Barbara’s Story It is said that the word ‘chaos’ contains the root of the Chinese symbols for ‘opportunity’ and ‘change’. Barbara suddenly faced both when a simple task with a patient went horribly wrong. With a back injury, Barbara was told she would never work again.

Rather than quit, Barbara organized chaos into a new career. The opportunity was facilitated by training in biofeedback, which Barbara turned into a new career path with multiple channels of surface electromyography (sEMG) and her training as a therapist. The tool enabled her to ‘see’ what others could not. She was driven by the fascination of human movement, adaptation and movement dysfunction’s relationship to chronic pain. Fed simply by the need to ‘know’, everything about this area of physical therapy fueled Barbara’s passion, the need for finding the answers. The incentive was both personal and professional.

Invited to speak about her unique approach, Barbara found herself comfortable lecturing around the world. What sEMG could do for her, it could do for others. Therapists found that Barbara’s clinical experiences with sEMG opened their eyes to new possibilities within their clinical practices. Using proprietary software for the last six years has made visible answers to questions that many professionals have had, and Barbara’s commitment returns to teaching and writing.

The injury that put Barbara on this career path took her away from the plan she had for her life. But, listening to Barbara, there are no regrets as she speaks with excitement of each new piece she uncovers that can be used to help the next patient. “I cannot imagine that anything I would have chosen to do with my life could ever have matched the fascination and wonder I experience in doing what I am doing now.”

Her search for answers began as a patient seeking to alleviate pain, first her own and then the pain of others. Measurement of her success, in her eyes, is not found in the 12 books or 40 articles or 105 issues of her column, but is evident rather in a note she received from a patient (see quote at left).

Read Barbara's professional credentials

Barbara’s latest research accepted for publication includes a blinded evaluation of 20 neck sEMG evaluations. Proprietary software analysis correctly placed each subject in either the symptomatic or control group. Expected publication date: June 2005 Journal of Whiplash & Related Disorders.



Pain has an impact both locally and systemically. Barbara is studying the effects of microcurrent point stimulation on pain-altered-recruitment secondary to myofascial trigger points.

When I first came to Rocky Mountain Therapy & Life-fit Center, I had been to different kinds of therapy for 7 years, due to pain suffered in a ‘minor’ auto accident. The techniques used by you are totally unique and absolutely effective. I noticed remarkable improvement after just a few sessions, where nothing else had helped me before, and I am totally confident that I will continue to be totally healthy.”
Elizabeth Ann Montgomery, Golden CO


If you'd like to be informed about future courses and products, tell us about yourself on our Registration page.