We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Christine Astarita a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Christine , appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I started Breakthrough Intensive PT back in 2017 and it stemmed from knowing that this community deserves more. Breakthrough helps kids and adults with neurological diagnoses become as independent as possible by improving their mobility and building their confidence for a better quality of life. I had been a school and home therapist and knew that the current systems were failing this community. I was running around from case to case, only spending 30 minutes with each individual when all that I was taught was more time and repetition was needed for individuals with any neurological diagnoses. That being said, I was introduced to intensive therapy and knew it needed to be done differently. Families, like those we serve, go from specialist to specialist and appointment after appointment and get the typical healthcare experience. They are often told limiting beliefs by doctors or professionals (“their child will never walk, talk, etc.), or that their child needs surgery, more medications, etc. and they are left without resources and support. They are left to figure everything out on their own in a really scary and unknown world. So, I knew if I opened a clinic it had to feel like family and a place they looked forward to coming to every week. I knew that it had to be much more than the physical therapy or wellness services we provide. It had to consider the whole family; it had to consider resources, support, and community. We likely know “too much” about our families and they know “too much” about our lives, but I think that’s the missing piece…connection and community; support and resources. So we started sibling support programs and parent educational workshops to help the whole family in addition to the therapy services we provide. We’ve also added in inclusive wellness services for individuals who may not need intensive therapy, but could benefit from socialization through small group fitness classes and 1:1 personal training sessions.

We’ve been lucky enough to be part of so many families’ journeys and witness miracles in our gym space each and every day. Sometimes even the smallest gains go a big way in the quality of life of the individuals and families we serve.

In 2021, I read an article about an individual who ran across Long Island, NY (which is where we are located) from the Montauk lighthouse (most eastern and southern point of LI) all the way to the Brooklyn Bridge which is over 130 miles. And while sitting in the very space that we see miracles happen each and every day said “I could never do that”. Once I said that, I knew it was a limiting belief that I placed on myself. They don’t believe in “you will never” so I couldn’t believe in my “I could never” either.

So I envisioned running the streets of Long Island from the Montauk Lighthouse to our office while pushing our clients in an adaptive stroller to prove together that limits are only where we place them. These individuals deserve so much more than they are provided and deserve to feel like they are part of something much bigger. So, in 2021 I ran 85 miles in 20 hours across Long Island, pushing our clients while fundraising for a local non profit that helps our community. In 2023, I once again took to the streets of Long Island and ran 100 miles in 26 hours while pushing our clients and fundraising again for a local non profit. In the beginning of this year (2024), we started our very own non profit 501(c)3 called “The Run To Breakthrough Inc”. Through our events, we strive to provide a platform where families and individuals with disabilities can come together, not only to participate but to thrive. We believe in breaking down barriers and creating opportunities for everyone to experience the joy of running and the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. It is a way to spread the message of resilience together.

In addition to our inclusive races and community events, we provide grants, resources, and support to families navigating the challenges of disability. Whether it’s access to necessary equipment, guidance on navigating programs, or simply a “village of those who get it”, we are committed to being a source of assistance and empowerment through education and connection to resources.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Right out of high school, I knew I wanted to go into PT because it combined healthcare with athletics. Being an athlete my whole life, I was motivated to become a top PT for a professional sports team. While I was in PT school, we get placed in different rotations with different types of environments. I liked kids so figured I would try pediatrics for one rotation. Fatefully, I was placed in a special services school in South Jersey and from that moment on, I knew I had found my home. I never went on to work with any professional sports teams, rather now work with kids and adults with disabilities and the work we do is the most fulfilling work you could imagine.

One of my mentors, Jesse Itzler, has said to strive to be the best at what you do and to be the one who cares the most. That sits in my heart and I think of it often… there are other intensive centers, but none of them consider the very aspects that these families need. Intensive therapy works because there is an increased frequency and repetition to create meaningful progress…but it has to be more than that. It has to be whole family support, resources, and developing a community of families who can rely on one another. None of our families knew they were getting thrown into this world and they didn’t know anything about it until they were in it.

We put in the effort to service the whole family and care so much for the people and families we serve. When families enter our world, whether they continue with us or not, they are still and always part of our Breakthrough community and family. This purpose is much bigger than myself.

I am lucky enough to know my purpose here and truly believe that I was called to this work. The more I make decisions with my heart, the more I know I am guided to make an even bigger impact in the lives of the families we get the opportunity to help. Our mission and vision has continued to expand and grow which will only continue to help to make the impact we hope to.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

Running a small business in the healthcare industry amidst a pandemic was one of the most challenging circumstances we have faced yet. Helping kids and adults that are medically fragile was a scary time for our families and for us as a team. That being said, when schools shut down and were only providing virtual services, I knew our families needed us. Parents of our clients turned into parent, employee, school teacher, and therapist and it was too many plates to spin. While we offered virtual services and many people told me to close our doors, I didn’t feel that it was the right decision to make. So, we kept our doors open despite all of the advice we received and ended up being able to help more families because of it and not only be able to prevent regression during this time, but also helped them make progress through all the challenges they were facing.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I’m an avid reader so I have many books and resources I could recommend, but the most influential pieces I have read that relate to management and entrepreneurial thinking would be Life Principles by Ray Dalio, Daring Greatly by Brene Brown, and The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer. Brene Brown’s books have taught me so much about vulnerability as a leader and strategies to lead others in a completely different way than what you are taught or imagine it to be.

The Untethered Soul doesn’t sound much like a business reference, and it’s not. I truly believe as the leader of a company and/or manager, that the work you do on YOU first influences the way you lead and manage others. Opening a small business from the ground up can be really isolating, scary, and challenging at times, but the more you can release your attachment to the outcome, the more fun and easy it becomes to lead and serve your mission.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.breakthroughptli.com/ and https://runtobreakthrough.org/
• Instagram: @breakthroughintensivept and @theruntobreakthrough
• Facebook: Breakthrough Intensive Physical Therapy
• Linkedin: Christine Astarita
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@breakthroughintensivept