Each manual therapy organization, and any organization, has a culture. A company culture. Something that attracts and draws people to participate, to take classes, to pursue certification and fellowship. I’ve experienced quite a few different manual therapy organizations after 22 years in the specialty. And indeed, each of them have a different flavor, a different culture.

When I talk to people at conferences or in my community who are trying to decide which manual therapy organization to be a part of, I used to think I could be objective in describing the different manual therapy organizations. But, I can’t. I tried. I am partial to The North American Institute of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy, and here is why.

It’s the people who make up NAIOMT that make it what it is.

They don’t look the same. They don’t use the same techniques. They don’t live in the same place. They aren’t from the same country. They aren’t the same age. They have different personalities. They aren’t even in the same practice settings.

So, what is the NAIOMT profile?

They love learning.

They love thinking.

They love being challenged.

They love learning.

They love manual therapy and lots of things.

They love hanging out and talking.

They love being around other people that like to think.

These are passionate people.

They love being the best that they can be.

They are my friends and colleagues.

Do you fit the NAIOMT profile?

If you don’t know, why don’t you come find out at a class or meeting?

-Rebecca Lowe, PT, COMT, FAAOMPT

Rebecca began coursework in 1994 with the North American Institute of Orthopaedic Manual Therapy, was certified in 1999, and fellowship trained by 2006. She owns Manual Therapy of Nashville, is a NAIOMT CFI. She is very thankful for the framework that NAIOMT provided her right after graduating from PT school. Her advice, don’t just learn techniques, learn when to use them.  And, look at the whole person. She recently published a book for her patients (and therapists) called Restoring Hope in Chronic Pain: A Whole Person Perspective from an Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapist.