When she’s not at the clinic, odds are you’ll find Chelsie Vetter on the soccer field or implementing a creative home improvement project with her husband. As a physical therapist and practice manager of Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy – University Place, Chelsie values the opportunity to get to know her patients while helping them on their PT journey and enjoys hearing their stories. Though the clinic is new to the Tacoma region, Chelsie is excited to be accessible to people throughout University Place as well as the neighboring areas including Lakewood and Fircrest. If she could share something about physical therapy, it would be that it’s not just for injury treatment and recovery, but it can help you optimize your movement and performance, empowering you to move better and do what you love throughout your lifetime.
Q&A with Chelsie Vetter
Q: What inspired you to pursue a career as a physical therapist?
I decided to pursue physical therapy part way through my undergrad degree. Actually, I started as an athletic training major because I really enjoyed sports medicine. But then I realized that I didn’t want to be on the field waiting for somebody to get hurt. I wanted to be a part of their care throughout their lifetime, before and after injuries.
Q: It sounds like you are a people person. Does that play into what you enjoy about being a physical therapist?
My favorite part about being a physical therapist is getting to know the patients. I get to hear a lot of really awesome stories about people’s lives, and just working one-on-one is awesome for me. I don’t do super great in large groups, so it’s nice to have that personal relationship with people.
Q: For a lot of people, what they enjoy about their career is what also makes them excel at it. Would you say that’s true for you when considering the personal attributes that you bring to your role as a PT?
I’d say my best attribute that I bring to being a physical therapist would be my ability to listen to the patients. I really like to hear their stories and why they’re here to see me … and I think it’s important to get to know each patient as a whole person.
Q: What is your favorite way to spend a day off?
My favorite way to spend the day off is relaxing. I feel like I’m go go go all the time, so being able to relax at home with my husband and cuddle with our cats on the couch, binge-watch some shows … but we also do enjoy getting outside, doing different hikes, and definitely playing soccer.
Q: Soccer? Is that your favorite sport to play?
Soccer is my favorite sport, hands down. I’ve been playing since I was 7. I played in high school, college, and a little bit of semi-pro. Now I play in adult leagues. I really do enjoy other activities, but that’s really my getaway and what I enjoy most on the weekends when I have time.
Q: You mentioned binge-watching some shows … anything you’ve particularly enjoyed lately?
The latest show that I’ve binge-watched was Stranger Things – season four … awesome! I tend to fall asleep when I’m watching shows or movies, so this is something that really kept my attention and I didn’t fall asleep on the couch. So that’s when you know it’s a good binge-worthy show.
Q: Speaking of TV shows, if you were going to be a contestant on Survivor, what would your one luxury item be?
If I was on Survivor, my one luxury item that I want to take would be a mummy bag because I really don’t like being cold, so if I could just have that one thing, I feel like I could get through the rest of it.
Q: What about time travel – if you could, would you go back or forward in time?
If I had the opportunity to time travel, I think I’d go into the future. My husband and I have been talking about having kids and there’s a chance that we will have twins and that makes me super nervous and also very excited. Both sides of our families have twins. My sisters-in-law are twins. My grandmothers are twins. So yeah, I’d be interested to see if that’s what our future holds.
Q: So, no kids yet … what’s one of your passion projects now then, outside of being a PT?
I guess one of my passions outside of work is actually designing our home. I used to watch HGTV all the time and I wanted to be an interior designer, but I love what I do now as a PT, and then I just get to design our home and make it feel special to us. And it changes every time we move. I’m like, ‘Oh man, this doesn’t work for this space,’ so it’s kind of fun.
Q: That must keep you busy! What about when you need to relax, what’s your favorite stress buster?
My favorite stress buster is definitely getting out there on the soccer field, but I also really do enjoy just going for a nice walk and getting away from the busy part of my day.
Your Healthcare Partner
At Therapeutic Associates Physical Therapy – University Place, we are here to help you achieve your goals quickly and safely. We treat the full spectrum of patients from young children to high school and college athletes to weekend warriors and adults who are simply dealing with the aches and pains of their 9-5. We also greatly value the opportunity to work with older adults as they navigate the pains and conditions that often come with aging.
