Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Angela Spruill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Angela thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

When I graduated from my physical therapy program 25 years ago, I had no intention of becoming a pelvic health therapist. I wanted to work with athletes. Back then, pelvic health wasn’t even on the radar—no one was talking about it.

At my first clinic, a colleague was leaving and I was asked to take over her caseload. Honestly, I didn’t want to—but I agreed to take a continuing education course at USC. That single decision changed the course of my career.

The instructor was incredible, and the material was unlike anything I had ever learned in school. One course led to another, and soon I was traveling all over the country, learning alongside other women who would become lifelong friends. We were diving into conditions that few therapists were treating at the time. The pioneers of this specialty were fierce, passionate, and determined—and it was inspiring to be part of that movement.

What surprised me most was how much pelvic health connected to the bigger picture. Understanding the pelvic area helped me solve back, hip, and knee pain in new ways. It led me into nutrition, gut health, the nervous system, stress management, and how different medications affect the body. I realized I wasn’t just treating body parts anymore—I was treating the whole person.

I never set out to do this work, but I can’t imagine my career any other way.

Angela, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I opened my clinic, Custom Physical Therapy, 20 years ago, and I’ve been specializing in pelvic health and pregnancy rehab for over 25 years. Because I’ve been doing this work for so long, I’ve developed deep experience treating a wide range of conditions—everything from bladder and bowel dysfunction to post-surgical recovery (including oncology), as well as pre- and post-partum concerns, and pelvic, hip, and coccyx pain. Over the years, physicians have trusted me with their most complex cases, which has allowed me the expertise to navigate challenging conditions with compassion and skill. I believe education is power, and I make it a priority to teach my patients about their bodies, empowering them to take an active role in their healing. I treat the whole person, not just their symptoms, and I’m not afraid to reach out to other resources when collaboration will benefit my patients. I also feel strongly in my own education, Continuing education courses have always been central to my practice, and today I also teach new practitioners about pelvic health, helping to expand the reach of this essential care.

Because I believe healing is most effective when the whole person is supported, last year I partnered to open Vitality Village: A Wellness Center. Our goal is to create a community for healing, where patients can access multiple science backed healing modalities that support long-term health. Alongside physical therapy, we offer movement classes, community workshops, massage, cold plunge, infrared sauna, red light therapy, pulsed electromagnetic frequency sessions, and acupuncture. Every plan of care is guided by myself and my partner, both doctors of physical therapy, ensuring our patients receive the highest quality of integrative, individualized care.

Any advice for managing a team?

From the very beginning, I knew I wanted my clinic to feel like family. Patients come to us in moments of pain and vulnerability, and I believe the environment should reflect care, warmth, and trust. That same philosophy extends to how I lead my team.

If I could give one piece of advice for managing people, it’s this: hire for personality first. Skills can be taught, but kindness, compassion, and the ability to connect with others are what create a strong foundation. When employees truly enjoy who they work with, they naturally want to support each other and the patients.

I also believe growth is essential—for the clinic and for each person on the team. Encouraging constructive feedback, listening without judgment, and offering real-life advice helps employees improve not only at their jobs but also as people. This builds trust, and with trust comes motivation and pride in their work. A culture that values respect and accountability keeps morale high and ensures that everyone feels part of something bigger than themselves. In my experience, this is how you create a workplace where people are motivated to stay on task, work hard, and feel proud of what they do every day.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Growing a physical therapy practice successfully comes down to combining clinical excellence with community connection.
Word of mouth is the #1 driver of referrals in my practice. When patients feel heard, cared for, and see results, they naturally tell others. We have been doing just that for 25 years. We have always focused on personalized treatment plans, emphasizing the whole body, significant amounts of education so that our patients have a very clear picture of what is happening, and celebrating progress with a supportive staff at all levels. Patients who feel like partners in their healing and feel like someone has listened to all their concerns become your best advocates.

I also feel developing relationships with physicians, midwives, chiropractors, nutritionists, psychologists, fitness trainers, and wellness professionals is important. A team approach is always best, providing updates on shared patients makes it easy for them to trust you thus promoting referrals. And when I refer my patients to other practitioners, I want to know who I am referring to.

Contact Info:

• Website: customphysicaltherapy.com and vitalityvillageca.com
• Instagram: @vitalityvillage805 and @angela_spruill12
• Facebook: custompt.fit and vitalityvillage