I Love Neuro

In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, host Erin Gallardo interviews speech-language pathologist Jenn Freeburn about her work treating patients with functional neurological disorders (FND). Freeburn, a specialist in acquired motor speech and cognitive communication disorders, provides a fascinating overview of the often overlooked role of speech therapy in this complex condition. Freeburn ex...

In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, host Erin Gallardo sits down with Christina Garrity, PT, DPT, NCS who is currently pursuing her PhD at the University of Cincinnati. Christina took an unconventional path into her PhD and has gotten a new appreciation for our profession in the process. She provides insights into the time commitment and coursework involved, highlighting the focus on rese...

As rehab professionals, we often face unique challenges when working with patients who have ataxia. In today's episode Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS, J.J. Mowder-Tinney, PT, PhD, NCS and Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS have a group discussion about working with people with it. One of the primary challenges is that often there can be slow progress. This can be exacerbated by the diverse underlying causes...

In this episode occupational therapist Briana Elson, MS, OTR/L, BCPR, CBIS joined host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS to discuss 5 principles of neuroplasticity and how they can be applied in neurorehabilitation. Note: In a previous episode a different 5 were discussed (see the link to that episode below). No need to listen to the previous episode to get what you need out of this one though! In this...

If you're looking to develop a strength circuit class for people with neurologic diagnosis this episode is for you! Running a circuit class for people with physical and/or cognitive deficits can have challenges. You need to be mindful in order to ensure safety while also challenging your clients enough to promote change. This episode Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean will break down the method and a...

Curious about how using Virtual reality (VR) could help you with prevention, assessment and treatment of your neuro patients? VR and AR (augmented reality) is emerging as a powerful tool in the world of neurorehabilitation, and Ramiro Maldonado, PT, DPT, a physical therapist with UprightVR, shares the research on the transformative capabilities of this technology. Ramiro highlights how the true po...

Are you used to working with adults with neurologic conditions and get intimidated by young adults or those with "pediatric" diagnoses? Many neuro therapists feel like they're not the best person to help an adult with cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida or other typical diagnoses made in childhood… but they're wrong!  In this episode hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean talk to Cameron Brown, PT...

Working with clients with Functional neurologic disorders (FND) can be confusing and challenging. If you're stuck and aren't sure how to help your clients you've gotta check out this episode! Occupational therapists and industry leaders in the treatment of FND Julie MacLean and Jessica Ranford discuss their expertise in using a sensory-based approach to treatment. In their work they noticed certai...

Do you work with any clients who have trouble clearing their foot in swing phase of gait? If you said yes, this episode is for you! Dr. Tyler Susko, the founder and CTO of Cadense, Inc. is here to share the fascinating origin story behind Cadense's flagship product - the world's first variable friction shoes. The concept stemmed from Dr. Susko's PhD research at MIT, where he developed the "MIT Sky...

Ever wonder what to do with a patient with facial palsy? Can they recover? What should you NOT do that can actually make it much worse? Tune in and find out! In this episode, Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Sheri Donaldson, PT, DPT, NCS. Dr. Donaldson shared her extensive expertise in the niche field of facial rehabilitation and the specialized techniques she empl...

Have you ever thought, "I'm really not good at managing people"? Or felt overwhelmed by the idea of being responsible for someone else? As business owners, the success of our ventures often hinges on the strength of our teams. In this episode of the I Love Neuro Podcast, Emily Duval Ledger, Erin Gallardo, and Claire McLean share their experiences and lessons learned about leading a team. Emily ref...

On today's episode Claire McLean and Erin Gallardo offer an update to a previous episode on setting up overhead harness systems for your neuro rehab gym the way Claire has it set up at Rogue. Rogue has a DIY, relatively inexpensive setup using things like anchors, rope ratchets, and construction-style harnesses. The big update to share was finding some new products that have really improved the co...

In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean interviewed Dr. Amy Ashmore, an expert in resistance training programming. Dr. Ashmore shared her extensive experience and passion for resistance training. Some of the key points she shares are that timing is critical. Dr. Ashmore emphasized the importance of precisely controlling the timing of concentric and eccentric contractions to target s...

In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean discuss important updates and research related to Parkinson's disease. They used neurologist Dr. Michael Okun's Instagram account as inspiration for the recent research to discuss.  The first article discussed is titled End-of-life Health Care Service Use and Cost Among Medicare Decendents With Neurodegerative Disea...

Does your energy get sucked when you do certain administrative tasks in your business? Do you love some tasks and dread others? What if it could be fun? Do you believe it could? Well, after listening to this episode you just might! And what would you gain? You'll feel more energized, you'll be more creative, and you'll end up being more productive while also attracting more ideal people to your bu...

In today's episode Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS had the pleasure of interviewing APTA President Roger Herr and asking all of the burning questions about what it's like to run a neuro practice with Medicare as it is and where we're going. Roger shared his journey into physical therapy and his extensive experience in key roles that gave him a wide angle perspective of...

Feel confused about how to assess and treat someone with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND)? We got your back! In this episode host Erin Gallardo interviews FND experts Heather Salon, PT, DPT, NCS and Julie Maggio, PT, DPT, NCS on this range of neurological symptoms that includes functional movement disorders, seizures, and speech/communication issues. FND is characterized by abnormal brain co...

Have you heard some things about working with people with MS that make you question how to approach their care? Are they old school thoughts or based on science? Who can tell?! You'll know after listening to this episode! Hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean had the privilege of speaking with Herb Karpatkin, PT, DSc, NCS, MSCS, a leading expert in physical therapy for individuals with multiple sc...

In the ever-evolving world of neurorehabilitation, Dr. Ryan Lovell, PT, DPT, NCS, ATP has carved out a unique path that blends his clinical expertise with a passion for research and storytelling simply through curiosity and exploration. As a physical therapist, doctoral student, and podcast host, Ryan's multifaceted career serves as an inspiring example of the diverse opportunities available withi...

Did you know there are some unique differences when working with aging adults who experience concussions? In fact, patients may come to your clinic after a fall and not have the diagnosis of concussion but they may actually have one. How would you know? What would you do to screen for it? What would you treat first? Tune in to answer all of these questions and more! - Concussions in the elderly po...

In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean are joined by guest Dr. JJ Mowder-Tinney, PT, PhD, NCS, a highly experienced physical therapist specializing in neurological conditions. Are you afraid to get your patients on the floor? Are you nervous it will be too painful for them (or you)? Join us for this engaging discussion on the importance of getting patients down on the floor and pra...

In this episode Erin, Claire and Emily Duval Ledger interview Vanessa Kaczmarek, PT, DPT, NCS about her experience starting a private practice focused on neurologic physical therapy. Some of the key takeaways include: Starting a Niche Private Practice - Vanessa saw gaps in care for patients transitioning from inpatient rehab to outpatient, so she launched Neuroactive Therapy to provide high-intens...

As rehab professionals, we're often hyper-focused on helping our clients improve their physical function and manage pain. But what about the equally important aspects of emotional and sexual wellbeing? In this episode Erin had the chance to sit down with Dr. Rose Schlaff, a pelvic PT and sex counselor, to discuss how neuroscience-based techniques can unlock greater intimacy, desire, and pleasure....

Have you ever wondered how to effectively use telehealth to provide care? Maybe you're already using it and want to know how to improve. In this episode of the I Love Neuro Podcast, host Erin Gallardo sat down with two leading experts in the field - Dr. Jennifer O'Neil and Dr. Alan Lee - to learn the latest research about telehealth. Dr. O'Neil, a physiotherapist and professor at the University of...

In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, hosts Erin Gallardo and Claire McLean sat down with Katie Bouchillon, OTR, CBIST, MCMT, owner and CEO of Spero Rehab, a multidisciplinary outpatient clinic with 6 locations across Houston and Austin, Texas. Katie shared her journey into neuro rehabilitation and entrepreneurship, offering valuable insights for other clinicians looking to start or grow th...