Meet Michelle
Dr. Michelle Bardino Faris PT, DPT, CLT-LANA
Hello, I’m so glad you’re here, welcome to VITA!
I’m Michelle. I have been practicing in the field of women’s health physical therapy for the last 10 years. I received both my undergraduate and graduate degrees at Ithaca College in New York state. After moving to Colorado in 2013 I was trained by the Pelvic Health Section of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) in pelvic floor therapy (both male and female). I have spent the last several years working in the oncology rehab setting and was trained as a STAR (Survivorship Training and Rehab) rehab oncology provider in 2014. I completed my training to become a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) by KLOSE training in 2014. And then board certified by the Lymphology Association of North America (LANA) in 2018. I also have additional training in more specialized modalities such as Visceral Mobilization, Myofascial Release, Cupping, Biofeedback and Neuromuscular Retraining.
How’d I get here you ask….Well, as a young female athlete I struggled with various chronic health conditions. For several years I felt my concerns were not heard and I was not taken seriously. It was hard to advocate for myself, as I often felt very alone and second guessed my complaints. It became clear to me that I wasn’t the only one settling for the status quo. I didn’t want other women to struggle like I had. As a physical therapist I knew that this was an area where I could make a difference. Thus my passion grew from my own experience. I wanted to guide women to listen to, and advocate for, their own bodies while along this healing journey we call life. I feel strongly that empowering women with knowledge about how our bodies work is an integral part of this process. I believe that our bodies are powerful and intuitive, they know what they need, and they have an incredible ability to heal. We just have to listen and offer them the proper tools and guidance.
Outside of the clinic, I love to connect with nature whether it’s walking, biking, playing in the snow or hiking with my husband and dog. My yoga and meditation practice are an important part of my daily routine. You can also find me spending time with friends, doing a puzzle, reading books based on true stories, traveling or trying out new recipes (the Italian ones of course!).