What is your name?
Vanessa Shields
What is your role at ARC Physical Therapy+?
I am a Physical Therapist Assistant
What year did you begin working at ARC Physical Therapy+?
January of 2025
Where are you from?
Azle, Texas
Where did you go to school?
Weatherford College
Who or what inspired you to get into physical therapy?
I was inspired truly by my own experiences. I was a gymnast and had therapy a couple of times throughout that career. My mom also had physical therapy and I was very intrigued watching what they did for her when I was older. I started to look more into what PT entailed and ended up loving learning about the body, how it moves and how PT’s/PTA’s can contribute their knowledge of those areas to help people recover with a non-medicinal approach.
What do you like most about your work at ARC Physical Therapy+?
I love the special connections I make with patients and I love being able to see their progress overtime.
Are you involved with any outside organizations?
My husband and I started our own farm business that is in the works.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I live on a farm and there is always something to do on the farm.
How do you like to celebrate a win or a good day?
After a good day, I like to go home, relax and ponder on the positives of the day.
To celebrate a win, my husband and I usually go out to dinner. We also pray to God for giving us the opportunity to have had that win, and for the many more wins he has in store for us.
What is your favorite quote?
“Small movements are big moments.” – Me
This can be directed towards physical therapy or just life in general. I said this to a patient when I was working in acute care and it kind of just stuck with me since then.
Sweet or salty?
If we are talking about candy, sweet for sure… otherwise I like them both.
Beach or mountains?
Mountains
Go out or stay in?
It depends on what I am going out to do, but I will usually stay in.
Anything else you’d like to share?
My husband and I have a pet goat, 4 dogs (1 inside and 3 farm dogs), 10 barn cats and many more farm animals incoming.
What is your best joke?
– What is a DJ’s favorite pizza sauce? “Marinara”
(act like you are scratching a CD while saying that answer)
What patients/diagnoses are you most excited about treating?
Neuro diagnoses and/or pediatrics
Can you share a patient success story?
I had a patient when I was a student that made an impact on me and helped me realize I was going into the right career. He was in the hospital for a hyperglycemic event (critically high blood sugar) mixed with a couple other things and he was mentally and physically not doing well. It was hard to get him upright and just standing before he would feel bad and need to lie back down. This was going on for about 3 days. There was a day that he felt good, so we ended up going for a walk for the first time in 4 days since he was in the hospital. Afterwards, he sat in the chair, grabbed my hand and said, “God bless you, I really really thank you for what you have done for me and I couldn’t have gone home without you pushing me.” He did not have family or friends that came to visit him the entire time. The next day he was well enough to discharge home and waved good-bye to me on the way out.
What inspires you?
Seeing the positive effect I can leave on people.
