Brigitte Martino

I've been a physical therapist since 1981, and it's been an incredible journey that has allowed me to work all over the world. My brother-in-law first mentioned the profession to me - I had never even heard of PT back then, it wasn't as popular as it is today. When I looked it up in the dictionary of occupational titles at the library, it sounded like a really interesting profession, and it truly has been. My career has taken me to Florida, Australia, and Germany. I lived in Sydney for 5 years and in Darmstadt, Germany, for 7 years. For the past 22 years, I've been established in Texas, where I've been able to build a strong clientele through word-of-mouth referrals. I now run a very small private practice, which allows me to decide how much I want to work as I'm at that age where I'd like to work less and less. I've become very specialized in osteopathic techniques, particularly craniosacral therapy and visceral manipulation, with a focus on pediatrics. My specialty lately has been working with mamas and babies, or families - parents and babies. Those babies respond so quickly with the work that I do, and it's given me the amazing opportunity to change someone's life. I took my first craniosacral class in 1993, and that was probably the best move I've made because it's allowed me to do what I do today. I've always taken numerous classes over the years to continually better my skills, and when I went into the direction of osteopathy, it was probably the best choice. Even though I'm looking more towards retirement, with a career like mine and a skill like mine, I will never completely retire. It's hard not to offer something like this to people, especially when it's a win-win - the person gets better, and I feel better for helping the person.