We were lucky to catch up with Jaquelyn Hedden recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jaquelyn, 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 initially thought I had found my purpose when I became a physical therapist. I love how the profession was able to blend my interests in athletics with my curiosity about how the human body works. However, after years of working as a physical therapist, I realized my purpose was not to work in clinics where the needs of the patients were not prioritized. I felt stuck in a system that was designed around corporate profits as opposed to quality of care. I was constantly limited by insurance companies, with my hands frequently tied on how many visits a patient could have, how long the treatments could be, and even what treatments I could perform. This led to patients having suboptimal outcomes despite being perfect candidates for physical therapy.
With that realization, I set out to make a change. I created Alpenglow Movement Specialists to offer an alternative option for physical therapy where the patient’s needs are always at the forefront, the way I believe healthcare should be. My mission is to provide truly individualized care for each patient in an environment designed to promote healing and education, where a physical therapist and patient can truly work together to achieve desired outcomes. By not being restricted by insurance, treatments are tailored for each patient based on a thorough assessment of their injury and are updated in real-time based on changing symptoms and treatment responses. This allows for improved outcomes, often with fewer visits and better patient autonomy. In creating Alpenglow Movement Specialists, I have realized my purpose is to break the mold on the status quo in physical therapy and healthcare today, and to provide the quality care patients deserve.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Alpenglow Movement Specialists is a twist on traditional physical therapy. Instead of the busy clinics that focus on the quantity of patients over the quality of treatment, my focus is truly on the individual. Every session is one-on-one with me, a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Board-Certified Orthopedic Specialist (OCS). As an athlete myself, my specialty is in working with active teens and adults who are motivated to get back to the sports and activities they love. I have experience working with youth and college athletes, elite military groups, as well as Olympic and Paralympic athletes. My mission with Alpenglow Movement Specialists is to provide the high level of nuanced treatment that athletes require, addressing the root cause of their issue to ensure they can achieve a full recovery.
Because my desire is for clients to excel in their recreational and competitive endeavors beyond just recovering from injury, I offer additional services geared towards sports performance, including strength and conditioning packages, running gait analyses, and movement education. Strength and conditioning fitness programs are tailored to a specific goal, such as completing a triathlon or marathon, and can be made for any sport at any fitness level. For runners who are interested in improving their running speed or economy, Running Gait Analyses can help breakdown and fine-tune the running stride for even the smallest areas of improvement, and are especially for those who want to focus on improving running form, work on injury prevention, and/or increase running efficiency. Movement Education services are custom-made seminars geared towards running groups, fitness teams, and other athletic clubs who want to offer a lecture or workshop with an experienced clinician.
I created this woman-owned small business to offer a fresh take on the commonplace traditional healthcare facilities that only provide cookie-cutter physical therapy. Instead, Alpenglow Movement Specialists offers a multitude of services encompassing the full journey from injury recovery through optimal sports performance, helping clients with new or recurrent injuries not only return to pre-injury health and activities but to excel in their hobbies and sports. Treatment programs are custom-made with great detail to ensure the root cause of an injury is addressed to minimize future recurrence. If you are looking for a knowledgeable clinician who will listen to your concerns and work with you to get to the root of your issue by creating a detailed treatment plan that integrates with your lifestyle and goals, please reach out to Alpenglow Movement Specialists for more information.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Similar to the core values I have integrated into Alpenglow Movement Specialists, I believe certain qualities such as empathy, patience, and perseverance are essential for someone who wants to work in healthcare or start a business.
Having empathy is an indispensable quality, especially with the state of healthcare today. A lack of empathy, for example, is a contributor to medical gaslighting which has become a real problem, where patients seek medical care for an issue and unfortunately do not receive meaningful care in response. Being able to truly listen to and understand a patient’s concerns and being able to effectively communicate a comprehensive treatment strategy can often make a significant difference in their lives. That is why my goal with every client is for them to feel heard and understood, and for them to fully comprehend their diagnoses and the treatment options available to them.
Patience and perseverance are additional qualities that have served me well, particularly through grad school, as a new physical therapist, and especially when I started Alpenglow Movement Specialists. Much like I say to patients who are dealing with an injury, time alone will not get you to your goals. Progress takes time and dedication, so although we love immediate results, it is patience and perseverance that will ultimately allow you to overcome obstacles and assist you in achieving your goals.
To anyone interested in a journey into physical therapy or business, my advice is to never allow your inexperience to deter you. As a licensed doctor of physical therapy, my expertise is in healthcare; I was not taught entrepreneurial principles or practical business skills in school. When I had the idea of starting my own business, that lack of knowledge felt like an insurmountable hurdle at the time. However, by employing my skills of patience, perseverance, and empathy, I was able to learn new skills, seek help from those with more experience, and create a business that truly fills a need in the healthcare industry. Having a willingness to learn and a desire to grow will serve you well in healthcare and business ownership.
How would you describe your ideal client?
Alpenglow Movement Specialists works primarily with teens and adults who enjoy an active lifestyle and who are motivated to improve their health and wellness. Because of my detailed approach to improving movement mechanics, I often work with multisport athletes, runners, endurance athletes, and other recreational enthusiasts. My ideal client is motivated to improve their health and wellness, curious to understand their anatomy and movement, and willing to put in the work to achieve their goals.
As a multisport endurance athlete myself, I have dedicated my professional training and career to being able to provide the high level of care needed to address the small nuances in movement mechanics to help athletes excel in the activities they love. As a Board-Certified Orthopedic Specialist (OCS) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), I prioritize addressing the root cause of an issue, educating patients on their conditions, and addressing their concerns so they can achieve their goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alpenglowmovement.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/alpenglow.movement.specialists
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/alpenglow.movement.specialists
