I have been a client of the Mills River Pro Physical Therapy location for about two years now. I have mild, hypertonic cerebral palsy and up until 2022, had not received PT for over a decade. But when I was diagnosed with vestibular-ocular dysfunction, my neurologist prescribed PT as part of the treatment plan.
I was pretty nervous to start PT again. I had kind of "cloudy" memories of PT as a kid--people who focused only on what was "wrong" with my body, did not want to relate to me as a person, and used negative reinforcement (do this or you will lose the ability to walk/end up in chronic pain/have to have scary medical procedures). I was afraid the staff at Pro would see me as a "patient" who was just a lot of trouble, a whiner, a disabled person who was "less."
I am so pleased to say, I was proven wrong from day one! Everyone at Pro, from the therapists to the office staff, is wonderful. I was treated as a partner in care, an intelligent participant, and someone everyone looked forward to talking with and being around. My questions were always answered thoroughly and my input was valued. I built unique rapport with everyone and learned useful, easy techniques I can do independently at home and keep up with.
Additionally, I'm pleased and surprised at how much physical therapy has changed since the '90s. That is, I kind of absorbed a "no pain, no gain" philosophy, so I needed to relearn some things. Namely, just because I was not in pain, didn't mean I wasn't reaping some sort of benefit. Actually, I have always been encouraged to go at my own pace, give myself a lot of grace, and not expect perfection. Not that I'm very good at those last two, you understand, but well, it's a work in progress.
I want to give a particular shout-out to Jenny Alderson, Tyler Arring, and Ashley Gibbs as the therapists I worked with the most. They all have wonderful personalities and bring something unique to the table, whether that's humor, empathy, an amazing knowledge of neurology, and often a combination of those and more. Also, a shout-out to Jill and Annie for their patience and gifts with juggling all those schedules!
If I didn't mention or work with you, please know I did not mean to leave you out. You were all a huge help and I appreciate that you are just a phone call away. I won't necessarily miss the therapy itself, as it is difficult, but I did love working with everyone. I wish everyone the best!
-Stephanie, Brevard, NC read more