Be Well Blog

Brian Whyte, Doctor of Physical Therapy

Why I Do What I Do:

The sound of a swimmers voice called from across the pool deck, "Hey Brain, can you stretch me out before my race?"  This was a common occurrence back in High School when I was on the Greenwich High swim team.  I was in high demand at each meet.   I just instinctively knew how the body moved and what it needed to be more efficient.  You could say I had a special touch, a heightened understanding.  
 
Being an athlete and being active drives me.  It was my participation in sports that afforded an appreciation for how the body moves and how I can control or improve that movement.

I devoted more and more time to developing a better understanding of the body, which led me to a love of medicine.  I wanted to help those who were injured and ill to regain normalcy in their lives.   Becoming a Doctor of Physical Therapy allowed me to embrace my strong suites of caring, motivating, and one-one personalized attention.     

My work as a Physical Therapist is driven by my desire to give the highest level of individualized care.   In many fast paced rehabilitative settings a patient is lost in the daily shuffle, left to wonder, "Am I doing this correctly?"  My intention is to guide and teach each patient how he or she can best meet the demands of their desired lifestyle.  Practices include postural correction, strength training, normalizing restricted mobility, and obtaining proper flexibility and balance.  For some this may result in living pain free, able to work and spend quality time with their families. For others it may provide the ability to participate on local sport teams or in races.  For some it could simply mean being able to get out of bed on their own each morning.  

My work leaves me with a great sense of accomplishment knowing that I have had a true an impact on my patients’ lives and can improve their quality of life.

Gail Yurman, Licensed massage Therapist

Why I Do What I Do

After working in the corporate world for over 20 years, in 2003 I made the decision to follow my passion to help others experience the benefits of massage and enrolled in massage school, at the ripe young age of 40!

When I was a child I was diagnosed with a mild case of scoliosis, curvature of the spine. Nonetheless, I was active and participated in many sports.  I had my first professional massage when I was 18 years old. I was home on a college break suffering from pinched nerves in my neck and terrible low back pain.  A friend suggested I see his chiropractor, who recommended that, in conjunction with his therapy, I get a professional massage from the therapist in his group. That massage greatly increased the mobility in my neck and I felt tremendously energized when the session was over.  

From that time forward, I have used massage to manage stress, reduce anxiety and fatigue.  Regular massage therapy has also given me improved concentration, greater flexibility, a calmer heart, and increased energy, not to mention so many fewer aches and pains!  I love being a massage therapist and am so delighted that my work brings these same benefits to my clients. 

I incorporate a lifetime of knowledge into my massage practice, utilizing my intuition and personal experiences, as well as formal training.  An initial intake interview with each new client helps determine your level of wellness and therapy goals, and together we create a plan to reach those goals. Your session with me should be as unique as you are.

To make an appointment with Gail call The Center at 203.708.9299

Valerie Giglio, LMFT Holistic Psychotherapist

Why I Do What I Do

“As a teenager I had the opportunity to work with children suffering with neuro-atypical disorder (autism).  I was struck by the isolation and profound "inner-aloneness" that these neuro-atypical children seemed to experience.  I learned that I may not be able to radically change their symptoms, but I hoped to positively affect their separateness from our world by being willing to meet them within their world.  Through this work I discovered my love for the art of healing.

My work as a therapist is driven in essence by that same desire to alleviate the emotional wounds of separateness and aloneness that are simply part of the human experience.  My intention is to guide clients toward self-empowerment and emotional freedom by helping them identify limiting, fear-based beliefs that keep them from becoming more fully acquainted with their eternal, authentic self.

In my practice we use personal history to shed light on current misconceptions of one’s self and current struggles, but the main focus is on the NOW where all life and healing take place.  Loving and self-care begin only when we change our habits and thoughts in each moment.  My goal is for clients to leave each session with practical tools they can put to work immediately, rather than simply lingering on personal history.

Kim Bass, OTR/L Yoga Therapist

Why I Do What I Do

“The first time I did yoga I cried.  It was exactly what I needed in my life, a therapeutic practice that provided an emotional and physical connection.  I felt more alive, energized and grounded all at the same time.  That was 15 years ago and I still feel the same way. 

However, when I first started I became injured and realized I was doing yoga incorrectly.  Injuries kept coming up but they inspired me to do some research that resulted in an integration of my knowledge as a registered occupational therapist and the yoga I was practicing.  I then embarked upon years of intense yoga-teacher instruction from various mentors who have studied under John Friend, the founder of Anusaura Yoga and “intelligent vinyasa,” which integrates the breath based rhythm and flow of asanas.  I then combined that knowledge with the therapeutic benefits of healthy precision and solid alignment.

Dr. Donielle Wilson, ND

Naturopathic Family Practice

Why I Do What I Do

Today I met with a patient with an all too familiar story.   For 10 years she’s suffered persistent and worsening symptoms, visiting doctor after doctor, only to be told that everything is “normal.” 

You might ask, “How can it be that a medical professional would send someone home to continue suffering with no further concern, not to mention curiosity, as to what was at the root of her symptoms?”

I believe this occurs for two reasons.  One is that the body is really good at compensating and keeping things "normal" in the blood while the other parts of the body are ailing, which is why blood test results often come back "within the normal range" even when the patient feels terrible.  The second reason is that conventional medical training focuses on the extreme of medical conditions.  This means that for someone whose

C. Evers Whyte, MS, DC, DACBN

Non-Surgical Spine Specialist
Clinical Nutritionist

Why I Do What I Do

In college, I took up martial arts and while I was training, I stepped in some gymnasts’ chalk as I was throwing a kick.  I slipped and flew about 5 ft up in the air before landing flat on my sacrum on the wooden gym floor.  The pain in my low back was intense and continued to worsen until I was taking 25 Advil just to get through the day.  The stronger pain drugs made me sick.  I stopped exercising because of the pain and gained 20 lbs. After visiting 3 chiropractors, an orthopedist, a neurologist, a rheumatologist, and a neurosurgeon I always ended up with the same result:  “We can’t find anything Physically wrong with you.”  Obviously, my pain itself was not enough to convince these physicians that something was indeed seriously wrong.