BTS April 2026

APRIL 2026

VOL. 50

A

BEYOND THE STRETCH

T H E R A P Y

P A R T N E R S

G R O U P

N E W S L E T T E R

OT MONTH: THE WORK BEHIND LIFE’S MOMENTS April gives us a meaningful reason to pause and recognize a group whose impact is often felt more than it is seen: our Occupational Therapists and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants.

While physical therapy helps people move, occupational therapy helps people live.

It’s in the quiet victories: buttoning a shirt for the first time after surgery, preparing a meal independently, returning to a classroom, a job, a beloved hobby. It’s in the deeply personal goals that don’t always make headlines, but mean everything to the person achieving them.

At Therapy Partners Group, we are proud to have a talented community of OTs and COTAs whose work expands what’s possible for our patients every single day. They meet people where they are—physically, emotionally, and functionally—and help build a bridge back to the life waiting on the other side of injury, illness, or change.

Occupational therapy is both science and art. It requires clinical expertise, creativity, patience, and an extraordinary ability to see potential where others may only see limitation. Our OT teams design care that fits real lives, not just clinical protocols, making each plan of care as unique as the person it serves.

2 - Meet two of our OTs

This month, we celebrate the hands that guide, the minds that problem-solve, and the hearts that never stop believing in progress.

5 - What is Leadership?

To our OTs and COTAs: Thank you for restoring independence.

Thank you for redefining possibility.

Thank you for the countless ways you help our patients return not just to function... but to living fully.

You are an essential part of who we are and the care we provide.

Happy Occupational Therapy Month,

Brandon Nan, PT, DPT, MHA Senior Vice President, Operations

WHAT'S INSIDE?

6 - NEW ProSport Location 12 - Spirit Week @ TPG 12 - Hand Therapy Insights 14 - VOTE Yes AB 2497

Join Our Team: Career Opportunities Partner With Us

People of TPG meet Jessica

Our clinic is special because of our location, the gorgeous view of the hills from our windows, and my co-workers, who are like a second family. We have a lot of fun together, and I look forward to seeing their faces every day.

I am passionate about restoring function to my patients. Their goals are my goals. I want my patients to be pain-free and return to their hobbies as if they were my own.

I love all my patients. They are super sweet around the holidays and bring us sweet treats, my favorite being the short bread!

The TPG Way is working together with your team to stay client-centered and support patients through their journey.

Outside of work, I am a mother of 2 children, picking them up and dropping them off to their various after-school activities and sports. I'm happily married, and have an adorable Boston Terrier who is my third child.

Jessica McClain Occupational Therapist Hand Therapist

I love swimming, camping, hiking, and road tripping.

By Bradford Spencer, Occupational Therapist and Clinic Director

The Dalai Lama once said, “Sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck.”

In 2018, I learned just how true that can be.

When I wasn’t accepted into EWU’s Master of Occupational Therapy program on my first attempt, I was disappointed—but that pause turned out to be transformative. Over the following year, I gained experiences that profoundly shaped both who I am and the practitioner I aspire to be. A capstone course in leadership strengthened my emotional intelligence and self-awareness, while volunteering at the ARC of Spokane deepened my understanding of empathy, connection, and the power of being fully present with others.

After more than twenty years in a career that paid the bills but left me unfulfilled, occupational therapy found me at exactly the right moment. Through job shadowing, volunteering, and learning alongside remarkable professionals, I rediscovered a sense of purpose grounded in service and human connection. I learned that meaningful change often begins with listening, vulnerability, and meeting people where they are.

Looking back, I’m grateful for the delay. What once felt like a setback became an unexpected gift—preparing me not just academically, but personally, to step forward with clarity, confidence, and a renewed commitment to making a difference.

And as it turns out, the story didn’t end there.

Throughout undergrad and graduate school, I was certain my future was inpatient neuro rehab—TBI, CVA—the work I loved and trained for. But while completing my FWII internship, the inpatient rehab clinic I planned to join was sold. Everything changed, and suddenly my carefully laid plans disappeared. I finished my internships, passed my boards, and began looking for work—uncertain of what would come next.

Hand therapy had never been on my radar. But when I received a call to interview with Inspire (part of the TPG family), I thought, “Why not?” It would be good practice. I was offered the position—and I took a leap of faith that changed my life.

I love working as a hand therapist. I am always learning. I get to use my passion for neuro every day, build meaningful connections with people during pivotal moments in their lives, and tailor care to what gives each person purpose and meaning. I’ve been privileged to witness and support incredible changes in people’s wellbeing, and the work continues to shape me both professionally and personally.

I’m grateful for the doors that opened—and for the courage to walk through one I never expected. I’m supported by an exceptional team, and I strive to offer that same support in return. My journey has taught me to make plans, but also to stay open to possibility. Sometimes the leap you hesitate to take is the one that leads exactly where you’re meant to be.

Clinicians Leading Clinicians

Ashley Piazza, PT, DPT Chief People Officer

Please join us in celebrating Ashley Piazza, PT, DPT on her promotion to Chief People Officer.

With a leadership team rooted in the profession, alongside our CEO and COO, Ashley will lead our people strategy and Human Resources function — bringing a physical therapist’s perspective to how we support, develop, and care for our people, the TPG Way. therapypartnersgroup.com

EMERGING LEADERS

YOU ARE ALREADY A LEADER

By Jen Allen, PT, DPT | Chief Clinical Officer, TPG Here is something nobody tells you in school: Leadership does not start when you get the title. It starts the day you put on your student badge for the first time.

People are watching. Not in a scary way.

Your reputation as a leader is being built right now, in small moments, long before anyone hands you a team.

Three habits that separate emerging leaders from everyone else: 1. Be the most curious person in the room. Ask better questions than anyone expects from someone at your level.

When a senior clinician makes a decision you do not understand, ask why. Not to challenge them. To learn. The students and new grads who become exceptional clinicians are the ones who never stopped asking how and why.

2. Own your mistakes fast and fully.

This is the single fastest way to build trust at any level. When you miss a documentation detail, mess up a schedule, or fumble a patient handoff, name it without excuses. “I missed that.

Here is what I am doing to fix it and prevent it next time.”

Leaders who own small things early get trusted with big things later.

3. Make the people around you better.

You do not need a title to lift your team.

Help the new front desk staff feel welcome. Share an article with a classmate studying for boards. Offer to cover a colleague’s patient when they are drowning. Celebrate someone else’s win out loud. The people who build a reputation for making everyone around them better become the people everyone wants on their team, their project, and eventually, their leadership bench.

This week’s challenge Pick one of the three. Curiosity, ownership, or lifting others. Practice it deliberately for the next seven days. Notice what changes.

Notice who notices. You do not have to wait for a promotion to start leading. You just have to decide you already are one.

LEADERSHIP IN ACTION

Every time you walk into a treatment room, or a team huddle, you are making leadership choices. How you show up.

What you notice. Whether you speak up when something does not look right.

Whether you own a mistake or hide one.

Whether you treat the front desk staff the same way you treat the clinic director.

HUNTINGTON BEACH

NOW OPEN 17122 BEACH BLVD. SUITE 101-A, 101-B HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92647

TPG SPIRIT WEEK MAY 18-22, 2026

18 19 20 21 22

College Day

Represent your school or show loyalty to your favorite sports team

Summer Fun

Dress for a day at the beach or a Hawaiian-themed party... keeping it PT clinic friendly

Dress like your Manager/CD

Finally, a chance to wear their style without also carrying the weight of their calendar invites

Decade Day

Wear what was in style the year your clinic opened (or a decade your team decides on)

TPG or Brand Spirit

Wear black & gold or your brand colors.

Hint: start thinking about your clinic theme song!

One challenge, related to the theme, will drop each day!

LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT OPPORTUNITY? TPG is a family of outpatient physical therapy brands committed to advancing clinical excellence at every stage of your career. Whether you’re a student seeking a hands-on clinical rotation or an experienced clinician ready for your next growth opportunity, we provide the mentorship, leadership, and realworld experience to help you thrive. Through strong university partnerships, collaborative teams, and a relentless focus on high-quality patient care, we create environments where learners build confidence, clinicians sharpen their expertise, and professionals at every level continue to grow.

DCE looking for placements?

Email Fatema Ghani, Dir. University Relations

fghani@tpgpt.com

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS

Careers at TPG

TPG

Career Pathways th Yo w o r G r e e r Ca

ur Way

NEW GRADUATE

RESIDENCY PROGRAM Sports Ortho Women’s Health

NEW GRADUATE SUCCESS PROGRAM Staff Clinician

1+ YEAR EXPERIENCE

LEADERSHIP PATHWAY

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP

Emerging Leaders Clinical Leadership Program Clinical Director Regional Director

Clinical Instructor New Grad Success Mentor TPGU Faculty

ADVANCED CLINICAL PATHWAYS Sports Pelvic Health Hand Therapy Geriatrics

Neurology Orthopedics Pediatrics

Staff Clinician

JOB OF THE MONTH

s a g e V s a L

Highlights: STP has been serving the Las Vegas, Henderson, and surrounding communities for over 20 years.

Treat an active population of bikers, hikers, climbers, runners, and outdoor enthusiasts.

With 11 locations in the area, there is opportunity for growth, both clinically and professionally.

About the Area:

Las Vegas has a relatively reasonable cost of living compared to other major U.S. cities.

Endless options for shows, concerts, and nightlife, but also close to Red Rock Canyon, Lake Mead... it’s an outdoor playground.

Culturally diverse, pet-friendly, with high-quality healthcare and educational facilities.

Apply Here:

STP Careers Site

TPG CAN

TAKE YOU PLACES You choose the view

We offer coastal views, valley roots, or desert sunsets.

LET’S TALK therapypartnersgroup.com/careers/

Dry Needling in Hand Therapy Dry needling (DN) is gaining traction across the elbow, wrist, and hand, offering another way to reduce pain and restore function in this incredibly intricate region.

Where it works best The research is clear and getting stronger: Lateral epicondylalgia (tennis elbow): DN improves pain, function, and grip strength, with outcomes comparable to injections in some cases.

Carpal tunnel syndrome: New evidence shows DN may significantly reduce pain and even decrease the likelihood of surgery.

Tendinopathies: From de Quervain’s to ECU irritation, DN performs as well as other conservative treatments for pain relief.

What’s really happening DN isn’t just about trigger points anymore.

It stimulates neural, muscular, and connective tissue systems, making it a powerful match for the layered complexity of the hand and upper extremity.

Clinical takeaway Think of DN as an amplifier, not a replacement. Pair it with the fundamentals— eccentrics, nerve glides, activity modification, orthotics—and it can help accelerate outcomes.

Bottom line For trained clinicians working within scope, dry needling is a precise, evidence-backed addition to hand therapy — helping patients move sooner, hurt less, and get back to what matters most.

GRADED MOTOR IMAGERY FOR THE PAINFUL HAND April is Occupational Therapy Month, a perfect time to highlight one of the most powerful tools in occupational therapy: graded motor imagery (GMI).

For patients whose hand pain is too severe to tolerate touch or movement, GMI offers a way back—starting in the brain, not the body.

What it is

GMI is a three-step, sequential approach that reactivates motor pathways without triggering pain: 1.Laterality recognition – identifying left vs. right hands to activate the brain without movement 2.Imagined movement – mentally rehearsing motion to engage motor networks safely 3.Mirror therapy – using visual feedback to retrain the brain’s perception of pain-free movement

Why it matters

GMI is especially effective for CRPS, chronic hand pain, post-surgical nerve injuries, and post-stroke recovery. Research consistently shows improved pain and function—but only when the full sequence is followed. Skipping ahead (especially to mirror therapy) often limits results.

Clinical takeaway

Start simple. Laterality training may look basic, but it’s the foundation. Build gradually, respect the nervous system, and progress only when the patient is ready.

Bottom line

GMI isn’t just hand therapy; it’s brain-based rehabilitation. It restores the connection between mind and movement, helping patients return not just to function, but to the meaningful activities that define their lives.

AB 2497 (Modernization of the California Physical Therapy Practice Act)

YES ON AB 2497

TO SUCCESSFULLY MOVE THIS BILL, WE MUST INCREASE OUR IN-PERSON PARTICIPATION AT FUTURE BILL HEARINGS,

IN ADDITION TO LETTER WRITING AND PHONE BANKING.

JOIN US! Make calls and send letters to support AB 2497

Scan or click this QR code to access CPTA’s info page

If passed, this would be a huge bill for PT in CA. Imaging and Diagnostics: Authorizes PTs to order imaging studies and perform/interpret musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging to evaluate and treat the neuromusculoskeletal system.

Procedures: Includes the use of electrode needles and solid filiform needles (dry needling) within the authorized practice of physical therapy.

Medication: Allows PTs to prescribe specified non-opioid and antiinflammatory medications.

Supervision: Increases the number of physical therapist assistants (PTAs) a PT can supervise from two to three.

Support AB 2497 Modernization of Physical Therapy Practice Californians should be able to receive the highest level of care physical therapists* can provide!

Physical therapy education is constantly being updated with the most recent research yet the California Physical Therapy Practice Act has not been modernized to meet the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education standards since 1985.

Physical therapists are now educated at the doctoral level.

To provide the highest level of care for Californians, physical therapists should be able to practice at the top of their skill set and knowledge base, including the ability to:

Order or refer a patient for imaging

Perform and interpret musculoskeletal ultrasound imaging

Prescribe, store, and administer topical medications

Prescribe nonopioid analgesic and and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medications

Perform tissue penetration for the purpose of treating the neuromuscular system

Consumers should be able to: Choose to see a physical therapist without burdensome restrictions Receive the most current and evidence-based interventions (state laws should not limit access to these health care benefits) Access timely physical therapy care

*A physical therapist is a Doctor of Physical Therapy who is licensed to practice physical therapy. Physical therapists are movement specialists that are part of the primary care team who work in a variety of settings to help improve function of the movement system to maximize health, fitness, and well-being.

g n i r i t e R Dave Thomas

AFTER

42

YEARS

OF HARD WORK & DEDICATION

“This profession has given me more than I could have ever imagined. It has been a true privilege to serve our patients and to work alongside such incredible colleagues and teams over the years. Together, we’ve built something meaningful—something rooted in care, commitment, and a shared purpose.” -Dave

If you own a PT practice, we know you’re getting requests from every angle.

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