Melissa's Trip to the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program

Closing the Gap Between Rehab and Performance with Tricia Davis, DPT and Cycling Coach

Melissa interviewed Tricia Davis, DPT, and the cycling coach about closing the gap between rehab and performance. Tricia highlights her transition from the traditional insurance-based practice to her new cash-based physical therapy practice in Brevard, NC, that gets her patients back to 100% recovery, closing the missing gap that a traditional PT practice misses. She covers how the client-centric focus provides less stress, more one-on-one time with the patient, and a more personalized plan that results in better outcomes. Understanding how the body heals, why the injury happened in the first place, and knowing the client’s past issues/strengths and weaknesses are the three most essential things when tailoring treatments to the patient in their recovery. Having patients/clients set specific goals or events they want to prepare for is an excellent way to focus, stay motivated, and know exactly where they need to go in therapy.  You can learn more about Tricia's services at: https://fizeeoh.com/ and https://killercoachacademy.com/

The Impact of Empathy with Brain Tumor Survivor Shari Bookstaff

Shari Bookstaff, a marine biology professor, suffered a devastating stroke following the removal of a benign brain tumor over 17 years ago. She shares her heartfelt story of determination, positivity, and love of whales and football that helped her regain her dignity, livelihood, and spirit. Shari's recovery in the hospital inspired her to create the non-profit Impact of Empathy, where she helps promote and educate medical leadership teams, students, and professionals on expressing heightened empathy for better outcomes. Shari is the author of "When Life Throws You Lemons… Make Cranberry Juice!" You can learn more about Impact of Empathy at: https://impactofempathy.net/

Mind & Body: Healing from Trauma with Dr. Tritia Finley, Ph.D.

In Episode 14, our guest, Dr. Tritia Finley, Ph.D., owner of Elite Performance Counseling in San Antonio, educates us on trauma. She details the importance of the mind and body connection in healing from a traumatic event. As a licensed professional counselor and adjunct professor at a local university, Tritia has over a decade of helping her clients transform anxiety stemming from traumatic experiences into energy for success. Learn more at https://elitepsatx.com/

Melissa's Trip to the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program

In episode 13, Melissa Ross gives us an overview of her trip to the University of Pittsburg Medical Center's world-renowned Concussion Program. Melissa discusses the types of specialists and testing she received during her day-long appointment and the recommendations that were given to help her get to 100% recovery. After four weeks of following their protocol, Melissa is already seeing significant improvements in her progress! You can learn more about UPMC's Concussion Program at https://www.upmc.com/services/sports-medicine/services/concussion .

Vision Rehabilitation for Concussions with Lauri Atencio, COVT, CPOA

In Episode 12, Melissa talks with Lauri Atencio, a Certified Vision Therapist from Snowy Range Vision Center on vision rehabilitation, types of symptoms and therapies used for traumatic brain injury, and the dynamic visual system. Impacts to the head can disrupt the vision system. Lauri explains how the brain integrates vision with all parts of the brain and not just the occipital lobe. She also discusses different visual skills such as convergence and divergence, being able to fixate, keeping things clear, your perception of where you are in space, sensory-motor feedback, light sensitivity, memory, and more!