Frequently Asked Questions

We will have a thorough discussion about your health, injuries, medical history, any cancer diagnosis, and ALL treatments you have had. We will glean what is important to you in your recovery. We will establish the goals that matter to you. I will provide ample time to share your story with me, so I can best be of service to you. 

We will discuss nutrition, sleep, stress, activity levels, fatigue, pain, and all the issues that are concerning to you. 

I will instruct you about what to expect, how to feel your best, and prevent adverse events. I will test your strength, mobility, balance and other physical measures. We will examine any surgical areas, radiated areas, or injury areas. Visual inspection first, followed by manual palpation of the skin, scar, and underlying tissues. This may include breast tissue. I pride myself in creating a professional and safe environment for you and only proceed at a pace and level that is comfortable with you.  You are always welcome to have someone with you for your appointment. 

Afterward, we will discuss our findings and the anticipated course of treatment. 

NOW!!! The best time to start is as soon after your diagnosis as possible, and before surgery and chemo if possible. Most clients have told me they wished they had therapy from the very beginning. There is so much information I can give you to help you minimize the negative effects of treatment, and prepare for surgery. Starting early, you can reduce the risk of fatigue, weakness, lymphedema, neuropathy…all the things.  As early as possible is the best time to get a game plan on how to navigate your physical and mental recovery.  The doctors and nurses are the keys to saving your life, but you need a “cancer recovery coach” on your side to navigate the physical and mental recovery. If you already started treatment, no problem, I can still help at any stage of your treatment plan. I work with clients in all phases of their cancer care.

It’s a good idea to talk to your doctor about specific restrictions after surgery and when it is safe to begin movement. But in general, 2-3 weeks after surgery is a good time to begin gentle rehab, and optimize your recovery. This can vary depending on the type of surgery or reconstruction.   Starting rehab after surgery can help speed up recovery, reduce the risk of lymphedema (if you don’t know what lymphedema is, we need to talk!), reduce the risk of any joint motion restrictions, improve scar tissue mobility, reduced pain, and so much more. If you need radiation treatment after surgery, therapy is super helpful to be sure you recover the range of motion needed to get in the correct position for radiation.  So many clients have told me they wished they knew this BEFORE radiation. Also, it’s even better if I can give you all the good info about what to do, before surgery.

That really varies depending on our evaluation, but in general, I see people once a week. 

YES! I can still help you. I have special training on how to do massage and mobilization techniques for radiation-treated tissues. I have seen remarkable improvements in range of motion, mobility and pain reduction in clients, even many years after their radiation treatments. They call radiation “the gift that keeps on giving”, so it’s important to get any pain or tightness addressed. And it’s important to know, you can feel better. 

Absolutely! I have worked with many clients that are thriving, even with stage IV disease. REACH cancer rehab can absolutely help with pain, stiffness, strength, fatigue, and most of all help improve the quality of your life.  We get thorough information from your oncology team to assure the safest way to work with you toward your goals. Cancer rehab is safe and appropriate at all stages including those on Palliative and hospice services. 

Yes Indeed!!! It’s one of the most important things we can do. High levels of stress keep our nervous system in flight or fight mode. This is very taxing on our body, mind, and immune system. Chronic stress leads to excess inflammation, pain, and illness. I use mindfulness techniques, guided meditation, breathing exercises and EFT tapping to help modulate stress and anxiety. When your stress and anxiety are better managed your nervous system can be in a more healing or restorative state, and your immune system gets a big boost.  Not to mention you sleep better, have less inflammation and pain, and find more peace in your days. “Scanxiety” is a real thing!  I have found EFT tapping to be immensely helpful for clients as they anticipate and complete all their cancer testing scans. It’s quick and easy with immediate results in most cases. 

Sure! I am a full-service physical therapist. I also specialize in treating people with chronic pain, balance issues, total joint rehab, and I especially love working with folks who have painful backs and necks, even if therapy has not helped them before.  I’ve got your back!  Pun intended.   Let’s get on a call, so I can learn more about you. If I am the best person to help you great! If not, then I will help you find someone that has the expertise you need. It’s all about you getting the care you deserve.

Wellness services are more generalized and not necessarily related to any injury, treatment, or surgery. We may be more focused on personal training, fitness, mobility and strength, sleep, healthy weight management, stress reduction, mindfulness training, massage. Many of these services can be offered nationwide via virtual face-to-face sessions. The best thing would be to contact me. We can get a plan to help you get back to feeling your best!

I am an out-of-network (OON) provider, which means that I do not have a contract with any insurances. All my clients pay me at the time of service, much like a massage therapist, electrician, plumber, personal trainer, etc.   If you have OON coverage I can provide you with a superbill that has the diagnosis codes, and billing codes for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. 

Bottom line. I believe your treatment should be a collaboration between YOU and ME, and not an outside company with different interests and motivations. I also believe you get the highest quality of care in this unrestricted model. Fees are completely transparent and you will never get any “surprise” $5000 bills months after treatment is completed. (I’ve seen this happen too many times).

 You can use your HSA/FSA cards for your treatments. 

• 60-min PT visit – $155 
• 90-min PT max results session – $199 (best value)
• 60-min Massage Therapy session – $155  
• 90-min Massage Therapy session – $199
• Sliding scale reduced fee available on a case-by-case basis

No, Washington is a direct access state, meaning you can walk into my office and be treated without a referral.

While many clients can afford to pay for my services, some cannot. On a case-by-case basis, I can offer a sliding scale fee reduction or I can connect you with organizations that may be able to sponsor your treatments. Please call or email me and we can talk about the options to help you. I want to help you, so please reach out to me. 

Yes! Absolutely! We can do both in-person and virtual appointments. Wellness services are available in any state.

It depends.  If we are doing a wellness-focused care plan, then yes.  It is best to contact me first to see what your needs are. If I cannot help you, I will find someone in your area who can.