Providers

Lisa grew up in Brentwood, CA on a farm in the foothills of Mt. Diablo. She graduated with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Eastern Washington University in 2013. Prior to that, she earned a Masters in Biology from Northern Arizona University and a BA in Biological Anthropology and Anatomy from Duke University. Lisa began studying strain counterstrain soon after graduating PT school and now has more than a decade of training in strain counterstrain and fascial counterstrain. She is also trained in traditional orthopedic manual therapy, functional movement assessment/exercise prescription, and aquatic therapy. Lisa specializes in manual therapy techniques to help the body recover after trauma, whether that be from surgery, injury, repetitive stress, or life events. Lisa’s primary area of focus is treatment of complex multisystem fascial dysfunction, particularly related to spinal and nerve conditions and chronic pain. Outside of the clinic, Lisa enjoys hiking, backpacking, paddling, and cross-country skiing with her family and friends. 

Lisa’s treatment philosophy: Injury and trauma to the body cause spasms not only at the site of injury, but also in the tissues responsible for guarding that site from further damage. At the same time, trauma activates the part of the nervous system that protects us from danger. This nervous system activation plus spasms trap inflammation in the body. That can result in widespread pain and dysfunction far from the site of injury. In order to find the root cause of pain, we need to look at the whole person and how they have compensated and adapted to trauma.