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Gema Sanchez, PT

(she/her)

Gema Sanchez, PT smiles for the camera in a park setting

About Me

Since very early in my career, I have been the therapist in the clinic who worked with the clients who did not improve with “traditional” physical therapy. My clients have multiple diagnoses, complex medical histories, persistent pain, immune system diseases, scars and sensitive nervous systems.

My approach to treatment is holistic and collaborative. We will look at all the aspects of your life that are influencing your pain and function including habits, posture, sleep, movement, history and beliefs. What you are experiencing in your body now is not separate from what your body has been through in the past. All of who you are and what you have experienced and what you know and what you believe comes into play. To treat my clientele, I strive to see the whole person, the mind, spirit and body in front of me.

I have a deep and abiding fascination with and love of the fascial system. I began taking continuing education classes in fascial and cranial techniques very early in my career and continue to this day. Most of the techniques that I use are considered gentle and indirect, but I also use deeper techniques, especially when addressing scars.

My training includes:

  • Muscle Energy Techniques
  • Upledger CranioSacral
  • Barral Visceral Mobilization
  • Barnes Myofascial Release
  • Jones Counterstrain
 

For several years, I had the unique and extraordinary opportunity to work almost exclusively with clients who had had breast surgeries and irradiation.

I have experience working with clients who have undergone:

  • augmentation
  • reduction
  • biopsy
  • lumpectomy
  • mastectomy (with or without reconstruction)
  • top surgery
 

Recently, I have also been pursuing my interests in pain science, the mind/body relationship and techniques related to the vessels including the lymphatics, nerves, arteries and veins and seeking out training in these areas.

I deeply believe in the importance of self care and movement to the health and well being of the person. But self-care and movement is unique to each individual, not to their diagnosis. The self care and movement programs that we develop together are very individualized and are dosed and progressed at your pace.

  • Doris :

    “I have been seeing Gema for more than 10 years. She has seen me through two hip replacement surgeries and multiple sprained ankles. And now is helping me adjust to the advancement of arthritis. Due to her caring and expertise, I continue to hike and do many other activities which add to the quality of my life.”

  • Toni :

    “I have been seeing Gema for many years, and for the first time in my life I am not worried about my back “going out”. Gema’s ability to help my body calm down, readjust and function is the only reason I can continue to live without fear of being bedridden for days. Gema’s knowledge, experience and intuitive sense of what my body needs is unparalleled. I can see Gema for a 45 minute treatment, and leave feeling safer, knowing my back will be functional for weeks. And while ongoing pain is still sometimes an issue, Gema is still able to reduce it and make it completely manageable. Gema’s combination of personable and professional makes it very easy to recommend her to anyone I know who needs help with pain.”

  • Karen :

    “Gema is the best! She is everything I needed and hoped for in a physical therapist… and more. She combines a wonderful ability to listen with many years of experience, a keen eye, great intuition and deep wisdom. Whether she’s locating and treating the underlying cause of my pain, providing incredibly skilled visceral manipulation to release painful restrictions or providing exercises to help me regain mobility following surgery I always find that I walk away, moving with greater ease, feeling immensely cared for and filled with tremendous gratitude.”

  • Linda :

    “Gema Sanchez is the most gifted, most knowledgeable physical therapist I have met. I have had chronic pain for the last twenty years. I've used chiropractors, exercise, yoga, and other physical therapists. All of these have given me some relief, but nothing lasting. She is the only one who has been able to trace the origins of my pain, often to a place on my body completely unrelated to what hurt, and gain permanent results. I am now in my 50's and I feel stronger and more connected to my body than I did in my 20's. She is incredibly skillful and very kind. She understands how pain can overwhelm and lead to depression or other distress. If you want to actually live your life again, hire Gema as your physical therapist.”

  • Kay :

    “Gema Sanchez is an exceptional physical therapist! She's a smart, compassionate, intuitive healer. You get her whole package of skills, knowledge and motivation to do your best every time you see her. Gema is a fun collaborator in wellness and fitness, with a great sense of humor when you need it most:) Her wisdom stretches far beyond the physical mechanics of the body. Her healing powers are holistic and highly effective! I was lucky to be referred to Gema after a serious bike accident, with a broken arm and smashed shoulder. I now enjoy the full range of motion in my arm and shoulder. I wouldn't have that without Gema's patient support. I can't recommend Gema highly enough!”

Website Image Credits

Alegria Bodyworks would like to thank the generous and talented Photographers at Unsplash for allowing the use of their images for this website.

Titles here are merely for descriptive purposes and are not names that the artists have given them. Images are listed in order of appearance, starting with the home page, from top to bottom.