Claire Bowe: Owner of Rose Physical Therapy, Physical Therapist, Former Special Education Teacher, Twin Girl Mom, Avid Hiker, Bicycle Commuter, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Cancer Survivor

As owner of Rose it has always been my goal to provide a premium service and the best physical therapy care you can get. I believe in one-on-one 1-hour therapy with a physical therapist, never a technician. I take our motto, Love How You Feel very seriously. I want every interaction with Rose from start to finish to be a positive one. This includes lots of internal work at Rose to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all genders and all bodies. For our doctors my goal is to create an environment that challenges everyone to give better care every day as we grow and evolve as clinicians. This combination is what makes Rose special: our therapists have more knowledge and enough time to really diagnose your injuries and get to the root of problems efficiently.

What Love How You Feel means to me is that as a practice we do the heavy lifting to be the best medical care you will ever receive. Personalized medicine with a doctor of physical therapy and our highly skilled and responsive office coordinator staff work together to insure great communication every step of the way. We feel the onus to be the best and strive to be so. Clients often come to us after going to other practices and “failing” physical therapy. Misdiagnosis and poor/dismissive treatment from physicians are also very common issues that we face with our clients. Traumatic treatment within the medical machine is, sadly, more common than not. We are different and better.

I have prodigious skill as a physical therapist and my learning never stops. I have been working in the world of healthcare for 29 years and as a physical therapist for 15 years. I also have a Masters in Education that afforded me the time and experience with understanding how to teach, mentor and impart knowledge and expertise to my clients and fellow clinicians. My goal is always to impart the knowledge necessary for people to be independent and to recognize the steps for prevention of future injury.

I have had the opportunity to work with every level of athlete. From professionals to serious hobbyists to casual exercisers and everything in between. I have had the opportunity to spectate and Sherpa for my husband at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI. With Rose I have spectated and offered recovery sessions after many of the local races and events for all types of sports from soccer tournaments, cycling races to triathlons and running races. It has given me a chance to see my clients in action, which I deeply enjoy.

Sports medicine is not my only expertise and many of my clients would not consider themselves athletes. I am the Washington DC regional expert on Temporal Mandibular Dysfunction commonly known as TMJ or TMD. I have shared my knowledge with all of our clinicians and as a result Rose is one of the few places you can come and get expert and wholistic treatment for TMJ, cervicogenic headaches, migraines, concussion and vestibular issues.

I am also certified in Mechanical Diagnosis & Therapy (MDT) by the McKenzie Institute and as an Ergonomic Assessment Specialist under the United States Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). Issues related to low, mid back, neck pain and posture are part of my repertoire and expertise. It is also part of my foundational training and mentorship for all of our Rose clinicians. As a result, Rose is a clinic where all of our therapists can treat spine related issues with a very high level of expertise.

I have taken just about every course offered by Active Release Techniques (ART) for treatment of Ironman and other athletes. Trigger Point Dry Needling training from Myopain Seminars and a specialized sinus balloon expansion technique for treatment of TMJ and headaches/migraines are a couple of my other areas of expertise. My Master’s degree in Education focused on special education and early intervention with children who are blind or visually impaired. It’s been a while, but I used to be able to read and write in Braille. I had the amazing opportunity to do my student teaching at Perkins School for the Blind, the oldest residential school for the blind in the country and where Hellen Keller and her teacher Anne Sullivan were educated.

I have been treating clients with pelvic floor dysfunction for a number of years, honing my expertise in treatment of all body parts and the body as a whole. Pre and postpartum care, pelvic pain, urinary dysfunction and much more.

Another of my specialties is working with clients who have had chest surgeries. This includes gender affirming top surgeries, both removal and augmentation post operative care. As well as breast cancer clients who have had; mastectomy, lumpectomy and/or reconstruction recovery rehabilitation.

I am a breast cancer survivor myself. I was diagnosed at age 36. I had a partial mastectomy without reconstruction followed by radiation. I had a stage 2+ tumor along with 2 smaller cancerous spots that were also removed. Chemotherapy was recommended and I declined remaining sessions after the first treatment. The cancer journey was a very difficult one. I actively asserted my own autonomy and decision making about every aspect of care and that was met with distain and resistance from most of my medical providers. It was my first real experience inside the medical machine as a client. It was not pleasant. I was threatened, yelled at, told I was going to die, patronized, diminished and so much more. I had very few positive interactions along the way. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. But at the end of it, I can say with absolute certainty that the experience was a gift. And my survival is also a gift of modern science that I do not take for granted. The experience only deepened my resolve to be the best medical provider that my own clients will interact with ever in their journey of life in receiving medical care. The critical importance of being a safe space for anyone who walks through the door became clearer than ever. To truly listen to people and work collaboratively is something that physical therapy lends itself to naturally and I felt like I was doing, but after my cancer experience I knew I had to always be working to improve and that it would be a never ending evolution for me as a clinician.

I have a B.S. from Oregon State University (Corvallis, Oregon), a Master’s in Education from the Portland State University (Portland, Oregon), and a Masters in Physical Therapy from the Governors State University (Chicago, Illinois). As a fun fact, I finished all but a couple of courses in Masters of Occupational Therapy before transferring to physical therapy school. Sometimes our paths are not exactly straight, and when I discovered physical therapy I knew I had to make the jump to this field, and I never looked back!

Outside of work, I enjoys hobbies that involve two wheels and two feet. I was a long time instructor for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF). I enjoyed endurance riding on my 1978 Honda Goldwing and track riding on my Triumph Daytona. I am a bicycle commuter and am a member of Washington Area Bicycle Association (WABA). My partner and I live in Navy Yard with my twin daughters and two kitty cats, Knick Knack and Paddy Whack.

As a family we enjoy hiking and camping. In 2020 and 2021 combined we hiked 500+ miles. Our twin daughters were 3 and 4 years old at the time. In spite of living an active life I would not consider myself an athlete. Over the years people have expressed intimidation and hesitance at coming to Rose, thinking that we specialize in athletes and they wouldn’t fit in or have a place with our therapists. I am here to say, that everyone has a place at Rose. Part of the reason I attended occupational therapy school before transferring to physical therapy as a career choice was my own intimidation, and idea that I was not an athlete and therefore I had no place in the field. I would like to dispel that myth. At Rose, come as you are, no matter who you are, we will do everything in our power to help you in your journey to wellness. We are physical therapists of prodigious skill and a great deal of empathy with the ability to adapt and meet you where ever you are in your journey to wellness.

Claire Bowe: Owner of Rose Physical Therapy, Physical Therapist, Former Special Education Teacher... Read More

I first discovered physical therapy when I was 13 and hurt my shoulder during a soccer game. As a goalkeeper, I landed awkwardly on my side while making a play but thought nothing of it. After the pain didn’t go away during the following week like previous aches would, one of my teammate’s moms used kinesiotape and performed manual therapy on my shoulder out of her minivan before my next game. And boom! My pain went away, and my foot was in the door of what my future career could become.

I am grateful for that shoulder pain which led me towards physical therapy and guided me here to Rose Physical Therapy. Rose truly is a one of a kind clinic, with one-on-one sessions that are just as beneficial to the clinicians as it is to the clients. I love being able to take my time during each session, getting to know more about the patient than just what brought them in for treatment, and looking at the bigger picture with the patient. These 50 minute individual sessions allow time to educate my clients about their injury, different areas that could be playing into their pain or stiffness, and setting them up for success once they graduate from physical therapy.

Outside of soccer, music is a big passion of mine. One of my favorite ice breaker questions to ask my clients is what their ideal concert lineup would look like. A lot can be learned about a person based on what music acts they would want to see. Music has a way to connect people and open a healthy dialogue to find other interests in common. I grew up playing the piano, learned the drums in middle school, and taught these two instruments in addition to the ukulele for elementary school-aged kids at a summer camp. Similar to trying a new yoga pose or powerlifting move, learning music requires a lot of skill and coordination as to what your body needs to be doing in order to achieve success.

On weekends I love to watch the NWSL and English Premier League, and enjoy nice weather outside along the water. You can always find me looking for a new show to watch, but inevitably watching New Girl for the umpteenth time.

I grew up in New Jersey (yes it’s called pork roll, no I don’t know the cast of Jersey Shore), and achieved my undergraduate degree in athletic training at East Stroudsburg University in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. Afterwards, I moved to North Carolina to earn my Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Elon University. The area I currently am most passionate about is the neck and upper back area, whether that’s headaches, migraines, lack of mobility during workouts, you name it. I am also certified in Trigger Point Dry Needling. If you’re looking for a physical therapy company that will value you and truly wants you to achieve your goals, ask today about setting up an initial evaluation here at Rose Physical Therapy.

I first discovered physical therapy when I was 13 and hurt my shoulder during a soccer game. As a... Read More

My favorite quote of all time was once said by American baseball legend, Jackie Robinson. Robinson once stated in an interview, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

From a young age, I knew that I wanted to serve in some capacity where I could make an impact on the lives of others, but I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted that impact to be. In my early days of schooling, I originally wanted to be an educator after having an incredible 5th grade teacher who helped me see my capabilities when I couldn’t see them myself. I loved the idea of shaping minds to assist individuals in reaching their full potential through educational empowerment. This career path shifted at the age of 12 when my grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

My grandfather was an incredibly active person who inspired me to get involved in sports, taught me how to surf, and shaped my passion for running. To see this progressive disease have such an impact on his life left me disheartened and fearful that we’d never be able to surf together again. My fear and dismay changed the night that I started googling treatments for Parkinson’s and came across the field of Physical Therapy.

I was immediately captivated by the role PTs have in getting people back to doing what they love through movement restoration, pain reduction, and educational empowerment. This career path encompassed aspects that I loved about the field of education, but included so much more for me to feel fulfilled from. After my grandfather started going to PT, we were back in the ocean shredding waves in no time.

Aside from surfing and running, I have a passion for so many other aspects of physical activity. Throughout my high school experience growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, I ran cross country, was a swimmer in the 100m backstroke and breaststroke events, and was a long-pole and short-pole midfielder in lacrosse. As I’ve continued to develop my athletic capabilities in adulthood, I’ve participated in several triathlons, ran the 2017 Chicago Marathon and the 2018 Great Wall of China Marathon, and have partaken in several CrossFit competitions.

While the neurological side of PT was originally what inspired me to pursue a career in the field, my love for treating orthopedic and sport-related injuries, as well as pelvic floor dysfunctions in the Washington, DC area is what drove me to pursue a career at Rose Physical Therapy Group. On my journey towards becoming a PT, I received my Bachelors of Science degree in Exercise Science from Towson University, and received my Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

I once had a patient tell me; “Physicians add days to life whereas Physical Therapists add life to days.” As your current or future PT, I am so excited to get you back to doing what you love, so that you can live your best life.

My favorite quote of all time was once said by American baseball legend, Jackie Robinson. Robinso... Read More

I believe in the healing power of moving and story telling, and combining the two can be an incredibly powerful experience. My mom is a costumer, so I grew up doing musical theater. Prior to completing my Doctorate in Physical Therapy, I worked as a professional dancer and aerialist in NYC and here in Washington, DC (and still do!). Movement- whether that’s dancing at a wedding, chasing your kids, or running after a long day at work- helps us connect to each other and ourselves. I am beyond excited to start every day at Rose helping you get back to what you love most.

It wasn’t until I worked for a non-profit in an active-conflict zone that I truly realized how essential “freedom of movement” is for me (and really for all humans). It took me four years to really return my lost movement to my body, but with it I regained more than just my ability to move- I rediscovered the ability to truly enjoy life. I began teaching a ballet barre class at a local dance studio that also taught pole dancing and was instantly hooked. From there, I jumped into aerial arts and expanded into sling/hammock, lyra, lollipop, and more. I currently dance with Alchemy Performing Arts.

Physical therapy is the perfect blend of my love of movement and my desire to help others heal. While I’ve had my fair share of injuries, what drew me to PT was the emphasis on continuous learning and growth as a practitioner combined with the ability to serve our clients. I love puzzling out what is going on in someone’s body and how it is all connected. Getting to share that knowledge with clients so they better understand their own bodies is so rewarding.

In addition to dance and circus, I am passionate about helping people experiencing pelvic floor issues. Once my friends began having children, I started receiving a lot of texts asking for advice on pelvic pain or incontinence post-partum. This sparked my initial interest in pelvic floor, which can affect people of all genders and ages. I know working on these issues can be vulnerable and offer a safe treatment space with a trauma-informed care lens for all my clients.

When I’m not treating at Rose, I’m dancing (pole, aerial sling/hammock, lollipop, and musical theater), snuggling with my sweet great dane Juno, reading sci-fi or fantasy, playing D&D, sewing (I make my own costumes and am trying to make more of my own clothes), running, or hiking and exploring DC with my partner.

I studied dance and international studies at the University of Arizona, went on to earn an MA in conflict resolution with a focus on trauma healing from Georgetown University, and completed my Doctorate in Physical Therapy at George Washington University. I have taken advanced certifications for treating pelvic floor needs and circus artists (with the amazing Dr. Emily Schwerb).

I believe in the healing power of moving and story telling, and combining the two can be an incre... Read More