Rehabilitation Services DEPARTMENT

What is Rehabilitation?

Rehabilitation refers to any type of care that helps improve, regain, or maintain function. Services can benefit patients after an injury or illness, those who are disabled or suffered a stroke, post-surgery, developmentally delayed, or those that have a degenerative condition or pain.

Patients that can benefit from rehabilitation include the following:

Patients after a stroke who need to regain motor function, speech, or physical function
Children with motor, speech, or physical disabilities
Anyone who has lost physical function from an injury
Patients who need to regain strength and function after a surgery
People with arthritis
Anyone with chronic pain that needs to be managed
Patients with repetitive use injuries, like athletes.
Patients with chronic illnesses that need to be managed, such as diabetes

Types of Therapy

Physical Therapy (PT) focuses on restoring or improving mobility, balance and control, reducing pain, and improving gross motor skills while promoting function and independence, and preventing disability. Through a combination of exercises, stretches and movements, our therapist help patients to recover from injury, surgery, or manage pain by increasing your strength, flexibility and mobility. They understand that functionality and pain-free movement is essential to the quality of life.

Occupational Therapy (OT) focuses on improving the patient's ability to perform activities of daily living. Through assessment and intervention, OT can help individuals develop, recover, improve, and maintain the skills needed for daily living. Our therapist helps patients with fine motor skills, visual-perceptual skills, cognitive skills, sensory-processing problems, and lymphedema.

Speech Therapy focuses on regaining or improving the patient's ability to communicate, speak, swallow, eat, and drink. There are many conditions that affect children and adults that can be treated with speech therapy such as articulation disorders, resonance and voice disorders, fluency disorders, and dysphagia or other swallowing or feeding disorders.

CONTACT US

Providers

KARA KINSEY, P.T., D.P.T., REHABILITATION SERVICES SUPERVISOR

Kara Kinsey is a highly skilled Doctor of Physical Therapy and dedicated director with more than 20 years of experience. Kara is committed to providing exceptional patient care and advancing rehabilitation services. With expertise in orthopedics, she specializes in helping individuals regain strength, mobility, and independence through evidence-based treatments. Kara is also certified in dry needling and speed and agility training, allowing her to enhance athletic performance and optimize recovery for patients of all ages. As a leader at Northeastern Tribal Health System, she oversees clinical operations, mentors staff and ensures the highest standards of care. Kara’s passion for improving patient outcomes and fostering professional growth makes her a respected figure in the field of physical therapy.

Kara graduated from NEO A&M College as a Physical Therapy Assistant in 2000, from Pittsburg State University with a Bachelor of Biology in 2002, University of Oklahoma with a Master of Physical Therapy in 2005, and Evidence in Motion Institute of Health Professions with her Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2013.

APRIL WYATT, OTR/L, CHT

April Wyatt is a skilled Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist with a passion for helping individuals regain function and independence in their daily lives. Specializing in the rehabilitation of upper extremity conditions, she provides expert care for patients recovering from injuries, surgeries, and chronic conditions affecting the shoulder, hand, wrist, and elbow. Through evidence-based treatments and personalized therapy plans, April helps patients restore strength, mobility, and dexterity. Her commitment to excellence, patient-centered approach, and in-depth knowledge of hand therapy makes her a trusted expert in the field of rehabilitation.

April graduated from Missouri Southern State University with a Bachelor of Health Promotion and Wellness in 2010, and University of Oklahoma with a Master of Occupational Therapy in 2013. She is also a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist and has a passion for treating individuals with Parkinson’s utilizing her LSVT-BIG and PWR! Certifications.

SPEECh

Samantha Cawyer, PTA

Samantha Cawyer is a dedicated Physical Therapist Assistant with more than 13 years’ experience. She has a passion for helping patients regain mobility, strength, and independence. With experience in both pediatrics and orthopedics, they specialize in providing personalized care to patients of all ages, from children developing motor skills to individuals recovering from orthopedic injuries. By working closely with physical therapists, Samantha implements tailored treatment plans that promote healing, improve function, and enhance overall quality of life. Known for her compassionate approach and hands-on expertise, she is committed to guiding patients through their recovery journey with encouragement and professionalism.

Megan Minson, COTA

Megan is an experienced Occupational Therapy Assistant with over 10 years of experience in both pediatric and orthopedic care. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of helping patients of all ages improve their daily living skills, manage chronic conditions, and regain their independence. She is a certified lymphedema therapist, with a specialized focus on supporting individuals with lymphedema to enhance their quality of life. Megan has completed extensive training in autism spectrum disorders and feeding therapy, allowing her to offer a comprehensive approach to working with children and families facing these unique challenges.