We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Caitlin Greenstein. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Caitlin below.

Caitlin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken? Starting a healthcare business during a pandemic. But before I share the how, what, and why of my story, I want to go back a few years.

Back in PT school, I recall an assignment where we had to develop a business plan for a hypothetical physical therapy clinic. I clearly remember thinking, “Wow, this is such an epic waste of time,” and wishing I could study for more important classes, because owning a clinic was never something I intended to do.

However, throughout my ten years of experience leading up to the pandemic as a clinician in a corporate PT setting, I grew increasingly frustrated at what felt like an impossible industry.

We’re talking haggling with insurance companies, appeasing doctors/PAs who knew absolutely nothing about rehab, patients who didn’t want to be there or actively participate in their recovery, and countless patients who needed and WANTED help but couldn’t get it due to silly requirements/authorizations.

Between everything, not to mention the exorbitant caseload I was expected to carry, I felt burnt out, taken advantage of, gaslit by the medical community, and overall, truly disgusted with the career I had chosen as a young adult.

Fast-forward to the pandemic of 2020, when suddenly, I found myself without a job or health insurance. It infuriated me that a company that proudly held the “third largest rehab company in the country” accolade could not keep me employed throughout this health crisis, despite the previous reassurances that they intended to. Therefore, while I was told my unemployment was a temporary furlough, I had my suspicions – perhaps due to a simple lack of trust – that I would never return to the office where I once served as clinic director.

So, I quickly obtained a part-time PT position with a small start-up clinic. Luckily, my experience and intuition helped me avoid a non-compete clause due to the nature of the pandemic, which allowed me room to protect myself if I ended up in a similar position.

During this time, a connection I’d made through a patient & former colleague offered me a unique opportunity: a local entrepreneur was planning to open a multi-disciplinary wellness center where community members could access various healthcare options within the same inclusive & cohesive space. Even though it was going against everything I once thought I wanted, I slowly took steps toward forming a real business of my own. All the while, I stayed afloat by holding multiple part-time jobs and kept my eye open for full-time roles while I built my business.

Though I nearly backed out, two conversations with people in the industry motivated me to try it out. I started officially in January 2021 and saw just one patient that month. But I didn’t let the fear take over – I continued to build out my caseload by networking with countless people I had met over the years and creating new relationships.

By April 2021, I’d already let go of one part-time job to dedicate more time to my business. Three months later in July 2021, I let go of the other job and went all in on my business. It was terrifying to take a chance like that on myself, but I didn’t let it slow me down – in fact, I even joined a group of PT entrepreneurs where I found additional resources to help me grow.

Looking back, I’m actually not surprised at all to see that it all came to fruition – even though that college student I once was never expected to be a business owner. In fact, I think about the countless occasions over the years when patients mistook me for the owner, which I can only assume is because of the pride I took each and every day in the care I provided to my patients.

At the end of the day, I just wanted to take care of people who not only needed it, but wanted it. I encourage, empathize, and give genuine care to people in order to help them reach their potential and the goals they have set for themselves, and the pride and sense of responsibility in the level of care I offer to my patients is evident.

My experiences have taught me that we do not have to accept things for what they are. The mindset of, “This is how it has always been done,” is outdated, and both providers and consumers recognize that more and more each day. Healthcare should be about the patients, and my mission is to approach it in a way that best serves their needs.

Another (final) lesson I’ve taken from my path is this: often, things appear to be failing when, instead, they’re actually working out in our best interests.

Trusting the process and having conviction in what we bring to the table can lead to success, even in the least ideal circumstances. Branching off into my own practice has allowed me to remember why I chose this profession to begin with, and has helped me rediscover the joy in being a physical therapist.

Caitlin, 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?

Prior to becoming a physical therapist, I would have identified myself as a dancer. I started dance lessons at the age of four and it became my core passion throughout all of my childhood education. I always pictured myself either dancing professionally or owning a dance studio as a career.

The interest I had in dance lead to further curiousity above movement and anatomy. During high school, my mom was referred to physical therapy for lower back pain. Her experience as a patient is what encouraged me to explore the field of physical therapy as a more sustainable career choice. I ultimately did decide to move forward with physical therapy school after high school and I earned my doctorate degree in physical therapy in 2009.

I spent my first year as a licensed physical therapist in an orthopedic residency program where I gained substantial amounts of knowledge that really set the trajectory for my career to date. I have always been commited to deepening my knowledge and skill set. I earned my certification as an Orthopedic Certified Specialist in 2011 and in 2015 I began my coursework in dry needling to add that skill to my repitoire.

With starting my business, my primary goal was to meet each of my patients where they are and reach beyond the standard level of care. This requires empathy, a trauma-informed care model, and individual treatment sessions in order to address the patient as a full person and not as the body part where they are having pain.

Throughout my 13 years of experience as a PT, I have developed excellent assessment and diagnostic skills to match my ability to utilize a combined hands on and movement-based approach to solve problems. Many patients I work with have seen countless providers before who did not resolve their issues. I work with my patients to solve the current complaint but also set them up to have greater success for the long term. I do this by taking rehab a step further in working on overall wellness, strength, and mobility with a game plan for prevention.

I am most proud of the relationships I have built and the support from the community. In 2024, my business, Beyond Physical Therapy, received a silver award for best physical therapist from the Diamond Award committee representing Western Wake county. This is an award I received from the local community’s votes. It was such an honor to win considering I am such a small business up against large corporations.

For anyone considering physical therapy, I encourage you to carefully choose who you see and where you go. For high quality care, smaller practices are often where you will find it. The ability to be a person and not just a number coming and going can be the difference between living a life of chronic pain or living a life BETTER than before your injury.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source has always been word of mouth. Prior and current patients sending friends, family, co-workers, etc. In the current era of social media hype and accessibility, most people are not just walking into a business without prior research. Living by the Know/Like/Care model has helped with the success of my business. I ask on intake forms for people to share if they’d like who referred them. I am surprised at times at how far back some of these referral sources and I go. It just shows that the impression you make on people really does stay with them.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

The healthcare system as a whole fails the most in their ability to provide care that is truly compassionate. There are many factors as to why, so when you provide a health care service that is different than the typical, it stands out to people. My reputation is that I am a genuine provider who will listen to patients and put ego aside in order to achieve goals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beyond-physicaltherapy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyond_physicaltherapy/