Today we’d like to introduce you to Kara Swinney, PT, MS, C/NDT, and CME Level II
Hi Kara, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When I was in the 4th grade, I became aware of Pediatric Physical Therapy as a career. There was a feature in my science textbook that showed a woman holding a toddler on top of a physioball. I thought it looked like a lot of fun and it just stuck with me. In 1994, my senior year at Austin High School, I took a class that let me spend a half day exploring a potential profession. I worked in an adult outpatient physical therapy clinic. I mostly did laundry and set up hot packs for patients, but it helped me learn that this was not the type of PT I was interested in. I was able to volunteer in several pediatric PT clinics during college while getting my undergrad degree in Psychology at Trinity University in San Antonio. This confirmed for me that Pediatrics was where I wanted to be. I went on to get my Masters in Physical Therapy at Texas Woman’s University in Houston in December of 2000. I married my high school sweetheart, Matt, and moved to the Bay Area of California where I began my PT career. I started out in Cardiac Rehabilitation for about 6 months while I waited for a Pediatric PT opening in Santa Clara County. After a fun year exploring Palo Alto, San Francisco and wine country, we decided to move home to Austin and have been here ever since. We have raised two kids in Allandale, Sadie (17) and Cashion (14). While living in Austin, I have worked exclusively in Pediatrics in a variety of settings, including outpatient hospital-based clinics, home health, The Rise School of Austin and now my own clinic, Austin Pediatric PT. I have two certifications that allow me to provide the best care to my patients, including Neurodevelopmental Treatment Technique (NDT) and Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME Level II). NDT has provided a foundation for evaluating clients’ movement, posture and alignment that built upon what PT school taught me. CME has allowed me to become even more effective as a physical therapist and carve out a niche in Austin to help babies, toddlers and young children with developmental delays become as independent in their mobility as possible. I work with babies with Torticollis, delayed motor skills, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, seizure disorders, hypotonia and many other diagnoses.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
During Covid, I continued to work with a few families that wanted to continue PT in their homes or outside in their yards. I began searching for continuing education opportunities that would make my work with these children more impactful with limited equipment since we didn’t have access to a therapy gym. I came across Cuevas Medek Exercises (CME) like many families do, on Instagram. I was intrigued with the technique and wanted to learn more but it was difficult to find information. CME was created by Ramon Cuevas in Chile in the 1970s and although it had been around for a long time, it was more common in other parts of the world than in the US. I found an instructor in Toronto, Simona DeMarchi, who was the first teacher Ramon certified several decades ago. Out of Covid came an opportunity to attend the first virtual CME Level I and II certification courses offered. Without this virtual option, this certification might have been out of reach. Since then, I have continued to improve my dexterity, skills and decision-making regarding Cuevas Medek Exercises by traveling to Toronto 3 different times to engage in mentorship and learning with Simona in person. This has been invaluable and I come back each time with renewed energy, ready to tackle new challenges, and the desire to help more children with motor difficulties.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the sole practitioner and owner of Austin Pediatric PT. I have a small office where I treat children one-on-one for 30 minutes to an hour, one to three times per week. I also offer intensive therapy. This could be 1, 2 or 3 weeks of 2 times per day physical therapy to help children make progress more quickly and achieve their goals. I use Cuevas Medek Exercises to make real change in the lives of children with motor delays or disabilities. Because I do my own scheduling, I can work with a family directly to design a program that will work for them. Most of my referrals come from current and past families I have worked with. They value my 24 years of experience and passion for learning. Forming close relationships with the children and their families and seeing the progress children can make in my care are my favorite parts of this career. I am a small, local business that has deep roots in Austin. I love caring for fellow Austinites and look forward to growing my business, although I don’t plan to expand by hiring other therapists. So, if you come to Austin Pediatric PT, you will work with me directly.
As one of the only CME providers in Central Texas, I have evaluated and treated children from Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and as far as Louisiana, who have traveled to work with me. Families of children with developmental disabilities are looking for the therapies that will make the most impact on their child’s independence for motor skills. We know that early intervention is key, so it is so important to find the therapies that are going to work for your child early on. I have worked with several families who tried traditional physical therapy for months or years and were looking for something more. I hear over and over again when they come to my office that they wish they had come to me sooner because the progress can be dramatic compared to what they have experienced in the past. As a PT who used traditional therapy methods for most of my career, I feel I am making the most progress with the most children right now with Cuevas Medek Exercises. I want to reach more families with infants and young children so that they can experience the benefits of CME as well. Opening my own clinic and focusing on this specialty has kept me invigorated at this stage in my career. While many PTs are feeling burned out by the challenges of today’s health care climate, I feel so lucky to be able to connect with families in this way and make meaningful progress with their precious children.
Any big plans?
I plan to get the word out about my practice through marketing to physicians and participating in community events. I have been invited to participate in community health fairs and family-focused events around Austin. The best part is getting to speak with so many lovely parents and I look forward to doing more events like this in the future.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.austinpediatricpt.com
- Instagram: @austinpediatricpt
- Facebook: @austinpediatricpt
Image Credits
All photos by Roy Muyinza except for the ones with the little girl in the pink dress (those are by Dana Weed).
