Meet Maggie Thompson | Physical Therapist

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

Hi Maggie, how do you think about risk?
I was never a risk taker growing up. I played it safe in my comfort zone. That is how I was raised and the family environment I grew up in. It was about being comfortable. I was very self-motivated and high achieving but never took big risks at all. I am from a smaller town in Mississippi, went to college at Ole Miss, and not until I graduated from physical therapy school did I move away from home to Oklahoma first and now to Colorado. But I didn’t get out here without taking risks.

Taking risks is the only reason I am where I am in life at this point. That is why I am married to my wonderful husband and why I own my successful physical therapy clinic as well. There will always be certain life experiences that motivate you and shape you to either take or avoid risks.

I always knew I wanted more for myself and wanted to make a bigger impact in my time here on Earth. But I had to start changing my mindset around taking risks. I had to start thinking bigger and surrounding myself with people who encouraged risk taking. Even close friends and family can discourage you from doing so- they feel they know what’s best for you and love you but you have to make that decision because you know yourself best out of anyone.

Everyone is capable of it- it is a mindset and lifestyle shift, though. In my opinion, you have to know what your goals are, your purpose is, and be willing to go after it with whatever it takes.

Because taking a risk is scary, you really have to weigh out pros and cons and if it is worth it to take a SMART risk. If it makes sense and you can take all of the other excuses out, you have to go for it. Or you will never know what you missed out on.

In our culture, it is all about instant gratification. When you take risks, you have to realize that they will probably. take time, grit, patience, perseverance, and you can’t just give up because things aren’t going your way. Be honest with yourself, find the reason why, and correct it and keep going.

I can honestly say though, in relationships in my life and with my life and work goals, if I had never taken risks to get where I am today, I wouldn’t be able to be the best version of myself and live out my purpose to serve others the way I get to daily.

I continue to take risks daily as a business owner especially. It can look different to different people. I put myself and my business out there a lot and trial and error different things to see what works best. There are times I “fail” but I just know I tried and need to change things up to better suit the group of people I am trying to help or attract. You have to be able to receive constructive criticism as well.

Surround yourself with mentors and people who will help you. People who have been in the same position as you and are willing to share their knowledge and encouragement with you. Those people had to take risks as well to get where they are.

When you take risks, you are being selfish and selfless. And those are both great things in my opinion. It is great to know what you want and take the steps to get there. I knew that I had more to offer to the world, so I took risks to be able to serve others and impact more people.

Risk taking is VITAL. Small or big, they direct the course of your life. I am SO big on encouraging others to take risks because I know how fulfilling it can be. That is how we create more small businesses to support more people in the ways they need. If fear is holding you back (financial, strain on relationships, confidence issues, not having benefits, PTO, insurance, etc), really consider and be honest with yourself about why you are concerned about those things. Remember, long term gain for short term discomfort. It will always be hard and you will always have to work hard, but man is the reward so much greater.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Refuge Physiotherapy in an outpatient physical therapy clinic in Northern Colorado. It truly is a patient-centered clinic where we focus on high quality care, more time with our patients, and an individualized approach with each patient based off of their specific goals. We specialize in manual therapy and corrective exercise and treat acute and chronic pain. We see athletes and non-athletes that want to make lifestyle changes and get out of pain to move and function better.

Our training and our 1-on-1 approach sets us apart. We also provide group classes for kids and adults. You will always be seen by a Doctor of Physical Therapy and consistency of care is very important to us! The experience is tailored to you. You will never fill like another number when you are at Refuge. You will be listened to and heard.

We are very proud that we were voted as top 3 physical therapy clinics in Northern Colorado for 2022! That was such an honor to receive that award. We have only just begun and have many goals to reach and help more people in our community. We have big plans ahead.

Starting a business was not easy. I learned you can’t have everything planned out perfectly before you start. You have to just start, get going, and figure it out as you go. There have been a lot of growing pains, tears, and stress. It takes time to build something great and there will always be new growth steps to take. But it is so worth it. I have learned there is always something more you can do. You can’t blame failures or lack of growth on anyone but yourself. If you can take full accountability and responsibility, your life and business will be much more fruitful. You will never know everything and there is always more to learn.

I knew NOTHING about business when I got started (still don’t feel like I know much :)). But I knew how to be a great physical therapist. I focused on serving each client/treating them well and the quality of the product I was providing and my business grew. When you are in it for the right reasons, your growth personally, professionally, financially are all a by-product. Keep the focus on serving people and not about money and you will go places.

I want the world to know that you don’t have to live a life of suffering and pain. It is difficult in our medical world today to get quality care and to truly feel heard and to get results for you to feel better. Know that at Refuge, we are here to serve you and help you get results. Our favorite clients are those who come to us as a last resort and need help because others couldn’t help them or gave up on them. If you need a different experience, set of eyes, or feel like giving up, come see us. You won’t feel like another number. We truly want to help you live a pain free life. We do PT differently. Our goal is to make physical therapy your first resort instead of your last!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We are foodies in our household. We also like to be outdoors when it is pretty 🙂 We would go to Horsetooth or Estes Park to hike. Would love to take them to Vail in the off season. Probably a little Top Golf! We love a good outdoor patio. But our favorite restaurants are Smokin Fins in Fort Collins, Chimney Park in Windsor, and Shanahan’s Steakhouse in Denver. We also love some Fuzzy’s 🙂 Can’t forget about Mary’s Mountain Cookies.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are a plethora of people who deserve credit and recognition for my story and who have helped shape who I am today. Most importantly, God has been a constant, loving Father to me throughout my life, even when I couldn’t see it or didn’t want to. But He is truly the reason I am who I am today. I get to reflect His love to those around me and He is such a great friend to me. I have to shoutout my husband as well. His name is Durfey, and when I met him, my life changed for the better. He encouraged me and pushed me past limits I thought I had. He has been a constant source of contentment, peace, and encouragement in this process and we are building something really special together. He has been my behind the scenes guy at home and with business, and he deserves so much credit for loving me well and for the sacrifices he has made to allow us to be where we are. Refuge Physiotherapy wouldn’t be here today without his support and encouragement and I am forever grateful for a husband that is such a great teammate.

Also, certain people I follow/books/podcasts have been essential to my growth. Andy Frisella, Ed Mylett, 75 Hard Program, Grant Cardone, Tim Grover to name a few.

Website: www.refugephysiotherapy.com

Instagram: @refugephysiotherapy

Facebook: @RefugePhysiotherapy

Youtube: @RefugePhysiotherapy

Image Credits
Kristopher Lindsay Photography