About Lauren

Born and raised in California, Lauren received her bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts from St. Mary’s College of California prior to earning her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from UC San Francisco and San Francisco State University. She is especially fond of utilizing the Sahmann approach and Functional Manual Therapy techniques she has learned through continuing education courses with the Institute of Physical Art.

Prior to becoming a physical therapist, Lauren danced professionally and taught dance to all ages. She has been recognized for her artistry and choreography, and she continues to teach and create. Lauren prides herself on being creative and cognizant of each individuals’ strengths and differences. She believes every body has untapped potential. She hopes to guide and empower all her patients to come back stronger and more knowledgeable in order to return to the activities that mean the most to them.

Specialties: 

• Dancer injury prevention
• Pelvic Floor Health
• FMT based physical therapy
• Functional Strength

Lauren's Philosophy

Why are you a PT? 

I found PT several times during my dance career, and I was not impressed. I felt the treatment process was boring, and I was uninspired by the exercises my PTs gave me. It wasn’t until I was referred to a PT who had taken the time to learn about and understand dancers that I felt inspired by what was possible. It was the first time I came out of physical therapy better than before I injured myself. With my background in teaching dance and analyzing movement to make it work for each unique and individual body, I thought, maybe this is something I would enjoy doing in the future. I ended up shadowing and learning from the PTs that helped me come back from some of my worst injuries, and I found I loved being challenged to really figure out the root of their problem. Of course I didn’t know then what I was able to learn in school.  

I’ve found being a PT is sometimes like being a detective. I really have enjoyed picking up details to solve how to make an individual feel better. I appreciate looking at the entire body as a whole. As PTs we are some of the luckiest people working in the medical field. We have the ability to see our patients more, get to know our patients better, and figure out things we may have missed on the first go around. 

Why do you like working here?

I particularly enjoy the time I get with patients. I feel like the healthcare system has made it really difficult to give patients the time they deserve to ensure the longevity of their health. I also am often astonished by how motivated my patients are. They take their PT homework seriously, which makes my job really fun because we can move forward to help them reach their goals. My co-workers are also extremely intelligent and hard working, and we are always able to share our knowledge.  

What do you like to do when you are not working as a PT?

I also work as a dance teacher and choreographer. I am a former professional dancer, but I still love dancing in open adult classes. It is also such a great gift to pass forward what I learned to other dancers. Over the pandemic I started working with choreographing for film. I took on the role of videographer, film editor, director, and choreographer, which I hope to continue doing on the side for fun. I also love traveling, painting, hiking, and trying new food from all over the world.