Ivy Rehab owner Mark Pillsbury, in his new 2,500-square-foot clinic, which includes two private treatment rooms.
For Mark Pillsbury, hearing the constant complaints about muscle aches and the need for physical therapy from carpenters he managed after college pushed him to become a physical therapist.
That was over a dozen years ago, and today, he owns Suffield’s newest physical therapy clinic, Ivy Rehab, at 226 Mountain Rd. Opened in November, it’s one of 563 Ivy franchises nationwide.
Pillsbury is certified in orthopedics, vestibular rehab for treating balance and dizziness disorders, and dry needling to correct muscular pain and stiffness. He has a Titleist Performance Institute certification in golf swing analysis.
Part-time physical therapist Mark McAuliffe works with him, while his newest hire, Sarah Jendza, is his full-time certified pediatrics physical therapist. “There is a huge need for pediatric physical therapy in this area,” Pillsbury said. Later, he plans to hire a speech therapist.
Schedule a visit and expect an initial one-hour consultation where a staff member listens intently to your issues, said Pillsbury. “We specialize in patient-centered evidence-based care using best practices,” he said. “We don’t prescribe rote physical therapy.” Neither do they treat groups of patients at the same time. It’s individualized care, he said. Follow-up visits are half an hour.
Upon earning his physical therapy doctorate in 2014 from the University of Hartford, Pillsbury specialized in sports medicine in western Connecticut. He treated athletes from local boarding schools. Later, he worked in pediatrics and then joined the spine team at UConn Health. He began at Ivy Rehab in 2022, eventually serving as clinical director of their West Hartford facility.
He lives in Suffield with his wife and two children. While attending college, he worked at Suffield Academy for five years, earning money as a dorm parent. He holds happy memories of Suffield.
“This is where I want to be…the combination of providing high-quality care to people in the town that I love is the best possible reward I can have,” he said.
Ivy Rehab is open Monday – Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Friday, 7 am to 5 pm. Dial 860-901-2097.