| |
|
|
Meet Us
Samantha Wood, MPT, MBA
BASI Pilates™ Certified Pilates Instructor
Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher
Sam is one of the owners of The Cypress Center, Physical Therapy and Wellness Center in Pacific Palisades, CA. As a physical therapist, she specializes in orthopedics, sports therapy, Pilates-based rehabilitation, and functional rehabilitation. Sam studied Pilates under her mentor, Rael Isacowitz at On Center Conditioning in Newport Beach, CA in 2001 and since then has attended many advanced workshops. At The Cypress Center, Sam ensures that Pilates is incorporated into Physical Therapy treatments and is proud to report excellent patient outcomes for 10 years. Sam is also a Yoga Alliance certified instructor and enjoys teaching her patients and clients the benefits of yoga.
Sam’s interest in physical therapy began when she worked in the athletic training room at the University of Southern California (USC). She enjoyed working with injured athletes and helping them return to their sports. She worked with athletes from all teams while at USC but specialized in volleyball, football and track. After two years of traveling the world working as a Fitness Instructor for The Golden Door Spa on Cunard cruise ships, Sam decided it was time to start her real career. She attended Western University of Health Sciences and received a Master of Physical Therapy (M.P.T.) degree. During her 13 year career as a PT, Sam has worked with many celebrities and professional athletes. While at HealthSouth in Arizona, Sam managed the sports medicine complex at America West Arena and was the Physical Therapist for the Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Coyotes, Phoenix Mercury and Arizona Rattlers.
In 2002, Sam returned to USC and earned her MBA. Inspired by the knowledge gained in business school and in the 10 years of managing a Physical Therapy Center and Pilates Studio, Sam now lectures on “The Business of Pilates” and offers consulting services to other entrepreneurs. She has also lectured at the BASI Pilates™ “Learn from the Leaders” Conference, and last year represented BASI Pilates™ internationally at the Hong Kong AFEEX. There she presented workshops on “Therapeutic Exercises for Scapular and Lumbar Pathologies, Achieving Stabilization through Pilates Techniques and “Introduction of the Pilates Method for the Physical Therapist”. Sam is honored to be one of the BASI Pilates™ Associate Faculty members providing Advanced Education for Pilates Instructors.
Sam resides in Santa Monica, CA. She is a proud member of the APTA, Pilates Method Alliance and the Yoga Alliance. In her free time she enjoys traveling the world, global volunteering, hiking, swimming, scuba diving, surfing, cycling, studying Spanish, reading books, living the beach lifestyle, and of course practicing yoga and Pilates!
|
|
