John Kangas successfully completed a Fellowship in Manual Physical Therapy in January of 2016. He is in an elite company of Physical Therapists to have gone through this rigorous process. There are currently only 2500 active PT’s in the United States having this credential. In addition, he is board certified in orthopedics. He completed his transitional doctorate in musculoskeletal PT in February of 2013. In his current role he manages high school and college athletes and mentors new PT’s in the practice. He also is an integral part of onsite physical therapy Residency in orthopedic physical therapy taking place at the Anacapa location. John received his Masters degree in physical therapy in 1997 from Western University of Health Sciences. 

John’s interest in physical therapy is to manage orthopedic and sports injuries through manual intervention and exercise prescription. His philosophy of treatment has developed through post-graduate education. John believes that patients need to be actively involved in their care for their pain and/or movement dysfunction to be resolved. In addition, physical therapists need to apply evidence-based practice in today’s health care environment and actively pursue post graduate education.

Brook joined Hayashida & Associates Physical Therapy in December 2004 and is the clinical director of the Goleta office. Along with the rest of the management team, he works diligently to ensure that Hayashida and Associates continues to provide the region’s highest level of clinical care and expertise.

Education:
Brook completed his BS at California State University Sacramento, his Masters in Physical Therapy at Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, and recently completed his Clinical doctorate in executive management with the EIM institute of health services. He has been a board certified orthopedic clinical specialist (OCS) since 2007 through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties.

Jonathan joined Hayashida and Associates Physical Therapy in March 2014. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Westmont College in 2009 and his Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) from Chapman University in 2013. His doctoral research project at Chapman University looked at the relationship between plantar flexor (calf) strength, balance and gait in older adults, which was selected to be presented at the Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) of the American Physical Therapy Association in January 2014. Jonathan’s clinical experiences focused heavily on orthopaedic treatment techniques utilizing a combination of manual therapy, functional exercises, and various modalities.

Jonathan firmly believes that no two people are the same, and strives to structure physical therapy treatment plans and interventions that are specific to each individual. He is a strong proponent of active teamwork between the therapist and patient.

“I believe that in order to excel in a profession, one must constantly be learning. My goal as a Physical Therapist is to continually learn and challenge myself, to provide current, evidence-based practice, and to take a holistic approach to helping patient’s achieve their functional goals.”

Yvonne joined Hayashida and Associates in January 2017. Born and raised in Santa Barbara, she feels blessed to be able to practice and serve the community. Yvonne completed her BA at UC Berkeley in 2007. She went on to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at UCSF/SFSU in 2010. Yvonne has focused her practice in Santa Barbara in sports and orthopedics for the past 6 years. Her clinical experiences has focused on the sport and pre and post operative patient demographic.

She values lifelong learning and an integrative approach to medicine, supporting the network between surgeons, physicians and all allied healthcare practitioners. She believes in fostering a clinic environment of positivity and teamwork. Yvonne enthusiastically welcomes all opportunities for clinical growth, frequently observing surgical procedures of her patients to support an ideal continuum of care. She considers it an honor to be entrusted with a patient’s rehabilitation needs and the opportunity to work with them to achieve their goals and the highest level of success.

Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She can be found at either the beach or on the trails with her energetic dog.

Jason joined Hayashida and Associates Physical Therapy in August of 2015. He graduated from Westmont College in 2011 with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and from Western University of Health Sciences in 2015 with his Doctorate of Physical Therapy, having achieved high honors at both institutions. During his clinical rotations in physical therapy school, he compiled resources and gave inservice presentations to other clinicians to help apply current scientific research to relevant clinical problems or cases. In addition, he is the primary author of an ongoing research project examining the occurrence of injuries during mixed martial arts training.

Since every patient has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses, Jason believes that effective treatment should be tailored to these unique attributes in order to help patients move better with less pain. He works to incorporate functional movements and patient-centered goal setting in order to get the most out of every treatment session. Given his varied background as a personal trainer and a coach in multiple sports, in addition to his physical therapy training, Jason enjoys bringing new and interesting techniques and exercises into his practice in order to better serve his patients’ needs.

Outside of the clinic, Jason likes to keep sharp by pursuing his love of the martial arts – he has earned a black belt in Taekwondo and a green belt in Judo, and has competed on multiple levels in Taekwondo, sanshou, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Judo. He also keeps active with a combination of weightlifting, kayaking, rock climbing, soccer, swimming, and hiking.

Catherine is new to the Santa Barbara area.  She moved from Texas where she earned her Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May of 2015 from Texas Tech University Health Science Center.  During physical therapy school Catherine was selected by faculty to be a member of the Alpha Eta Honor Society for Allied Health Professionals whose motto is “Together we serve” and emphasizes leadership and scholarship.  She received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science with a minor in Psychology in 2011 from Texas Tech University.

Catherine is currently attending a year long manual therapy course and believes that as a therapist you should never stop learning and challenging yourself.  She truly believes in creating an environment that facilitates teamwork with her patients and the importance of individualizing each treatment session.

Catherine is excited to be in Santa Barbara where there is opportunity for a wide variety of outdoor activities.  She enjoys running and has completed several half marathons.  She also enjoys hiking, yoga, volleyball, and horseback riding.

Alex joined Hayashida & Associates in 2015. Prior to moving to Santa Barbara he attended the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona where he earned his Bachelor’s of Science degree in Physiology in 2011. From there he acquired his Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

While at NAU, Alex participated in a pro bono orthopedic rehabilitation clinic for underprivileged community members as well as a neurological clinic where he worked with Flagstaff residents with varying diagnosis from Parkinson’s disease to Cerebrovascular accidents. In his final year of school, Alex had the opportunity to work with a wide range of individuals through a full continuum of care from Major League Baseball players to young children.

At the Goleta clinic, Alex takes into account each person’s goals to construct a game plan geared precisely towards that individual’s needs because he knows that no two people are identical. With his application of manual therapy techniques combined with functional exercise rehabilitation, he assists patients in returning to the activities that are important to them. Alex believes that patient education and understanding are the keys to success with physical therapy rehabilitation.

In his free time Alex enjoys all forms of exercise, from backpacking to running and weightlifting, and is an avid soccer fan and motorcycle enthusiast.

Joshua recently moved to the Santa Barbara area from Texas where he attended Texas Tech University Health Science Center, earning his Doctorate of Physical Therapy in May of 2014. During Physical Therapy school Joshua was elected President of the Student Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Association and was chairman of various charity events aimed toward raising funds for medical supplies for the underprivileged residents of Lubbock, TX. Joshua received his Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with a minor in Biology, graduating with honors in 2011 from the University of Texas at El Paso.

Joshua is currently attending a year long manual therapy course and aspires to become a board certified specialist in orthopedics and/or sports physical therapy in the near future. He believes that learning is a life-long process that is essential in providing the best quality care, and strives to provide an environment in which teamwork with his patients and fellow healthcare providers is priority. Joshua prides himself on trust building communication and compassionate patient care that is tailored to each individual patient’s needs and goals.

Joshua enjoys all forms of exercise and many sports and is excited to be in a community in which outdoor activities such as hiking, swimming, and beach volleyball are easily available.

Ryan King was born and raised in Santa Barbara and joined Hayashida & Associates in the Spring of 2017. He returned to his hometown from Newport Beach with his lovely wife Bre, and baby daughter Sydney. He is a graduate of Westmont College where he received a B.A. in Religious Studies in 2004. Ryan continued his education at Azusa Pacific University where he received his Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. To compliment his physical therapy background, Ryan is a certified massage therapist, educated at Santa Barbara Bodyworks and is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Ryan’s primary goal with every patient he meets is to deliver compassion, understanding, and quality care, while simultaneously encouraging a personal sense of hope and empowerment as each individual endeavors to improve their quality of life. Ryan performed his clinical internships at Kaiser Permanente Baldwin Park and Fontana, St Jude’s Rehabilitation for Wellness in Brea, and Ashwood Physical Therapy. When not in the clinic, Ryan can be found playing and watching sports, especially basketball, barbequing at the beach, or playing chess.

Robert joined Hayashida and Associates Physical Therapy in September 2015. Originally from New Orleans, he received his Bachelor’s degree from Louisiana State University in 1998 and his Doctor of Physical Therapy from the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences in 2003.  He received his Manual Therapy Certification from the University of Saint Augustine, and the Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Certification from the National Strength and Conditioning Association during his 13 year career.

Prior to joining Hayashida and Associates Physical Therapy, Robert was the Clinic Director and active physical therapist practicing at ProActive SportsMed, an outpatient orthopedic and sports physical therapy clinic, in Olympia WA for 10 years. In 2011, he was appointed to the Washington State Board of Physical Therapy, and elected to Board Chair from 2013 until 2015.

Robert’s background with physical therapy focuses on functional return to activities and sport with a strong manual therapy component as well as targeted exercise programs.

Currently you can find Robert working for Hayashida and Associates Physical Therapy at their clinic at Westmont College and the University of California at Santa Barbara’s men’s and women’s basketball programs.  You may also find him training for one of many half-marathons, hiking, or enjoying learning to surf.

Maria Rivera was born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA and is a graduate of Santa Barbara High School.  As a competitive athlete herself, Maria became interested in athletic training after learning about her own injuries throughout her sports career.  In 2009, Maria Graduated from Cal Poly State University, San Louis Obispo where she majored in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science and Health Promotion.  While at Cal Poly, Maria participated in research on childhood obesity through the Center for Obesity Prevention and Education and volunteered in the athletic training room.  Maria had her mind set on becoming a certified athletic trainer, which led her to the University of Hawaii Manoa where she graduated in 2011 with a Master’s degree in Kinesiology and Rehabilitative Science.  While at University of Hawaii, Maria had the privilege of working with the football team during the 2009-2010 season when they won the Western Athletic Conference Championship and made a Sheraton Hawaii Bowl appearance. During her time in Hawaii, Maria also had experience working in various high schools including Kamehameha School, which is a private boarding school for native Hawaiian students.

Maria joined Hayashida and Associates in August 2011 working as a certified athletic trainer for Westmont College.  She also works as an athletic trainer at Carpinteria High School, where she is helping with home event coverage.  In her free time Maria enjoys going to the beach, spending time with family and friends, ZUMBA fitness, surfing, hiking and traveling.

Chris Walstead is a graduate of San Diego State University where he earned his Bachelors degree in Athletic Training in 2014.  While in the AT program at SDSU, he had the opportunity of working at the University of San Diego and University of California at San Diego, as well as interning with the San Diego Chargers.  During his senior year, he conducted a presentation on high school athletic trainers.  After interviewing school administrators, athletes, and coaches at schools that provided ATCs, as well as schools that did not, he learned how valuable and appreciated the AT position is.  Early in life he had a true passion for sports, which propelled him into pursuing a career within athletics.  As a former athlete himself, he knows the benefit of having a Certified Athletic Trainer on the sidelines and in the clinic.

After spending time in Australia and Asia, Chris moved to Santa Barbara and joined the Hayashida team in March 2014.  Initially he was hired on as a Physical Therapy Aide, working in both the Goleta and downtown clinics.  He then was hired on as an Athletic Trainer at Westmont College in August 2014 where he shares the joy and responsibility of 250+ athletes.  Chris shows great interest in his job and loves the variety of tasks on any given day, adding to the uniqueness of the profession.

During his off time, Chris enjoys an active lifestyle.  As an avid adventurer, he is fortunate to call Santa Barbara home for its beaches, hiking trails, and proximity to winter snow.  He also likes to play basketball and football, and is an essential member of the Hayashida Hitters softball team.