Here to help you achieve your goals so you can get back to living the life you love.
When a patient at Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy – Wilsonville reaches their goals, the whole clinic team celebrates with them. For physical therapist and clinic director Sarah Borquist, teamwork and building relationships with each patient is a top priority.
“We want our patients to feel comfortable and friendly with us,” Sarah emphasized. Through connecting on a personal level with those seeking their care, the clinic team can really become invested in the goals being pursued.
“Your goals are our goals. We want to help you get back to the things you want to do,” Sarah said. It’s understanding those goals and what they mean to people that matters, she added. “I tell my patients all the time, it doesn’t matter what my numbers are if you still can’t do the things you love. Five out of five strength or 180 degrees range of motion is great, but if you still can’t pick your kid up, we still have a big problem.” Shared decision making is key to aligning therapist goals with patient goals. At its core, shared decision making ensures your voice is heard as the patient, allowing you to be an active participant in the decisions about your healthcare.
“The initial conversation we have is really important to make sure that we know what is going on with you,” Sara explained. “I always say, ‘I can see how you move, but I can’t feel how you feel.’ We see a lot of different cases and it stinks to be injured. It shouldn’t stink to have to come to physical therapy.”
Utilizing a one-on-one approach blended with a team strategy, Sarah and the staff are dedicated to ensuring their patients feel supported and are empowered with education and the confidence that they can get better.
“Oftentimes patients are coming in not knowing a whole lot about what’s going on with their body, they just know they are in pain and can’t do the things that are important to them, or that the doctor told them something was wrong and that they need physical therapy,” Sarah said. “Being able to help people understand their pain or injury and that things are going to be okay, to get them to a place where they are confident in their ability to keep moving, to keep active and keep doing the things that make them happy … that is really fulfilling.”
While building relationships with and helping her patients is Sarah’s favorite part of being a physical therapist, she and her team also take great joy in being a part of the vibrant Wilsonville community and are proud to be a resource for residents of all ages and abilities. The team prioritizes community education and strives to sponsor and participate in a wide range of community activities from team sports to health fairs to fun runs and marathons.
“Part of what Therapeutic Associates is about is getting people moving, so we want to support those things that help people move,” Sarah said. “We like to be available to everyone and work to be involved in this great community, to help make sure people here stay happy and healthy.
“We see patients from 4 to 94 … or even a little older. So that means people who are post-op where they have had a total knee replacement or a rotator cuff or ACL repair, to your weekend warriors who have an ankle sprain or just went a little too hard on that most recent hike, all the way down to kids who lost a fight with a jungle gym.”
Whatever brings a patient to the clinic, their successful completion of the plan of care custom designed to help them reach their goals is a point of pride for the PT team.
“When you’ve achieved your goals, and we’ve seen how much work and effort you’ve put into it as we went … I always say, ‘I can do 1,000 sit-ups a day – that’s not going to give you abs,’ … we’re so proud of you,” Sarah shared.
One of the ways the clinic celebrates is what Sarah and her team calls “clinic-endorsed graffiti.”
“We give you a Sharpie and invite you to write whatever you want on our wall!”
The testimonials that cover the wall illustrate just how many lives have been impacted by Sarah and her team.
“We are part of the Wilsonville community and will continue to be here for anyone who needs us.”
We look forward to being a part of your healthcare team.
Our experts are committed to providing effective, efficient, and compassionate care to help you live a pain-free, active life. Our passion is to help every patient reach their goals on their journey to recovery and optimal performance.
