After more than 20 years working as a physical therapist assistant in different states throughout the country, Wendy Smith is embarking on a new venture that will allow her to continue doing what she enjoys: helping people get healthy.
The transition took place last year after Smith began seeing changes in how insurance companies cover physical therapy, including some reducing the number of visits they would cover for patients. With these changes taking place and some difficulty finding a physical therapist assistant job for the first time in her career, Smith looked into personal training as an alternative.
“You never know what the medical field is going to do,” Smith said. “I wanted my own sense of security and went the personal trainer route.”
Smith opened Fit-Byrd Personal Training in mid-December in an office on the backside of the shopping plaza with Albertsons and Giavanni’s Pizza on Clark Avenue in Orcutt.
In the month since she’s been open, Smith said she has started serving a wide range of clients with different ages and different needs. This includes men and women in their 60s and 70s looking to maintain and improve their overall flexibility and mobility, as well as 15-year-old athletes who are trying to prevent sport-specific injuries.
“Every client is different, which is why I like doing this one-on-one situation and setting,” Smith said. “I can focus on what is important to the client.”
Sessions with Smith are appointment based. She said clients can either call or email her to set up a consultation where Smith and the client will develop some sort of workout program. The amount of time this program covers, as well as the length of each session is up to the client. Smith said she charges $30 for 30 minutes or $60 for 60 minutes.
At her office, Smith has an array of equipment for different types of exercising, including agility ladders, dumbbells, and resistance bands. Smith uses the equipment to develop exercises that will help the client meet his or her goal.
This planning part of the job is similar to Smith’s time as a physical therapist assistant, when she helped create rehabilitation plans for patients that often involved different exercises. However, there’s a big difference, Smith said. In her previous career, she worked with patients after they were already injured; now she’s working to strengthen clients and prevent injury in the first place.
“I figured I could use my experience to help people before they needed physical therapy,” Smith said.
Although there are similarities and differences between her new career and her previous one, the most rewarding part of both jobs is the same. Smith said she just wants to help people improve.
“Seeing [clients] progress and seeing the happiness in their face, realizing they were able to accomplish something that kicked their butt two weeks ago is a neat thing,” Smith said.
Highlights:
• A new ordinance banning the sale of flavored tobacco products in unincorporated Santa Barbara County took effect on Jan. 17. The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors approved the ordinance in December in an attempt the reduce kids’ use of tobacco.
• The Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Aera Energy are hosting a 2020 economic forecast on Feb. 10 at Allan Hancock College’s Severson Theatre. Melissa James, president and CEO of The Hourglass Project, will provide an update on the regional effort of the project to bring more jobs into the area.
Staff Writer Zac Ezzone wrote this week’s Spotlight. Send story tips to spotlight@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 23-30, 2020.