About Alison Aiken PT, dpt, pyt
Here's my (professional) life story
I began my adventure as a healthcare professional in 1998 at a small rural hospital after graduating from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy. Since then I have worked as a physical therapist in a large hospital and in private practice. In 2005 I completed my first yoga teacher training through The Yoga Institute and began incorporating yoga techniques into my physical therapy practice. I have taught therapeutic based yoga classes since then, led continuing education courses, and completed a Professional Yoga Therapy certificate through Naada Yoga in 2019. I received my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2012, while pregnant with my first child. After his birth, inspired by my prenatal yoga practice and my birth experience (both the magic and the challenges), I attended a prenatal yoga teacher training through Blooma Yoga and took courses in the assessment and treatment of the pelvis through Herman and Wallace. It was at this time that my passion for and care of pregnant and postpartum women deepened. The value of both prenatal physical therapy and postpartum PT became even more obvious. Through teaching prenatal and postnatal yoga classes and integrating my deeper knowledge of the prenatal and postpartum time into the care of my clients I took a deep dive into the way I viewed and offered perinatal and pelvic care.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Care
My passion for working with mothers began about 10 years ago and deepened through both of my pregnancies and postpartum periods. Though at the time I felt supported and had many knowledgeable friends and providers I began to realize how much improvement to our current systems is needed when it comes to recognizing what is necessary for creating a supportive and nourishing postpartum time. My understanding and personal experience of how our society fails mothers during this time of great need and change steered me to learn even more about more inclusive and effective approaches to healing. I trained with INNATE Traditions and Tami Lynn Kent who opened my eyes and heart further into what postpartum folks truly need to thrive and, for those who aren’t thriving, what can be done to improve their physical, spiritual, and energetic bodies. My work is now focused on integrating tools from my physical therapy practice, my yoga teachings, and pelvic health studies to create a more diverse and multifaceted approach to empower individuals and nourish the collective.
I am most at home in the outdoors and can often be found trail running and hiking, skiing, or tending to my garden where I enjoy growing food to nourish my family, flowers to brighten the world, and herbs to add flavor and healing to our days. I find a calm steadiness and focus when knitting, felting, and exploring my new skills with embroidery and have been deepening my knowledge of herbal medicine. I live with my family - spouse, two kids, two dogs, two cats and many chickens in Richmond, Vermont. A lifelong learner, I love reading both fiction and non-fiction. As I've recently embraced abandoning the "grind culture" I have also reintroduced naps as a more regular feature in my days.