Last month, at our first annual Interdisciplinary Studies Summit, we presented the PRI Director’s Dedication Award to three very deserving individuals who have had such a positive impact on our Institute. The PRI Directors Dedication Award was established in 2012 to recognize individuals’ ongoing dedication to their advancement in PRI. To date, we have presented this award to 20 individuals and an award recognition plaque, is displayed at the Postural Restoration Institute® in Lincoln, Nebraska, recognizing each of the PRI Directors Dedication Award recipients.
Torin Berge, PT, MPT, PRC
Torin Berge is a Physical Therapist at the Hruska Clinic here in Lincoln. After being born and raised in Colorado, Torin graduated from PT school at the University of North Dakota in 1999. He then spent 12 years practicing in North Dakota before moving to Lincoln, Nebraska.
Torin has worked at the Hruska Clinic since 2011. He and his family moved to Lincoln from North Dakota for the opportunity to work at the Hruska Clinic. He completed his first PRI course (Postural Respiration) in 2006, in Crookston, Minnesota.
In 2012, he earned the designation of Postural Restoration Certified™ (PRC).
Since joining the Hruska Clinic, Torin has continued to be able to grow in his understanding and knowledge of the science of PRI, particularly with a multi-disciplinary integration mindset. The ability to integrate the science of PRI with Podiatry, Dentistry and Optometry has led to a greater understanding of the highly integrated system that is the asymmetrical human. With his co-workers, he helped establish and manages the Hruska Clinic’s multidisciplinary PRIME program which brings patients in from across the globe to work with their multi-disciplinary team.
Torin is one of the most selfless individuals you will ever meet. He is always putting others first, and he has always been one of the first to help out when help was needed across the parking lot at PRI. Despite his family’s very busy schedule, he never missed a webinar and Ron and I can’t tell you how much that meant to us.
In 2023, Torin joined the PRI faculty to assist this Institute in teaching and organizing material related to voice, sight and autonomic behavior. His experience and exposure to the complexities of the diverse patients seeking help through PRI intervention is unsurpassed. Torin is an educator and a schoolmaster. Together with his wife Leslie, they have 5 very pedagogic children. All of us here at the Institute and at the Hruska Clinic related to his calm, and resourceful ability to make sense out of ‘nonsense’.
Heather Carr, DPT, NPT, PRC, OCS, MTC
Heather Carr is a Physical Therapist in Alexandria, Virginia.
Heather is founder and owner of One 2 One Physical Therapy. Through her years of practice and a plethora of continuing education, Heather has developed a holistic framework and approach to physical therapy. She views the human body as a complex, multi-dimensional entity comprised of physical, emotional, mental and energetic elements.
Heather holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (University of St. Augustine, 2008); Master of Science in Physical Therapy (Boston University, 2002); and a Bachelor of Science in Health Studies (Boston University, 2000). She is a Board Certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist (OCS, 2008) and holds a Certification in Manual Therapy (MTC, 2007).
Heather took her first PRI course in 2013 and went on to complete PRC credentialing in 2015.
Fueled by her strong belief in the importance of proper nutrition in treatment, Heather completed the Nutritional Therapy Practitioner certification program through the Nutritional Therapy Association (NTA, 2015).
In 2016 Heather became certified in Biofield Tuning, a sound healing modality.
In 2017 Heather began her work as a certified facilitator through the Phoenix Center for Regenetics. The Regenetics method is a series of energy activations that provide holistic healing.
Heather has been so instrumental in the PRI community. She started the PRI Google Group several years ago and she continues to manage this online community board for PRI providers to connect and learn from each other. She has presented at past PRC/PRT conferences, and will be speaking tomorrow at our inaugural Interdisciplinary Studies Summit. Heather was also the first person to introduce us to Brad Gilden and the AAPMD (American Academy of Physiological Medicine), a group that many PRI providers have since had the pleasure to be involved with, including attending and presenting their annual Collaboration Cures event, webinars and more.
Heather Engelbert, MPT, PRC
Heather Engelbert is a Physical Therapist in Eagan, Minnesota. She graduated from the College of St. Catherine with her Master of Physical Therapy degree in 1999. Heather began her PRI journey in 2002 at a Postural Restoration course in Des Moines, IA. She completed her PRC credentialing in 2007. She has had extensive training and advanced education in the areas of hip impingement (FAI), pelvic dysfunction, postural restoration, knee dysfunction, gait analysis, manual therapies and mobilizations.
In 2009 and 2010, because of her interest and experience in pelvic health, Heather was asked to assist Lori Thomsen and Ron Hruska with the development of the Pelvis Restoration course. The amount of hours and time that she put into that course will never be forgotten, and we are forever grateful for her mentorship and guidance with that course.
Heather owns New Heights Performance Physical Therapy in Eagan, MN, which is one of only four Postural Restoration Centers™ in Minnesota.
In 2022, Heather completed her Doctorate (PhD) in Psychology from Capella University. Her dissertation was titled, “The Ability of Perfectionism to Predict Treatment Outcomes for Adult Patients Completing Physical Therapy”. She later joined us to discuss her dissertation on PRIVY Episode 309. And she isn’t stopping there, because she is truly a lifelong learner. We are so honored to have her here with us this week, and we look forward to the day that she is presenting at our Summit in the near future. She’s already told me that her abstract is almost finished.
Congratulations to these 2024 PRI Directors Dedication Award recipients!
