We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Amie Dougherty PT, DPT and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Amie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?

I created Milestones At Play Physical Therapy & Wellness to provide quality and individualized physical therapy without limitations in a family-centered, play-based environment. As a clinician with over a decade of experience under the insurance model I began to notice limitations to services I was able to provide for my families. Unfortunately, there were limitations to the type of therapy, frequency of therapy, and even the ability to receive therapy.

As a strong supporter of early intervention, I wanted to provide pediatric physical therapy and wellness services to families who do not want to “wait & see” and to those who have been told their child does not qualify for services, yet they were still concerned. With Milestones At Play, it is my goal to empower parents with education to ease their concerns and provide the tools required to encourage confidence in their child’s gross motor abilities.

I have practiced under several therapy models and with Milestones At Play I have married the best of all models. I am able to provide early intervention with a skilled hands-on approach in a fun and nurturing environment for all involved. My concierge model allows private pay pediatric physical therapy and wellness in a setting (at home, at the park, at a museum, at daycare, etc.) and at a frequency of choice that best matches with my families’ needs.

At the end of the day, I wanted to be a resource for families and to provide pediatric physical therapy and wellness services in a way that makes sense for the whole family.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have over a decade of pediatric home health experience helping children gain independence and reach their fullest potential. I have worked with families and children ranging from 0-18 years of age with a wide variety of gross motor impairments from developmental delay to medically complex orthopedic, neurological, and genetic diagnoses. I am a certified Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) provider and utilize a variety of tools and hands-on techniques to promote independent gross motor development through play. 

Throughout my career I have held many roles, staff therapist, lead therapist, supervising therapist, and clinical manager. In addition to my roles as a therapist, I am also a mom to a child in therapies and younger sibling to someone with Autism. Growing up my family volunteered, chaperoned, and coached many sports with Special Olympics Georgia. When I learned could join my love for helping others and my passion for physical therapy into a career, I knew pediatric physical therapy was right for me. My personal experiences allow me to uniquely relate to my families and each of my professional roles have shaped how I provide in-home therapy.

As mentioned previously, Milestones At Play works to empower parents with education and the tools to help their child be successful and confident with gross motor skills. This is the reason I have created the concierge model where parents have access to me via text, calls, and emails between sessions, not just during therapy. Parents also receive detailed reports after each session with pictures, videos, and descriptions of recommended purposeful play activities to help them be successful between sessions. I do this to allow parents to be present in the moment. I am here to support both the parents and the child and provide a stress-free environment for all.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
With an active 5-year-old we love taking friends and family to the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. It is a fun place for all ages! And we always finish up our tour of the museum in the splash pad out front with the large green frogs.

Another favorite is Klyde Warren Park. We love the playground, water fountains, the grassy field, and food trucks. It’s the perfect place for an all-day family adventure.

Our favorite restaurants are those currently close to home, we love riding bikes and walking places. If you haven’t you should check out Republic Texas Tavern, Onesan Dim Sum Sushi, and Howdy’s Ice Cream!

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?

Milestones At Play would not be possible without the support of my family, especially my husband. He encouraged me to open my own private practice and has supported me every step of the way. From making it happen on the backend and to providing business advice I wouldn’t be able to do it without him. My parents also deserve a shout out. They have always been supportive of my dreams and accomplishments. It first started with my career in gymnastics through college, into my schooling receive my Doctor of Physical Therapy degree, and now as a private practice owner. My dad always said “reach for the stars” and here I am. 

As a clinician I have been lucky to have supportive mentors, from my early days as a new therapist to my days as a clinical manager. I have been fortunate enough to work for individuals who have guided me and pushed me out of my comfort zone in healthy ways (my husband included). My past experiences and roles as a pediatric physical therapist have allowed me to gain confidence in myself and in my ability to support others in this journey.

And I cannot forget the other private practice owners before me and those who are currently in the trenches with me. I have genuinely enjoyed connecting with other like-minded therapists and entrepreneurs. Each are an inspiration and I love being a part of this community.

Instagram: @milestonesatplay.com

Facebook: @milestonesatplay

Other: To schedule an appointment or book a free discovery call 972-430-3126 or visit https://milestonesatplay.janeapp.com. You don’t need a referral to get started!

Image Credits 
Lindy Hickman Photography, Sabrina Gebhardt Photography, & Elevate Family Photos

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW 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.