by the fire is one of my favorite ways to spend a winter day.
Q: How do you celebrate living in your body?
A: I celebrate living in my body by being grateful for all it can do for me and truly enjoying everyday that I am able to do the things I love- like work as a PT and be outside! I grew up cross-country skiing, running, and playing soccer and love the feeling of pushing my body and mind through sports, but after years of dealing with my own chronic illness and injury, I have a new appreciation for our body’s innate ability to heal and never take for granted even the little things it does for me everyday!
Q: What do you look for in a health care practitioner?
A: I look for a health care practitioner that is willing to meet me where I am at in my current health journey and is open to providing individualized care, even if that requires being a bit more creative! I look for a health care practitioner that can use their expertise and experience to help guide me to a better understanding of myself and empower me to make those change
A: I chose to pursue physical therapy because I have always wanted to have an understanding of the human body - how it works, how it moves, and how we can make it be the best for us! I still remember my first anatomy and physiology class in high school and it piqued a curiosity in me that I don’t think will ever run out! I was drawn to physical therapy because of the amount of time you get to spend with each client; to really get to know them so that you can form a partnership to work toward reaching their goals. I love how physical therapy combines science and art to facilitate healing.
Q: What keeps you engaged as a physical therapist?
A: I love teaching people how to improve their connection with their mind and body and it is exciting for me to see how much research is coming out backing the benefits of a mind-body approach. I think that physical therapists have a unique training in this realm and I am excited to see what is to come!
Working with the human body draws out a creativity in me that I don’t find elsewhere. I love being able to combine the client’s story with what I see and feel to help solve the puzzle to unlocking movement patterns and helping the client feel better.
Q: What kind of clients do you like working with most?
A: I enjoy working with client’s who have complex conditions or have had difficulty finding solutions. I approach each client as a puzzle and love to think outside the box to provide customized care that meets the client where they are at. This has been my motivation for opening my own practice - so that I can truly provide an integrative approach to physical therapy that factors in all aspects of a person. I also enjoy working with client’s who have gone through a recent change with their body’s, whether it be postpartum or after a significant injury or illness because I love to help people shift their perspective and develop a new relationship with their body.
Q: What conditions do you like to work with most?
A: I enjoy working with client’s who have been living with persistent pain or chronic illness, as well as more complex orthopedic injuries. I also have a great passion for treating pelvic health conditions as these can impact quality of life so much, but I see such great progress when people are able to get the care they need!
Q: What is your favorite breakfast?
A: Currently my favorite breakfast is a three ingredient pancake (well, four, if you include the extra chocolate chips I throw in ;) ). It’s made with banana, oatmeal, and egg/flax egg- simple and delicious!
Q: How do you spend your free time?
A: I love to spend my free time outside as much as possible, whether that’s going for a morning ski with friends, going on a camping trip, or hanging out at the lake. I love being outside in all of the seasons that Minnesota brings us! A long ski in the woods, followed by a hot sauna and then a warm bowl of soup and a nap by the fire is one of my favorite ways to spend a winter day.
Q: How do you celebrate living in your body?
A: I celebrate living in my body by being grateful for all it can do for me and truly enjoying everyday that I am able to do the things I love- like work as a PT and be outside! I grew up cross-country skiing, running, and playing soccer and love the feeling of pushing my body and mind through sports, but after years of dealing with my own chronic illness and injury, I have a new appreciation for our body’s innate ability to heal and never take for granted even the little things it does for me everyday!
Q: What do you look for in a health care practitioner?
A: I look for a health care practitioner that is willing to meet me where I am at in my current health journey and is open to providing individualized care, even if that requires being a bit more creative! I look for a health care practitioner that can use their expertise and experience to help guide me to a better understanding of myself and empower me to make those change
Learn more about Dr. Rita's physical therapy services and schedule an appointment here.