Meet Our Team
Dr. Lindsey Attebery, DPT, is a dedicated physical therapist who earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in 2012. She joined South Valley Physical Therapy in 2014 following specialized competency training in vestibular rehabilitation. Before her time at SVPT, Lindsey worked extensively with patients facing complex orthopedic challenges. Her clinical passion lies in integrating her expertise in vestibular therapy, concussion management, and orthopedic care to provide comprehensive, individualized, and effective treatment. Committed to staying at the forefront of best practices, Lindsey regularly attends advanced continuing education conferences, including the Brain Injury Summit and the International Vestibular Conference. She recently expanded her clinical skill set with to include neurologic dry needling. In today’s evolving healthcare landscape, Lindsey is known and praised for her collaborative and patient-centered approach. She works closely with each patient—and their broader care teams—to exceed therapy goals and ensure their unique needs are met. Fluent in Spanish, Lindsey finds great fulfillment in serving the Spanish-speaking community. She is also deepening her knowledge in trauma-informed care and nervous system regulation to support long-term recovery outcomes. A proud Colorado native, Lindsey enjoys traveling, spending quality time with family and friends, and is an avid college basketball fan.
Dr. Bruflat graduated from the University of Colorado with her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2009 and became a Board-Certified Neurologic Specialist in 2013. For her first 12 years of clinical practice, she worked at University of Colorado Hospital (UCHealth) on all specialty units of acute care but with a clinical concentration on the inpatient rehab unit. In this setting, she specialized in helping people with neurologic conditions including acquired and traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, vestibular dysfunction, gait and balance disorders, functional movement disorders, and neurodegenerative diseases. Dr. Bruflat worked as a Neurologic Specialist in her clinical role and had the opportunity to be lead several initiatives for improving quality of care for patients with neurologic conditions, and sponsoring and hosting American Academy of Physical Therapy courses for continuing education. In addition to her clinical role, Dr. Bruflat has worked for the CU Physical Therapy program for over 12 years as Associated Faculty and Lecturer. She assists in teaching lab content for Foundational courses, Neuromuscular Conditions I-III, and Motor Control & Motor Learning. She is the primary coordinator for the Applied Neurologic Physical Therapy Elective and also delivers lecture content on Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation and Functional Movement Disorders. In her free time, Dr. Bruflat enjoys painting, reading, yoga, and spending time exploring the outdoors and traveling with her husband and two children.
Since graduating in 1981 John has developed a reputation for excellent patient care. His first goal for all patients is to provide an accurate diagnosis and then focused treatment. His philosophy of care is that through education and skillful instruction in the details and goals of their care he establishes a collaboration with his patients to develop a treatment plan that will restore them to their optimal improvement. He helps individuals manage the challenges of spine and peripheral joint orthopedic disorders, pre- and post-surgical conditions and contributes to the care of our patients with neurological diagnoses who have subsequent orthopedic problems.
Erin is our Scheduling Specialist. She knows that she is one of the first voices you will hear when booking an appointment with us and with this in mind she conducts herself professionally and respectfully. She has a dedication like no other not only at SVPT but also as a new mother and a small business owner. When Erin does have any spare time, she enjoys spending it outside, reading or hanging out with those close to her.
Dr. Fix received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. At graduation, she received the Outstanding Capstone Award for her project on Functional Movement Disorder. She joined the team at South Valley after completing a clinical internship at South Valley PT, specializing in Vestibular Rehabilitation. Before pursuing a career as a Physical Therapist, Louise worked in social work and higher education. As a service provider, she loved working with clients to help them reach their goals. Her curiosity about movement, neuroscience and the body led her back to school and to a career in physical therapy. Along her educational journey, she worked in a lab as a research assistant studying the effects of music and dance therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease. She has a passion for working with people with a variety of neurologic and musculoskeletal conditions. Her diverse experiences in health equity work, neurologic rehabilitation, and musical performance make her a dynamic, engaging and creative Physical Therapist. Louise partners with her patients to understand each person’s unique story to collaboratively build a pathway towards rehabilitation. As an avid, self-reflective learner, her passions include treatment of post-concussion symptoms, trauma-informed care, and functional movement disorders. When she is not working at South Valley, you can catch Louise playing a variety of stringed instruments with friends, hiking, rollerblading or reading a good novel.
Dr. Gallagher received her certification in Neurological Physical Therapy by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2015. It is based on years of clinical experience and rigorous examination. She received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Boston’s MGH Institute of Health Professions and completed an internship at Massachusetts General Hospital. She is a member of the Vestibular Disorders Association, American Physical Therapy Association and Academy of Neurology. She summarizes literature for the Vestibular Rehabilitation Special Interest Group and is the chair of the Vestibular Telerehab Task Force. She lectures at the University of Colorado Physical Therapy School on vestibular rehab and presents in Colorado and nationally. She is committed to providing evidence based and best treatment for her patients.
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Dr. Johnson received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2018. Prior to moving to Denver and joining SVPT, Megan worked with patients after strokes, spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, vestibular and balance dysfunction and other complex neurologic conditions at one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the nation. Since the start of her career, Megan has had a passion for neurorehabilitation and has pursued continual opportunities for growth including participating in research, completing specialized training in vestibular therapy, serving on committees to improve PT practice, and utilizing the literature to create practice guidelines for neurological conditions. She enjoys taking a functional approach to guide patients back to their valued activities. In 2023 she received her Neurologic Specialist Certification from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists, the highest level of neurologic expertise a physical therapist can achieve. When not working in the clinic, you can find her playing tennis, hiking with her husband and dog, reading, skiing, or practicing yoga.
Dr. Payne received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA in 2009. In 2010 her passion for the neurologic patient population began after completing a 9-month Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation residency at Kaiser Foundation Rehabilitation in Vallejo, CA. Throughout her career she has excelled in the treatment of patients with neurologic disorders in various acute rehab facilities throughout the country, and locally in Littleton, CO since 2013. She enjoys treating patients with a variety of neurologic diagnoses with the goal to help them thrive and maximize their quality of life. To accomplish her goal of continuous growth as a therapist, she pursued specialized training in therapies for Parkinson’s Disease, stroke and vestibular disorders. In 2019 she received her Neurologic Specialist Certification from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists, the highest level of neurologic expertise a physical therapist can achieve. She is also an active member of the neurology section of the American Physical Therapy Association. When not working as a PT she enjoys mountain biking around the state and working on house projects with her husband.
Dr. Shapiro received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Regis University in Denver, CO. She was a founding member of the Regis Neurologic Student Interest Group and is certified in LSVT Big, a clinically proven treatment method for persons with Parkinson’s Disease. Throughout her various clinical rotations, she discovered a passion for treating patients with complex neurological conditions and medical histories in both hospital and outpatient clinic settings. These experiences included working extensively with patients living with Parkinson's Disease. At SVPT, she has honed her expertise in treating patients with dizziness and imbalance; supporting them while they increase their abilities and independence. She finds joy in getting to know each patient and working together as a team to build confidence and reach each patient’s personalized goals. Prior to returning to graduate school, she spent nearly a decade both in and out of the healthcare field problem-solving for clients, patrons, and patients of all ages and personalities. When not in the clinic, she can be found running solo or with friends around Denver's parks and paths, reading something sad or spooky, and moving furniture around the living room.
Chelsea Van Zytveld, PT, DPT earned her Doctorof Physical Therapy degree from the University of Colorado Physical TherapyProgram in 2013 and completed a competency in Vestibular Rehabilitation atSouth Valley Physical Therapy in 2014. She has developed expertise in workingwith people with dizziness, imbalance, vestibular conditions, concussions, headinjuries, neurologic conditions, and facial weakness and paralysis. She hasalso completed extensive training in trauma, pain science education, and autonomicnervous system regulation. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Van Zytveld hasreturned to the University of Colorado Physical Therapy program in a teaching andresearch role. She has written several research articles and lectures yearly onthe topic of patient safety in physical therapy. She also teaches on the topicsof clinical reasoning and vestibular rehabilitation. Dr. Van Zytveld has authored textbook chapters on vestibularsystem pathology and intervention. She has presented at local and nationalconferences, and in 2018, she was awarded “Honorable Mention for a Case Study” at theInternational Conference for Vestibular Rehabilitation.
Deborah Walker may be the first person you talk to, and she is there to help you make your initial step into South Valley Physical Therapy. She has a strong tradition of providing business and personal support. She has both great wit and charm. An avid animal lover, when not at work, Deb enjoys gardening, watching old movies, and spending time with her extended family.