We’re your local physical therapy clinics serving the Flathead Valley for over 30 years. Our team is dedicated to custom physical therapy improvement plans, so you can move better, feel better and live longer.

 

Our Mission

We are here to help people Move Better, Feel Better and Live Longer without compromise.

  • MOVE: Movement is at the core of what we do every day
  • FEEL: How you feel is the most important aspect of our care delivery
  • LIVE: When you move and feel better, scientific research highly supports a longer life

What We Value

Professional Therapy Associates was founded on the values of teamwork, fun, community, results and responsibility. These help us deliver the best treatment for our patients and culture for our employees.

Teamwork

We work together to accomplish more.

Fun

We encourage a fun and upbeat environment that results in employees who want to come to work and patients who never want to leave.

Community

We give back to the communities in which we serve.

Results

We provide genuine and personalized patient care with high-quality results.

Responsibility

We commit ourselves to helping people lead active and healthy lifestyles.

Our Story

Professional Therapy Associates (PTA) was founded in 1988 with the intention of delivering the best physical therapy in the Flathead Valley. Over the next 19 years, we established ourselves as healthcare leaders in the local community. In 2007, PTA was sold and merged with Kalispell Rehabilitation Associates, which brought new leadership and a revived vision to the company. 

PTA’s reputation was strengthened and expanded over the course of the next eight years, which led to significant growth and stability. The PTA family grew again in 2016 when Lake Health & Rehab officially rebranded, and then Chris Leck joined PTA as the CEO and partner. Under Chris’ guidance, PTA has been positioned as the premier physical therapy group in Northwest Montana.

Meet Our Team

We’re a team of dedicated professionals serving the needs of patients in Northwest Montana.

Chris Leck

PT, DPT, SCS, CEO

Chris Leck

PT, DPT, SCS, CEO

Chris is the CEO and vice president of operations of our PTA clinics. He received his bachelor’s of science in pre-medicine from the University of Notre Dame before going on to serve four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy. He then returned to graduate school receiving his doctorate in physical therapy at Washington University in St. Louis, the number one physical therapy school in the nation. Chris worked as a physical therapist in both Seattle and Spokane prior to moving to the Flathead Valley. He enjoys being outside with his wife and three kids, and particularly likes camping, hiking, fishing and golfing. As a physical therapist and leader of PTA, Chris relishes “the opportunity to change someone’s quality of life on a daily basis.”

Brent Johnson

PT, DPT

Brent Johnson

PT, DPT

Brent Johnson, native to Rockledge, FL, completed his undergraduate degree in Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Central Florida. While working on his undergraduate degree, he completed a senior internship working under the strength and conditioning coach for several Olympic sprinters. Following graduation, he continued at the University of Central Florida, where he received his Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Melanie Hunt

DPT, DCQ

Melanie Hunt

DPT, DCQ

Melanie grew up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She received her undergraduate from James Madison University and attended the University of St. Augustine, Florida to earn her doctorate in Physical therapy. Before working for PTA, Melanie was a traveling PT and her work took her all over the world. Her approach to PT is targeted to each individual and she treats each patient holistically to make sure they have comprehensive health results. Her specialties include treatment for lower back pain, headaches and neck pain, spinal manipulations, and a heavy emphasis on manual therapy.

Melanie is now settled in the Flathead Valley and has swapped her flip-flops for hiking boots. When she is not helping her patients move and feel their best you can find her enjoying the outdoors as an avid water sports enthusiast, volunteering with her church, snowboarding, and traveling.

Josh Christoferson

PT, DPT

Josh Christoferson

PT, DPT

Josh grew up in Billings, MT, and enlisted in the Army Reserves upon graduating high school. He then went on to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from Montana State University. Josh worked as a Personal Trainer and Exercise Physiologist for two years. In 2021, he received his Doctor of Physical Therapy from Creighton University. His interests include orthopedic and sports rehab, with an emphasis on working with the tactical athlete and veteran community.

Josh currently lives in Kalispell and enjoys trail running, hiking, snowboarding, hunting, and traveling in his free time.

Megan Henry

PT, DPT

Megan Henry

PT, DPT

Megan received her undergraduate degree in Biology with a minor in Environmental Studies at Gonzaga University. She acquired her Doctorate of Physical Therapy at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

Megan was a soccer player throughout college and saw multiple teammates get injured and not receive the rehab needed to return to playing the sport they loved. She went into the field of physical therapy because she believed she could do better for her friends and others who are injured in the same way. Megan specializes in manual therapy and plans to further her education in mobilization with movement techniques.

In her off time, she enjoys everything outdoors and during winter she loves to snowboard.

Wyatt Jordan

PT, DPT

Wyatt Jordan

PT, DPT

Wyatt is originally from Escondido, CA and got his undergraduate from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff Arizona. He went on to receive his doctorate in PT from the University of St. Augustine in San Marcos, CA.

When Wyatt is not treating patients to help them move and feel their best he can be found mountain biking on the local single tracks and making turns on Big Mountain. Wyatt’s passion for outdoor recreation and activity is his driving force for his patients as he wants to keep them motivated and help them return to a life of fun and activity.

Jake Groh

PT, DPT

Jake Groh

PT, DPT

Jake grew up in Spokane, WA, and graduated from Carrol College in Helena, MT with a Bachelor of Arts in Health Science and Public Health. He later completed his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Colorado at Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, CO. His background in the United States Army and collegiate level soccer, has motivated Jake to help others achieve their highest level of function. His treatment approach is focused on using biomechanics and manual therapy combined with specific, goal-oriented exercises to achieve optimal function.

Jake recently moved to Kalispell with his wife Megan and their two dogs Harvey and Piper. When he’s not in clinic, he enjoys all outdoor adventures from running, hiking, and boating in the summer to downhill skiing and snow shoeing in the winter.

Ceirra Carlson

PT, DPT

Ceirra Carlson

PT, DPT

Ceirra grew up in Greybull, Wyoming. She played college basketball and graduated with a degree in Biology from Cottey College in 2019. After undergrad, she attended Creighton University to receive her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Ceirra has a passion for helping her patients by optimizing their movement to feel better, live longer, and participate in the activities and lifestyle they love.

When she isn’t helping her patients you can find her casting a line fly fishing, camping, hiking, hunting, snowmobiling, and skiing.

Joe Wilkes

PT, DPT

Joe Wilkes

PT, DPT

Joe grew up in Spokane and frequently came to Montana for vacation. He went to school at Colorado Christian University where he majored in health science and played varsity soccer. Joe then acquired his DPT degree at Eastern Washington University.

He enjoys working with patients with vestibular disorders and balance deficits. He aims to continue his education along this path to become an expert at treating these conditions.

In his spare time, Joe enjoys playing and talking about everything soccer and fishing, hiking, skiing, and the outdoors. He and his wife, Sheridan, have recently moved here from Spokane and are happy to be a part of this community.

Carly Ernest

PT, DPT

Carly Ernest

PT, DPT

Carly is originally from Charlotte, NC, and she earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. After receiving her undergraduate, she continued her education and earned her doctorate from Georgia State University. Carly is motivated to help her patients achieve their movement goals to reach their highest functional level and live pain-free lives.

Her treatment approach is an active, hands-on, well-rounded approach incorporating not only movement but nutrition, overall wellness, and lifestyle factors.

When Carly is not treating patients to help them move and feel their best, she can be found hiking on the local trails with her husband and dog, working out in the gym, and mountain biking.

Elise Slichter

PT, DPT

Elise Slichter

PT, DPT

Elise is originally from Madison, Wisconsin where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Rehab Psychology and Special Education from the University of Wisconsin Madison. After graduating, she earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Marquette University in Milwaukee. Elise has a passion for helping individuals with various disabilities and has seen firsthand the power that physical movement has in the healing process. She enjoys treating pediatric sports injuries, runners, and weightlifters.

When Elise is not treating patients to help them move and feel their best, she can be found in weight lifting, hiking, camping, and paddleboarding. Elise also enjoys spending time exploring new places and enjoying all that the Flathead Valley has to offer.

Russell Lindahl

PT, DPT

Russell Lindahl

PT, DPT

Russell originates from a rural area of western Minnesota. He received his undergraduate degree in Exercise Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree from The College of Saint Scholastica in Duluth, MN. Russell has a passion for helping people of all ages to move and feel better so they can return to doing the things they love and enjoy life.
He loves working with functional strength training, return-to-sport rehab, running mechanics, and lower extremity injuries. When he’s not helping patients, Russell enjoys spending time in the mountains
skiing, hiking, biking, and camping.