Our Philosophy
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Most physical therapy clinics treat the part of you that hurts. We treat ALL of you.
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We recognize that genuine recovery starts with acknowledging the entirety of your being. Our methodology blends physical therapy with lifestyle medicine, viewing the human body as a unified system rather than a set of disjointed symptoms. We often emphasize that every element is interrelated.Â
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"It's ALL Connected!"
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By providing a customized concierge experience, we guarantee that each intervention and exercise is specifically designed for your individual habits and future well-being. We are dedicated to equipping you with the necessary expertise and resources to cultivate a life defined by lasting pain-free health and meaningful energy.
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Kelly Donathan, PT, DPT, ATC brings 15 years of clinical expertise and 10 years of lifestyle coaching experience into every session — weaving together orthopedic physical therapy, pelvic health, chronic pain management, trigger point dry needling, lifestyle medicine, and targeted supplementation into one seamlessly integrated plan of care.
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No rotating staff. No rushed visits. No cookie-cutter protocols.
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Just you, your story, and a clinician who has the time and the training to address all of it.
The Empathy Approach
How We Work
Cash-Pay Model
By operating outside of insurance constraints, we protect what matters most — your time in the room. Sessions are longer, deeper, and entirely focused on your needs. No compromises.
Integrative Mind-Body Care
True healing accounts for how you sleep, move, and manage stress. Our sessions draw on physical therapy, movement science, and lifestyle medicine to optimize long-term health.
Concierge Flexibility
Sessions are held at our space in Salt Lake City, or via in-home and virtual visits throughout the greater downtown area, maximizing convenience and continuity of care.
A Message From Dr. Kelly
"I spent years practicing in a system that never gave me enough time with the people who needed it most. I founded Empathy PT & Wellness because I believe healing is not a 45-minute transaction — it's a relationship. My work draws on everything I've learned as a clinician and a lifestyle coach: that the body and mind are not separate, that recovery is influenced by how we eat, sleep, move, and think, and that the fastest path to lasting relief is treating the whole person from the very first session. You deserve care that sees all of you. That's what I'm here to provide."
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— Kelly Donathan, PT, DPT, ATC
How We Work
Conditions We Treat
Orthopedic and sports injuries
Chronic spine and neck pain
Post-surgical rehabilitation
Chronic pain and nervous system dysregulation
Movement and performance optimization
Lifestyle-related inflammation and recovery
Pelvic floor dysfunction and pelvic pain
Pre- and postnatal care
Meet Your Therapist
Dr. Kelly Donathan, PT, DPT, ATC
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Physical Therapist · Athletic Trainer · Lifestyle Coach
Kelly has spent 15 years practicing physical therapy and 10 years as a lifestyle coach — and she has never believed those two things should be separate. As a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Kelly holds advanced training in orthopedic sports medicine, chronic pain, pelvic health, and trigger point dry needling. She has experience working with a wide range of individuls including professional athletes (summer/winter X-Games), collegiate athletes, weekend warriors, and those working to tackle life's daily demands.Â
As a lifestyle coach, she understands the profound impact that sleep quality, nutrition, stress physiology, mindset, movement habits, and supplementation have on how the body heals — and how quickly. At Empathy PT & Wellness, those two bodies of knowledge live in the same room, at the same time, in service of one person: you.
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Kelly founded Empathy on the conviction that the current healthcare model asks clinicians to do too much in too little time, leaving patients with fragmented care and unanswered questions. The concierge, cash-pay model exists specifically to dismantle that. Here, sessions are long enough to go deep. Plans are personal enough to actually hold. And the relationship between clinician and patient is built on trust, continuity, and respect.Â
How We Work
A New Standard of Care
Every service at Empathy PT & Wellness is delivered one-on-one, directly with Dr. Kelly, for the full duration of your session. What follows is not a menu — it is an integrated system of care that works together to produce outcomes that fragmented treatment simply cannot.
Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy
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Whether you're a competitive athlete pushing performance limits or someone who stepped wrong getting off a curb, musculoskeletal injuries deserve precise, evidence-based care delivered with patience and context.
We assess not just the injury site but the movement patterns, lifestyle factors, and biomechanical contributors that either caused or are perpetuating the problem. Treatment integrates manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, dry needling when appropriate, and lifestyle recommendations that support tissue healing from the inside out.
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Conditions include: sprains and strains, tendinopathy, bursitis, labral injuries, shoulder, hip and knee dysfunction, post-surgical rehab, and performance-related overuse injuries.
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Chronic Spine Pain
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Chronic back and neck pain are among the most undertreated and misunderstood conditions in modern healthcare. They are also among the most responsive to comprehensive, integrative care.
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Our approach to spine pain goes well beyond manual therapy and core exercises. We examine the relationship between pain and sleep, pain and stress, pain and movement habits, and pain and nervous system sensitization — because in chronic pain, all of those relationships matter.
Treatment blends hands-on therapy, dry needling, movement retraining, nervous system regulation strategies, and lifestyle medicine to address the full picture.
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Conditions include: low back pain, neck pain, disc pathology, facet dysfunction, sacroiliac joint pain, postural strain, and centrally sensitized pain syndromes.
Trigger Point Dry Needling
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Trigger point dry needling uses fine, sterile filiform needles to target hyperirritable bands of muscle tissue — commonly called trigger points — that contribute to local and referred pain, limited range of motion, and movement dysfunction.
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Unlike acupuncture, which is rooted in traditional Chinese medicine meridian theory, dry needling is grounded in Western neuroanatomy and musculoskeletal science. The goal is precise neuromuscular release — and patients frequently notice meaningful changes in pain and mobility quickly.
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Commonly treated with dry needling: myofascial pain, headaches and migraines, neck and shoulder tension, low back and hip pain, plantar fasciitis, sciatica-pattern pain, and chronic muscle guarding.
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Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
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Pelvic floor dysfunction is common, treatable, and still far too often dismissed or left unaddressed. We provide trauma-informed, inclusive pelvic health care for people of all genders and all life stages.
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Pelvic health care at Empathy extends into the lifestyle domain as well — because bladder, bowel, and pelvic pain conditions are frequently influenced by nutrition, hydration, stress, and sleep. We discuss all of it.
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Conditions include:
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Pelvic pain and pressure
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Urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence
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Bowel dysfunction
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Painful intercourse (dyspareunia, vaginismus)
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Pelvic organ prolapse
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Prenatal and postpartum pelvic support
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Post-prostatectomy rehabilitation
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Endometriosis-related pain management
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Coccyx and tailbone pain
In-Home Concierge Physical Therapy
For patients who prefer the comfort and convenience of their own environment — or whose condition makes travel difficult — we offer in-home concierge visits throughout downtown Salt Lake City.
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In-home sessions deliver the same comprehensive, integrative care as clinic visits. Kelly arrives equipped for manual therapy, dry needling, movement assessment, exercise instruction, and lifestyle coaching. There is no compromise in quality — only a change in location.
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In-home visits are ideal for:
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Post-surgical patients in early recovery
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Individuals with mobility limitations
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New mothers in the postpartum period
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Patients who simply prefer care at home
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Busy professionals and executives
The Cash-Pay Concierge Model
When physical therapy is billed through insurance, the insurance company — not your clinician — has significant influence over your care. Visit frequency is limited. Session length is constrained. Treatment approaches must fit billing codes. And the pressure to move patients through quickly is real and constant.
At Empathy PT & Wellness, we operate entirely outside that system.
Why Cash Pay?
By operating outside of insurance constraints, we protect what matters most — your time in the room. Sessions are longer, deeper, and entirely focused on your needs. No prior authorizations. No visit limits. No compromises.
What Cash Pay Makes Possible
- Sessions as long as your needs require
- Plans designed around your body, not protocols
- Integration of lifestyle medicine and mind-body strategies
- Direct, unhurried communication between sessions
Is It Covered by Insurance?
We do not bill insurance directly. We provide a detailed superbill for potential out-of-network reimbursement. HSA and FSA funds are also welcome. Contact your provider for out-of-network physical therapy benefits.
You Belong Here
Reaching out for care takes courage — especially if you've felt dismissed, rushed, or misunderstood in healthcare settings before. We want you to know from the very first moment: you are welcome here exactly as you are.
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Empathy PT & Wellness is a safe, affirming space for people of all ages, body types, genders, sexual orientations, abilities, and backgrounds. We are proud to serve the LGBTQ+ community, trauma survivors, those living with chronic illness, and anyone who has been made to feel like too much — or not enough — in a medical setting.
1. Reach Out
Send us a message or give us a call. We’ll have a brief conversation to learn what’s brought you in and answer your questions. No pressure, no commitment.
2. Evaluation
Your first session is a thorough assessment covering your health history, movement patterns, pain experience, and lifestyle factors. We understand the human clinical picture.
3. Personalized Plan
Dr. Kelly walks you through findings using plain language. Your plan integrates physical therapy and lifestyle medicine in the combination that best serves your recovery.
4. Ongoing Care
Sessions are scheduled around your life. Your plan evolves as you do. Dr. Kelly remains directly accessible because continuity shouldn’t stop when you leave the room.
Client Success Stories
"The holistic approach at Empathy has completely transformed my movement and overall wellness. It's more than just physical therapy; it's a lifestyle shift."
Sarah Jenkins
"Finally, a practice that listens to the body's needs. The concierge model provided the expert care and empathy I was looking for in my recovery."
Marcus Thorne
"The lifestyle medicine focus has been a game-changer. I feel more balanced and energized than I have in years. Truly professional and empathetic."
Elena Rodriguez
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