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

Kathleen, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear about how you went about setting up your own practice and if you have any advice for professionals who might be considering starting their own?

I have been a practicing physical therapist since 2014. During my first year, I was seeing mainly orthopedic patients, so those people with aches and pains, strains, sports injuries, and various surgeries. In 2015, I initiated the pelvic health program of our company, with a new interest in addressing pelvic floor dysfunction in men and women. It was at this time that I began imagining opening my own clinic. I wanted to have a place that was slower paced which would give me more time to spend with each of my patients. I continued developing relationships with each person I was lucky enough to spend time treating, and I did as much research as I could get my hands on to learn how to get a clinic started. Then, in November 2021, I was able to make the dream a reality and I opened Fiat Physical Therapy! I have recently expanded into a bigger space and I am growing my time. It is a very exciting time at Fiat PT!

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?

I have always been involved in sports and very interested in the biology and kinesiology of movement. My own personal experiences in physical therapy led me to pursue PT as a career. There are many different aspects of PT – more than just working out, as many people assume! I was very influenced by my time spent in the hospital and the nursing homes, but I still felt the most at-home with orthopedic rehabilitation. This bloomed into my interest in pelvic health, and I have never looked back! In my practice currently, we offer many different services to address orthopedic pain (think back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, knee pain etc.) as well as specialized care to address pelvic floor concerns. With Fiat PT, you will receive individualized care that focuses on your specific needs. We offer physical therapy services included (but not limited to): pelvic floor therapy, pre- and postpartum rehabilitation, orthopedic rehabilitation, therapeutic exercise prescription, exercise programming, patient education for a variety of conditions, and manual therapy including techniques such as dry needling, instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), and myofascial cupping.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I would! I had one patient describe my job as a therapist as my ministry and this has stuck with me ever since. I have also had the opportunity to be an adjunct professor at my graduate school – The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. I started in 2020 and I have really enjoyed being back on campus to teach these classes of doctoral students. This experience has really confirmed to me how much I love what I do! Teaching helps to make me a better therapist – and I really believe that being a full-time therapist also influences my teaching and connects my students to the clinical world.

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

Developing relationships! Through my almost 10 years of practice, I have learned that developing relationships is key. People need and deserve to be truly seen and heard. As a student physical therapist, I came across many people who said that they felt that they were just a number when they were at their appointments. I was determined to never let that be how someone feels when they leave me. Plus, I really enjoy getting to know people! Even though I am encountering most people in the midst of pain, I never get tired of learning about them. I am grateful that so many people allow me to play a small part in their story and I really live for the moments when these people are able to get their lives back after coming to PT!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.fiatpt.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiatpt_mem
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiatpt