Melissa has always had a big interest in health and fitness and became interested in becoming a physical therapist when her father suggested it to her. “He is an avid ultramarathoner, and his favorite distance is 100 miles,” she explains. “Lucky for him, I loved my first anatomy and physiology class and now he has a physical therapist in the family just like he wanted.”

Melissa believes that the patient always knows their body best. “I always want to hear about what the patient is feeling and what they are thinking,” she explains. “I also believe in treating patients in a holistic way and getting to know their goals. You are not just a back injury or a knee injury to me, you are a whole person and I really focus on that.”

Some of the areas of Rehabilitation that Melissa has a special interest in are concussions, vertigo, other vestibular disorders, and general dizziness. She also enjoys treating all manner of orthopedic and musculoskeletal problems. “I love being able to be a part of getting someone back to doing something that they love and just help them live life with less pain and less overall difficulty,” she explains.

When she is not busy with patients Melissa enjoys reading, crocheting, and looking for needy dogs to adopt. She also likes to run for hours in the woods and enjoys the sport of curling.