Hope Therapeutics
Learn A Little More About Ethan in This Podcast Interview
Ethan Hope, PT, FAAOMPT
Physical Therapist
Manual Therapist
My mission is to provide highly specific hands-on treatments, tailored exercises & movement to decrease pain and maximize function so that your body supports the life you want to live.
Approach
Everything I do is centered on you and your unique needs and goals. Over the decades of treating patients I have learned that the more that I can tailor my entire approach (hands-on treatments, exercise prescription, education) in a way that genuinely honors each unique patient, the more effective and beneficial my treatments can be.
Identify and Address Root Causes
Our work together begins with a very detailed evaluation and assessment which will allow me to identify and address issues relating to your joints, muscles, nerves, posture and soft tissues. Addressing the root causes of pain or dysfunction allows for lasting change.
Manual Therapy- Hands-on Treatment
The foundation of my approach to musculoskeletal disorders is manual therapy - a hands-on treatment of joints, nerves and soft tissues (tendons, muscles, nerves, ligaments and fascia) in order to maximize joint mobility and function, improve posture and alignment, and to decrease pain.
Whenever possible I prescribe simple yet specific movements or exercises that reinforce and enhance the specific hands-on treatments I deliver.
Whole Body Approach
Intuitively most of us know that our bodies work as a series of interconnected structures and systems. As such, I will be looking at much more than the body part that is currently bothering you. For example, a weak muscle in your hip might be contributing to the pain you have in your foot. Or you might have multiple body parts that are bothering you - I can address all of you!
Empowering Through Education
Our work together begins with a very detailed evaluation and assessment which will allow me to identify and address issues relating to your joints, muscles, nerves, posture and soft tissues. Addressing the root causes of pain or dysfunction allows for lasting change.
Empowering Through Education
I want you to understand whatever it is you are coming to me for, as well as the rationale for the interventions we will be using. The more that you understand why you are doing an exercise the more likely you are to do it! My goal is always to empower you to learn how to take care of your own body in a way that aligns with who you are.
Exercise & Movement Prescription
My approach to exercise/movement prescription is highly specific - not only is it based on the findings of my physical examination, but it also takes into account your goals and your relationship with exercise and movement.
We will work together in collaborative manner to find the most effective set of exercises and movements that work for you. If you don’t particularly like doing exercises or have struggled with keeping up a routine, you will likely find my non-shaming and collaborative approach refreshing.
Indigenous Influences
In 2018 I was initiated into a Peruvian (Shipibo) indigenous lineage which influenced my perspective on healing and how I approach my work with patients. Illness is seen from the perspective that the mind, body, and spirit are often all involved and intertwined.
My initiation deepened my respect and appreciation for Elders. We live in a young country that hasn't quite learned the importance and value that Elders bring to the collective.
As well, I have come to view the natural world from a place of respect as it has become perhaps my greatest teacher of all.
While I am trained in a very classical manner and approach my care from a perspective that is rooted in science, my perspective and approach is influenced by my experience working with indigenous healers.
Trauma-Informed Approach
While I am not a mental health professional, I am well-aware of the influence that trauma/shame/guilt can have on people’s lives and how they interact and feel about their bodies. Even though I don’t treat these issues, I have found that being aware of each patient’s life experiences helps me to be a more effective and compassionate physical therapist.
I have family members who specialize in treating clients with complex PTSD and trauma. As well, I have personal experiences with trauma and loss which allows for me to have greater empathy, compassion and understanding with patients that have trauma in their background.
I will ALWAYS tailor my hands-on treatments in a way that honors your relationship with your body so that you can feel safe.
ALL Are Welcome
I treat everyone I work with care, humility, respect and an open heart.
This is true whatever your skin color, body shape, age, sexual orientation, religion/spiritual tradition, gender identity, or political orientation may be.
Should there be a specific concern you may have, I am always willing to discuss and address it so that you feel safe and accepted as you are.
Background & Education
Lineage- I am a 3rd generation healthcare provider- my grandmother was a nurse, and my father was a family doctor and served as a Navy doctor for a MASH unit in the jungles of Vietnam.
Education- I received my physical therapy degree in 1998 from Rosalind Franklin University. In 2002 I completed a yearlong fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy at Kaiser in Northern California which is the oldest manual therapy fellowship in the US. While the fellowship covered the whole body, there was an emphasis on the spine. Completion of this program led to Fellow status with the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Therapy (FAAOMPT).
Northern California Graduate Physical Therapy Education (kaiserpermanente.org)