Today we’d like to introduce you to Annita Winkels.
Hi Annita, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I founded In Motion Therapy in 2007 because I was driven by a desire to provide comprehensive, hands-on care that prioritizes each patient’s unique needs. Today my goal is to create a private therapy practice where all therapists are empowered with the resources and education necessary to practice at their highest levels. All patients are given the focused time and attention they deserve to return to their optimum level of function. My humble beginnings started when I hoped for 5 patients in 800 square feet of space in Lincoln Park. I started by treating patients, doing laundry, scheduling appointments, and managing insurance claims. Now 15 years later, I have 7,000 square feet in two locations and 13 employees. We provide care to about 1,100 patients visits per month.
From the beginning, I connected with academic institutions in the region by serving as adjunct faculty and/or presented at local PT and PTA programs. I continue to lecture/present at the College of St. Scholastica Lake Superior College and the University of Mineesoday-Duluth Medical School. I have also done in-services and presented for both Essentia and St. Luke’s for pelvic health and case studies of our clinical care. Additionally, I have served as a teacher’s assistant for the Pelvic Rehab Institute and as a credentialed Clinical Instructor for physical therapy students. Currently, In Motion Therapy’s goals are to continue educating the community on the tremendous value physical therapy provides in restoring function and reducing the cost of health care for musculoskeletal conditions.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I first opened, I did not have any understanding of the complexity of the insurance industry. Wow, this has been a challenging and enlightening experience to the complexity of healthcare. If any reader fully understands this industry, please feel free to share your insights. This was an unpredictable struggle that I did not anticipate at the beginning which I now know will always be an ongoing challenge. Additionally, I have struggled with large corporate health systems that tend to keep patients in their system rather than give them a choice for their care.
Another growth experience is that I did not have any business or leadership skills. I have learned how to become a leader on my own by tapping into mentorship, peer groups and leadership books. Throughout the past few years these leadership skills have helped me identify the unique strengths in my team and how to elevate leaders within my organization that stay true to our core values. I believe this understanding has helped my organization maintain its quality of care through our growth.
We’ve been impressed with In Motion Therapy, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
In Motion Therapy was created to provide a better way to enable people to lead fuller lives. By treating the whole body, our patients can live more freely. This is done by getting to the sources of the pain and using our hands to restore movement. Additionally, our team educates patients on the source of the pain. This makes the patient feel empowered to be more in control of their health which leads to confidence that they can get back to living fully and move freely.
I am proud of our culture, where our team truly cares about our community, from the first interaction with our administrative team to the passionate care of our clinicians. Our dedicated therapists consistently provide the highest level of expertise to their patients. Our clinical objective is to treat each patient with one-on-one therapy for their unique condition. In Motion Therapys’ brand guarantee is that our patients will be heard, cared for and empowered every session. Our patient’s success is our happiness.
Our niche is osteopathic manual medicine, where we use our hands to identify restrictions in movement and use non-invasive techniques to restore normal mobility and provide exercises to restore function. Our treatment specialties are pelvic health, athletes of all ages, low back and neck pain, jaw pain, headaches, and post-concussive symptoms.
What matters most to you?
Staying committed to the mission and vision of my organization. Our mission is to restore physical well-being through progressive manual therapy and guided exercises for natural healing. Ultimately, our goal is to help patients “Live Life Fully,” Whether you are an elite athlete striving for a college scholarship, achieving a PR on the marathon, or running your first 5 k. Getting your body back in shape after a baby or getting on/off the floor to play with your grandkids. If you cannot do the activities, your sense of well-being suffers. Ultimately, what matters is that I have built a high-performance team that helps patients achieve their goals to maintain their well-being so they can “Live Life Fully.”
Inside my organization, what matters is that we maintain our values of Genuine Community, Enjoyment, Passionate Care, Empowerment, and Well-being. Being genuine attracts our patients to our organization; patients trust their providers and can be authentic in our interactions. We truly care about each other and our community. We enjoy being together and want to elevate movement and activity in our community. We are committed to providing passionate care and continually strive to advance our service and professional advancement. We empower our patients and others that are around us. We support and strive for well-being at home, at work, and community. These values matter and we have systems to ensure that we continue to live our values.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.inmotiontherapy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inmotiontherapy_mn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inmotiontherapyduluth/
Image Credits
Marya Juliann Photography.
