Psychosocial Elements of Physical Therapy: The Connection of Body to Mind

This new edition of Psychosocial Elements of Physical Therapy: The Connection of Body to Mind improves and expands on the first edition to include intuitive chapter organization, refreshed exercises, and content reflecting current research and applications throughout, as well as a new chapter examining neurodivergence. This cutting-edge text presents selected mental health and psychosocial conditions seen in physical therapy practice, drawing explicit connections between clinical practice and patients as full persons.

With themes including the importance of therapeutic presence, system-level strategies and information for psychosocially informed practice, and the benefits of specific physical activity and interpersonal approaches tailored to patients, readers will engage with current evidence and the author’s experience to better serve patients with selected mental health and developmental conditions.

Psychosocial Elements of Physical Therapy is a resource for both the classroom and clinic and is key reading for students in both doctor of physical therapy (DPT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) programs, as well as newer clinicians. Ancillaries include a sample course syllabus, sample discussion prompts for an online or in-person course, and sample reading/assignment schedules for a variety of course lengths and credit-hour options.

Hannah (Johnson) Baker, PT, DPT, GCS, PhD, is a practicing physical therapist in home health in Indiana, USA. She earned a BS in biology and a DPT at Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, Wisconsin, and taught there for several years, including psychosocial courses. Additionally, she has clinical board specialist certification in geriatric physical therapy, drawing on over a decade of experience in skilled nursing facilities and long-term care, working especially with older adults and people with psychological conditions. She earned a PhD in interdisciplinary health sciences at Northern Illinois University, focusing on the carryover of exercise programs for long-term care residents. She is also a late-diagnosed autistic (ASD level 1) in a family with many cases of known or suspected autism and ADHD, inspiring the material for Chapter 6 of this edition.