310: The Evidence-Based Approach To Dementia Care With Rachel Wiley, MS, OTR/L
I Love Neuro
Working with people with dementia and their care partners can be complicated and confusing. What does the evidence say is the best approach? Is it rehabilitative or habilitative?? In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS interview occupational therapist and Dementia Collaborative founder Rachel Wiley, MS, OTR/L about her approach to working with people with dementia and their care partners. Rachel shares how past experiences with conflicting recommendations between professionals—and the confusion and mistrust this caused for families—motivated her...
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309: Using Dry Needling To Reset The Nervous System With Tyler Niemack, PT, DPT, OCS
I Love Neuro
This is the episode that will help you understand the opportunities and functionality of dry needling! Host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews Tyler Niemack, PT, DPT, OCS, Functional Dry Needling Certified Specialist about how dry needling can be used not just to relax tight muscles, but to “reset” the neuromuscular system and improve function. Tyler, who teaches Dry Needling Certification courses for Evidence In Motion explains how PTs approach dry needling differently from acupuncturists, using their orthopedic and neurological assessment skills to decide whether to target spinal...
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308: How NeuroLab 360 Uses A Nonprofit Model To Deliver High Intensity Neuro Rehab
I Love Neuro
Interested in looking at how a nonprofit clinic operates for neuro rehab? In this episode hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS interview co-founder Meagan George, PT, DPT, NCS about how she and her partners built a nonprofit, cash-based neuro clinic in Encinitas, California. After feeling constrained by insurance limitations in hospital systems, the trio incorporated as a 501(c)(3) in 2021 with a mission to deliver intensive, goal-oriented PT, OT, and wellness services regardless of a person’s financial situation. NeuroLab 360 operates using a scholarship...
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307: Research Update: Treadmill VS Overground Walking In Persons With MS With Herb Karpatkin, PT, DSc, NCS, MSCS
I Love Neuro
In this episode host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews Multiple Sclerosis specialist and researcher Dr. Herb Karpatkin, PT, DSc, NCS, MSCS to discuss how therapy for people with multiple sclerosis must be fundamentally different from approaches used for stroke, spinal cord injury, or TBI. In his research Herb discovered an incidental finding that led to more questions that he and his team wanted to investigate: does treadmill walking carry over to overground walking in persons with MS? In the show he explains the nuances of treadmill walking for persons with MS vs healthy controls and...
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306: Clients Can Maximize Hand Function And Foot Drop At Home With Motus Nova
I Love Neuro
In this episode, host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews the Motus Nova clinical team—occupational therapists Jamie Kurtz, MS, OTR/L, Keisha Burrous, OTR/L, CBIS, Amie Canning, MS, OTR/L, and Mirasol Jacobs, PT, DPT — about the Motus Hand and Motus Foot robotic devices for neurorehabilitation. The team explains how these FDA Class I medical devices provide active-assistive, game-based training at home to help patients achieve the high repetition doses (500–600 reps per day) needed for neuroplastic change, without replacing traditional therapy. Built on pneumatic “artificial...
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305: How To Overcome The Fear Of Falls Training With Naomi Casiro
I Love Neuro
Do you work with people who have falls? Maybe you’ve seen that just training fall prevention isn’t quite doing enough. In this episode hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS talk with physiotherapist Naomi Casiro, founder of NeuroFit BC and creator of the Functional Movement and Falls training paradigm about why adding falls training to an overall balance plan is imperative. We explore why traditional fall prevention—focused mainly on prevention—has not been enough, and why a two-part approach that includes both prevention and explicit “how to fall”...
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304: Dry Needing For Spasticity With Chris McElderry, PT, DPT, NCS
I Love Neuro
In this episode host, Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS speaks with Chris McElderry, PT, DPT, NCS about how dry needling can be used in neuro rehab, particularly for people post-stroke. Chris explains why he pursued dry needling, how using it in PT differs from acupuncture, and walks through what a typical session looks like, including safety, side effects, and billing considerations. He shares clinical examples of using dry needling to address spasticity, hypertonicity, pain, and range of motion limitations, and discusses current research on short-term effects for spasticity and pain reduction....
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303: Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) + Neuroplasticity = Improved Outcomes For Individuals With Neurologic Conditions
I Love Neuro
In this episode, Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews physical therapist Mariah King, PT, DPT from RISE Healthcare Group and Hiroki (Hiro) Kimura from Cyberdyne about the HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) robotic exoskeleton and its role in neurologic rehabilitation. They discuss how the HAL system reads patients’ intent to move via surface EMG signals and converts those signals into assisted movement to drive neuroplasticity and functional recovery for people with spinal cord injury, stroke, TBI, Parkinson’s disease, and progressive neuromuscular disorders such as MS, SMA, and muscular...
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302: Applying A New Calculation For Max Heart Rate In PD
I Love Neuro
In this episode, hosts Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS and Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS discuss a new research article, “Refining maximal heart rate estimation to enhance exercise recommendations for persons with Parkinson’s disease.” Parkinson’s is a multi-system condition and changes to the function of the autonomic nervous system are common. At times this can present as a person with PD having trouble reaching aerobic heart rate zones calculated based on age while they’re performing high intensity exercise. Claire explains the challenges they’ve faced using standard heart rate...
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301: Multi-System Approach To Treating Individuals With Long COVID Currently With Jennifer Lazaro, PT, DPT, NCS
I Love Neuro
In this episode of the I Love Neuro podcast, host Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS interviews physical therapist and neuro rehab residency coordinator Jennifer Lazaro, PT, DPT, NCS about evaluating and treating people with long COVID and dysautonomia. Jennifer notes the similarities in presentation for individuals who have post-COVID those with other conditions affecting the autonomic nervous system, like concussion with cognitive fog, severe fatigue, post‑exertional malaise, dizziness, and orthostatic intolerance. She walks through practical assessment strategies such as active stand testing,...
info_outlineWait, you mean you have to charge for your amazing services?! How scary!! The pricing conversation is a BIG one! If you’ve ever felt scared to ask for a dollar amount, to raise your prices or even did what most clinicians do and undercharged, this episode is for you! Claire McLean, PT, DPT, NCS, Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS, and Emily Duval Ledger, CPT dive deep into setting and raising prices for professional services. The key takeaway is clear: healthcare professionals often dramatically undervalue their expertise.
Many therapists and wellness professionals struggle with pricing, frequently charging far less than their services are truly worth. The hosts shared personal experiences of initially undercharging, revealing common mistakes that plague the industry. These include basing prices on limited insurance reimbursements, feeling guilty about charging fair rates, and failing to account for the true costs of delivering high-quality professional services.
Claire McLean introduced her "back and forth math" approach to pricing that considers multiple financial factors. This method involves calculating monthly income needs, factoring in taxes and business expenses, determining realistic client capacity, and carefully considering additional costs like staff, benefits, and overhead. The goal is to create a pricing structure that not only sustains the business but allows practitioners to deliver their best work.
The conversation highlighted several key pricing principles that can transform a struggling practice into a thriving business. Practitioners must recognize that their energy and expertise are their most valuable assets. Charging appropriately prevents burnout and allows professionals to maintain the passion that drew them to their field. By creating clear value and communicating pricing transparently, businesses can attract clients who are truly committed to their own transformation. Learn practical strategies and insights so you and your clients will both thrive!