About

Karen Morgan
Doctor of Physical Therapy, Writer

union of practicing physical therapy and writing

Bellingham, WA

When I was in the fourth grade, I read the novel Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and like many girls my age, identified with the second oldest sister Jo, who was an aspiring writer. Even though it did not occur to me at that time to write for a living, I got a diary and wrote in it nearly every day of my life. I found that writing was something I had to do to keep life in focus, to understand it, and to remember the wonders. Over the decades, writing grounds me, releases me, and sharpens me; it is, to this day, a necessary and daily practice for me.

Drawn into
Physical Therapy

It challenges my heart, mind, body and soul.

Successful Patients Treated

Workshops / Retreats

Inspire movement, health and healing

Independent PT Practice

Years later, I was drawn into Physical Therapy. It challenges my heart, mind, body and soul. I’m honored to serve, observe, analyze and inspire movement, health and healing. After several years of working in inpatient, outpatient and home health settings, I chose to practice independently, and eventually started up a solo practice. Here I have created a therapy experience for my patients that incorporates my teaching and treatment and their engagement. It is a place where patients struggling with the frustrations of their injuries or disabilities, can unload load them, be real, be heard and be helped in attaining their goals to return to their life stories.

Incredible stories

Human Body & Spirit

Through the years I have borne witness to some pretty incredible stories revolving around the resilience of the human body and spirit. It’s everyday-people doing their thing, and I have a front row seat to their recovery against all odds, emotionally and physically. I have seen wrenching heartaches and heart breaks in my patients as they worked with their injuries and their background stories.

Working with my patients, we are all free to share our stories, and I believe it is in the sharing of our stories, combined with the rehabilitation of our bodies that true treatment and return to function occurs. Treatment addresses the connection of the body and the soul, and how they influence each other. I value my patients’ trust and they value mine. It is because of this trust we are privy to experiencing the beauty of how healing manifests itself in unexpected ways. Best of all, through connection, I get to help people regain their lives, and they in turn, teach me priceless lessons. Their stories inspire me.

combining physical therapy & writing

Sharing Stories of
What is Possible

And so was born in me the union of practicing physical therapy and writing. Through these two practices I try to bring hope and healing to people suffering from injury or disease. Likewise, I seek to advocate for my profession, educating both health care providers and the public about the value of physical therapy by sharing stories of what is possible. And finally, I find the telling of stories of pain and the process of all forms of healing, brings hope and healing to the writer and the reader.

karenMorgan-physical-Therapy-doctor-bellingham-2021

Karen Morgan, Writer

Articles by Dr Karen Morgan

A Season For Listening

In J. Barrie Shepherd’s book, Faces at the Manger, he offers that perhaps one of the reasons the holy family was visited by a ragtag group of shepherds, and not more important sophisticated guests, was because the shepherds were the only ones who listened and...

Can We Re-Design the Healthcare Setting?

“Do you serve dinner?” My last patient of the day enjoyed her evaluation experience at the clinic so much she was reluctant to leave. "I had to ask. I mean, this is so great." THAT is what you want in a clinic setting. Recently, I've been invited into a lively...

On Being a Good Patient

Having practiced physical therapy now for 32 years, with a Bachelor of Science and a doctorate of Physical Therapy under my belt, one would think I know a thing or two about what it means to be a good patient. But recently, after having been hospitalized for nearly 5...

When the Healer Needs Healing

It’s been a moment. A whole lot of moments. I am writing to let you know I am still here😊. My writing focus has changed slightly, as this very active, very healthy PT has become the patient. And great news! My advice on health and healing works well for me too. You...

How Stress & Anxiety Affect Physical Pain

This week I have created a guest blog entry at https://well-woman-blog.com . The topic is the effects of stress and anxiety on our experience of pain. Visit Gena's site to read my latest blog and to even read some of Gena's other blog entries. Be well.

Back Pain, Prayer and Treating a Loved One

There are good reasons medical professionals don’t treat those closest to them. Ego, relational dynamics, and just deep caring can obscure the objectivity of both provider and loved one, especially the more that is at stake. As you have learned by now, I care very...

The Tension between Frustration and Gratitude

With the holidays past, and a new year rolling along, thoughts on gratitude are not really in season. Still, my thoughts linger there, especially since I had a recent little “aha” moment: I learned it is impossible to be frustrated while simultaneously being grateful....

When Things Break…Healing Can Happen

Sitting on the living room sofa, I heard the crash in the kitchen. Something was now in a million little pieces. “That didn’t sound good,” I teased my husband. “I’m sorry, and it’s irreparable too,” John said remorsefully. And he would know, as he is the master of...

Better Conversations: Pontificating or Being a Pontoon

At the end of the evening, I asked John “So I ‘pontificate'?”, repeating back the word he had used with our friends earlier in the evening. He described a recent conversation to them that we'd had with some folks, who had shared their opinions on vaccinations and the...