Dr. Thao Martinez, DPT, PT
Dr. Thao Martinez earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of St. Augustine in San Diego, California. As a Washington native, she attended the University of Washington earning dual degrees in Economics and Dance. This was emblematic of the out-of-the-box approach she takes in patient care today.
As a new graduate, Thao remained in Southern California, practicing in a multidisciplinary outpatient physical therapy clinic treating patients with chronic pain syndromes alongside a psychotherapist and other fitness professionals. Thao’s interest in pelvic health was piqued in order to gain more knowledge and understanding of her most complex lumbopelvic-hip patients. In 2018, Thao returned to Washington state to start her own family and solidified her journey toward specializing in pelvic health physical therapy.
Thao believes that physical therapy is for everyone and that anyone will benefit from physical therapy. Your body has the ability to heal itself given proper care, guidance, and the willingness to put in the work. True healing takes time and effort, therefore a rehabilitation journey should be approached as a partnership with your health practitioners. Our bodies are intelligent and every part is deeply connected to each other- we cannot treat the cause of an injury without assessing and working with the entire system.
As a Vietnamese-Chinese American, Thao is fluent in Vietnamese. This has allowed her to serve our community and volunteer in Vietnam with a medical group based in Washington. Thao enjoys being outside, hiking, running, or doing CrossFit.
Dr. Chris Gering, DPT, PT, CAFS
A DPT graduate of Northern Arizona University, physical therapy was the logical career path for me following an injury-ridden collegiate baseball career. Originally with aspirations of becoming a graphic designer, commercial pilot, or even civil engineer, the relationship between movement and his own physical, mental, and emotional well-being relentlessly fascinated him. Dr. Chris realized pursuing a healthcare profession would allow him to improve the quality of others’ lives while developing relationships and interacting with the neighbors in my community. As a physical therapist, he specializes in applying functional and specific, goal-oriented treatments to orthopedic, sports injury, and post-operative conditions. He is particularly interested in the treatment and recovery of overhead athletes (baseball/softball, tennis, volleyball, track and field), and have done extensive research surrounding prevention and rehabilitation strategies for ACL injuries, as well. In addition, he also has his Certification in Applied Functional Science® (CAFS). Regardless of the condition, he is committed to providing a personalized, patient-centered, and evidence-based approach to recovery.
Compassion, inclusivity, empathy, kindness, connection, and trust are at the forefront of his practice. Having worked as a staff therapist and clinical director for several years, where numbers and productivity were prioritized over people, he became eager to find a more effective use of his skill set. Receiving the necessary treatment to navigate this world with more confidence and less pain or physical dysfunction should not be a burdensome or daunting task. Dr. Chris believes every patient deserves to have their therapist’s full and undivided attention, as well as the opportunity to communicate with their provider through all steps of the rehab process. By allowing patients to communicate directly with him and eliminating the need for support staff, he is confident in his ability to provide a more effective and transparent service. In addition to serving his community, he is also committed to supporting various nonprofit organizations in their pursuit of the improvement and sustainability of outdoor recreation and hiking trails in Washington State.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Chris’s philosophy by visiting his website.
Dr. Jennifer Prewitt, OCS, DPT, PT
In 2008, Jennifer graduated with her undergrad at the University of California, Berkeley where she sought a way to combine her passion for sports and science. While working as a Physical Therapy aide and observing in additional settings, she witnessed people take their first steps after a stroke, saw children learn how to grab things that used to be out of their reach, and helped athletes return to running after surgery. It was then she discovered how incredible Physical Therapy was. She pursued her Doctoral degree in Physical Therapy at the University of Southern California where her appreciation for the field only grew. Upon graduation from USC in 2012, she returned to Northern California to start her career. In 2017, she reunited with her family in Washington state where she currently resides with her husband.
Jennifer believes that healing and wellness come through understanding. She believes in the need to understand what is happening in your body and how Physical Therapy interventions are helping to address the source of the problem. She helps you identify and appreciate when to push and when to rest, what pains are good and what pains are bad. She achieves this through patience, communication, and mastery, and great respect for the science that guides the practice of Physical Therapy. She goes the extra mile and uses your language. If you are an engineer, expect to hear analogies that describe friction, Ground Reaction Forces, and circuits in parallel vs circuits in series. If you have no great love of science, anticipate that we’ll use common metaphors and phrases to find your light bulb moment. If you are an athlete, Jennifer will draw from her background in soccer, running team participation, gymnastics, swimming, and high-intensity class-based exercise, to build a program that is meaningful to you. To Jennifer, Physical Therapy starts and ends with you.
Click here to learn more about her treatment philosophy.
Dr. Patrick Toy, DPT, PT
Dr. Patrick was raised in San Francisco, California most of his life. His grandparents were immigrants from China where they worked hard as cooks and seamstresses to provide the family with a pathway to the American dream. He took his studies seriously to ensure no opportunities were wasted. Dr. Patrick attended San Francisco State University where he majored in Kinesiology. While doing this, he also became very active in the Asian American community fighting social injustices surrounding affordable housing, access to healthcare, and obtaining higher education. His enthusiasm and commitment to health and community engagement led him down the path to pursuing a career focused on changing lives.
Dr. Patrick was brought to Washington to pursue his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at University of Puget Sound. Since then, he hasn’t stopped learning and since become iASTM certified and BFR certified, through Smart Tools.
Dr. Patrick believes every patient deserves 1-on-1 time with their healthcare providers. As a Physical Therapist, he is the “externist” of the body; for any pain related to movement or positioning, he wants to be the first one to know about it. His extensive training has reportedly saved his patients thousands of dollars in healthcare-related expenses. He also believes that as a Physical Therapist, he can connect to the communities he belongs to and strengthen them from within. From his grandparent’s teachings, he believes that his active involvement in helping the community and his patients on a deeper level will create an exceptional experience for those who entrust their health in his hands.