Empower Physiotherapy (Physical Therapy)

Experiencia fantástica: Last year I started having pinched nerve symptoms that didn’t seem to go away after trying to rest the affected areas. As a competitive powerlifter it’s very frustrating to watch my bench press go downhill as my undiagnosed condition became worse. After I failed my 2nd warm-up in training, I decided to sought a physical therapist for help and a friend of mine referred me to Brianna. During my first visit I told her that I’m planning to compete in September and was worried I would not be able to bench. She immediately convinced me that I would be able to which was very comforting to hear. After thorough assessments turns out it was indeed a nerve issue. During my first eval session I learned beyond just what my condition is, but was also educated on the root causes and how I can avoid this from happening moving forward. Brianna was very professional and knowledgeable and as a queer person I felt very comfortable under her care. Its only been 2 sessions but I can feel my bench slowly making a comeback and I’m so excited for what’s next once my pinched nerve fully heals!!!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Brianna has already been an immense help in the short time I've been working with her. She has taken the time to ask a lot of questions and view my pain and issues holistically, truly listens to my concerns, and provides a safe and comfortable environment that is free from judgement and quite affirming. I'm already noticing positive changes to my pain level and overall health and feel this will just continue the more we work together. I would strongly recommend Dr. Brianna as she is knowledgable, caring, and provides excellent services.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Durand is amazing! Very knowledgeable, and I already feel better after a couple sessions, would highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: When I came to Dr. Bri I had been struggling with a recurrent injury. Other PT's I'd gone to had done very lightweight intakes and it never felt like we were getting at the root cause of the problem. There was a disconnect between the injury I was experiencing and the therapy I was being prescribed. Seeing Dr. Bri was very different. The intake was in depth and I felt like every aspect of my injury and medical history was being considered. As someone who has recently had gender affirming surgery it was incredible to have a doctor who understood exactly what the surgery involved and how it may be related to my injury. Within a few months of seeing Dr. Bri I've seen really great improvement in my strength and mobility. So far no signs of my injury recurring. I would recommend her to anyone!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Bri is a great physical therapist that truly has a passion for what she does. During her work as an instructor for a physical therapist assistant program, she has taught me exactly what I needed to become a successful provider myself. Extremely knowledgeable and you know that she understands you personally as she works with you, whether you're her student or patient.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Bri has been great to work with. She helped solve my primary complaint and encouraged me to set goals for myself and activities. Thanks to her guidance I am running again, pain free!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Bri came highly recommended to me from multiple friends and family members. Her reputation is well deserved! She’s caring, authentic, knowledgeable, and professional. She’s helped me with insights and exercises that have already alleviated long standing pain I’ve had.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Bri is an incredibly compassionate and kind physical therapist who is very knowledgeable about women's health and its complexities. She takes the time to make sure you are comfortable and listen to everything you have to say. This includes listening to your problems/concerns and goals to make a realistic plan to feel better. In the short few months that I saw her, I learned so much about my body and root causes of my concerns. I felt very heard and understood. Dr. Bri made me believe that the pain I was experiencing was in fact very treatable, and not permanent. I really appreciated her careful and gentle approach and the fact that she made an effort to educate me on what she was doing and why. She is one of the best providers I have worked with and highly recommend her services.

Experiencia fantástica: Bri was fantastic. She made me feel comfortable right away, asked me lots of questions and listened and cared. She's very knowledgable and also fun to chat with. Highly recommend!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr Brianna is very personable and knowledgeable when it comes to treatment. She assessed my physical limitations, goals and lifestyle to help build a path to recovery. I look forward to continue working with her.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Durand was wonderful! She is kind, respectful, and extremely knowledgeable. I truly appreciate how gender affirming and accommodating she is. I highly recommend seeking care with her!

Experiencia fantástica: Brianna is so knowledgeable and helpful..she really knows her stuff! She has been such a great resource for me, and I have learned so much from her!

Experiencia fantástica: My coach reccomended me to Dr. Brianna after I was complaining about lower back pain. Dr. Brianna was super patient, informative, and solution driven in our initial consultation, and helped me map out a road to recovery plan, as well as thoroughly explaining why I'm experiencing what I am experiencing at the tissue level. I am excited to come back!

Experiencia fantástica: I recently used Empower Physiotherapy due to chronic knee pain. I had a very pleasent experience dealing with Brianna who took the time to discuss with me what led to the issue relating to my knee injury. She was extremely professional taking the time to understand my situation and then provided me with solutions and techniques to assist with healing and relieve pain. Brianna recommended a knee brace which would assist in providing comfort while also not restricting my ability to strengthen the area. She went above and beyond to provide me techniques and stretches I could do at home to continue to aid in relief. This was the best experience I have had regarding physiotherapy and would recommend Brianna and Empower Physiotherapy to all my family and friends. Thank you for everything you have done to help me recover.

Experiencia fantástica: We were chatting with Brianna about another subject and our son happened to interrupt us saying that he his stomach hurt. We were about to brush it off but Brianna took the time to chat with him about his bowel movements and sent us some literature regarding the topic so that we could avoid future tummy aches (assuming that they aren't from bad food or something lol). We appreciated that she took the time to understand the source of his tummy pain, was super helpful and kind to him. We would highly recommend Brianna!

Experiencia fantástica: I've had recurring neck pain for around 4 years now and have seen countless physical therapists during that time. Most of them thought the issue was muscular in nature and nothing helped. Dr Bri asked a bit about my issue, did a few tests on me, and explained that my issue could be nerve-related. She showed a few images/details of what the issue could be and everything sounded VERY spot on! I was enthralled! I was also extremely impressed that she was able to talk through lots of the science with me. She keeps up to speed with her research and is a wealth of knowledge. I have already recommended her to numerous friends. Highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: Brianna is the most thorough, knowledgeable, and caring professionals I have ever seen. Empower Physiotherapy was the 3rd physical therapist I had tried for a long term powerlifting-related back injury and was the first physical therapist to go past surface level diagnosis/recommendations (e.g. your core/glutes are weak, stop lifting, etc). She has experience in powerlifting which is a huge plus for me. Brianna not only led me toward healing my injury and helped me implement things into my life to keep pain away, but worked with me on the realities of chronic pain and gave me a better outlook on the healing process. I can't say enough good things about Brianna - I genuinely enjoyed our sessions and time together so much, thank you for everything!

Experiencia fantástica: Bri's input was pivotal for my health journey. She really listened and respected me as a person, yet brought critical thinking to my situation - a skillful mix! Her advice to seek a second opinion on surgery was timely and wise. I’ve been in PT for years and Bri is among the best. My local pelvic floor PT is great, but when she went on maternity leave again, I had a handful of telehealth visits with Bri, and I’m glad I did. I felt that she understood the complexity of having multiple joint issues and chronic pain. Her therapy ideas were creative and individualized, with an emphasis on proprioception, which suited my needs and preferences as a patient. Seattle is lucky to have Empower Physiotherapy - I would still be going there if I lived in Washington.

Experiencia fantástica: I recently had my first session with Dr. Bri to begin our work on low back pain, shoulder pain, and post-op care for top surgery. As we completed the physical evaluation, she communicated instructions clearly and I was surprised at how comfortable and respected I felt, despite how vulnerable bodywork can be. The daily exercises she suggested are challenging enough to feel like I’m making progress, yet brief enough for me to not feel overwhelmed. She also provided me with recommendations for a massage therapist and a chiropractor, and gave me some honest feedback about their competency in queer/trans care. Overall, I found Dr. Bri to be very knowledgeable, inquisitive, and kind. I left our session feeling more motivated and informed in working toward my bodywork goals.

Experiencia fantástica: Brianna is great! She is very easy to talk to, really listens, and has provided me with a ton of valuable information (after just 2 sessions) regarding my pelvic floor. I have already made improvements after couple weeks seeing Brianna and would recommend her to anyone. She has also been very helpful with doctor referrals as well, which has been a huge help. Thank you Brianna!

Experiencia fantástica: Wonderful therapists! Lots of hands on work, I always feel very listened too and taken care of. Both Dr. Bri and Natalie are super affirming and always let me know the "why" for everything we do, which I appreciate. I have searched for a good physical therapist for awhile, and I feel like I've finally found a good one. Will be continuing to receive care from here :)

Experiencia fantástica: I have been working with Natalie at Empower for several months and have had the best experience! She is a wealth of knowledge and does a great job explaining to me what we are doing and why. She also has been really helpful in coming up with strategies to work my home exercises into my everyday schedule. She even went out of her way to help me sort out some insurance items. I have seen drastic improvements since starting with Empower and I am so grateful I found them!

Experiencia fantástica: I cannot speak highly enough of the care I received from Dr. Durand! She is thoughtful, intuitive, extremely knowledgeable, and communicative. I came in with several issue areas, and she carefully tailored our work to adapt to my limitations and my lifestyle. Rest assured, you're in great hands with Dr. Durand!

Experiencia fantástica: UPDATE: As I was finishing up my previous treatment (which is still doing well), I happened to mention that my Thoracic Outlet Syndrome has been flaring up. Despite not being an advertised specialty, Dr. Bri recognized immediately what it was and was able to work with me through it. For context, it took me 6 years to find a provider to diagnose it correctly (largely self-guided) and she was able to diagnose it immediately. I was told previously it's lifelong, manageable but incurable. Dr. Bri and Natalie helped me cure it. Dr. Bri was able to diagnose which type of TOS it is, which I haven't seen even among specialty offices, and then cater my treatment towards it. I'm working with them now on rehab and getting back into the gym. They've completely changed my paradigm around my chronic pain, using science to guide the treatment and providing as much information as I'd like. I know I'm in really good hands. I look forward to my treatments with them. I know I'm in good hands, and I'd easily recommend their office for any type of physical therapy you need. -- Original Review: Dr. Bri is absolutely phenomenal. She’s incredibly knowledgeable and takes time to find where she can be of most help. She did extra research and consulted peers to find me treatment options that no other doctor provided, and she leaves me with so much value every session. She seems to be always reading the latest research, informing her advice and treatment based on it. She also emails you a detailed summary (with relevant links, videos, and content attached) promptly after every appointment. Her availability makes scheduling a session for physical therapy quite easy, and I’ve never seen a doctor spend so much time with patients. She’s also fun to be around and really thinks about what’s most likely to help you and realistic for you to do (human-centered approach). Overall, I’d happily send anyone to Dr. Bri. She’s not in-network for insurance but sends the superbill to provide your carrier, and I think that lets her provide you so much more value than anyone rushing for time or dealing with the bureacracy of insurance (especially for physical therapy, where it’s probably a better deal to just pay the actual cash rate). Also, really nice to see a provider who’s so proudly serving the LGBTQ+ community and getting involved in Seattle. If you’ve made it this far, go see Dr. Bri at Empower Physiotherapy! You’ll be happy you did.

Experiencia fantástica: I was honored to have Dr. Durand on my podcast, The Future Is Female Powerlifting. Her episode was by far one of the most informative, well received episodes we’ve ever had. The topic of pelvic health can be a touchy one however one that many people want and need to know about. This episode gave the listeners a chance to hear a professional speak on what is pelvic health and when you should be concerned. She also shed light on how arbitrarily doing certain exercises (ex. kegels) might not be the right choice since some people can have over activity (which was a lightbulb moment for me and many others). If you are looking for a pelvic health professional who is kind, extremely knowledgeable and has your best interest in mind, Dr. Durand is your PT. Also, she’s a strong powerlifter, that’s a plus!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Durand is highly knowledgeable, empathetic, and skilled. She consistently considers her patients’ full human experience and works to ensure that other practitioners (such as myself) understand the needs of the the LGBTQIA+ community. She is a fantastic PT!

Experiencia fantástica: Shireen is excellent - she understands my shoulder issue and provides the right physical therapy. Her approach has been a specific hands-on treatment instead of using medical aids which makes a difference. My specialist recommended me to use Empower and I know why. I would highly recommend it.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr Durand is incredible. I’m a competitive powerlifter, endurance runner, and am an athletic person all around. And everytime I come to her with a nagging pain or injury, she is able to provide immense immediate relief and comprehensive aftercare that gets me back to 100%. She educates you on what’s going on with your body and is happy to explain why the exercises and stretches she provides, will help you recover. I can’t recommend her enough. I send all of my athletes and personal training clients to her.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Durand and Natalie know their stuff and work as a great team. After a few sessions, I am moving better and feel great. Dr. Durand's knowledge combined with Natalie's guided exercises and hands-on approach have made a huge difference in my approach to working out and moving in general.

Experiencia fantástica: I took one of Dr. Bri’s online seminars a few months ago on Pain Science. It was both incredibly informative as well as very affirming for my experience of living with chronic pain. I would highly recommend working with or learning from her!

Experiencia fantástica: I've been working with Dr Bri since Nov 2022 and it's been great! Both Dr Bri and Natalie are super understanding and patient with all my questions. They don't hesitate to point out issues that might require other professional's input, and are very thorough with assessments.

Experiencia fantástica: I have been going to Dr. Bri and Natalie for a few months. They update your treatment plan as you progress and find replacement exercises if you don't like one. I've mostly worked with Natalie and she has been great at helping me improve my form while doing exercises, answering all my questions, and making PT fun.

Experiencia fantástica: I came to Dr. Bri with a minor weight lifting injury that was keeping me out of the gym. The doctor I had gone to before Dr.Bri made me feel like the injury wasn’t extreme enough for there time or care. I had the complete opposite experience with Dr. Bri, over our first session she spent more then a hour listening to my issue and just asking questions and setting realistic goals. While Dr. Bri helped diagnose and build a plan for me, here amazing PT assistant Natalie took all of that and put it into action. Over two sessions she gave me tools (stretches and exercises) and helped build a workout program that got me into the gym sooner then I could have hoped. This for me is how a doctor/patient experience should be.

Experiencia fantástica: My wife and I recently had the pleasure of listening to Dr. Bri speak about pelvic floor rehabilitation after birth to our group of queer and trans parents to be. Dr. Bri is not only well versed in all things pelvic floor, but she made us feel comfortable in having more knowledge in what to expect during and after birth, and engaged with everyone in ways that made us feel comfortable. Her use of language was body and identity confirming which is often very lacking and exclusionary within the medical community. All of these make Dr. Bri a diamond within the LGBTQIA2S+ community and I look forward to seeing her for pelvic floor rehab!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Brianna Durand is an exceptional educator with vast amounts of knowledge and experience in the field. Her ability to break down information and share knowledge whilst keeping the interest high and equally divided is such a rare ability to come by. I am very thankful and grateful to have been a participant in one of her 3-day online courses.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Bri is awesome! After struggling with chronic untreated IT band issues for two years, I finally sought treatment and within 2 months I've seen improvement to the point I am having pain-free and low-pain days, w/o reduction in activity (not a thing before!). She is knowledgeable, collaborative, good at communicating why we're doing what we're doing, and easy to talk to in general. I feel comfortable and safe in her office. Highly recommend.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Brianna is amazing, she make sure you feel comfortable and make sure to understand everything you tell her, then she explain things in detail and allow you to ask any questions you may have. Dr. Brianna has a lot of experience, you can notice it for how easy and dynamic the appointments are.

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Brianna Durand and Natalie Grant, PTA are a dream team. Like so many of us, I didn't think I could prioritize the time to do PT for my stiff neck and elbow tendonitis -- but once I started working with these two, I couldn't wait for the sessions. I was looking forward to them! It has been a great combination of evaluation/assessment, technical coaching, detailed explanations with a personalized video-based home program, along with manual therapy. About 2/3 of my sessions were with Natalie, who is incredibly resourceful and knowledgeable, and just FUN to work with. Lots of laughs while improving week-to-week! I couldn't recommend Empower Physiotherapy highly enough - if you have the chance to work with Dr. Brianna and Natalie, do it!

Experiencia fantástica: Our Madrona neighborhood, and Seattle, are lucky Dr. Durand opened her practice here. She has made the physical therapy recommended by my wife's doctor so doable. My wife does not like gyms, people in gyms nor the thought of organized physical activity. Somehow Brianna and Natalie transformed these expectations into something my wife enjoys. And I want to mention how easy it is to work with Brianna (Dr. Durand). We're lucky she's here.

Experiencia fantástica: If there's anything to learn from these reviews it's this — If you're looking for an EXPERT Physical Therapist who is PATIENT, KIND, and actually LISTENS to you. Then stop looking elsewhere. Dr. Durand should be the only name on your list. Physical therapy can be scary, so when I was looking for not only a DR. who had the KNOWLEDGE and credibility but was also able to understand the unique situation I was in, I was very happy to have found Brianna. Dr. Durand took the time to UNDERSTAND MY specific injury/recovery, as opposed to prescribing the same old "one size fits all" as other physical therapist have done in the past. Dr. Durand is a SPECIAL find so it you're still reading this... Stop reading now—GO book your appointment!!! You won't regret it. Seriously, trust me, (and if you don't trust me, at least trust my fully recovered right knee.) Thank you again, Bri!

Experiencia fantástica: Brianna is a knowledgeable, skilled and empathetic practitioner. I have no hesitation giving her the highest recommendation possible. She has helped me through two situations. She listen to my concerns and adjusted therapies to best suit me and my injury. Not only is she a great clinician…. But I think she is a kind, lovely person as well.

Experiencia fantástica: I went to Dr. Bri for back and jaw pain that I was having. She really listened to what I was experiencing and was so knowledgeable with what was going on. I got some "homework" to do on my own, and she was exceptional at demonstrating and explaining the exercises to me. Dr. Bri is so kind, compassionate and cares for her patients. I highly recommend her!

Experiencia fantástica: I have had a great experience at Empower Physio working with Dr. Durand and her assistant Natalie on a foot injury. The team provides a plan customized to your needs, which they adapt as you progress. Few sessions later, foot is less sore. And they have carefully transitioned me to a jogging program. Natalie has been instrumental in shaping this journey. She is very knowledgeable, employing manual therapy + exercise while focusing on form. Her patience and enthusiasm are very encouraging. Thanks for your support!

Experiencia fantástica: Dr. Durand has amazing knowledge and passion for her work. She is an excellent presenter, and is able to explain concepts with practical examples. She is one of our alumna and I invite her annually as a guest speaker to teach my DPT students about LGBTQIA + health issues.

Experiencia fantástica: I have seen Dr. Bri for postpartum pelvic floor recovery after having both of my children and while pregnant with my second child. Dr. Bri takes the time to understand my personal goals and works with me to create a plan to help me get back to lifting weights and exercising after kids and while pregnant. She makes what could be an awkward situation comfortable, always asking for consent and checking in along the way. I especially love that we get a chance to do mini-workouts as well -- it's not just about physical therapy exercises, I leave feeling like I actually used my body! Dr. Bri also took the time to connect with my trainer about my progress and created a workout plan to meet my changing needs. Really a step above and beyond to help me achieve my goals. Conversations about the benefits of pelvic floor work before, during, and after pregnancy are limited. If you are looking for an outstanding, relatable, and caring doctor who can help you achieve your goals, Dr. Bri is who you are looking for! Notes: The newly remodeled space is BEAUTIFUL. There is always parking within the block around the studio. Her scheduling system is great and easy to use. She has a lot of variety with appointment dates and times to meet my schedule. She is reachable outside of scheduled appointments whenever I've had a question.

Experiencia fantástica: I started physiotherapy and training with Dr Durand more than a year after arthroscopic knee surgery and a diagnosis of "Chondromalacia", after months of dissatisfaction with my progress, still being unable to do most things with my right knee. Within a couple of months, she had me squatting with weights and dead-lifting with no symptoms and good form, when just two months ago, I was not even able to handle my own body weight. It felt incredibly relieving and exciting to be able to use my legs equally again. Dr Durand is a highly skilled physiotherapist and trainer, whilst also being an excellent listener and a powerful communicator / teacher who can break down complex movements to make them easy to learn. Dr Durand also realizes that "one size fits all" solutions are not always helpful to treat all patients and instead strives to understand the anatomy of individuals to provide customized therapy. Her patience and dedication to helping her patients is remarkable, all of which seem like rare commodities among most medical professionals. I cannot recommend her enough.

Experiencia fantástica: I reached out to Brianna at Empower when I had a recurring muscular issue with my hip. I had been in pain while walking for several weeks and all the in-network physical therapy providers were not available for at least a month. Within one session we reduced pain while walking to zero and got me back in the gym lifting. Within two sessions, I was lifting all my lifts with confidence and we started addressing other related issues to build core strength for my long term success with my powerlifting. She's truly an excellent listener, very comprehensive and understand your priorities.

Experiencia fantástica: I can not say enough good things about the care I’ve received with Dr. Durand. Not only is she incredibly knowledgeable, but she is professional, caring and empathetic with your care. I’ve been dealing with a chronic injury for roughly 2 years and seen by multiple professionals and nobody has been able to figure out what’s going on with my injury. Lo and behold, after 1-2 visits with Dr. Durand and being consistent with my home care routine she prescribed, my body finally began cooperating. Her background in strength training and powerlifting gives her a huge advantage that I haven’t seen in other professionals. Not only that, SHE LISTENS and CARES. As a personal trainer myself, having injuries is extremely frustrating and with her guidance and care I’m feeling so much better! If you’re a smart individual, (which I’m assuming you are) you’ll look no further than Dr. Durand!

Experiencia fantástica: Brianna is a great provider to work with! She is respectful and compassionate, and very LGBT+ friendly. She carefully listened to my concerns and goals and developed a treatment plan just for me - including several different types of exercises and movement to do during our sessions. She was even understanding when some weeks I didn't have time to do every part of my home regimen. She was also able to recommend books and other resources that helped me learn more about what we were working on. I would totally recommend her!

Experiencia fantástica: I have had a history of running injuries in the past and took a break from running. In 2020, I wanted to get back to running after almost a year and half break and I started with a Couch to 5K app and I ended up injuring my knee quite badly that I couldn't even walk up and down the stairs. I looked up some Physical therapists in the area and everyone was closed at the time for in-person visits. A friend of mine suggested Brianna after seeing my Instagram post and I reached out. She responded immediately, we scheduled an in-person visit and she assessed everything and she identified the limitations in my ankle and knee mobility. She did some soft-tissue work and suggested some at-home exercises to do. I could feel some immediate relief. I saw her for a few more follow-up visits until I could get back on my feet again. I was amazed by how knowledgeable she is and her attention to detail. She even showed me how to massage and tape myself if I continue to feel the pain. It was a huge plus that she is a powerlifter, so I could discuss my limitations in that area also and she guided me in my movement. I can't recommend her enough.