Featuring classic and innovative approaches to rehabilitation and continued wellness.
Situated in the heart of downtown in the Village at Chambers Bay, Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy – University Place offers people of all ages throughout the local communities easy access to a welcoming and supportive place to rehabilitate and reach their health and performance goals.
“We really treat the whole family here, and we treat all different conditions from head to toe,” physical therapist and practice manager Chelsie Vetter said. “My objective during the first visit is really to get to know the patient, to understand why they’re here and what they need from me to be able to get back to the things they love.”
Whether they are recovering from an injury, are post-operative – or even pre-operative, or simply battling general aches and pains, from the moment a patient walks through the clinic doors, their goals become the entire team’s goals.
Together, through shared decision making, patients and practitioners develop an individualized plan of care designed to achieve those goals as quickly and safely as possible.
“Shared decision making is a really important aspect of what we do here,” Chelsie explained. “We want to make sure that we come up with a game plan together versus us just telling the patient what to do. We want to make sure we’re aligning, so we find something they enjoy doing as far as exercises go, so we can reach their recovery and goals faster.”
Ensuring patients are actively involved in the care they receive allows them to be a part of their own healthcare team. Additionally, the physical therapy team prioritizes communication with other professionals on patients’ medical teams.
“We want to make sure that we really know everything about a patient, and we find it’s really important to communicate with all of their providers, so we have a good understanding of every part of their healthcare,” Chelsie said. “That’s why we start with their medical history on that first visit – it’s important to know what they’ve experienced and what conditions they already have.”
While understanding the medical side of things is important, the team also values getting to know their patients for who they are beyond their condition or injury.
“We really try to make them feel like they’re part of a family here,” Chelsie said. “We want to get to know about their lives because we’re not just here for physical therapy, we want to help patients overall – physically and mentally – we’re really trying to work on the whole person.
“My favorite part about being a physical therapist,” Chelsie continued, “is just getting to know the patients. I get to hear a lot of really awesome stories about people’s lives. It’s so nice to have that personal relationship with people.”
Getting to know people and working with them to overcome any musculoskeletal challenges they’re facing is a rewarding endeavor for Chelsie and the clinic team. When a patient completes their course of care, the goal is that they feel confident in their ability to continue on their own, that they have the tools they need, as they return to the things they love.
“If they start to feel those aches and pains again, they know they can return to their physical therapy program, and if they need to come back to us, we can set them on the right track again,” Chelsie said.
For anyone who’s asking themselves, “Is physical therapy right for me?” Chelsie’s advice is simple.
“Just come in and give it a shot,” she said. “We do free injury screenings so we can talk about how you feel and determine if physical therapy is right for you or if you need to see another medical provider.
“I wish everyone knew that physical therapy is here for you, not just when you have an injury,” Chelsie continued. “We want to be a part of your life, to help you be active, help you do what you love for longer and with less pain, and empower you to take care of yourself.”
Your PT for Life.
At Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy – University Place, we are excited to be a part of this vibrant community. Our experts pride themselves on helping patients of every age and ability achieve the most optimal recovery as quickly and safely as possible. We're passionate about keeping you moving, pain free, and doing all the things you love.
