Elevate your practice.
Change lives.
Love your work.
Learning opportunities with Jennifer Shepherd, MSPT, CFMT, FMTF, FAAOMPT, IFMCP
Are you unsure if your treatments are making the right changes in your patients?
Are your patients' symptoms not improving or do they keep coming back?
Have you taken continuing education courses, but are unsure how and when to integrate your techniques in the clinic?
Would you like greater confidence in the clinic?
Do you feel like there is more you want to do for your patients, but are unsure what or how?
Do you want to make a bigger difference in the lives of our patients and in the world of healthcare?
Today's healthcare systems are primarily symptom-based. That is, the focus is making the symptoms go away, often through medications, injections, surgeries, and often ineffective exercises. While this works for some patients, many others are left frustrated, still struggling with symptoms that affect their lives.
When we look at humans from a systems-based lens, considering all the structures, pathways, and cellular processes as an integrated whole, we are able to have a deeper understanding of the human organism and ask the "next right questions" about:
why has this person's body entered a state of imbalance...structurally, functionally, and even emotionally?
what has happened to this person over a lifetime?
how has the body compensated to keep the patient moving, protect vital organs, vessels and nerves, to help the person feel safe?
where in the body are the most significant dysfunctions? (Hint, they are rarely at the site of pain.)
how do these dysfunctional structures relate to other structures, other systems, to the whole body and to a patient's symptoms?
where does the body need us to begin treatment?
how does the body need us to support and integrate structural mobility, neural pathways, neuromuscular re-education and motor control?
and
When Physical Therapists are equipped with:
The knowledge of anatomical and physiological relationships
The understanding of how trauma affects the body and the body's innate brilliance of compensations
Precise and intelligent palpation skills for the assessment and optimization of the structural and functional health of body
Knowing how and when to integrate various techniques
How to make changes quickly and assess progress
How Functional Medicine is a critical role in our patients healing
The results are life-changing for both the patient and the physical therapist.
I almost quit the profession of Physical Therapy TWICE...
I went to PT school because I wanted to do better for people who struggled with pain. As I was learning basic concepts and skills, mostly exercise, non-precise joint mobs, massage, and muscle energy technique, I just didn't see (or feel) how these concepts really made someone "better." Maybe they were "better" for a bit, but pain would come back. It was tools in a toolbox that I really didn't know how to coordinate.
At the same time, I was struggling terribly with my own back pain, and I did what I learned and what other PTs had me do. I was working on my core, I was working on my glutes, I stretched my hamstrings...I had my FRS's and ERS's and sacral torsion treated. I rolled out my piriformis. The torsions and tension would come back, as did my pain, which was impacting my life, especially as a triathlete.
I knew there had to be more to understand about the human body beyond muscle length and strength...stretching and strengthening.
Fortunately, I was talked into taking a PNF course from The Institute of Physical Art, which changed my world. I learned how to use my hands to work with joints, tissues and neuromuscular patterns to create instant changes in range of motion. I felt the difference in my own body when I was treated! My curiosity was stoked, and I pursued certification and Fellowship in Functional Manual Therapy. This led to my studies with The Barral Institute, in which we work inside the container, and certification in Functional Medicine as cellular health plays a huge role in our patients.
It was a breath of fresh air to be given permission to think outside the box...and look at the person as a whole, integrated, functioning organism.
Fast-forward to today...patients from all over the country reach out to my clinic, as I specialize in
...and I LOVE my work!
"In courses, we learn techniques...but we often don't know how and when to sequence and integrate them into the whole."
Jennifer C. Shepherd
Founder
OUR MISSION
The Foundations for Functional Health Professional provides education for Physical Therapists to equip them with the integration of advanced manual therapy skills and Whole Person clinical reasoning, inspiring them to be leaders full of passion and curiosity for improving the lives of patients and the state of healthcare.
Mentorships & Courses
Clinical Integration of Orthopedic and Visceral Manual Therapy-HYBRID
Clinical Integration of Functional Medicine and Manual Therapy-VIRTUAL
Year Long TSCFIH Clinical Mentorship-IN PERSON
Integrative Manual Physical Therapy in Action
Once you have a deeper understanding of the body and finesse in your hands, you can help so many more people overcome significant health issues and life health, vibrant lives!
Stay informed with the latest updates, clinical insights, continuing education, mentorship opportunities, and collaborations
CONTACT US
info@tscfih.com
PHONE
(216) 772-1636
ADDRESS
2001 Crocker Road, Suite 410 Westlake, OH 44145