Meet Emily Schulz | Doctor of Physical Therapy & Orthopedic Specialist

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

Hi Emily, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I decided to start my own business, I was working for a large national medical corporation as a physical therapist. I had been working for a small mom-and-pop clinic that I truly enjoyed, but they decided to sell to this chain. While I understood the decision they had to make, I had trouble adjusting to the culture and requirements of such a large health organization.

Unfortunately, many health organizations’ structures and policies today reflect the requirements and demands that insurance companies make of them and the reimbursements they give. As a result, I found my time spent with a patient was getting cut as productivity requirements increased. It started to lead to my working with two patients at a time – one doing exercises while I was trying to perform hands-on care to another. The number of patients per day increased, as did the hours of paperwork to explain and justify treatments. I began to get increasingly stressed as I felt the quality of care I provided was starting to diminish under this model.

I became a physical therapist because I love helping people. It makes my day when someone comes into my office in a better mood because their pain has lessened or they are bursting with excitement because they can finally do something they couldn’t before. So, as I struggled to find a way to continue to offer my patients the same level of care they had come to expect from me, I began to look into starting a clinic of my own.

I was exposed to the idea of a self-pay physical therapy practice a few years ago, and it piqued my interest, but being happy in my job at the time, I didn’t look into it. When I started to consider opening my clinic, I began researching what it would mean to open a self-pay clinic and not accept health insurance plans versus being in-network and accepting health insurance. I found that a lot of my stress at the corporate clinic was coming from dealing with all the different demands of insurance – some required approval from them before treating a patient, others needed a doctor’s approval of my plan of care for a patient, some didn’t cover dry needling (a treatment intervention I use), so a patient would have to pay out of pocket if they wanted it, and the list went on and on. I decided that I no longer wanted to treat my patients based on what some insurance company dictated. Instead, I opened a clinic where it was all about the patient. Hence, the name of my clinic is Be You.

At Be You, I provide my patients with a full-hour one-on-one treatment session. The patient has my full and undivided attention during this time to see what they genuinely need and try to get to the root of their problem. I can look more fully at the whole body and see how it is all interacting and contributing to why they came in to see me in the first place. Suppose a patient comes to see me for back pain. In that case, I can easily treat their lousy ankle (which they sprained multiple times as a teen), which may be what caused them to walk funny and trigger their back to hurt, without having to justify to an insurance company why I am treating something that is not on their prescription from the doctor. Patients are often relieved to find out why doing all those core exercises wasn’t helping their back or perhaps why other previous treatments haven’t worked out. This flexibility and freedom is why I know that my decision not to accept insurance was right for me and my business.

I initially started my business with the thought of offering a space where patients felt seen and heard, not rushed and herded. Since then, it has grown into a clinic providing an alternative for patients to the often quick-fix mentality we run into. Instead of offering patients a pill, an injection, or surgery, we are here to provide a long-term solution. As a physical therapist, my background is not in business, but I hope that what I have created will continue to grow so that I can continue to do what I love: help people.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At Be You Physical Therapy & Wellness, I help active individuals get back to doing what they love without using pain medications, injections, or surgery. I focus mainly on orthopedic injuries (those related to bone, muscle, joint, or soft tissue) and preventative care. I’m out-of-network with insurance (i.e., self-pay), which allows me to focus on what a patient wants to achieve, not what some insurance company thinks they should. I can, therefore, spend a whole hour one-on-one with patients to get to the root of their pain, problem, or limitation. My goal is not just to get rid of pain but to help them move better and prevent the pain from coming back.

I provide hands-on manual work with patients to ease pain and help them move better, not just watch them ride the bike! I offer Astym, dry needling, postural restoration, blood flow restriction training, in addition to typical physical therapy interventions. I also help people with all types of preventative care. For example, if you have bad posture but need help with what to do about it, I can help.

Or, if you’re training for your next half marathon and want to make sure you stay injury-free, I can make sure you’re moving right and help keep your muscles and joints healthy. I pride myself on being honest and open with my patients and educating them to the best of my abilities about what is going on with their bodies and how I may or may not be able to help.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I enjoy being outdoors, so I often take visitors on a hike or to the mountains. The trails at Mt. Falcon are easy enough for people not used to a lot of altitude, but you can still feel like you’re hiking away from the city and get some great views. A trip up to a small mountain town, whether Estes Park or Frisco, is also a fun day trip.

Catching a show at Red Rocks is a fantastic experience if you’re lucky enough to have a band you enjoy playing while someone is visiting.

For food, I find places like Avanti, which have a variety of food offerings, are a great place to go as someone can sample a variety of foods, and they have just about something for everyone. The excellent rooftop view of downtown is also a bonus!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would love to thank all my patients who have trusted me with their care and help to keep this business a success. I would also like to thank Anchor CrossFit for opening their doors to me. As a small business just starting, renting an office in such a welcoming space is a game-changer. The owners at Anchor, Jesse & Becky, have been highly encouraging, and the gym members have been friendly and supportive throughout this journey.

Website: www.beyouptwellness.com

Instagram: @beyouptwellness

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyouptwellness

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeYouPTWellness

Image Credits
April Ivey