Tarah Sweeney - DPT, Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Tarah’s treatment philosophy incorporates improving functional movement through manual therapy and specific exercise with a broad variety of techniques tailored to her client’s needs. She believes in facilitation of self-management strategies to empower patients to take control of their rehabilitation process and continued health.
Tarah earned her doctorate in 2011 from University of Colorado and has been practicing in Orthopedics and Pediatrics since that time. She is committed to giving clients the best care possible by continuing to learn and grow as a PT and is an Certified Orthopedic Specialist, a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Certified in Dry Needling, Certified Orthopedic Manual Therapist and is currently pursuing her Postdoctoral Fellowship in Orthopedic Manual Therapy. She also has done advanced training in pelvic floor rehabilitation and chronic spinal pain management.
Tarah enjoys treating all types of orthopedic injuries and populations but specializes in chronic lower spinal and pelvic pain, cervical and thoracic dysfunction, lower extremity injury and treatment of endurance athletes and skiers. When Tarah is not in the clinic, she can be found skiing, biking, boating, and exploring Alaska with her family. She believes in the joy of movement and is dedicated to helping her clients get back to whatever it is that they love.
Alisa Carroll - DPT, Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Alisa received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Montana in 2010. Her focus is on the optimal overall health and wellness of her patients. She uses clinical expertise and evidenced based therapeutic exercises to correct body mechanics and decrease pain and movement dysfunction. She strives for patients to know the intention behind each exercise and how it allows them to return to performing activities of work and daily living without pain. She enjoys working with patients in need of general out-patient orthopedic, post surgical, chronic injury, sports medicine, and pelvic floor therapy. She utilizes modalities of Myofascial Release soft tissue techniques, Active Release Therapy, inter-muscular dry needling and pain science education. She also uses video gait and running analysis as a learning tool for optimal joint loading strategies. Her “whole body” approach offers her patients strategies of self-management to prevent re-occurrence of injury and optimize performance.
Prior to graduate school Alisa was a ceramic artist and summer wilderness guide in Alaska. She loves to be with her family in the outdoors, skiing, hiking and rafting.
Amanda Atwood - DPT, Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Amanda is passionate about approaching each patient’s individual needs and desires to improve their daily function and quality of life with a complete, holistic approach. She has a strong emphasis in restoring the body to its natural alignment to allow it to optimally function.
Amanda received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ in 2012 and immediately relocated to Alaska where she began her career as a Physical Therapist. Early in her career she honed her manual therapy skills as an orthopedic practitioner; continuing her education to receive her Certification in Manual Therapy, Certification in Dry needling, and Certification in Breast Cancer Rehabilitation.
She is passionate in her belief of the need for Physical Therapy as part of the recoveryprocess for all types of orthopedic injuries. She loves treating patients of all ages, and thoroughly enjoys working one-on-one with each patient to problem solve and reach their goals. She enjoys treating neck and upper extremity dysfunction, spine injuries, lower extremity dysfunction, and breast cancer rehab. She also enjoys helping beginner yoga students find a yoga practice or helping experienced yogis resume their practice following their rehab.
Rachel Anderson - DPT, Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Rachel Anderson graduated in 2012 from the University of Montana with a Doctorate of Physical Therapy. She completed her undergraduate degree in Exercise Science through Montana State University in 2007 while competing in collegiate athletics. Rachel began pursuing specialization in orthopedic rehab early in her career completing her Certification of Orthopedic Manual Therapy in 2015. She is also certified in Dry Needling and Graston utilizing these techniques to assist patients in the recovery of soft tissue dysfunction. In 2019 Rachel gained a clinical specialization in the rehabilitation of foot and ankle pathologies, allowing her to become a leading therapist in gait analysis and lower extremity injuries. She continues to pursue opportunities to enhance her skill set in order to support her passion, assisting individuals in resolving pathology and restoring joyful movement throughout the body. Her clinical focus is on patient empowerment through education and improving understanding of human anatomy and physiology. She enjoys spending her free time running, biking, hiking, reading, and exploring the wild spaces of our beautiful state with her family.
Erin Newton - DPT, Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Erin has been practicing physical therapy since 2001, a graduate of University of Saskatchewan in Canada. She relocated to Anchorage in 2001 and has been serving the Anchorage and Eagle River communities as an Orthopedic physical therapist since. Erin originally lived in Anchorage and received her undergraduate degree at UAA while she was a NCAA D1 athlete for UAA in alpine skiing.
Erin’s clinical foundation is based on treating a person not “parts” and in whole body wellness. She has a dynamic skill set utilizing different treatment methodologies. Her primary focus in treatment is manual therapy, education and therapeutic exercise but uses several other techniques to improve overall patient wellness. She is certified in dry needling and has been a clinical orthopedic specialist since 2011. Currently she is working with CCMI to become a certified concussion specialist to help athletes, MVC patients and the workforce return to a normal functional state.
When not working she is an active mother of two boys married to her pilot husband often found exploring this great state. She enjoys skiing alpine and xc, hiking, running, biking and fishing.
Caitlin Rodriguez - DPT, Doctorate of Physical Therapy
Cait is dedicated to providing physical therapy care that centers around the patient and their pursuits and passions in life. She is committed to integrating evidence based therapy with individualized education so the patient better understands how each intervention contributes to full body wellness. Her ultimate goal is for every patient to leave the clinic feeling like masters in their own care.
Cait’s practice combines a variety of specific interventions including dry needling, postural restoration, manual therapy, and exercise to reduce pain, improve mobility, and help patients leave stronger than ever. She focuses on orthopedic conditions, injured athletes, and pelvic health that is LGBTQ+ inclusive.
Cait joined Progressive Physical Therapy in 2021 after graduating from South College in Knoxville, Tennessee. She originally moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 2011 to complete her master’s degree in engineering, soon became a commercial fisherwoman followed by a career jump to PT in 2016. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering at the local bicycle co-op, running a bicycle mentorship program for teenage girls, and getting outside to mountain bike and backcountry ski.
Shasta Hood - DPT, Doctor of Physical Therapy
Shasta enjoys treating patients of all kinds, is experienced in manual therapy and has a passion in promoting movement for all. He speaks fluent Spanish and enjoys working with Hispanic populations. He brings a high level of energy and personality to his patients.
Shasta graduated from the University of Montana in 2011 and has received both his certification in Manual Orthopedic Physical Therapy and a certification in Trigger Point Dry Needling.
Shasta keeps his body moving. He has logged thousands of human powered miles traversing the Alaskan wilderness in both summer and winter. He has made notable first ski descents of high peaks in the Chugach, paddled elusive arctic whitewater and surfed icy Alaskan ocean waves. These days he shares his adventures with his wife MacKenzie and his children Elowyn and Ivor.
Sarah Baird - Office Manager / Front Desk Coordinator
Born and raised in Alaska, Sarah completed her undergraduate degree in International History at Georgetown University. Sarah taught Pilates in Anchorage for two years before joining the Progressive team. She is happy to help you in her role as Front Desk Coordinator, and she can also assist with any Pilates exercises on the reformer or the mat. In her free time, Sarah loves acting, taking dance and Pilates classes, and walking in the woods with her husband and their three beloved dogs.