Today we’d like to introduce you to Jurine Hatten Owen.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Baltimore, Maryland and have always possessed a love for athletics and sports. I’ve been an athlete all my life, participating in track and field, basketball, and cross country. My involvement in track and field is what led me to discover the profession of physical therapy as I had a patellar tendon injury for which I received rehabilitative outpatient physical therapy. I was really impressed with my physical therapist’s knowledge of anatomy and physiology and how thoroughly he explained my condition and the rehabilitative process. He had great patience working with me and never had I experienced a healthcare professional who was so attentive and compassionate. That experience piqued my interest and desire to pursue physical therapy as a career.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve never regretted my academic or professional journey, however like many minorities, the affordability and expense of higher education creates a tremendous burden. Educational debt has impacted my life choices from when and what community I could afford to purchase a home to how soon my spouse and I could begin our family and the number of children we could afford to raise and provide a wonderful life.
Witnessing the profound racial and ethnic disparities in our educational and healthcare system has also been a consistent struggle. I’ve dedicated my career to servicing marginalized communities and advocating for equitable access to health care. Educational programs across all healthcare professions have yet to increase minority recruitment, enrollment, and retention to create a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society to eliminate barriers to accessing care and promote cultural competency to eliminate health inequities.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a practicing physical therapist in metropolitan Atlanta for 23 years, I am the owner of Hands On Physical Therapy, Inc., and provide skilled rehabilitative services to pediatric and adult populations. I received a B.S. in Natural Science from Spelman College, a M.S. in Physical Therapy from North Georgia College and State University, and a Ph.D. in Sports Science from Georgia State University. I am a Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute at Morehouse School of Medicine and the Georgia Leadership & Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities at Georgia State University. I have received clinical certification in the Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT) Approach in the Management and Treatment of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Other Neuromotor Disorders and completed advanced training in assessment and treatment techniques for children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder/Autism, Sensory Integrative Disorder, and Obesity. My research interests have included the impact of obesity on cardiovascular disease risks (CVD) in African American women, the relationships between measures of body composition and risk for CVD, and phenotype and CVD morbidity and mortality risk in multicultural populations. It has been my joy to dedicate my career to providing care and advocacy for children in socioeconomic disadvantaged communities in the home health environment and the Georgia Babies Can’t Wait program.
In addition to my clinical practice, I’m also a fitness and wellness coach whose passion lies in promoting healthy lifestyles and partnering with individuals to develop behavioral changes that will reduce the development of physical impairments and chronic disorders. I enjoy teaching women new healthy behaviors that will empower them with problem-solving skills to overcome daily life challenges preventing physical activity and healthy nutrition. I believe it is critical to promote prevention and wellness to generate positive health behaviors and take a generational approach with my clients to create lifestyle habits that encourage long-term health and fitness. My knowledge and expertise include low fitness phenotype, obesity, and cardiovascular disease risks in multicultural populations, and I specialize in using multiple intervention approaches such as strength training, high-intensity interval training, endurance/cardiovascular fitness training, and sport-specific training to assist my clients with achieving their health and fitness goals.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
What I would say to my younger self and to those beginning their life journey is to have patience and be kind to yourself. Most people of my generation were mentored to pursue careers that provided financial stability but may not have been their passion. There must be a balance of passion and stability and it will take time to achieve that balance. Lastly, I would advise young professionals to invest in their physical and mental health the same way in which they invest in pursuing their careers. Developing healthy behaviors and wellness practices during early adulthood is the greatest opportunity to prevent the development of debilitating chronic conditions later in life.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @handsonpt02
