Meet Lindsay Brunner

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lindsay Brunner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lindsay below.

Lindsay, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.

I was not one of those people that always knew what they wanted to do in life. Though I have always enjoyed education, reading, and critical thinking, I didn’t see school as a direct pathway to a profession. I didn’t start working my way to physical therapy until my mid-20’s, after working in advertising and feeling that something was missing. It was then that I started reconnecting with my background in physical activity and athletics. I was a figure skater and dancer from a young age, but never thought of something more physical for a career. But in my mid-20’s I started doing yoga and decided to become an instructor. This made me realize how much I enjoyed helping others move and find strength in their bodies. I realized that I wanted to do this even more, and be able to help with injuries and physical issues. So I began my education to become a physical therapist.

Once I finished my Doctor of Physical Therapy and my Orthopedic Residency, I underwent additional training to be come a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist. I liked the idea of being able to help people with issues that have a huge impact on quality of life, but are often overlooked. As I began to treat more and more patients, I found great meaning in providing compassionate care and building relationships. I took pride in being a trusted resource that can have a big impact in my patients’ lives. This is when my feeling of purpose really clicked into place, and I felt that I was doing exactly what I was meant to do. As I began working more and more with pregnant and postpartum individuals, and then had my own child, I found that this particular population especially needs this kind of care. My purpose became trying to fill some of the gaps in physical care that anyone might experience in our healthcare system, and particularly for pregnant and postpartum individuals.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

Lindsay Brunner Physical Therapy provides pelvic floor and orthopedic physical therapy, fitness, and wellness services with an emphasis on prenatal and postpartum care. I offer in-office services in Highland Park and Pasadena, as well as virtual and home visits.

I started this practice in order to create a space that had more compassion, flexibility, and support than the typical healthcare experience. I work one on one with clients to assess and address their concerns, with an emphasis on forging trusting relationships that will help them achieve their best outcomes. As a parent myself, I have a passion for guiding my fellow parents through the physical challenges of birth with empathy.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I think the three things that had a big impact on my journey have been dedication, compassion, and taking a big picture view of health.

Dedication: When I care about something, I work very hard and ensure that outcomes are the best that I can create. I apply this to many things in life, but patient care most impacts my profession. I put a lot of effort and care into my clients to ensure that they have an effective plan of care that will help them reach their goals.

Compassion: I see my clients as people first and foremost, complex individuals that may need support in more ways than one. Though I may be treating a physical problem, I am most effective when I acknowledge and work with other factors in their life. If they are stressed or struggling, I will always provide compassion and find ways to adapt their physical therapy to make it manageable. This is especially true for new parents who are navigating a huge life transition in addition to physical challenges.

Big Picture View of Health: In healthcare, issues are often siloed into particular specialties or body parts. However, our body functions as an integrated system. I have found that taking the whole system into account results in better outcomes and has strengthened my physical therapy practice. If chronic pain is an issue we can’t ignore factors like nutrition, sleep, and stress management. Though I only treat the physical side of things, I educate clients about the impact of other factors on their condition and refer them to other practitioners as needed.

For those just starting out, these may not be the defining qualities that will be most important for you. But what is always helpful is finding your strengths and ways to apply them to your field. You will be more effective and successful when you find your particular qualities that make you stand out.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

A book that had a big impact on me as I was developing my own practice was “Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for Business” by Paul Jarvis. I found it’s balanced approach to be a very good fit for my style and my goals for having my own business. It discusses the limits of continual growth, with an emphasis on figuring out what is truly enough and valuing quality. I’ve taken that to heart as I created my own physical therapy practice, emphasizing high quality individualized care over continued expansion. I recommend this book to any small business owner!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lindsaybrunnerpt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindsaybrunnerpt/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/lindsay-brunner-physical-therapy-pasadena

Image Credits

Gina Pecho