Dr. Melissa Kerr, PT, DPT, FNCP, Integrative Yoga Health Coach

 MOVEMENT SPECIALIST

DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, INTEGRATIVE PHYSICAL THERAPIST, FUNCTIONAL NUTRITION FOR CHRONIC PAIN PRACTITIONER, INTEGRATIVE YOGA HEALTH COACH, EXPERIENCED REGISTERED YOGA TEACHER, CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR IN TAI CHI & QIGONG

Dr. Kerr is an integrative physical therapist with a unique skillset in integrative techniques and lifestyle medicine. With certifications in yoga, tai chi, and qigong, Dr. Kerr provides a mind-body approach to movement. Her training as an integrative yoga health applies yogic philosophy in a client-centric thought-partnership to explore wellness and lifestyle modifications. Dr. Kerr has additional training in nutrition and supports the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s recommendations to implement plant-predominant eating for optimized health.

Dr. Kerr is taking appointments for a variety of services including:

• individual integrative physical therapy appointments (to address pain, injury, disease, digestive distress, lifestyle)

• health coaching (integrative yoga health coach appointments)

• individual contemplative movement training (personalized one-on-one yoga, tai chi, qigong sessions)

• group contemplative movement training (customized group classes based on specific requests/needs/audience)

• professional consultations (assisting healthcare professionals in designing & implementing an integrative practice)

• corporate/education program development (customized programs for a specific audience)

Education & Training

• Honors Graduate in Physical Therapy 1996, The Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, OH

  • Early career: Physical therapist in a variety of traditional health care settings, six-year specialization in cardiopulmonary interventions, and four-year position as adjunct faculty for Youngstown State University’s (Y.S.U.) Department of Physical Therapy program teaching cardiopulmonary content. Continued goes lecturer in integrative physical therapy at Y.S.U.

• Doctorate in Physical Therapy 2017

  A.T. Still University, Mesa, AZ

  • Focus on the evidence-based findings of yoga

• Integrative Health Coach Certification, July 2021

  • Facilitator of client health and well-being using lifestyle medicine

• Team Well-Being Certification, June 2021

  • Facilitator for organizations and teams to enhance well-being in the workplace using elements of yoga, lifestyle medicine, and coaching to create more compassion in the corporate realm.

• Yoga Coach Certification, June 2021

  • Uses yoga philosophy, including all 8-limbs and not just physical movement, to optimize health through self-discovery techniques to balance well-being

• Genius Break Coach Certification, May 2021

  • Rooted in yoga, this method of movement is intended to to break up the workday by incorporating additional principles of meaningfulness and mindfulness for optimal well-being

• Functional Nutrition for Chronic Pain, 2020

  • Certified in evidence-based nutrition training for chronic disease, pain specific

• Professional Training: Mind, Mood, & Food Center for Mind-Body Medicine, 2019

  Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Stockbridge, MA

• Professional Training Program Center for Mind-Body Medicine, 2018

  Baltimore, MD

  • Mind-body skills group professional training

• Yoga Training

  • Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (ERYT) through Yoga Alliance

  • Yoga Alliance Certified Education Provider.

  • Completed extensive training in a variety of yoga styles focusing specialization in yoga therapy integration

• Qigong Dayan Arts: Art of Longevity (AOL) Instructor, 2019

  • Dayan Arts Organization, Grandmaster Shane Lear

  • Wild Goose Qigong & Tai Chi

  • Kidney Strengthening Form, Tai Chi Hun Yuan Chuang Form, Seated & Standing Meditation

• Qigong Dayan Arts: Basic Instructor, 2019

  • Dayan Arts Organization, Grandmaster Shane Lear

  • 1st 64 Wild Goose Qigong

• Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi for Balance, Certified 2016

  • Tai Chi for Balance Certified Level 1 The Ohio State University and Lucy Bartimole

  • Tai Chi for Balance Certified Level 2, Lucy Bartimole

• Other Professional Training

  • Certified in Graston Technique, acupressure, vacuum cupping, dry needling, and completed a variety of manual therapy trainings over her years of practice.

• Melissa’s focus in rehabilitation emphasizes a biopsychosocial model that integrates the awareness of the emotional, psychological, and spiritual factors that impact our physical function and health. Her goal is to help people discover a greater balance in health through the combined use of contemporary therapeutic techniques and mind-body therapies.

• Licensed to treat individuals in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida. Per the state of Florida department of health guidelines, information on out-of-state physical therapy telehealth is available http://www.flhealthsource.gov/telehealth/

Melissa works as an integrative physical therapist with Be Well Therapies (virtual appointments, cash-based). She incorporates therapeutic yoga into her professional therapy practice and utilizes a Great Yoga Wall as a primary prop for intervention. She teaches yoga and tai chi/qigong to the community online and at local studios and wellness centers. She works with various non-profit and philanthropic companies for wellness programming.

Dr. Kerr and Be Well Therapies offer a variety of services for educational purposes and regularly participate in a community events, corporate programs, and workshops with area healthcare professionals and academic institutions that share the vision of improving health and empowering wellness.