Finding Fortitude: Why I Started This Brand
Finding Fortitude: Why I Started This Brand
There are a lot of voices in the fitness and rehab world.
The internet (and the physical therapy space in general) is full of fear-mongering “professionals” who make you feel broken and like you aren’t doing the right thing so that you need them to fix you.
Some make exercise seem complicated. Some make you feel like you need expensive equipment, a perfect workout plan, or an hour a day to make progress. Others make it seem like if you are injured, in pain, or just getting started, you are somehow already behind.
That’s not what I’m about.
Finding Fortitude was created because I believe the opposite.
I believe exercise can be simple.
I believe strength training, rehab, and movement should feel approachable, not intimidating.
And I believe that most people do not need a complicated plan. They need someone to help them understand where to start, why it matters, and how to keep going.
That is what Finding Fortitude is all about.
I’ve spent years as a clinician where I’ve had the opportunity to treat a wide range of people from different backgrounds. The thing most people have in common when they enter my office is that physical therapy stands for “pain and torture,” and they are terrified of the process.
I’m not saying I’m perfect, but most everyone leaves my office with the reassurance they need that I’m on their side. And it is music to my ears when new patients say, “That wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be!”
What “Finding Fortitude” Means
Fortitude means strength, resilience, and the ability to keep going even when things are difficult.
I’ve had my fair share of difficulties in this journey we call life, but I was always able to come out of those things for two reasons: my faith in Jesus Christ and my ability to find my fortitude.
What I think a lot of people overlook about physical therapy is that we aren’t just treating someone who is in pain, we are also treating:
Someone who is in pain and their mom died three months ago
Someone who is in pain and this is their third surgery, and now their job is on the line
Someone who is in pain and they just had to put their grandparent in a nursing home
Someone who is in pain and has been passed from doctor to doctor with no real answers and is now struggling with depression
For a lot of people, the hardest (and most important) part of their rehab journey is just showing up.
It is about being an active participant in your care.
It is about building confidence in your body one small step at a time.
It is about learning that you are capable of more than you think - even if you are starting from zero, recovering from an injury, returning to exercise after years away, or trying to become the strongest version of yourself.
Finding Fortitude is for the runner who wants to stay injury-free.
It is for the parent who has spent years putting everyone else first and is finally ready to take care of themselves.
It is for the person who feels overwhelmed by all the conflicting advice online.
It is for the person who wants to get stronger, move better, and feel more confident and needs a simple place to start.
Why I Became a Physical Therapist
I often tell people I did not choose this career field…it chose me.
I was your average teenage girl with knee pain that most PTs see in their clinic. I participated in every school sport, cheered for football and basketball, and was a competitive gymnast. I lived on Lean Cuisines, chicken quesadillas, and Dr Pepper. I don’t think I even knew water existed except for showers and swimming. I had poor sleep habits and experienced chronic daily headaches.
But no one told me that all of that could play a major role in why my knees hurt so bad.
Instead, I went to an orthopedic doctor who told me he couldn’t help me, called my left knee my “magic knee” because he had never seen anything like it, and told me to take anti-inflammatories and rest for two weeks.
I was 14 years old, and I already knew that wasn’t right. It was incredibly disappointing.
In high school, I decided I wanted to become a Physical Therapist Assistant because I was told it was cheaper and easier. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, I went to PTA school and worked as a PTA for about a year before realizing I wanted to do more.
Five years later, I made the decision to go back to school.
Then the world shut down…and we all know how that went.
I started a hybrid, accelerated DPT program at 29 years old while raising a toddler and eventually became a Doctor of Physical Therapy.
That journey changed the trajectory of my life.
It taught me that growth is rarely convenient. It taught me what it feels like to doubt yourself, to start over, to feel overwhelmed, and to keep going anyway.
That is why I connect so strongly with the people I work with.
Because many of them are not starting from an easy place either.
They are busy. They are tired. They have injuries, setbacks, fear, self-doubt, or years of feeling like they have failed at movement.
I want them to know that they are not behind.
You do not have to be an athlete to deserve to feel strong or to be pain-free.
You do not have to be perfect to start.
My Passion: Making Exercise and Rehab Simpler
One of the biggest frustrations I have with the fitness and rehab world is that things are often made more complicated than they need to be.
You do not need ten different exercises for the same muscle.
You do not need to spend hours in the gym.
You do not need to understand every anatomy term or buy every piece of equipment to get results.
The truth is that simple, consistent movement is often the most powerful thing you can do.
That is why the content I create focuses on:
Simple exercises that are easy to understand
Strength training that feels approachable
Rehab ideas that do not require a clinic or expensive equipment
Practical education for PT students and new grads to build confidence in real-world clinical decision-making
Tips for runners who want to stay healthy and strong
Education that explains not just what to do, but why it matters
Real-life strategies that fit into busy schedules
I want to lower the barrier to exercise and help people realize that movement does not have to be complicated to be effective.
What I Can Offer You
Through Finding Fortitude, my goal is to help people move with more confidence and take ownership of their situation.
Whether you are dealing with pain, starting strength training for the first time, returning to exercise after a long break, or trying to stay active as you get older, I want to provide practical tools that actually fit your life.
Some of the things you can expect from Finding Fortitude include:
Injury Prevention and Rehab
Exercises and strategies to help reduce injury risk, improve durability, build stronger muscles and bones, understand pain, and get back to the activities you love.
Strength Training for Beginners
Simple, manageable steps to help you build confidence without feeling overwhelmed.
Support for Runners
Straightforward strength and mobility strategies to help reduce common running injuries and improve long-term performance.
Honest, Realistic Education for both Students and the Everyday Human
No gimmicks. No shame. No impossible standards.
Just useful information that helps you understand the human body and take the next step forward.
The Kind of Community I Want to Build
My hope is that Finding Fortitude becomes a place where people feel encouraged.
A place where someone who has never exercised before feels welcome.
A place where someone who is recovering from an injury realizes they are not broken.
A place where runners, parents, beginners, and anyone trying to take better care of themselves can find practical advice and a little bit of hope.
A place for students to gain clarity versus being confused from their orthopedic content in school.
I want people to leave my content feeling more confident, not more overwhelmed.
Because sometimes the hardest part is not knowing what to do next.
And sometimes all you need is one small step, one simple exercise, or one person who believes you can do it.
Thank You for Being Here
If you’ve made it this far, thank you.
Whether you are here because you are a student or new grad, dealing with pain, wanting to start exercising, trying to become a stronger runner, or simply looking for a fresh start - I’m glad you found your way here.
Finding Fortitude is about more than fitness and rehab.
It is about learning to trust your body again.
It is about becoming stronger in ways that matter.
And it is about finding the fortitude to keep moving forward, one step at a time.
