We had the good fortune of connecting with Christy Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christy, what is the most important factor behind your success?
People. Can’t have a successful business without people to buy a product right?

All jokes aside, the most important factor behind my success is trust.
I am a Physical Therapist & Wellness/Fitness Coach. When people come to me, they bring not only their injury and/or their goals, they bring a story to share.
People desire to be heard. To be seen. To be cared for.
I get to fulfill that desire everyday, for everyone I get to serve.
They reward me with their trust.

I also love what I do.
This drives my business AND my brand.
How easy is it to talk about something you love? To sell something you fully believe in?
I believe in empowering individuals to become confident in their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual selves so they may pursue what they love without fear of failure.
I believe in making the field of Physical Therapy better.

What should our readers know about your business?
Starting this business was not easy in the slightest, but it was, is, and will be one of the best decisions I have made. I moved across the country in the middle of 2020 (I don’t dare mention the status of the world at that time), right after grad school. Like a lot of professions, Physical Therapy (PT) was struggling at that time. Many PTs were being furloughed. So there I was, in a brand new place, knowing no one (other than my husband who moved with me), with no idea what I was going to do to make a living. While I had a ten year plan of starting a business, it was quickly abbreviated to a 10 day plan after realizing there were big needs that weren’t being fulfilled that I could do something about it.

While there were many people not getting PT needs taken care of because of COVID, there were also broader issues I wanted to tackle. Physical Therapy has been paving a new path with a cash-based model and I chose to hop on board to help. I value clarity, especially when it comes to finances. Oftentimes it is hard to know what the end bill will be when you are going to physical therapy 3x/week, have a copay, different units being charged each time, and the official bill not coming until it’s too late. With a cash-based model I get to work with a patient’s budget and come up with a plan that is best for them physically & financially. This reduces unnecessary stress.

It is also a model that takes away the restrictions and pressure insurance companies place on clinics to reduce their 1-on-1 patient care time, limit the amount of visits a patient can have, or even stop a plan of care. Insurance companies can lead some physical therapists into doing certain modalities, techniques, and/or forms of care for certain lengths of time in order for that specific work to be billed or counted for, again making it harder to provide the quality of care deserved. I wanted to avoid these restrictions in order to provide the best care I possibly can for all my patients.

Lastly, overall wellness and injury prevention are important. Therefore, I include fitness and wellness options that are not available at most physical therapy clinics because insurance does not cover those services. From mobile to virtual visits, gait analysis to personal training, return to work/play programs to injury prevention programs, I aim to use creativity and ingenuity to make PT services accessible and life giving.

To put it simply, I am able to offer the care patients need, at the frequency they need it, and at the price they can afford it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My best friend recently came so this is fresh!

Mount Lemmon is one of my favorite spots in the summer due to the temperature drop, change in scenery, and beautiful hikes/views. Camping with clear skys is the best up there!

Tumerico is one of my favorites places to grab lunch, but with Tucson being a city of gastronomy, the amazing tacos are endless.

The breweries here are great for a chill day/night to relax, my favorite being Tucson Hop Shop.

Gates pass – all the way to the top – is the best for sunset!

Biking/running Saguaro East National Park loop is a favorite as well.

My favorite short day trips are to Mt.Wrightson for a hike, Sonoita for wine tasting, or Parker lake (Patagonia or Salt River float are good options too) for a dip in the water.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to my husband Eric Lee, who has sacrificed with me to make this business come to life and who supports all my crazy ideas (but sometimes loves me enough to tell me they aren’t good ones too).

Website: itiswellpt.com

Instagram: @itiswellptllc

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/christy-lee-51570193

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itiswellpt

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6PEVEVkXk6CrgaV3_yBEGg

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutArizona is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.