Meet the Physical Therapists
Our licensed physical therapists are committed to providing evidence-based evaluation and treatment techniques. See staff bios below for specific specialties treated and services offered. All of our therapists are also certified yoga instructors or yoga therapists and can build custom yoga programs to meet your recovery goals. We offer in-person and telehealth visits. The clinic is open Monday to Friday 8 am – 6 pm.
Janet Carscadden DPT
Michelle Downing DPT
Meagen Satinsky MPT
Rachel de Simone DPT
Patsy Tyler DPT
This is what our clients have to say about our providers and services:
“Michelle at Evolution has treated me for two different injuries and in both cases I left her care far better than I came. Although one never hopes to be injured again, if I was I would go back to her in a heartbeat. I really value her integrative body-mind wisdom, deep physiological knowledge, and practical, functional approach. And everyone else at Evolution that I’ve interacted with has been great too!” – SW 2021
“Janet is a gifted healer. I had a particularly tricky injury that felt pretty incapacitating. Janet’s diagnosis was on the money; she navigated me gradually and expertly through weeks of flare-ups caused by inflammation. She never gave up, allowing my body to rest and heal, patiently adding exercises as my pain decreased. Today my functioning is nearly normal. You will appreciate Janet’s clear explanations and compassionate, careful listening. I would recommend her to anyone.” – KN 2020
“I began telehealth PT a month ago in the midst of Covid-19 office visit limitations. I had considerable shoulder pain and restricted range of motion that severely impacted my activity. Within one month, my level of pain has dramatically decreased and my activity level is almost back to normal. I think telehealth is an excellent means of doing physical therapy. I was so incredibly surprised how well this platform of health care delivery worked for me!
Thank you, Evolution Physical Therapy & Yoga!” – NS, 2020
Janet Carscadden PT, DPT, OCS, E-RYT
Janet Carscadden graduated with a degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Western Ontario, Canada in 1995. She completed her Doctoral Degree in Physical Therapy in 2014 at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professionals. Dr. Carscadden has been a certified yoga instructor since 2006. She provides treatment with evidence-based physical therapy and eastern-based yoga therapy methods.
Early on in her career, Dr. Carscadden developed an interest in the treatment of the spine and pelvis. She is board certified as a Clinical Specialist in Orthopedics from the American Physical Therapy Association. From 1998 – 2006 Dr. Carscadden treated patients at the Spine Institute of New England. During this time she developed treatment protocols for orthopedic spine post-surgical patients. She has worked as a clinical researcher by providing treatment as part of the University of Vermont clinical trials directed by Dr. Sharon Henry comparing treatments for low back pain.
Dr. Carscadden specializes in the treatment of lumbar and pelvic instability resulting in back and hip pain. She has advanced training in treating back pain during pregnancy and closing diastasis recti. Since 2005 Dr. Carscadden has been using biofeedback to assist clients with whiplash learn to reduce their pain through re-education of their neck and back muscles. As she is also a yoga instructor, she incorporates yoga postures into her treatment sessions and develops tailored yoga programs for her clients.
Dr. Carscadden is not currently accepting new patients.
Rachel de Simone, DPT
The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root word yuj, which means union or connection. Connection is the foundation of Rachel’s yoga practice, and she weaves this thread into her physical therapy practice. She believes that patients need to feel seen and heard and that if they feel connected, they will have the support they need to thrive. She aims to connect patients with their innate inner wisdom and to help them uncover their potential for transformation and healing.
Rachel is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, yoga teacher, and the Director of Program and Staff Development at Evolution. She earned her doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont in 2018 and her 500-hour Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Certification in 2021. Rachel is particularly interested in the relationship between breathing and the nervous system, and has advanced coursework in both the physical therapy and yogic approaches to breathing. Rachel’s physical therapy practice continues to evolve as she studies within many healing traditions, including CranioSacral Therapy, therapeutic yoga, and Ayurveda, which is the ancient science of health, healing, and longevity. Traditional western medicine tends to break the body down into parts. Her treatment philosophy takes a more holistic approach. She believes we are more than a collection of shoulders, hips, and knees, and she treats the whole person: body, mind, spirit, and senses. Ayurveda teaches that the main causes of imbalance and disease are being out of sync with nature and the seasonal cycles, overuse of the senses, and not listening to our instincts and intuitions. Her treatment style aims to be both preventative and responsive to current imbalances, to create the optimal conditions for healing, and to treat the root causes, not just the symptoms. She has successfully supported many patients in their healing journeys who have not had success with prior interventions by listening deeply to patients’ goals and values, and helping them to remove barriers to their success. She empowers patients to be active partners in their treatment and recovery, and she works hard to support her patients in making sustainable changes for their health and wellness.
Michelle Downing DPT, OCS, CFMT, RYT
Dr. Downing graduated from University of Vermont’s Doctorate of Physical Therapy program in 2012. After receiving her DPT, Michelle entered the Institute of Physical Art’s orthopedic and manual therapy residency program in Junction City, Oregon. For three years she gained experience working with clients of a wide variety of ages and diagnoses, including both musculoskeletal and neurologic conditions, under the mentorship of Michael Baum PT CFMT. She completed her residency in 2014 and became both a Certified Functional Manual Therapist (CFMT) with the Institute of Physical Art, as well as a board certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) with the American Physical Therapy Association. After returning to Vermont, Dr.Downing continued her post-graduate training in pelvic floor physical therapy through the Herman and Wallace Institute, and neural and visceral mobilization through the Barral Institute. She also is a Registered Yoga Teacher through the Yoga Alliance.
The extensive post graduate training Dr. Downing has received has lead to taking a global view of her client’s physical conditions. Through taking a global assessment she is able to treat the individual, not the injury. This means evaluating mechanical restrictions, neuromuscular capacity, and movement patterns to find both root cause of injury as well as work towards the goal of improved health, and well-being. Yoga may be incorporated into treatment programs as appropriate, to address musculoskeletal injuries, improve sleep patterns, stress and pain management strategies.
Dr. Downing is currently accepting new patients.
Please call our office at 802-864-9642 to schedule an appointment.
Meagen Satinsky MPT, PYT
Meagen received her Master’s degree in physical therapy in 2000 from Simmons College in Boston, MA. Approaching every interaction as an opportunity to listen and to learn, cumulative experiences in various health and wellness settings over the years have exposed her to new ideas and approaches in solving complex health and movement puzzles encountered in clinical and life situations. Combining her PT training with eastern philosophy and yogic studies helps to inform her unique approach to health and wellness and supports clients with both acute and chronic movement and pain challenges.
Following her path to merge the science and art of healing has been an intensive study both professionally and personally. Understanding how each of the systems of the human body interact and affect the others in establishing and maintaining a healthy, balanced state is the foundation of her practice. This is supported by her commitment to continuing education with a focus on manual skills, including Upledger Craniosacral (CST), Barral Visceral Manipulation, and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) through the Institute of Physical Art (IPA). Meagen has found many of these techniques to support the clients who work with her, including people with musculoskeletal and neurological diagnoses, chronic pain, pelvic floor pain & dysfunction, pre and post-natal challenges.
In addition to teaching private and group yoga classes and workshops since 2006 and earning a certification in Professional Medical Yoga Therapy in 2014, many of the teachings within the Iyengar yoga system, including breath and mindfulness practices, are a natural fit for Meg’s approach to PT. Above all she has learned that being a dedicated student of yoga is most significant in supporting her own health, and she’s happy to be able to share this with others.
Patsy Tyler DPT, RYT
Patsy worked as a professional actress before moving to Vermont in 2000, with her husband and son via Los Angeles from her native Australia. A change of career was imminent and she decided to combine her love of horses, physical activity, movement and working with people into a new career. She completed her BA degree from the University of Vermont with a Minor in Animal Science and an emphasis on Equine Management.
She continued her studies earning a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Vermont in 2009 and for the past ten years worked at a very busy orthopedic outpatient clinic. Her focus was on pre and post-operative care for people with joint replacements (hips, knees, and shoulders) and pre and post-operative care for people with neck and back surgeries. She developed and specialized in working with patients of all ages with neurological deficits, sports injuries, and chronic pain. She especially enjoyed working with her older clients helping them develop well balanced and discerning exercise programs to improve bone and joint health through the aging process. Patsy’s continuing education over the years included courses in Balance and Vestibular rehabilitation, Mulligan manual therapy techniques for muscle and joint imbalances, Active Release techniques for the Lower and Upper Extremities, Kinesiotaping for pain and injured joints and muscles and therapeutic yoga for low back pain and patients with chronic pain.
It was through her own yoga practice and courses for health professionals at Evolution that she knew she wanted to delve more deeply into Yoga philosophy and the science and evidence of Yoga. Patsy recently completed her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training course at Evolution PT and joyfully integrates yoga poses, breathing techniques and yoga philosophy into her physical therapy treatments. She believes it is imperative to treat the whole person if beneficial health choices are to be made and sustained over a lifetime.
