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The Manual Touch Physical Therapy

Whole Body Approach

Reclaim movement, function and life
For information, call: 847-541-7600
or email: info@themanualtouch.com
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Employee Spotlight: Meet Emilie

January 28, 2020 By Denise Schwartz 1 Comment

Emilie Totten - Marketing at The Manual Touch

About 6 years ago I began to email a quarterly e-newsletter to my email list. While I truly enjoyed writing the articles, I realized the task of setting up the emails and getting them sent out became too time consuming. In addition, I wanted to grow my business using various marketing strategies and changing the e-newsletter to weekly instead of quarterly. I needed a marketing expert to help me out. No sooner had I begun to look for someone, when a current patient suggested her colleague, Emilie. We had an instant connection and now Emilie has been with The Manual Touch for the past 3 years helping me out in a multitude of ways. I have found Emilie to be easy going, extremely knowledgeable, very creative and an integral component to the growth of my business. I don’t know what I would do without her!

Tell us about yourself:

I grew up in Mahomet, Illinois, a small town near Champaign-Urbana. My career started off in the radio broadcasting industry in 2000. I worked for two different radio groups while at college in the University of Illinois’ Advertising program. For six years, I worked for two different radio groups and held many different roles, from on-air personality to copywriter to account executive. Working in radio was a ton of fun and I learned a lot. In 2006, one of my health club clients asked me if I would be interested in interviewing for their Director of Marketing job in Chicago. I said, “Heck, why not!” I got the job and moved to Chicago, leaving small town life behind. The last 14 years living in Chicago has been a whirlwind — I got married, had two kids, and have grown my marketing career significantly. I’ve found my niche developing marketing programs for high-growth companies in the healthcare, technology, and financial services industries. Currently, I serve as head of marketing for Synthesis Technology, a fintech firm based in Chicago.

Aside from helping businesses grow, I love to practice yoga and meditation, read books, and spend time with my family. 

How did you come to work at The Manual Touch?

In 2017, I was introduced to Denise through a coworker, who was a patient at The Manual Touch. At the time, I was looking to start a freelancing business as a “side hustle” and, as fate would have it, Denise was looking for someone to help her with marketing. Denise and I hit it off right from the start and we have been working together ever since. 

I know you have some health issues, how has working at The Manual Touch helped you?

Yes, I suffer from chronic health challenges including asthma, hormone imbalance, and hypermobility. While helping Denise with her marketing, I came to learn about the benefits of utilizing both traditional and manual approaches to physical therapy.  Denise suggested that I try IMT as an adjunct to the other therapies I was doing. I have been doing IMT now for over two years and have improved dramatically as a result. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, and I am certain that I was meant to meet and work with Denise! I am truly grateful. Not only have I benefited personally from IMT, but I’m able to educate others about this technique that I am so passionate about.

Filed Under: Chronic Pain, Real Stories Tagged With: employee spotlight, Marketing

About Denise Schwartz

Denise Schwartz, PT, IMT, C is the owner of The Manual Touch Physical Therapy. For over 30 years, she has been helping patients reduce pain and improve quality of life using a whole body approach. Denise specializes in chronic pain, spinal conditions, running/triathlon injuries and prevention, balance/vestibular disorders, functional exercise, kinesiotaping, and various non-traditional and traditional & manual therapies. Contact Denise at denise@themanualtouch.com

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Testimonials

I saw Denise at The Manual Touch recently for sciatic pain, that only the day before I saw Denise kept me from walking; I could only hobble for short distances before I would sit down and collapse. After some tissue work and gentle exercise with Denise, she put Kinesiotape around the affected area. I immediately noticed stability and pain improvement and could walk so much better that I was able to complete shopping trips to 4 stores I had been planning but did not think I could do. To me, the t… Read more
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I was in Florida for vacation and developed an upper respiratory infection. I had annoying coughing and congestion in my chest. This went on for several days, and it was not getting better. It felt like I had a mucous plug stuck in my chest that would not break up. One night I remembered the self-treatment that Denise taught me at The Manual Touch where I had received PT, putting one hand over the afflicted area, and one hand near my abdomen where mucous could drain out. After about 5-10 minutes… Read more
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The best physical therapist I’ve ever experienced is Denise Schwartz in Wheeling at the Manual Touch. I have seen Denise twice for over 6 months to treat 2 bouts of frozen shoulder that occurred 8 years apart. In addition to my shoulder, she has also helped with my back, exercise regimen, and overall health. She is a holistic practitioner expert in PT techniques and knows how to teach her clients how to fit her techniques easily into their lives. She relates with her clients about as well as any… Read more
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As a young elite athlete I was involved in numerous accidents resulting in scar tissue causing loss of flexibility and restrictions as an adult. After each treatment I feel so much less restriction and experience greater range of motion.
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Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up on its own since she was well over a year old, and there was no harm in waiting a little longer before SURGERY. My husband and I did not want our little girl’s eye probed, and we definitely did not want her to have a general anesthetic, so we bro… Read more
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The physical therapy I received at The Manual Touch PT helped reduce my sciatica pain to a manageable level in just a few sessions.  The exercises I was given strengthened and trained my muscles to prevent further back problems allowing me to return to playing basketball.
Read More
Just a note to thank you for the time you spent with me Saturday in evaluating my running technique and body alignment.  Your suggestions are already making sense and having an early impact.  After our meeting, I went out for a 5K run and found your suggestions “to shorten my stride” and “being conscious of not overlapping my steps” to be helpful. Thanks Denise  
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I have been receiving PT therapy for pain and autoimmune disorders for over 18 months at The Manual Touch.  This also affects my kidneys and my lungs and other organs as I swell with fluid that my lymph system doesn’t seem to handle well.  I depend on the regular IMT tissue therapy I receive from Denise to help me function as normally as possible.  This therapy seems to work synergistically with the acupuncture and medication I also receive.  There are no cures for these disorders and as n… Read more
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Excellent, professional assessment and treatment for an older woman who’s had lots of failed therapy. Kind and compassionate and caring! Thanks.
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I can honestly say that Denise was the first physical therapist to listen to my story.   She has demonstrated more patience and compassion than any other therapist that I’ve ever met. For the past 8 years, I have been symptomatic with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a rare genetic condition which affects the connective tissue throughout my body. As a result of this disorder I deal with ongoing severe acute and chronic pain and a variety of other rare overlapping conditions such as thoracic outl… Read more
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Our Mission


We believe all body systems and mental/emotional health are connected. We take a whole body approach to discover why patients are not healing and what were the initial causes of their current symptoms. 

Our mission is to use this whole body approach to help patients heal and overcome pain and limitations, resulting in improved quality of life. We also aim to promote wellness in our communities through ongoing education. 
Top 10 physical therapists in Wheeling

A winner of the
2015 Patients' Choice Awards
for
Wheeling Physical Therapist

Verified by Opencare.com

Testimonials

I saw Denise at The Manual Touch recently for sciatic pain, that only the day before I saw Denise kept me from walking; I could only hobble for short distances before I would sit down and collapse. After some tissue work and gentle exercise with Deni… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/m-d-evanston-il
I was in Florida for vacation and developed an upper respiratory infection. I had annoying coughing and congestion in my chest. This went on for several days, and it was not getting better. It felt like I had a mucous plug stuck in my chest that woul… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/a-b-riverwoods
The best physical therapist I’ve ever experienced is Denise Schwartz in Wheeling at the Manual Touch. I have seen Denise twice for over 6 months to treat 2 bouts of frozen shoulder that occurred 8 years apart. In addition to my shoulder, she has also… Read more
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/b-h-elmhurst-il
As a young elite athlete I was involved in numerous accidents resulting in scar tissue causing loss of flexibility and restrictions as an adult. After each treatment I feel so much less restriction and experience greater range of motion.
https://themanualtouch.com/wp/testimonial/s-northbrook-il
Last winter our daughter Maddie had had several eye and ear infections, and all required topical and oral antibiotics.  These were instigated by a plugged tear duct.  A pediatric ophthalmologist said there was little chance the duct would open up o… Read more
The physical therapy I received at The Manual Touch PT helped reduce my sciatica pain to a manageable level in just a few sessions.  The exercises I was given strengthened and trained my muscles to prevent further back problems allowing me to return… Read more
Just a note to thank you for the time you spent with me Saturday in evaluating my running technique and body alignment.  Your suggestions are already making sense and having an early impact.  After our meeting, I went out for a 5K run and found you… Read more
I have been receiving PT therapy for pain and autoimmune disorders for over 18 months at The Manual Touch.  This also affects my kidneys and my lungs and other organs as I swell with fluid that my lymph system doesn’t seem to handle well.  I depe… Read more
Excellent, professional assessment and treatment for an older woman who’s had lots of failed therapy. Kind and compassionate and caring! Thanks.
I can honestly say that Denise was the first physical therapist to listen to my story.   She has demonstrated more patience and compassion than any other therapist that I’ve ever met. For the past 8 years, I have been symptomatic with Ehlers Danlo… Read more
Read More

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