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

Lina, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

This story probably sounds familiar. I was a burnt out clinician trying to survive a busy schedule and constantly working to overcome imposter syndrome. I stayed in this constant state of overwhelm with simultaneous doubt for about 3 years before I decided to test the waters of starting my own business. I had so much fear of failing and that I wouldn’t be good enough, but I finally met people who encouraged me to take the leap and that I had what was necessary to be an entrepreneur. I tried to go at it on my own for the first few months, and the best thing I did for myself was invest in a business coach. She only helped me for a few months, but the amount of confidence I gained in networking with others and marketing myself was priceless.

Lina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am an orthopedic and pelvic health physical therapist in the Chicago area. I initially went to physical therapy school because I wanted to help people, like many others, and I honestly vibed the best with the physical therapists when I spent time shadowing health professionals while I was trying to decide what I wanted to do as a career. I initially began in a traditional outpatient orthopedics setting, working with people after they had rotator cuff repair surgery, a knee replacement, or getting back to running after an Achilles tendon injury. It wasn’t until I started my orthopedic residency that I actually realized how much of a need there is for pelvic health. I didn’t even recognize my own problems with leakage and pelvic pain until I saw case examples that looked all too familiar. I was amazed at how exercise and education could make such a large impact on women who had issues that were oftentimes difficult to talk about. Now, I have the huge privilege of being able to empower women during pregnancy and prepare for childbirth, stop peeing their pants when they do CrossFit, and get back to running postpartum. I also have a new interest in helping perimenopausal and menopausal women make that transition with fewer pelvic floor symptoms and offer strength training programming for women with osteoporosis.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I have had to unlearn to not ask people for help. I used to think that if I could do everything on my own, I was the best version of myself. But that couldn’t be far from the truth. When I started my business, I learned to ask for help often, and it’s made me realize that I can grow so much more with the right circle around me.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I almost dropped out of physical therapy school during my final year. A combination of some mental health issues and a difficult clinical instructor made me questioning my worth. I almost gave up on everything, but with the support of a friend, I was able to get the support I needed for my mental health and came back to finish my degree stronger than ever. I even went on to complete an orthopedic residency, which is something that less than 10% of physical therapists will do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://resolveptperformance.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linaalvino.dpt/