PTA+ Physical Therapist Assistant

Aquatic therapy might be one of the most overlooked tools in rehab, and Wendy Enck is here to make the case for bringing it back to the spotlight.

Recorded live at APTA’s CSM, this conversation explores how Physical Therapist Assistants can use water to accelerate balance recovery, reduce chronic pain, and build patient confidence faster than traditional land-based rehab alone.

With fewer than 300 PTAs attending CSM out of 15–20,000 ...

APTA CSM is buzzing — but is it worth it for a Physical Therapist Assistant? Katie talks with Margie Nguyen (Not Just a PTA) to talk about:

• Why PTAs need to show up at national conferences
• Networking strategies that actually work
• Pelvic health advocacy for postpartum patients
• Growing your PTA career beyond the clinic
• How to “put yourself out there” without fear

If you’re a PTA wondering whether CSM belongs in your career path — ...

Recorded live at CSM, this episode is a direct challenge to every Physical Therapist Assistant who has ever thought, “There’s no room for growth.”

Deanne Yates shares her journey from PTA to national-level leadership involvement, including work with FSBPT and PTA governance initiatives. She discusses:

• Why PTA and PT are both terminal clinical designations
• The danger of self-limit...

In this episode of PTA+ (Physical Therapist Assistant), Katie talks with Ryan Elsass, PTA, CSCS, owner of Ace Sports Performance in Pittsburgh. Ryan shares how failing forward—PT school rejection and an early setback in PTA school—pushed him into a niche bridging rehab to real-life performance for golfers, tennis players, and pickleball athletes.

We cover:

• Why patients often get re-injured after discharge—and how to close the gap
• ...

Feeling overwhelmed about CSM? You’re not alone. In this episode, Katie flips the format and lets Macy Frederick Rogers (first-time attendee) ask the questions every PTA is thinking—so you can walk into CSM with a plan.

You’ll hear practical tips on:

• How to build a schedule you can actually follow (without burnout)
• What first-timers miss in the exhibit hall (including activations + APTA pavilion moments)
• Networking that doesn’t fee...

Your Physical Therapist Assistant career can be bigger than a job title—and Sara Conrad is living proof. Sara shares how she built a career blending outpatient ortho, sports performance, ethics, leadership, and education while staying rooted in patient care.

You’ll hear:

• How Sara found the PTA path through a truly nonlinear journey
• What licensure boards actually do (and how they differ from association work)
• How FSBPT involvement c...

New York’s move to general supervision for PTAs is a major win—and a powerful case study in why advocacy matters.

In this episode, Katie sits down with clinic leaders to unpack:

• What general supervision really changes for PTAs
• How advocacy led to meaningful policy reform
• Why rural and outpatient clinics are expanding PTA-led models
• The truth about the PTA modifier and reimbursement
• How mentorship sustains careers—not just clinics

Jessica Hochberg proves that being a PTA is not a limitation - it is a launchpad. In this episode, Katie talks with Jessica (former Director of Rehab, certified stroke rehab and fall prevention specialist, and MBA in healthcare management) about the career moves PTAs are not always taught: how to build leadership skills, reframe your transferable strengths, and pursue non-clinical paths like quality, documentation review, and healt...

What does leadership look like for PTAs—and how do you grow into it when the path isn’t always clear?

In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Amy Smith Hamel, PTA, a respected leader in physical therapy and Regional Director of Operations at Restore Therapy in Alabama, for a grounded, honest conversation about leadership, growth, and saying yes before you feel ready.

Amy shares her journey into leadership, the momen...

What actually increases your worth as a PTA—and how do you make it happen on purpose?

In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Sanaz Holcomb, PTA, BS, to explore the developmental pathways that help PTAs grow their skills, expand their influence, and increase their professional value.

Sanaz breaks down several powerful opportunities available to PTAs, including:

• APTA PTA Advanced Proficiency Pathways (APPs)
• LIFE Se...

What if the PTA career path isn’t a straight line—but a wide-open map?

In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton explores how PTAs are creating new, non-traditional career pathways—inside and outside the clinic. This conversation challenges the idea that there’s only one way to build a successful PTA career and highlights the opportunities that open up when you think beyond the job description.

We talk about:

• why the “traditional...

What does it take to break through barriers as a PTA—and still build a life that feels full?

In this episode of PTA+, host Katie Sutton sits down with Chris Junkins, PTA, ATC/L, co-owner of Dosher Physical Therapy Associates in upstate South Carolina, for an honest conversation about leadership, resilience, and saying yes to opportunity.

Chris shares his journey as a PTA clinician working with athletes, testing employees for industry...

What really happens inside the APTA House of Delegates—and why should PTAs care?

In this Top 5 re-release, Katie Sutton sits down with PTA Council Delegates Brenda Dorman, Jeannie Thompson, and David Harris for a behind-the-scenes conversation on the decisions, debates, and momentum shaping the future of the PTA profession.

You’ll hear:

• how the profession has evolved (and what’s helped propel PTAs forward)
• what it was like casting ...