We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Sneha Gazi, PT, DPT and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Sneha, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Physical therapy is usually seen as massage and exercise, done typically in a gym setting. People imagine that they would need to go see a PT for something like back pain or an ankle sprain. What many people don’t know is that PTs work in many different types of settings and provide a variety of different services. PTs can be found in hospitals treating ulcer wounds, in skilled nursing facilities treating elderly people, in the neonatal intensive care units helping to position preterm babies, backstage on Broadway helping performers stretch, and on the sports fields treating acute injuries. People also might not know that there is a whole field within orthopedic PT called pelvic health. This is one of my many specialities! We treat many things, including issues with bowel, bladder and sexual function, along with pregnancy and postpartum concerns. I help people not pee themselves, have pain-free sex, and not strain on the toilet, amongst a gazillion other things. I help people learn how to control their bodies and muscles in ways that they feel confident with everything “down there” and beyond.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My physical therapy practice is a concierge and telehealth model, which sets it apart from the traditional clinical setting. I go to my patients and they are always able to receive treatment in the comfort & privacy of their own homes. I use minimal equipment because I don’t think exercise and movement should be complicated or expensive. There is so much healing that can happen just on a mat or a 4 by 4 sq ft space. I am licensed to treat patients in NY, NJ, and MD. I mostly treat in-homes in the boroughs of NY and offer telehealth for patients further away. My patients get me 100% of the time – no aids or assistants. They have unlimited access to me via phone or email. I monitor their progress closely and we work together to make goals and a plan of care that works for them. There is no cookie cutter approach and everyone is treated according to their individual needs. I also host a podcast called “Fit As A Fiddle” where I interview guests all throughout the health and wellness space to educate people about how to optimize their wellness. It’s a lot of fun! I am most proud of being successful in my business in less than 2 months of quitting my full-time PT job. It took a LOT of work and it was not easy but I think self development is so important for a business owner. I didn’t really know a drop of business when I decided to start so I am completely self-taught. I read all the books, listened to all the podcasts, and set my goals. I never took a single course in-person or online that I paid for. Everything was just free information on the internet and books that I bought from Amazon. I didn’t really read any physical therapy books – they were all business books and self development books. I got into the mindset that I am doing this no matter what. And I couldn’t turn back after that. I am so happy I did that because I am a completely different person. I knew from the start I can’t work for anybody. I am too independent! I think people need to know about themselves and once they figure out their own personalities well, they can do anything from there. There is so much to my story but I know that I am just at the beginning and there will be a life time of learning. I wouldn’t trade this path for anything!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Manhattan – so there is SO much to see and do. I would definitely go to a Broadway show (or 3!) once they open. The MET is my favorite museum. I’d go bowling in Chelsea piers. I cross Central Park nearly every day of my life by foot, but it never gets boring! There’s always a new path to take and a new sight to see! I’d especially walk along the reservoir and see the beautiful view of Billionaire’s Row. I’d go to my favorite cupcake shop in the Lower East Side, Sugar Sweet Sunshine, have a meal in Little Italy, and then walk up to Washington Square Park where I started my roots in the city studying at NYU. We might get Artichoke Pizza on MacDougal St. Brunch at Revel in Meatpacking is great and I love Mike’s bagels (an everything bagel with scallion cream cheese) in Washington Heights by Columbia University Medical Campus where I went to PT school. I’d love to show people around Greenwich Village, its quaint little cobble stone paths and shops. I’m not a huge shopper but I know SoHo has got some great stuff for people who like it! I love a live Jazz bar with dinner. For a night out, I used to go out to M15, Monarch or Slate. I don’t even know if they exist anymore… it’s been a while!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My biggest support is my family. Because I am a sole proprietor, I joke that my husband is my unpaid CFO, CTO, personal assistant, coffee boy, photographer, videographer, and senior consultant. But he really is all of that! My family is so supportive and I couldn’t thank them enough. Extra special shoutout to my late grandma (Saras Paati) who is my role model and the fiercest woman I know. With barely a high school degree, she had the capacity to run several business, feed over 100 people a day, and command a room with utmost confidence.

Website: www.snehaphysicaltherapy.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/snehaphysicaltherapy

Facebook: www.facebook.com/snehaphysicaltherapy

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sneha-physical-therapy-new-york

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzZh9Js812CeSJPMEJ4GG_Q/featured

Other: Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/6S9guLdeP45b9ehCa0uiGd
NonProfit: www.ptisfoundation.org

Image Credits
Aaron Rahman

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