Wholistic Physical Therapy

I received treatment at Wholistic Physical Therapy for two years, and left after two things occurred: one, my primary therapist left to start her own practice, and two, I had a very upsetting interaction with the two remaining therapists at the Manhattan location. It was disturbing and something that I think is extremely important to warn current and potential patients about — think twice before you pursue treatment here.
Wholistic does the Barnes Method of myofascial release, which is an excellent treatment for people who have body trauma. The treatment modality was introduced to me by a family member because of a range of symptoms, connected ultimately to a big body trauma I went through, that had me in and out of various medical treatment and other kinds of PT and OT for over a decade, never getting to the root of the problem. This treatment DOES go to the root of the problem, but it is a long term treatment. I went every week for a year, and every other week for a second year, and I’m still going (not to Wholistic, but to another practice).
Over my two years, there were several extreme failures in empathy from the therapists, where very insensitive things were said. Several times I was tempted to stop going but it was really the only place where I could have this treatment, and my body needed it. Physical therapists are not trained to have the sensitivity of psychotherapists — I get that — but you’d think they would be a little more versed in the potential emotional effects of trauma, what happens when such memories are stimulated by their bodywork, and a little more emotionally intelligent on that score. I would definitely recommend combining MFR with depth-​oriented, somatic, or trauma-​informed psychotherapy. If you get the treatment at Wholistic, you do especially have to keep your emotional boundaries strongly in place. They are sort of seductive about encouraging you to open up emotionally, but they actually don’t know how to handle it appropriately if you do. I learned that the hard way, but once I put boundaries in place and avoided sharing any emotional content with them verbally I felt I was still able to benefit from the physical treatment.
The MOST NEGATIVE experience that I had, which sealed my decision to never return and write this review, was connected to my attempts to be reimbursed for this service by my insurance company. The treatment costs $ 195/​hour (and has since been increased to $ 250), and patients must pay out of pocket and submit for reimbursement using out-​of-​network benefits if they aren’t rolling in disposable income. When my insurance company started giving me a hard time, my primary therapist (the one who doesn’t work for Wholistic anymore) helped me with an appeal by writing a letter and spending a little bit of time on the phone with the insurance company. The appeal was denied, it was a huge hassle as I spent months trying to sort out what was going wrong, and finally the insurance company told me what was needed: an addendum listing the «objective measurements» that had last been taken before the contested dates of service. I called Wholistic to pass on that information.
Two different therapists needed to write addenda. One of them has left Wholistic and gave it to me no problem. The other one acted like I was asking her for something completely unreasonable, then as I did backflips trying to explain as best I could that it was just recopying a few sentences from my records onto a form marked «addendum,» she said she’d check into some things and call me back. When 5 – 6 weeks went by and she still hadn’t called me back after leaving her multiple messages, I sent an email. This therapist and Scott Van Niekerk both responded to my email. They accused me of asking them to falsify records and refused to provide the addendum. Scott told me that they’ve already gone «above and beyond» to help me, and that they weren’t going to do so anymore. (Since I’m a healthcare provider myself and have helped many patients with out-​of-​network reimbursement, I can call this the complete bull that it is. An appeal letter and a phone call — both of which were done by the therapist who left and not the people who were now giving me a hard time — are a basic aspect of out-​of-​network healthcare service.) But this quote from the email summarizes Scott’s attitude well: «Any reimbursements, patients do get back, should be considered a bonus and hopefully the benefits the patient gets from high-​quality mfr care with us are the primary benefit, not the money back from the insurance.» Just a few months earlier he had rationalized his fee increase to me by saying that my insurance would reimburse for it.
You might be able to get decent bodywork at Wholistic. But do you really want to shell out $ 250, take your clothes off, and make yourself vulnerable on a massage table with people who treat long-​term patients with such insensitivity, sanctimony, accusation, and disdain?

Scott and his staff are truly pros at myofascial release, an innovative physical therapy, massage and healing method created by John Barnes.
In fact, Scott is one of John Barnes’ most accomplished and up and coming colleagues and regularly participates in teaching courses with him.
My family and I have been going to Wholistic Physical Therapy for years whenever we have a need with great results that frankly may not be possible through other forms of therapy such as plain old traditional PT.
Scott and all his staff are licensed PT’s so although his office does not accept insurance reimbursement may be possible depending on any health insurance plan you may have (it works for us).
I highly recommend Wholistic Physical Therapy, including all their PTs, to anyone with aches, pains or other ailments listed on their website
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Myofascial Release Therapy + therapists who know what they’re doing + super comfortable office + convenient location = Wholistic PT.
This practice is comprised of 5 – 6 licensed PTs, male and female, who are all extremely knowledgeable about the MFR process and who possess great intuition, a necessity for a successful MFR therapist.
The office also has a location in Brewster, and the front desk staff is friendly, responsive and sensitive to each patient.
I have tried a few other therapists, but find this office to be the most convenient in regards to location. Ambiance is peaceful, sheets are changed between every use, mood lighting and comfortable music fill the treatment rooms. All the therapists are friendly and seem to have a good relationship with one another. The office is a welcome and much needed place of calm when we’re the ones coming in with our ailments and energy misalignments.
No doubt about this one.