I’m Dr. Carissa Conrad, a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Therapeutic Pain Specialist, and Health & Wellness Coach. My work is rooted in understanding the profound connection between the nervous system, the physical body, and the emotional self.
Over the past 15+ years, I’ve helped patients navigate complex pain and health conditions—yet it was my own experience with Long Covid that reshaped my approach entirely.
I earned my Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Washington in 2008 and quickly realized that treating only the musculoskeletal system often missed the deeper causes of dysfunction. That curiosity led me to explore the influence of thought patterns, trauma, and emotional stress on the nervous system and physical health.
In 2020, I completed advanced training to become a Therapeutic Pain Specialist, gaining a deep understanding of pain neuroscience—how pain is processed in the brain and how it can become chronic when the nervous system is stuck in a protective state.
Through this lens, I developed a truly integrative model of care.
With an 18-month-old son and a 7-year-old daughter, I suddenly found myself unable to walk to the mailbox, sleep, or care for my children. I battled fatigue, muscle weakness, gut dysfunction, anxiety, and unrelenting insomnia. Despite my medical training, I felt completely lost.
My recovery didn’t come from a single medication or protocol—it came from nourishing my nervous system, step by step. I learned to slow down, regulate, and rebuild. I discovered tools that helped me get out of survival mode—especially Vagus Nerve Stimulation—and those tools changed everything.
Today, I am back to living a full, vibrant life. And now I guide others on their healing path with compassion, science, and hard-won insight.
© 2025 Carissa Conrad. All Rights Reserved.