Hello!

"Be encouragers,

give 100% in what you do,

step back and let people go first, 

and give people a second chance."

- Dr. Randy Lambeth

​

This is a quote from my athletic training professor that deeply resonates with me and my professional goals. It describes a compassionate person who serves others - a person I strive to be daily.

​

Whether I assist in or observe physical therapy outpatient care or train a client in a gym, the people I have worked with are all trying to change their daily behavior(s) and creating new ones to improve some aspect of their health. Exercise adherence is commonly difficult to undertake, and sometimes people need more assistance than others- especially if they don't just adapt to newly prescribed exercises or SMART goals. That's why I believe encouragement and creativity to make personalized goals are crucial for people so that they can have a successful, chronic behavior change, achieve their goals, get healthier, and ultimately have a better quality of life. I can relate to the difficulty of changing behaviors with my struggle to "just do it" with general exercise or with integrating daily icing and stretches I've been prescribed for my TMJ. I can also be a testament to the successes after staying diligent. My ability to sympathize with those I work with is one way I can connect with and better encourage others.

​

Giving 100% in a job or a project to me means putting in more time and energy than what something may require. It shows deep care and dedication to the task to the point that shows you aren't just there to get a paycheck at the end of the week. I have seen this character in my collegiate career through asking questions after class, digging deeper into class material on my own, and completing regular reflections on what I am doing. I also believe that this work ethic primes people to be fine-tuned to complex needs which makes for opportunities to address those needs and serve the community to make it better. One area I am looking further into is wellness coaching to learn about the strategies and skills that I could use in the future to make behavior change more attainable and easy for the people I work with.

​

The 3rd line of the quote brings to mind community service. I am grateful for those who choose to use their resources to take a pause on their life and help others. Because of others who saw the needs I had, I was referred to and have been taken care of at low-cost clinics when I did not have access to insurance as a student with a mom who works at a small, local business that could not provide an affordable family insurance plan. I have been able to afford care using a sliding scale offered or free services. I have seen first-hand the need and importance of access to medical and professional care. I have also waited months for appointments, just because the need is so high and there are so few volunteers. Part of access means that there should be local low-cost clinics like there are local food pantries in nearly every town or city and a way to sustain multiple volunteers. A dream of mine would be to participate in this line of work and work to make business plans that encourage providers to come work at a low-cost clinic and want to stay. But even if I do not find myself in those roles, I plan to stay active in community service.

​

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whether I am working as a Physical Therapy Technician, analyzing research, designing a weekly exercise program for a client, performing assessments, or helping a client with improving functional movement patterns, I first and foremost want to make a positive impact on those I meet. I want to encourage others to make healthy decisions and get them towards their goals or get them back to what they love to do. I strive to make connections and collaborate with the client to explore what may best help them, and ensure they get excellent care and services through seeking ideas and asking questions to those with more knowledge and experience than myself. When a client or patient experiences success, I want to be there to celebrate them because they are the ones who put in the work to help themselves- I was only there to give them the tools and encouragement.

I advocate for those looking for fun and exciting ways to exercise, ways to get into exercise and regular physical activity safely, and am interested in learning how to help others find physical pain relief, physical independence, and ways to return to the things that bring them joy. 

I am an undergraduate student currently pursuing a BS in Kinesiology at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). With this degree, I intend to enroll in a graduate PT program to assist others to their full physical potential.

​

One practice I  have learned through the School of Health and Human Sciences and will continue to do after undergrad (and which represents this website) is reflecting as it helps me process my experiences, learn how I can make improvements, and decide how it is relevant to my life and my goals.