Today we’d like to introduce you to Joanna Kahn.
Hi Joanna, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Growing up in Vermont, I was influenced significantly by the perspective of my parents. They were both teachers, with a love for community, adventure, and travel. A persistent message was to find your joy and give it back to those around you. Even as a kid, I knew I wanted to help people. That thread never wavered. Through soccer, ballet, tennis and skiing, I discovered I had a deep love of movement — any kind, really — and human connection too. Those two forces helped guide me toward earning my Master’s in Physical Therapy.
I excitedly began my career in Boston. Like many young therapists, I started out energized and eager to make a difference. But working in high-volume outpatient clinics left me feeling disheartened. Treatment felt rushed, fragmented — focused more on managing symptoms than truly understanding the whole person. Patients might return with similar complaint despite finishing their “PT protocols.” A recurring thought developed that could not be ignored: There has to be a better way than this! Everyone’s body is different — moves differently, copes differently — so why is everyone treated similarly? If glute bridges didn’t work for their back pain before, why are we still having the patient do them?
While I started my career in Boston, the mountains out were calling me back. We had spent my childhood summers in Montana and took ski trips out West — which planted the early seeds of my love for the mountains. Park City was a beautiful blend of mountain living and professional opportunities. That was the beginning of what eventually became Personal PT.
I started my clinic in Park City in 2010, with a commitment to treating each person as a whole — not just a shoulder or a back or a knee. I took everything I’d learned from my education, my own health journey, and my clinical experience, and started building something I couldn’t find anywhere else: a place where care is thoughtful, collaborative, and personal.
A place where we look beyond symptoms to understand what’s actually driving them — and where patients who have tried everything else can finally start to get real answers.
And maybe just as importantly — a place where patients feel seen, heard, and understood.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Early in my career, I faced a chronic illness that took me out of work for over a year and a half. I couldn’t exercise, I couldn’t contribute in the ways I was used to — even my identity felt shaken. It was an incredibly humbling time.
But that experience changed how I practice. It gave me a deeper empathy for what many of my patients go through – the frustration of not being able to do the things you love, the feeling of being disconnected from your own body, and the fear that maybe this is your “new normal.”
Now, when someone comes into my clinic in pain, whether it’s physical or emotional, I don’t just see a diagnosis. I see a human who’s trying to get their life back. That’s what drives the kind of care we provide at Personal PT.
As you know, we’re big fans of Personal PT. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Personal PT is based here in Park City, Utah. We’re a specialized physical therapy clinic that focuses on individualized, whole-body care for active adults who want to move well, feel strong, and stay in the activities they love — without being sidelined by pain or injury.
At Personal PT, we treat people — not protocols.
We work one-on-one with each client to uncover the real root of their pain or dysfunction. That might involve hands-on manual therapy, movement retraining, or looking at how past injuries are showing up in the present. It’s never one-size-fits-all — because no two bodies move the same.
What makes us different is our belief that everyone has a unique “Movement ID” — kind of like a fingerprint, but for how your body moves. So if your body has a different history and pattern than the person next to you, your treatment plan should be different too. That’s the core of everything we do here: personalized care, rooted in science, guided by intuition, and shaped around you.
I started Personal PT back in 2010, after working in a series of traditional high-volume clinics. I was burned out from the pace and frustrated by the way care was being delivered. I just kept thinking: there has to be a better way to do this — one that actually honors the whole person. That moment led to building this clinic, brick by brick, around the kind of care I’d want for myself or my family.
I’ve also been lucky to work alongside Ashley Sacks, DPT, who’s been with me for several years now. She’s an incredible clinician and a kind human — and she brings deep expertise in pelvic floor physical therapy, which has allowed us to care for people across a wider spectrum of needs, all under one roof.
In 2026, I published a book called From Pain to Power, specifically for active adults dealing with chronic low back pain. It’s rooted in the same whole-body philosophy we use in the clinic — blending science, stories, and actionable steps to help people take charge of their own healing. Writing it felt like a way to reach the people I can’t treat one-on-one, but who still deserve real answers and real support.
Now I’m building on that with a new online program called Back To Your Best — a combination of guided videos, live Q&A sessions, and step-by-step movement strategies to help people work through back pain on their own terms. I designed it for the people who are tired of quick fixes and ready for something that actually makes sense for their body.
We also share free tips and self-treatment strategies regularly on our social media channels — it’s a great place to learn more about how your body moves, why pain shows up, and what you can start doing today to feel better.
You can find us on Instagram [@personal_pt_4u], Facebook [@personalpt], Tiktok [@joannakahn.pt] and YouTube [@personalptparkcity].
Whether it’s one-on-one sessions in our Park City clinic, virtual appointments, in-home concierge visits, a self-guided course, or even a book — the mission behind Personal PT is always the same:
To help people heal, live fully, and move with confidence — in a way that lasts.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
If there’s one thing I’d love readers to take away, it’s this:
You don’t have to live in pain, and you don’t have to settle for care that doesn’t see the whole you.
So often, people come to me after trying everything — injections, imaging, protocols, even surgery — and they still don’t feel heard. They still don’t feel better. What I want people to know is that pain isn’t always just about the body part that hurts. Our bodies are complex, adaptive, and deeply connected.
There is always a reason for pain — we just have to look in the right place, ask the right questions, and be willing to see the body as a whole. That’s what we do at Personal PT.
Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, old injuries, pelvic floor issues, or you just want to move better and stay active — you deserve care that’s personal, not prescriptive.
We’re here to help you get back to doing what you love, in a body that feels strong, supported, and yours again.
Pricing:
- From Pain to Power (book): $25.00
- Back To Your Best (course): $300
- In-Person Evaluation + Initial Treatment: $280
- Follow Up Sessions: $220/hour
- Concierge (in-home) treatments: $600
Contact Info:
- Website: https://personal-pt.com
- Instagram: @personal_pt_4u
- Facebook: @personalpt
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/joanna-kahn-274b02b
- Youtube: @personalptparkcity
- Other: Tiktok: @joannakahn.pt
