Our Team
At WAV Physical Therapy & Movement Studios, we are committed to providing the highest quality physical therapy and movement experience for our patients and clients. Our team of highly specialized physical therapists and movement professionals create a warm and inviting culture,
making our studio a safe place to learn, grow, and heal.
DR. SCOTT PARRISH, DPT,
GYROTONIC® TRAINER, SOMA SNI® (ROLFING/SI) PRACTIONER,
CMT, REIKI MASTER TEACHER
Scott began his therapeutic career over 20 years ago entering in to a massage therapy program in Los Gatos, California. It was here that he found a passion and love for working with and manipulating the body to bring relief from pain and to improve people’s overall health. After working in the field for a couple of years and developing a knack and improving his skills, he went back to school at the University of California Santa Cruz and received his Bachelors in Biology.
After graduating and spending some time traveling (and surfing!) upon returning home met his then to be wife and before long found himself in Washington State. It was here that he discovered the Soma Institute of Neuromuscular Integration (Structural Integration- A branch of Ida Rolf’s original work). This was a very thorough exploration in to the world of manipulating Fascia and how to resolve stored chronic tension and restore function to the entire body. It gave him an incredible new understanding along with improved hands on skills.
It was also in Washington State where Scott was introduced to the GYROTONIC® Method of movement and exercise. The Gyrotonic Method focuses on the entire body as a whole, every part of the organism is important in movement and any weakness along the lines of connection can be problematic. Both of these experiences changed the way he understood the body and how it moves through gravity.
After practicing these new skill sets for a number of years, he knew that he wanted to deepen his understanding and hone his craft even further and set out to study Physical Therapy. He and his family moved back to California in order to attend the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USA) where he received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. He is very proud of his experience at USA as it has taught him how to incorporate all of these skill sets along with an extensive knowledge in anatomy, human physiology, and Manual Therapy lending him the ability to be a powerful clinician.
He now resides in San Clemente California where he and his wife have opened a very unique and special clinic incorporating over 20 years and 15,000 hours of hands on experience, the world renowned Gyrotonic Method, and the extensive education provided in the Physical Therapy program hoping to change the ordinary typical therapy experience. When you visit the clinic, you will very quickly realize that you have found something new and unique.
ALICIA PARRISH,
GYROTONIC & GYROKINESIS® TRAINER + PRE-TRAINER, PT AIDE, INTEGRATIVE NUTRITION HEALTH COACH
Alicia is a former classical ballet dancer and educator and has been teaching the Gyrotonic Method for over 18 years. Born and raised in the Bay Area in Northern California, she lived in Seattle where she established and directed a large, successful dance conservatory for over 16 years, eventually selling to get back to her roots in CA!
Through her years as a dancer and teacher, her passion was in movement mechanics and with her empath personality, connecting deeply with others. While living in Seattle she found her Gyrotonic practice, knowing after the first session that she wanted to teach this method. A few years later she was certified as a Gyrotonic trainer with Juliu Horvath and eventually worked her way to becoming a Gyrotonic Pre-Trainer under Specialized Master Trainer, Karen Mullen. ('Pre-Training' is the first step in the Gyrotonic teacher training process.)
Alicia had the privilege of working very closely with Karen for years while living in Seattle, inside and outside official course settings, spending a great deal of time on modifications, therapeutic applications, Level II and Gyrokinesis classes. She is also certified in Level II both formats, Jump Stretch Board, Leg Extension Unit, both Gyrotoner Formats, Archway, Gyrokinesis, and therapeutic applications. She has worked with many other amazing Master Trainers along the way, repeating courses for enrichment with different teachers.
After moving up and down the West Coast, selling the dance studios, supporting her husband (Dr. Scott) while he completed his doctorate, teaching and continuing to study and train--She is thrilled to have put down roots in San Clemente, CA where WAV and GYROTONIC® SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY can stay to serve our local community and Gyrotonic family!
Alicia most recently decided to go back to school during the pandemic, becoming an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. This allows her to work with clients and patients at the clinic in a deeper way, coaching through movement, nutrition, and lifestyle.
Alicia, her husband Dr. Scott, and her youngest 15-year old son reside in San Clemente, CA. She is also a proud mom to two older children.
Alicia thoroughly enjoys working with individuals of all backgrounds and ages- including children, people looking to create lasting change in their bodies, find relief from pain, working with dancers, athletes, certified trainers, movement professionals, and with Dr. P's patients, assisting with rehabilitation and injury prevention, movement re-education, surgery prep and recovery, Scoliosis, and neurological conditions such as Parkinson's, MS, and post-stroke.
ERIN MACKIN, DPT, CYT, LICENSED GYROTONIC APPRENTICE
CLINIC + STUDIO ADMINISTRATION
Erin is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, a certified yoga teacher and nutrition coach, and is currently serving as champion of all administrative tasks here at WAV, as well as teaching some yoga at our Movement Studio!
Erin continues to practice as a DPT part time while diversifying her talents behind the scenes at WAV. She is an outdoors enthusiast and loves to travel. She recently visited Bali, Croatia and Greece-- next on her list is Italy!
She loves being a PT and loves rehabilitating low backs and shoulders. Erin is truly an asset to the WAV Team!
WHITNEY SCHMANSKI,
GYROTONIC & GYROKINESIS TRAINER, PILATES
Whitney is a GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® instructor that is inspired by the interconnectedness of movement and overall wellness. Dancing is her first love of movement; she is a Juilliard dance graduate and recently earned her MFA at UC Irvine. She is enthusiastic about exploring the profound connections between the mind and body especially through science and movement. She enjoys empowering her students and clients to rediscover integrated and pain-free movement by way of body awareness and total body conditioning. She works with clientele of various ages and skill levels including athletes, body-workers, professional dancers, and professional musicians. She has experience working with various diagnoses including chronic pain, hyper-mobility, Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, sciatica, scoliosis, spondylolysis, and surgery rehabilitation.
JB KING, LICENSED GYROTONIC APPRENTICE
JB spent the bulk of her life in the corporate world, helping businesses tell their stories with words, images and motion pictures. During that time, she explored all kinds of exercise including running, biking, aerobics, yoga, Pilates, and barre.
She found her way to Gyrotonic exercise in 2019 as a way to manage pain and physical limitations due to scoliosis. With a 49-degree curve in her lower thoracic, she describes her spine as, “more like a U-shaped Kryptonite bike lock than something designed to hold a human being in an upright position.” She attributes the Gyrotonic method of movement for helping her to understand the importance of stability as well flexibility to a balanced body. She says it has also enabled her to change habitual patterns of holding or moving that don’t serve her well and to find new ways to move that are freer and create more ease and space in her body. As a result of regularly practicing Gyrotonic exercise, she’s now able to perform the tasks of day-to-day living with little or less pain and stiffness.
JB believes the key to aging gracefully is to maintain as much mobility as possible with the body and backbone she’s been given and says the GYROTONIC EXPANSION SYSTEM® has been enormously beneficial to her in this regard. In fact, it’s what inspired what she calls her encore career: to teach Gyrotonic exercise to others so that they, too, may experience the benefits.
In addition to being a lifelong student of fitness and wellness, JB is a mother, avid sailor and dog lover. When she’s not at the studio you can often find her zipping around town on her hot pink Vespa!
CARA HANSWICK, CERTIFIED PILATES & GYROTONIC TRAINER
Cara Hansvick is from Chicago, Illinois where she grew up dancing and initially fell in love with movement. She attended Indiana University where she majored in Ballet and received a full-time position with the Charlotte Ballet in North Carolina upon graduation. In Charlotte, she was offered a partnership with a classical Pilates studio which immediately sparked a passion for Pilates, seeing the benefits in her body and her dancing. She later moved to Los Angeles to dance with the American Contemporary Ballet as a Principal Dancer. Eager to continue her training, she completed her classical certification through the Pilates Institute of Southern California. She then began her journey into the Gyrotonic Method shortly after with Lisa Marie Goodwin, and completed her final certification with Debra Rose. She has been a movement educator for over 10 years. She moved to OC to dance with the Ballet Project Orange County and to continue to pursue her teaching career more fully. Cara regularly subs Gyrotonic Tower classes and teaches group pilates reformer classes at WAV Movement Studios! Book one of her classes below!
RACHEL KENDALL,CERTIFIED PILATES TRAINER, LICENSED GYROTONIC & GYROKINESIS APPRENTICE, YOGA TEACHER
Born on Molokai, Rachel is a certified pilates trainer under Marie Jose Blom from Long Beach Dance Conditioning and has been teaching for over 14 years. She completed her 200-hour yoga instructor training and is also certified in Bhodi, TRX, Lagree, wall yoga, spin, and as a Flexologist. She has taught windsurfing, surfing, SurfSET, and has coached volleyball and basketball.
Rachel was featured in Surfline and was selected as one of the top 20 persons changing the surfing industry in Foam Magazine through pilates training.
Since connecting with us at WAV, Rachel has also been practicing the Gyrotonic Method weekly in our classes, and recently completed her Gyrotonic and Gyrokinesis Foundation Courses. She currently teaches Gyrotonic 101 classes here at WAV. Click below to pop into one of her classes!
LU SANCHEZ
CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST
Lu grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. She attended DePaul University with a major in Psychology. She later decided she also really loved helping people through massage, and attended Harper College for Massage Therapy. She has received additional training in craniosacral therapy, cupping, myofascial release, and continues to enjoy learning new techniques to benefit her clients. In her free time she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her husband and 11 month old baby.
KATIE HIBBARD
CERTIFIED MASSAGE THERAPIST
As a young girl of crawling age Katie spied her mom and dad treating patients on their chiropractic table's and on occasion got to join by giving a short foot massage herself. Early on she realized how important balance is for our own well-being. Her bachelors degree in Graphic Design and Sustainability is from Point Loma Nazarene University.
Katie's childhood values and education led her to work in art and design at an organic regenerative farm in San Juan Capistrano called The Ecology Center. Here is where she was able to inspire others to improve their health by eating fruits and vegetables grown locally. This passion grew even stronger as she began to focus in on her own body and its trials of healing.
Katie decided to go back to school and is now a Certified Massage Therapist. She is currently continuing her education in an Advanced Neuromuscular Therapy Program at The National Holistic Institute as well as her Food As Medicine certification. Katie enjoys working with her clients to reach their own balance, focusing on soft tissue injuries, and improving ranges of motion and posture. She would like to get certified in Applied Kinesiology as she enjoys learning from her dad who applies it in his practice regularly.
MARISA PUENTE, DACM, L.AC., YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Marisa Puente, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine is a licensed acupuncturist, clinical herbalist, yoga instructor and owner of Radiant Wellness Acupuncture. Marisa completed her doctorate from Pacific College of Health and Science in San Diego, CA.
While studying Chinese medicine, Marisa had the opportunity to intern at UC San Diego’s Integrative Free Clinic Program, as well as at UCSD's Recreation, Intramural, and Athletic Complex (RIMAC) and treated student athletes. She trained with Acupuncturists Without Borders to learn National Acupuncture Detoxification Assn. (NADA) protocol for addiction, mental health and trauma; as well, she trained in neurological acupuncture to treat post-stroke patients and those with other neurological disorders.
A large motivation for Marisa to continue her education and study acupuncture was her work with Naval Special Warfare. From 2015 to 2019 Marisa had the privilege of training U.S. Navy SEALs in a stretch therapy modality to help them increase range of motion and flexibility, enhance performance, and overcome injuries.
It is her commitment to provide therapeutic acupuncture treatments that improve the health and wellbeing of her patients. Learn more about Marisa by clicking the link below, or book her yoga and group acupuncture class on Tuesdays at 7 am here at WAV Movement Studios!
MARY REISCHL, PT, PILATES
Mary Reischl has enjoyed the practice of physical therapy for over 37 years. Her background is in orthopedics and sports medicine.
Mary has her own personal Physical Therapy practice within WAV PT. She offers 60-90 minutes of personal, one-on-one treatment and also offers small group Pilates classes, mat Pilates, and private reformer/chair sessions.
Mary looks forward to helping you become Your Best Self. You can join her classes by clicking our schedule link! We are thrilled to have Mary practice within our clinic, to share our like minded goals and energies within one space! Click below to visit Mary's website to learn more about her practice and what she has to offer.
LIZ MONTAGNA, PT, MPT, YOGA & PILATES TEACHER
Liz is a long time licensed Physical Therapist, certified yoga and pilates teacher, and most recently completed her training as a certified Structural Integration Practitioner. She was trained by Senior Iyengar Yoga teacher Karen Bannon for her Yoga Alliance certification, and received her rehabilitation-based Pilates teacher certification through the Australian Physiotherapy Pilates Institute. She believes that true healing can only be achieved with a holistic approach that treats the whole person in mind, body, and spirit, rather than just a body part. She owns her own PT practice and teaches group classes here at the WAV Movement Studio.
Liz lives in San Clemente and is married with two kids in college. Her goal is to balance work with family and fun. She loves to cook, garden, sing, ride bikes, hike, and pursue her home yoga and pilates practice. Liz sees every client and student as a gift and enjoys guiding them to find balance, ease, and joy in their lives. Her mission is to make a profoundly positive and empowering change for each client she works with.
We are thrilled to host her personal practice within our clinic. If you would like to learn more about Liz, you can visit her site by clicking below. at holisticptw.com.
SARAH BOON,
USUI REIKI MASTER TEACHER, CERTIFIED YAMUNA BODY ROLLING PRACTITIONER
Sarah has always know that her path would involve helping people in some capacity. She is a Usui Reiki master teacher, but her journey didn’t begin that way. Sarah began her path in the helping and healing field as a speech pathologist- working with adults who had suffered from stroke and also working with children who needed support in their speech and language development.
In her early 30s, Sarah sustained a serious snowboarding injury which resulted in years of chronic pain. This lead her to seek out different therapies and healing modalities. Eventually, Sarah became certified in Yamuna Body Rolling which significantly helped with the pain.
Through the work of healing herself and helping others work through their own pain, she came across Reiki. “I was immediately drawn to Reiki and the beautiful way it assists with all levels and layers of healing in the body, mind and soul. I could feel a significant shift in both my physical and emotional body after receiving my first reiki session”. Sarah knew that she wanted to learn more about this ancient healing art and share it with others. She found teachers who taught her how to channel Reiki for herself, her loved ones and community. Nothing means more to her than being able to help others tap into their own healing abilities.