Welcome!
I’m Marysa (she/her) and I am a doctor of physical therapy, a certified yoga teacher, writer, and a guide for developing the mind-body connection.
I am deeply curious about the human condition and what it means to be a complex, multi-faceted being in our world. My mission is to help others create a safe place in their bodies and step into deeper relationships with themselves.
I believe the body holds on to patterns, emotions, feelings, and beliefs that we have. I also believe the way that we move, stand, sit, and sleep are powerful insights into our holding patterns, our strengths, and our weaknesses. I help people through the process of learning the language of their body, utilizing intuitive movement and nervous system patterns to move through their current existence into a more embodied and anchored way of being.
My work is a melding of my knowledge of the body and using its wisdom to support healing of the mind and spirit. I hold the belief that we are all whole beings, yet we so often find ourselves disconnected from the different pieces of our wholeness. This disconnectedness or disembodiment leads to dis-comfort and dis-ease, showing up as pain, anxiousness, depression, and other health problems. I take a body-centered and trauma-informed approach to guide others through pain and discomfort in their bodies.
My Journey
I have known in my heart for a long time that the mind and the body were deeply connected. I studied psychology and exercise science in college, with the goal of understanding how human behavior, emotions, and beliefs impact how our bodies function. I went on to study physical therapy in graduate school, and dove into learning how to heal the body through manual therapy and movement.·
I experienced two simultaneous, deep losses during my second year of graduate school. The loss of a parent, and the loss of my health. I pushed through my chronic pain and my grief to make it through my final year of school, and I began working full time in a physical therapy clinic.
Once life had seemingly “slowed down”, all of my experiences came crashing down around me. I became sicker than ever, both mentally and physically. I was lost. I had no way to orient myself. No way to understand what was happening. It was dark and isolating.
As I was learning about the intricacies of the human body through mentors and PT related continuing education, I was diving into mindfulness practices, energy healing, humanistic psychology, and somatic processing. As I learned and healed more within myself, I found my chronic pain patients benefitting from these same practices. The acknowledgement of the emotional and traumatic component of pain led to breakthroughs and healing on deep, powerful levels. I firmly believe that healing requires us to address the mind, body, and spirit together, and I know my learning around this complex interplay will never be over.
I am always taking new classes and am currently working through an MA program for Counseling and Psychological Services. My love for learning is endless, and I am excited to have opportunities to integrate my knowledge of the body with both a science-based and intuitive lens.
Credentials
University of Wisconsin, Madison: Doctor of Physical Therapy
University of St. Thomas: BS in Exercise Science, BA in Psychology
Institute of Physical Art: Functional Manual Therapy Training
Mind-Body Therapy Practitioner
Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) + Trauma Informed Yoga Certification
Functional Dry Needling: Kineticore Level 1
Reiki Level 1 Certification