Our Story

THEN UNTIL NOW

How We Got Started

Breathe. Physical Therapy & Wellness was founded by two PT School classmates and friends with a shared vision for a different kind of physical therapy. Molly started school with a goal of opening her own business one day, and during one hot summer afternoon in August 2016, dreams started to become reality, and Breathe. was born.

We are tremendously grateful for all of the voices in our community and support we’ve received along the way. We ask for your continued support as we begin to change the conversation about how physical therapy is delivered. We are especially grateful to our husbands and families, without whose support this tremendous step would not be possible.

WE PRACTICE A HOLISTIC APPROACH

A Different Kind of Physical Therapy

When you enter our clinic, you’ll know immediately that this is the place for you, a place unlike any other physical therapy clinic. We want you to feel all the stress and anxiety from your day melt away as soon as you walk through the door. There are no big machines or other equipment that you don’t have at home. We have private treatment rooms, and you spend the entire time one-on-one with your physical therapist. We truly listen to you, and work with you to find solutions to all your concerns. You will leave each session feeling comfortable and confident with something to work on at home.

The Team

West Des Moines

Dr. Rachel Gage

PT, DPT

Randi Kass Curtis Breathe. Women's Health Physical Therapist

Dr. Randi Curtis

PT, DPT

Dr. Jeni Foster

PT, DPT, MHA, CSMT

Agnieszka Stress Resilience Coaching Stress Coaching Emotional Resiliency for Women

Dr. Emily Hogle

PT, DPT

Dr. Kaylee Carroll

PT, DPT

Macy McAllister

Pilates Instructor

North Liberty

Dr. Lily Gasway

PT, DPT

Dr. Jill Polio

PT, DPT

Administration and Experience Staff

Dr. Molly Lechtenberg

Owner, PT, DPT, CMTPT

Jaden Adams

Office Manager

Macy McAllister

Client Experience Representative

Sophi Brenneman

Client Experience Representative

Cheryl Smith

Client Experience Representative

Dr. Rachel Gage

PT, DPT

"Be the reason someone smiles today”, is a philosophy Rachel (she/her) lives by, trying to approach everyday as a new opportunity to create moments of joy. Her passion for physical therapy lies in her fascination with the human body as a complex and amazing puzzle to solve. She gets excited about taking a holistic view that includes drawing information from a client’s life, as well as their symptoms, to help them put the pieces together so they can move forward and achieve their goals. Rachel has specialized training in treating women with breast and pelvic cancers.

Rachel prioritizes creating a welcoming environment where every client feels heard and respected. Her goal is to provide personalized care that addresses both physical and emotional well-being, ensuring that every person leaves her office feeling stronger and more confident.

Outside of work, Rachel loves spending time with her husband and their two young boys. They enjoy biking, visiting parks and libraries, and you can often catch them at the Waukee Ice Cream Shoppe during the summer months!

Integrative Physical Therapy for Women, Randi Curtis

Dr. Randi Curtis

PT, DPT

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all which have the potential to turn a life around," is a quote that Randi is guided by.

Considering herself the calm during your storm and your biggest cheerleader, she chose to pursue a career in Physical Therapy because she fell in love with the power of movement on both the body and the mind. She loves having the space at Breathe. to allow for her clients to feel safe and comfortable during vulnerable conversations. Her goal is to empower all women (and men) to advocate for their health in order to live happy and healthy lives without limitations. She specializes in female and male pelvic pain, dry needling (including pelvic floor), bowel and bladder dysfunctions, pessary fitting/management, C-section recovery, and all other Orthopedic conditions. She also is a vetted iCareBetter Endometriosis Physical Therapy Specialist.

In her free-time, she’s living life through the eyes of her young daughter, Quinn! She also enjoys traveling and brewery hopping with her husband, who is also a Physical Therapist.

“My dream is that no one feels that they have to go through life's ups & downs alone. Everyone deserves to live the life they dream of, and throughout the journey, there are times when you need a listening ear or a personal cheerleader, and I love that Breathe can provide that safe and welcoming space for the clients in this community.”

Integrative Physical Therapy for Women, Jeni Foster

Dr. Jeni Foster

PT, DPT, MHA, CSMT

Jeni finds the body truly amazing in all that it can do. Believing in its restorative, resilient and adaptive nature, she finds all the connections and complexities within the body to be truly fascinating. She loves the ability as a physical therapist to educate and empower each client by giving them a good understanding of their condition and what they can do to help themselves. Dr. Jeni has multiple areas of expertise including women's health & spinal manual therapy. She has additional training in physical health during the peri-menopause and menopausal years as well. Hearing about a client achieving or participating in something they couldn't previously is very rewarding. “People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care,” is a quote that she lives by.

Outside of work, Jeni enjoys reading, kayaking, running, hiking, traveling and staying active with her husband, 3 children and dog.

“I take pride in being an advocate for my clients. I enjoy building relationships and providing one-on-one, personalized care that focuses on their needs. I feel fortunate to provide a needed service for our community.”

woman in teal sweater with crossed arms, smiles at camera

Emily Hogle

Emily embodies a rare blend of ambition and passion for helping others. Whether it's aiding someone in picking up their grandkids, enhancing their powerlifting prowess, or embarking on a new exercise routine, Emily is dedicated to empowering her clients. Inspired by the lyrics "because you've only got one life to lead, so don't take for granted the little things," from her favorite song, she approaches every day with a sense of adventure and a desire to make a difference.

Her interest in women's health blossomed during her time at Des Moines University, where she attended Dr. Libby's courses. This ignited a passion that led Emily to pursue further education in pain management courses including Functional Dry Needling and Graston Technique. Her own active lifestyle, from playing volleyball to teaching Pilates and strength training classes in college, reflects her commitment to physical health and wellness. Always eager to explore new horizons, she regularly experiments with different exercise apps, embracing the opportunity to try something fresh.

In her downtime, Emily finds solace in the pages of fantasy novels and enjoys the thrill of thrifting escapades. Alongside her husband, she shares a deep love for their feline companions, earning them the endearing title of "crazy cat people.” Despite her active background, Emily still makes an effort to understand her husband's sports obsessions, and has recently discovered that she may actually enjoy watching golf!

Dr. Kaylee Carroll

PT, DPT

Kaylee, a self-proclaimed “little fireball”, began her journey with Breathe. just a few months after our doors first opened. A natural go-getter, she has pursued extensive professional training in women’s health as a CAPP-Pelvic Certified Provider, including pelvic floor and core dysfunction, incontinence, pelvic pain, pre-natal and post-natal care, dry needling, and a variety of manual therapy techniques.

Kaylee’s treatment style makes her clients feel confident and comfortable in their lives – breaking through the obstacle of hopelessness and dropping concerns of body impairments that have gotten in the way of their best lives.

Her Type-A tendencies show up in her personal life as characterized by her love creating and planning everything she can! Whether it’s building an indoor playset or home organizational system, to coming up with itineraries and lists in preparation for every event or trip she’s excited for. She loves being surrounded by friends and family, traveling as often as possible, and snuggling her three young children.

Contact: kaylee.carroll@breatheptw.com

Macy

Macy came to Breathe. after following a passion of helping people feel their best both physically and mentally so they can live their life as they've dreamt. She has continued to pursue Pilates training and looks forward to engaging with clients to help them move functionally and confidently every day! When she's not welcoming clients with a smile or training on the mat, she's spending quality time with family and friends with a laugh that never ceases.

Dr. Lily Gasway

PT, DPT

Lily (she/her) is thrilled to be back on her home turf in Eastern Iowa, providing PT for women in pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. She chose a profession in pelvic health because she is passionate about helping people feel heard, understood, and supported while working on vulnerable topics.

She is passionate about normalizing perinatal physical therapy as a way to thrive through a monumental life change. She also enjoys educating on pelvic floor topics and empowering women to compassionately care for themselves.

In addition to her extensive training in pelvic health, Lily has completed training in Medical Therapeutic Yoga - a training specifically for healthcare providers - and enjoys using this skill set to help patients feel strong and practice yoga without pain. Lily is passionate about the benefits of yoga, and about spreading the word that yoga is for anyone who is interested - not just highly-skilled or long-term practitioners.

She is known around the office for her laugh, and her adorable dog, Archie. You might just get a chance to meet him at your appointment!

“My dream for my clients is that they can see and be amazed by their wonderful strength and abilities and that they gain a valuable toolbox of skills to help themselves feel vibrant and free to do whatever they choose.”

Dr. Jill Polio

PT, DPT

Jill considers herself an “extroverted introvert”. Meeting new people and learning about their lives lights her up, but in her free time you can catch her doing nothing more than hanging in a hammock with a good book. “My mission in life is not merely to survive but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style,” is a quote that guides her. An interest in the human body and it’s ability to be so resilient, drew her to the profession of physical therapy. She loves educating clients, family members, friends and anyone who will listen about the incredible things our bodies are capable of doing. She believes we live in our bodies every day, we might as well know how they work! Excited to build strong connections with clients, she aims to help them do the things that make them happiest, whether that means preparing for the birth of a child, recovering postpartum, sneezing without leaking, easing constipation, or being intimate with a partner pain free. Born and raised on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, she misses being close to the ocean, but enjoys exploring the eastern Iowa region!

“My dream is that every person is empowered with accurate information regarding their bodies so they feel as if they are in control of their bodies, not that their bodies are controlling them.”

Dr. Molly Lechtenberg

Owner, PT, DPT, CMTPT

Molly envisions a reality where every time she walks into a room, "High Hopes" by Panic! At the Disco plays in the background to pump her up. She has known since she was in eighth grade that she would be a physical therapist and after graduating from Des Moines University in 2008 she knew she wanted to make Des Moines her forever home. Her interest and focus in women’s health is the product of her personal experience with years of infertility and the traumatic birth of her first daughter. She utilizes myofascial trigger point dry needling to ease pain quickly. She also has training in Medical Therapeutic Yoga, Soma Yoga and uses that to restore strength & flexibility after the muscle restrictions are released. Author of Planned C-Section Guide: How to Prepare and Recover Fearlessly, she wants all women to know that cesarean birth doesn’t have to be scary. She loves playing golf with her husband, and has two beautiful daughters and an irrational fear of penguins.

Jaden Adams

Office Manager

Jaden (she/her) is the office Fashionista. She spent several years working in the fashion industry and developing a love of style and loves to be the best dressed, smiling face you encounter when you walk in the door. She transitioned to Breathe. following her love of health and wellness, and a deep desire to connect with clients and watching them discover that hope and healing are within reach.

Jaden is a busy mom of two young boys and enjoys spending time with them as well as her husband, Matt. A few of her favorite things to do are read, listen to music or a good podcast and shop for the latest trends!

“No one should have to suffer mentally or physically after having a baby. There are resources out there for you to get help and feel like yourself again.”

Sophi

Sophi (she/her) lives by the quote “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel". She leads every interaction from a place of love and joy, hoping to be remembered as someone who always has a smile, which makes her the perfect fit to be the face of our North Liberty clinic. Outside of Breathe. she is a part-time photographer capturing graduating seniors and beautiful Iowa landscapes. When going for her morning walk, she doesn’t stop to smell the roses; she stops to pet the dogs! She currently has three “fur babies” and her two little nephews are her favorite humans, but don’t tell her husband or daughter.

“I want to help women know that instead of being told that "they just have to live with it" that there truly is help for the pain and issues they are experiencing.”

Cheryl

Cheryl comes to Breathe. after a short time in retirement, realizing that she has more to give. She enjoys helping people live to their full potential. She believes that our bodies are continuously changing, giving us new opportunities to better ourselves. Breathe. is a place for women to do just that.

The beach is her happy place! Cheryl also enjoys spending time with family and friends, doing puzzles and taking walks. She and her husband have two adult children and are excited for the arrival of their first grandchild in February 2025!