Meet Lauren Johnson | Physical Therapist and Pilates Instructor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have been a Physical Therapist and Pilates instructor for over 10 years. About 5 years ago I became a mother and 2 years later, a mother of two. I have to admit that even with my professional background I was very naïve about the delivery process and struggled with my personal recovery. I never thought that being a Pelvic Floor therapist would be something I would be interested in doing, but after getting additional education in the subject, I learned the need for this profession and discovered a passion for the subject. Not only do post-partum mothers need assistance with education and recovery, but all persons (male, female, non-binary) can have issues linked to the pelvic floor. From back pain to TMJ, there is researched based evidence that pelvic floor therapy can help with recovery of these issues. Pelvic floor therapy can also help with incontinence, pelvic pain, and issues with bowels. After moving to Indian Hills a year ago, I felt a great desire to be a part of the local community and contribute my skills. COVID-19 affected my work schedule as well as my children’s care, as it did with most mothers. I decided that if I wanted the ‘perfect’ schedule, I needed to create it. With the lack of pelvic floor services in the area and my desire to contribute to my new neighborhood, I decided to open Prima Movement. Prima Movement serves the greater Evergreen area in pelvic floor therapy, Pilates, and typical Physical therapy aliments.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Once I introduce myself and what I do during a PT session the number one response is “I didn’t know Physical Therapist’s treated that!” Pelvic floor issues are not just limited to pre-natal and post-partum women. It can affect males and females, women with and without children, and from the young to the old. The pelvic floor is the link between the upper body and lower body, it is the only muscle group that runs transverse, and it supports the weight of the upper body so the lower body can move more freely. Pelvic floor issues do not discriminate, but most of the time, can be a relatively simple fix with education, hands on therapy, and exercise. Just because you might think it is “normal”, it doesn’t have to be your normal. Come in for an evaluation and see what Prima Movement can do for you.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Living and working near Evergreen and the foothills has opened a new world of fun activities to participate. When friends and family come in town the first summer activity would be to grab the paddleboards and head towards Evergreen lake. Prima Movement will be just across the street, so plan on seeing me out there several days this summer season. After a couple hours of sun and water, we would head into downtown Evergreen and grab some food and a drink a one of the many great restaurants. Cactus Jacks has a great patio right next to Bear Creek and is a great place to sit outside and enjoy a little nature. From hiking to paddle boarding to cycling, there are so many great outdoor activities to do!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Balance only can happen when two objects are equal. Personally, I will always love and value my family more than anything. Thus, my balance is already unequal and will not exist in perfect balance. I love a book by Samantha Ettus, The Pie Life: A Guilt Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction. She describes balance as a pie instead of scales; the pie consisting of career, health, relationship, family, community, friends, and hobbies. Samantha’s theory is that if you can have a ‘bite’ of each slice, no matter how big or small, that is how to find your own personal “balance.” I do my best to find a little slice of each, but some days or weeks are a little more dominant in one area. My goal is to find the right amount, so that I feel comfortable, strong, and well-grounded on a daily basis. Opening Prima Movement has allowed me to find better balance because I am able to create my own work hours and control have the autonomy to develop something new and exciting in this area of my life. This give me more freedom to constantly adjust the different pie slices in my life and find the balance that I need to success as a therapist, mother, wife, and individual. Though me clinic, I am always here to help my patients to take a bigger bite of their health. I educate them on their bodies so that they can take control of their own health and wellness going forward.

Website: www.primamovement.com

Instagram: primamovement

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-johnson-dpt/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTwJU8XdhZqty7b7s6-_LhA

Image Credits
Photo: Kimberly Benefield