I'm Able to do More Activities, Sleep Better and Fatigue is Gone Down.
For several years I had been experiencing low back pain, neck pain, and weakness in my right arm and shoulder. My sister was undergoing decompression therapy through OSST and she suggested that I come in and get checked out. After treating at OSST I feel much better overall, my low back pain is much more tolerable and adjusting my neck has helped my allergies. I am able to do more activities, sleep better, and my fatigue has gone down. Since I don’t feels so stiff and in pain chores are much easier to do, and since my allergies are reduced I can breathe better. I’ve had a couple of friends lately asking me if I am taller! I attribute that to standing up straighter! Overall I’ve had a great experience at OSST and the staff are very friendly, upbeat, and encouraging.
— Janet S.
Therapists
CHARLES | SUSAN | LEE | ERIN | RACHEL | STEPHANIE
Charles Thomas
Physical Therapist
Charles (Chuck) is a Physical Therapist who has been in practice for over 30 years, he specializes in manual therapy techniques and fitness training. He holds degrees from the University of Oregon, BS in Physical Education 1976 and from Stanford University, MA in Physical Therapy 1978. His experience ranges from the Naval Hospital San Diego, a large regional medical center in Everett, to being the owner of a small medicine clinic and fitness center in Oak Harbor.
His interest in helping others started in high school sports after learning that the top-notch care the athletes receive was not available to everyone. Whether your life activities involve athletics or not, the requirements and demands on your body warrant the same level of care.
Chuck is also a Certified Interactive Metronome© practitioner. This is another great tool to integrate the function and control of the mind and body. The IM training tasks use how our brain learns and stores information to increase ones ability to act and think more efficiently. This results in faster healing and results that last longer.
Outside work, Charles enjoys archery, golf and biking but these days he’s very busy helping his two UW students get through school and onto their careers.
Susan Bowman LMP
Massage Therapist
Susan is the veteran massage therapist at Olympic Spine & Sports Therapy. She has worked hand in hand with our doctors and therapists since 2000. Her considerable experience in therapeutic massage specifically targets chronic pain and dysfunction. A previous career as an RN adds a greater dimension to her understanding of patients’ treatment needs and contributes to her exceptional results.
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Lee Shelley, NTP
Nutritional Therapist
Lee Shelley, is our resident Nutritional Therapist. Her professional career has been very diverse. Growing up in South Carolina, she became a Dental Hygienist. Shortly afterward she met her husband and moved to Seattle. She practiced for several years as a Dental Hygienist in different cities in South Carolina and Washington State. Many years later she became a Licensed Midwife and founded Puget Sound Birth Center in Kirkland, WA. It remains a thriving birth center even today having served thousands of families since 1996.
Some years after the birth of her daughter, Gracie, she became interested in Nutrition and Functional Medicine. She had the personal goal of getting off all pharmaceutical medications. That led to many years of study in these fields, and with the help of a very talented Naturopathic Doctor she was able to gradually stop all medications.
Lee then pursued the study of Functional Blood Chemistry, Functional Endocrinology, Thyroid disorders and Neurotransmitter imbalances. She rounded that out by getting certified as a Nutritional Therapist.
Her role in our office is to investigate the patient’s metabolic function/dysfunction to assess it’s contribution to their health concerns. We know that pain in the body usually has many contributors – not usually a single cause such as spinal misalignment or disc protrusion. Metabolic imbalances can have profound effects on pain, fatigue, weight and mental function. These are the metabolic considerations of care at our office.
Lee uses numerous laboratory tests, metabolic questionnaires and diet history to assess a patient’s metabolic function. She is then able to guide the patient through nutritional and lifestyle changes as well as utilizing nutritional supplements to make profound health changes. Lee has the rare blend of personal experience, extensive knowledge and genuine concern for her patients.
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Erin Morgan LMP
Massage Therapist
Erin has been doing massage since 1992 after graduating from the Seattle Massage School in 1991. She has experience working in a variety of settings from medical clinical settings, to a gym/health club, to a 5 star resort in the US Virgin Islands.
Erin believes massage is beneficial to most people because it assists the body with its own natural process of healing. It not only helps to increase circulation and decrease muscle tension, it also helps to relax the nervous system and decrease stress.
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Rachel Caalim
Physical Therapist Assistant
Rachel is a native of the Greater Seattle area. She graduated from Washington State University with a BS in Psychology. Rachel decided to continue her education and went back to school to receive her license to work as a Physical Therapist Assistant.
When she is not working, Rachel enjoys traveling, playing softball, hiking, and spending time with her family and friends.
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Stephanie Henriksen
Physical Therapist Assistant
Born and raised in Edmonds WA, Stephanie is a true native of the Pacific Northwest. After high school, she attended The Art Institute of Seattle where she received and Associates in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management. She worked in the hospitality industry for several years as a Baker and Pastry Chef before returning to school to obtain a degree in physical therapy. Stephanie became interested in Physical Therapy after several roller derby related injuries requiring her to go to PT for treatment.
On her spare time Stephanie enjoys baking and making desserts, going to Seattle Sounders FC games, seeing live music and playing Dance Central on the Kinect.
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