Meet Rachel
Rachel Lauchnor, MPT, DPT, NCPT, PYT-C
Founder of Movement Sense
Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here.
Hi, I’m Rachel Lauchnor. I’m an integrative physical therapist, movement specialist, and founder of Movement Sense, a mobile physical therapy practice serving the Salt Lake City area — that means I come to you!
My role is to be a guide and partner in helping you achieve your best pain-free movement experience, supported through evidence and clinically based practice.
My intention is to empower women to break up with their pain and rediscover joy in their movement — not just for the short term, but over a lifetime.
With my creative treatment approach, I draw from my lifelong passion of learning multi-perspective healing techniques to honor the complexity of you as an individual. This restorative, person-centered model of healing offers so much more.
My desire to become a physical therapist was sparked by my own injuries and recovery experiences. After working as a PT in various settings including a hospital, outpatient cancer, and home-care settings, I opened my own practice, Movement Sense, in 2013.
In my personal life, I am a Utah native and an active, seasoned mom. I have a lifelong love affair with nature and all creatures of this earth! I love camping, hiking, paddle boarding, cross-country skiing, soulful walks, and dancing in my kitchen (or wherever it strikes me). And most days you can catch me singing in my car, so feel free to join me if you like the song. ;)
I want you to know that there’s hope for you! If you’re ready to feel better and have healthier, more confident, joyful movement, I invite you to book a free strategy session so that you can get back to moving with ease and joy, and LOVING your life.
I look forward to meeting you!
My story
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I used to be in a serious relationship with back pain, but we broke up! Sure, I have some run-ins with my “ex” on rare occasions, but they are brief and mostly uneventful!
Yes, this is me. A few years ago, I had a specific back injury and had all the colors that come with it: low-back pain, sciatic pain, numbness, and tingling. I even experienced intermittent weakness. I was scared to move and concerned about how this would impact my play time, work, and relationships.
I spent years looking for the one thing that was going to “fix” me. Ultimately what I found was that a personalized integrative treatment model + a lifestyle approach supported me in true healing. Now I want to share this with you!
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I live in my chosen meaningful movement.
I do all the things I love recreationally. I practice movement that I love and supports me. I have a daily meditation practice, a specific breathing practice, and therapeutic yoga to support balance in my nervous system.
Other days, I add in my cardio, Pilates, and other fun and challenging moves that bring joy to my body mind and soul. No same-boring-rut, getting-me-nowhere exercise!
AND… I love how I feel in my body, mind, and spirit!
What will your life look like?
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I have learned and continue to learn from some of the most compassionate, gifted, and highly skilled instructors/mentors in the field of manual therapy and movement.
In addition, my continued pursuits of lifelong learning have led me to integrative lifestyle medicine and women’s health coaching, bringing a whole-person approach to my practice.
But even more, I owe this to each and every client I have had and continue to have the privilege and honor of learning from.
My philosophy
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I believe one of the key pillars in the foundation of healing is breathing. Although it seems deceptively simple, breathing has a complex and interwoven relationship with movement, and it serves as a lifelong anchor for our bodies.
Breathing has a tremendous impact on all aspects of our physicality:
Oxygenation to the body and elimination of toxins.
Nervous-system balance.
Gut and digestion support.
The way our body chooses to create patterns of movement and support.
Managing the pressure systems of abdomen, lungs, and voice — which can, in turn, impact pain, movement performance, pelvic health, and more.
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I use intentional simplicity in my treatment approach, because healing does not have to be tedious, time-consuming, or complicated.
What does this look like in practice?
We will use your existing activities, lifestyle, and strengths to nurture your self-efficacy and resilience.
Your home program will be based on your existing lifestyle, including your interests, activities, commitments, and time constraints.
You won’t have to find 30 extra minutes to work your home program into your day, because you are already doing it! You’ll just be approaching it differently, with knowledge (body wisdom) and intention (mindful movement).
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Lifestyle medicine evolved from the bio-psycho-social model of healing.
Biology = physical body
Psychology = mind and emotions
Sociology = our relational world
A lifestyle approach recognizes that pain and dysfunction are rarely standalone entities. They can be influenced by factors such as sleep, environmental exposures, stress, movement, nutrition, hormones, existing support structures, social connections, and more.
Barriers are also a factor that can impact our physical health and desired outcomes, often stemming from beliefs, and past experiences. Please know I understand we all come with our own life experiences and I will honor your needs with respect and care during our physical therapy treatment together.
Together, we will use a whole-person, integrative & lifestyle approach to:
Find the source of the issue you’re experiencing.
Identify influences and barriers.
Create recovery strategies based on what is meaningful for you and use your existing strengths so that you get the BEST treatment outcomes.
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Your body is already exceptionally intelligent and resilient. It is giving you 100%, every minute of every hour of every day. Sometimes it just needs a little help and support to get back on track.
Pain, dysfunction, and dis-ease occur when the body has run out of options to compensate and use its ability to do what you ask of it.
The foundation of any successful and meaningful experience is making it personal for the unique individual you are. When your body has the right environment and support, it has an amazing ability to heal itself.
My goal is to empower you with education, support, and hands-on experience in your own body to increase your self-efficacy and resilience and live a better life now.
Credentials
Degrees + certifications
Doctor of Physical Therapy, University of Utah (UU)
Master of Physical Therapy, UU
B.S., Exercise + Sport Science, UU
Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), National Pilates Certification Program
Completed Professional Yoga Therapy Curriculum, Living Well Institute
Certified in Integrative Lifestyle Medicine, Living Well Institute
Certified Women’s Health Coach, Integrative Women’s Health Institute
Professional memberships
APTA: Orthopedic & Sports Medicine, Women’s Health
International Association of Healthcare Practitioners (IAHP)
Pilates Method Alliance (PMA)
Living Well Institute: Integrative Lifestyle Medicine Practitioners
Training + expertise
My intention is to empower women to break up with their pain and rediscover joy in their movement — not just for the short term, but over a lifetime.
Manual therapy + holistic rehabilitation
Barral Institute — Gentle hands-on advance osteopathic techniques in Visceral Manipulation, Neural Manipulation, and New Manual Articular Techniques
Upledger Institute — Craniosacral Therapy Studies
Diane Lee — Integrated Systems Model® practitioner and clinical mentorship program
Julie Wiebe PT — Returning women to fitness after injury and pregnancy, an evidence-based, integrative approach
Medical Therapeutic Yoga and Integrative Lifestyle Medicine — movement science-based yoga and basic ayurvedic principles, applying a biopsychosocial lens to healthcare
Integrative Pain Science Institute — Mindfulness-Based Pain Reduction
Therapeutic movement + performance
Polestar Pilates® Practitioner
Oov® Education
Balanced Body CoreAlign®
Scolio-Pilates®