Jackie-Lou enjoys helping people build confidence and control in their bodies while developing a deeper understanding of how their bodies are designed to move. Patients often appreciate her calm, encouraging approach and her ability to make movement feel approachable, empowering, and connected to real-life goals.

Before entering the field of Physical Therapy, Jackie-Lou spent over 15 years as a professional dancer, choreographer, and movement educator. Her background in dance shaped a strong foundation in biomechanics, posture, movement efficiency, body awareness, and the physical demands placed on active bodies. That experience naturally evolved into a passion for helping people feel strong, capable, and connected to their bodies through movement-based rehabilitation.

Jackie-Lou works with a wide range of orthopedic conditions and sports-related injuries in active older kids, teens, and adults. Her clinical interests include performing arts medicine, adolescent sports rehabilitation, pediatric orthopedic injuries, return-to-sport rehabilitation, and functional movement retraining, with a strong focus on the relationship between the spine, pelvis, SI joints, core, posture, and overall movement patterns.

She especially enjoys helping patients experiencing spine, neck and back pain, SI joint dysfunction, hip and lower extremity injuries, balance deficits, postural dysfunction, and movement coordination challenges. Jackie-Lou is especially drawn to cases involving movement retraining, balance, and functional strength, particularly when it helps people reconnect with how their bodies are meant to move.

Her treatment approach emphasizes individualized care, movement quality, patient education, and helping people better understand the “why” behind their symptoms and exercises. She is passionate about helping patients cultivate resilience, independence, and a renewed sense of movement possibility in everyday life.

Patients often connect with Jackie-Lou’s thoughtful, encouraging style and her ability to create a welcoming environment where people feel supported, understood, and actively involved in their recovery process.

Commonly Seen For

Spine, neck, and back pain, SI joint dysfunction and core stability, hip, knee, ankle, and lower extremity injuries, balance and coordination training, functional movement retraining, posture and movement dysfunction, pediatric orthopedic and adolescent sports injuries, dance and performing arts-related injuries, return-to-sport rehabilitation, and functional strength and movement efficiency training.

Advanced Training

Pilates Reformer Certification for Rehabilitation, continuing education in Dance and Performing Arts Medicine, and functional movement and movement retraining rehabilitation.

Outside the Clinic

Outside the clinic, Jackie-Lou enjoys dancing, gardening, hiking, biking, exploring the San Juan Islands, spending time on the water with family and friends, and hosting spontaneous kitchen dance parties with her husband and two kiddos.

Jackie-Lou enjoys helping people build confidence and control in their bodies while developing a ... Read More

Dr. Pandora Drossos is a licensed physical therapist who has considerable experience treating most orthopedic conditions, including post-operative care. Her treatment approach is holistic in nature, drawing from experience treating patients in their homes, her own healing journey, and her journey into motherhood. Over the course of her career, she has practiced primarily in the outpatient orthopedic and home health settings, with an emphasis in sports-focused rehabilitation. She especially enjoys treating the shoulder, hip, knee, and spine, and looking at the body as a complete functional unit.

Pandora trains patients with specifically targeted exercises for each person’s condition, utilizing hands-on manual therapy to assist with pain management, joint motion, and ideal muscle function. As a deeply compassionate and highly skilled practitioner, she works with her patients to identify and address their physical therapy needs, with the end-goal of independent self-management of any recurrence of symptoms.

Pandora is a native of New York and Florida, who received her Clinical Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2006, from Ithaca College, in Ithaca, New York. She has called Bellingham home since 2010. Pandora believes healing is not limited to the physical body, but involves the whole person, as well as the settings in which a person functions. The care she provides focuses on sharing knowledge and skills to help you heal, and reduce the likelihood of further issues in the future.

When away from the office, she can be found spending time with her family and our community, ideally doing anything outdoors, from camping and trail running, to gardening and kayaking, and is always looking for new fun activities to explore.

EDUCATION

Bachelors of Clinical Science, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 2005

Masters of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 2006

Doctorate of Physical Therapy, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY 2006

Dr. Pandora Drossos is a licensed physical therapist who has considerable experience treating mos... Read More

Lori brings over 20 years of experience helping older kids and adults recover from orthopedic injuries, surgery, and sports-related conditions. Patients often appreciate her grounded, collaborative style and her ability to help recovery feel more approachable, goal-oriented, and connected to real-life movement and activity.

Throughout her career, Lori has continued to pursue advanced training and stay current with evolving evidence-based rehabilitation, return-to-sport testing, movement science, manual therapy techniques, and best practices in orthopedic recovery. Years of clinical experience have also helped her develop a strong eye for movement compensations, strength imbalances, and contributing factors that can sometimes be overlooked when patients feel stuck, frustrated, or unsure why symptoms keep returning.

As a lifelong athlete herself, with a background in running, soccer, mountain biking, skiing, kayaking, and paddling, Lori understands firsthand the physical and emotional side of injury recovery. Having gone through four knee surgeries of her own, she deeply understands the patience and persistence that recovery can require, especially for active people eager to get back to the activities they love.

She is particularly skilled in ACL rehabilitation, post-operative recovery, lower extremity injuries, shoulder conditions, running analysis, return-to-sport progression, and helping active adults safely return to sports and outdoor activities. Lori is passionate about discovering what motivates her patients to improve, whether that’s returning to kayaking after a knee replacement, getting back to running and sports, or simply being able to carry grandchildren comfortably again.

Her approach emphasizes movement-based rehabilitation, strength progression, hands-on manual therapy, balance training, gait and running analysis, return-to-sport testing, and individualized exercise programming designed around each patient’s goals and lifestyle. Patients looking for a more active rehabilitation approach often connect well with Lori’s practical, encouraging, and movement-focused treatment style.

Commonly Seen For

ACL rehabilitation, knee pain and knee injuries, running assessments and gait analysis, return-to-sport testing, orthopedic post-operative rehabilitation, hip pain and hip replacement rehab, shoulder injuries and rehabilitation, ankle injuries and instability, neck pain, back pain and spinal strains, cervical spine conditions, balance and fall prevention, strength and deconditioning recovery, sports rehabilitation, paddling and boating-related injuries, and helping active individuals safely return to movement and activity after injury or surgery.

Advanced Training

Manual Therapy Certification (MTC), University of St. Augustine. Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) Training.

Outside the Clinic

Outside the clinic, Lori enjoys exploring the Pacific Northwest with her husband and golden-doodle, along with mountain biking, skiing, paddling, and staying active outdoors.

Lori brings over 20 years of experience helping older kids and adults recover from orthopedic inj... Read More

Alyssa enjoys helping patients feel more connected, confident, and comfortable in their bodies again, especially during seasons of life that can feel physically overwhelming, vulnerable, or limiting. Patients often appreciate her calm, compassionate approach and her ability to create a supportive environment where they feel heard, understood, and comfortable discussing issues that can sometimes feel personal, sensitive, or overwhelming.

As an Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS), Alyssa has advanced post-doctoral training in orthopedic rehabilitation, pelvic health, and movement-based recovery. She specializes in pelvic health for patients of all genders, including pre and post-natal care, perimenopausal and post-menopausal support, pelvic pain, SI joint dysfunction, spine and back pain, and urinary or bowel dysfunction.

Alyssa has a unique skillset that combines orthopedic rehabilitation, pelvic health physical therapy, and dry needling. She works with a wide variety of orthopedic and pelvic health conditions, helping patients better understand how the spine, hips, SI joints, core, pelvic floor, posture, breathing mechanics, strength, and movement patterns all work together.

She also treats a wide range of orthopedic injuries and post-surgical conditions, including knee, hip, shoulder, and spine rehabilitation. Alyssa especially enjoys helping patients rebuild strength, mobility, and confidence after surgery, pregnancy, injury, or periods of physical change.

Her treatment approach blends hands-on care, mobility-focused rehabilitation, dry needling, myofascial decompression, yoga-informed movement strategies, functional strengthening, and individualized exercise programming designed around each patient’s goals, comfort level, and lifestyle. Patients looking for a thoughtful, whole-body approach to recovery often connect well with Alyssa’s grounded and encouraging treatment style.

Alyssa often incorporates hands-on therapy, cupping, and dry needling into orthopedic and pelvic health rehabilitation to help address muscle tension, mobility restrictions, movement dysfunction, post-operative stiffness, pelvic floor tension, and persistent pain patterns that may not fully improve with exercise alone.

She also works with many postpartum patients navigating core weakness, diastasis recti (DRA), C-section scar mobility, pelvic floor dysfunction, SI joint pain, back pain, and the transition back into exercise and everyday movement after pregnancy.

Commonly Seen For

Pelvic health physical therapy, pelvic pain, SI joint dysfunction, spine and back pain, urinary and bowel dysfunction, pre and post-natal rehabilitation, postpartum recovery, diastasis recti (DRA), C-section scar mobility, pelvic floor dysfunction, perimenopausal and post-menopausal care, orthopedic injuries, post-operative rehabilitation, hip pain, knee rehabilitation, shoulder rehabilitation, yoga-informed rehabilitation, dry needling treatment, and pelvic health dry needling.

Advanced Training

Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS), Certified in Dry Needling, Myofascial Decompression Specialist (MFDc), additional training in pelvic health rehabilitation and pelvic health dry needling techniques.

Outside the Clinic

Outside the clinic, Alyssa enjoys spending time with her family, staying active, practicing yoga, exploring the mountains and water around the Pacific Northwest, and spending time outdoors with her husband, three kids, and dog, Reggie.

Alyssa enjoys helping patients feel more connected, confident, and comfortable in their bodies ag... Read More

Dr. Melissa Evans is a licensed physical therapist with over 12 years of experience, including the last three years as a traveling PT. This unique journey has allowed her to immerse herself in diverse communities, broadening her perspective on specialized patient care. She has a special passion for treating equestrians, drawing from her own decades-long love for horseback riding, however she excels in addressing a wide range of conditions, including neck and back pain, as well as shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle issues, always striving to uncover the root cause of dysfunction to achieve the best possible results.

Melissa is currently channeling her hands-on approach into building a house, taking on much of the work herself. An avid adventurer, she also spends her free time road cycling, gravel biking, hiking, backpacking, and camping, always eager to explore new terrains. Her background in both music and veterinary studies ultimately led her to physical therapy, where she discovered the power of helping individuals heal and thrive without relying on invasive procedures. Her approach blends hands-on techniques with exercise-based strategies, always aiming to empower her patients to regain control of their bodies.

Driven by a commitment to continuous learning, Melissa is dedicated to expanding her expertise in both traditional and innovative treatment methods. Melissa’s focus on understanding her patients’ goals and helping them achieve a pain-free, active lifestyle is at the heart of her practice. Melissa is a Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT), she is continually building her toolkit and is currently pursuing additional education to earn her dry needling endorsement.

Dr. Melissa Evans is a licensed physical therapist with over 12 years of experience, including th... Read More

Kristine Plata is a licensed physical therapist assistant who is experienced with a variety of orthopedic conditions, and is specialized in treating total joint replacements and knee injuries, having had success working through complicated conditions with manual therapy and therapeutic exercise. Her personal experience recovering from her own sports injuries as a competitive volleyball player and coach, has fueled her love of working with people who want to better their health and recover quickly.

Kristine understands the frustration and pain that is involved with injuries and surgical recoveries, and uses her first hand experience to help others overcome their conditions and return to the activities they love. She enjoys working with patients that perhaps other conventional methods didn’t work for them, and looks for the small mechanical dysfunctions that may be hindering someone’s movement pattern, so they can move forward with their progress.

When Kristine isn’t helping others recover or tackling home remodel projects, you can find her on the sand or indoor volleyball courts, adventuring off the grid with her husband and dog Duke, hiking, climbing, or out on Lake Whatcom wake surfing.

Kristine’s clinical interests and skills also include vestibular and concussion rehabilitation, further expanding her manual therapy techniques, and helping higher level athletes overcome overuse and sport specific injuries.

EDUCATION

Physical Therapist Assistant, Whatcom Community College, 2018

BS in Kinesiology, Western Washington University, 2016

Kristine Plata is a licensed physical therapist assistant who is experienced with a variety of or... Read More

Anika enjoys helping patients feel stronger, more stable, and more confident in their movement again after injuries or surgeries that have limited activity, sports, exercise, or everyday life. Patients often appreciate her grounded, approachable style and her ability to explain movement and recovery in a way that actually makes sense.

Anika is an Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS) and Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT), representing extensive post-doctoral training in orthopedic rehabilitation and advanced orthopedic care. She has a strong background in treating a wide range of orthopedic injuries and movement dysfunctions, with particular expertise in lower extremity injuries and complex knee conditions.

An expert in the kinetic chain, Anika enjoys looking at how the entire body works together, particularly the relationship between the spine, hips, knees, ankles, shoulders, and overall movement mechanics. Having rehabbed through multiple injuries herself, she understands firsthand how frustrating it can feel when injuries interfere with movement and the activities people love most.

She works extensively with ACL rehabilitation, knee instability, hip and ankle mechanics, shoulder injuries, post-operative recovery, strength progression, and helping active people safely return to movement and sport. As a runner and hiker herself, she is passionate about helping patients return to activity while also reducing injury risk through movement analysis, strength training, pre-season preparation, and individualized exercise programming.

Patients who feel frustrated by recurring injuries, compensation patterns, movement limitations, or feeling “stuck” in recovery often connect well with Anika’s thoughtful and detail-oriented approach. She combines hands-on care, dry needling, movement retraining, mobility work, and strength progression to help patients improve movement efficiency, resilience, and long-term recovery. She is also certified in dry needling and incorporates it alongside orthopedic rehabilitation and strength-based recovery to help reduce muscle tension, improve mobility, and support more efficient movement when appropriate.

Commonly Seen For

Complex knee injuries and rehabilitation, ACL rehabilitation, pre-operative and post-operative knee rehab, hip, knee, and ankle mechanics, shoulder pain and movement dysfunction, rotator cuff rehabilitation, lower extremity sports injuries, running and athletic injuries, neck and back pain, lumbar spine dysfunction, movement dysfunction and recurring injuries, return-to-sport rehabilitation, and orthopedic post-surgical recovery.

Advanced Training

Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapists (FAAOMPT), Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS), Certified in Dry Needling.

Outside the Clinic

Outside the clinic, Anika loves traveling, exploring new places, hiking, staying active, and spending time outdoors with family and friends.

Anika enjoys helping patients feel stronger, more stable, and more confident in their movement ag... Read More

Deborah Cassell is a licensed physical therapist assistant who is passionate about human movement and how the body operates. Her lifelong pursuit of outdoor recreation in the mountains and on the water has led her to a career helping other outdoor enthusiasts perform at their best.

Washington born and raised, Deborah has spent several decades exploring her natural surroundings, training for ultramarathons, skiing mountains, climbing granite monoliths, and kayaking the Salish Sea. These passions originally led to a career in geology. Education and learning have always been driving forces for Deborah, so further exploration learning about sports performance and recovery put her on the path to a second career in physical therapy.

Deborah’s background in recreation combined with her education, provide her an excellent foundation for addressing the needs of others and their life-fulfilling pursuits.

Her clinical interests include the lumbar spine’s connection to the body’s movement patterns, core and pelvic floor stabilization and the effects on sports performance and running, and ensuring readiness for return to sports to prevent re-injury.

EDUCATION

Physical Therapist Assistant, Whatcom Community College, 2018

BS in Geology, Western Washington University, 2008

Deborah Cassell is a licensed physical therapist assistant who is passionate about human movement... Read More