REHAB GURU - Key Persons
Diana has been a physical therapist for 32 years and has been in private practice for 25 years. She received her degree in physical therapy from the University of New Mexico and her Athletic Trainers Certification from Weber State University. Diana received her master's degree in Health Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She also has a certification in Dry Needling from the Spinal Manipulation Institute and uses this treatment regularly to treat a lot of different injuries. She has a Cranial Facial Certification through the University of St. Augustine.
Diana is one of the few people in Omaha and the United States who specialize in the treatment of jaw pain, headaches and neck pain. She has a Certification in Treating Cranio-Facial pain through the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. This CFC is only held by a select few people in the country. She has also taken education through the Cranial Facial Academy. She is passionate about treating people with facial pain, jaw pain, headaches and neck pain. If you have struggled with jaw pain that is acute or chronic you have come to the right place.
She is also a Certified Medical Professional through the Titleist Performance Institute and works regularly with golfers to improve their physical abilities and consequently improve their golf game. She also has expertise in treating golf related injuries which go hand in hand with the TPI golf screen. TheTPI Golf Screen is an hour screen that evaluates golf related movements which can identify physical imbalances that may impact the golf swing. Diana also has a golf fitness specialization through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Diana works with golfers of all ages to improve their swing through improving their physical potential. She has become one of the few experts in Omaha for treating golf-related injuries and setting up strengthening programs specifically for golfers.
She also has a Graston Technique Certification which is a great hands on technique to treat muscle related injuries. Her knowledge and understanding includes a holistic approach which treats the whole person addressing the source of injury vs just treating the symptoms. She has taken over 200 continuing education courses specializing in TMJ, foot injuries, plantar fasciitis and back pain. Diana is an avid runner and enjoys hiking and outdoor activities in her spare time. Diana is the owner of Rehab Guru Physical therapy and we pride ourselves on treating our clients like our family and provide one one one, hands-on care.
Job Titles:
- Member of the American Physical Therapy Association
Gabriela Vogel, our Clinic Director, is a doctor of physical therapy who has been practicing for more than ten years. She received her doctoral degree from Creighton University. She is certified in ergonomic assessments and functional capacity evaluations through OccuPro. She is also specially trained in Graston Technique, dry needling, kinesiotaping, and blood flow restriction. She has taken specialized training on back pain and manual techniques through the University of Saint Augustine. Gabriela believes in a hand on approach and gets wonderful results with her clients.
Gabriela has acquired different sets of skills while working in different environments, including outpatient, home health, skilled rehab, and industrial therapy; however, she specializes in TMJ, worker's compensation, orthopedic injuries, pelvic floor dysfunction, incontinence, pelvic pain, and vestibular dysfunction. She received her pelvic floor dysfunction and vestibular training through Creighton University.
Gabriela has been a member of the American Physical Therapy Association since 2007, and she is part of the Iowa and Nebraska chapters. She is also an executive board member of the Centro Latino in Council Bluffs, where she advocates for its clients and their needs.
Gabriela is a native of Durango, Mexico. She moved to the United States in 2001 to attend Dordt University for undergraduate school and then Creighton University for graduate school. She is married to her high school sweetheart. In her free time, she enjoys exercising and staying fit, reading history and fiction, and spending time with her family.
Gabriela likes being a physical therapist because it provides her with the opportunity to help people improve function while addressing their needs as a whole and not just the symptoms. She is bilingual (Spanish and English), and she wants to continue to be able to provide services to the community to help each individual reach their goals. Gabriela loves her dogs and being outdoors.
Heather Urzendowski, PT, DPT is a native of Milligan, NE and graduated from Exeter-Milligan High School. She received her bachelor's degree in Exercise Science with a concentration in Human Performance from Midland University in Fremont, NE where she also played collegiate volleyball. Heather went on to earn her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Rockhurst University in Kansas City, MO. Shortly after, she and her husband moved home to Nebraska and settled in Omaha.
Since graduation, Heather has worked at an outpatient orthopedic clinic. She has experience treating a wide variety of patients, especially those recovering from surgery and sports injury. Heather also has a specialty in treating patients with pelvic floor dysfunction. She is very passionate about working with pelvic floor patients because she believes it is an underserved population and proper function of the pelvic floor muscles is imperative to a person's ability to live their best quality of life. She helps both men and women with pelvic floor issues, including urinary incontinence, bowel incontinence, pelvic pain, painful intercourse, erectile dysfunction, preparation for and recovery from pregnancy, and recovery from prostate and testicular cancer surgery.
In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her husband, their daughter, and their dog. She also enjoys exercising, reading, watching movies, road trips, and camping.
Erin is a native of Denver, CO and received her Physical Therapy Doctorate from Creighton University with a special focus in pelvic floor rehabilitation for all genders and ages. She enjoys helping women during pregnancy and the postpartum period to allow for a more comfortable gestation, delivery and recovery experience. She is also well versed in pre-surgical preparation and post-prostatectomy rehabilitation for men. There is demand for clinicians educated in treating men, women and children for urinary, bowel and GI issues and Erin is excited to be one serving the Omaha area.
Some of Erin's favorite patient populations to treat include gymnasts, dancers, youth and adult athletes (soccer in particular), equestrians, yoga practitioners, walkers and runners (both recreational and competitive) and anyone who wants to keep their body strong, flexible and healthy throughout their lives. Erin is wonderful at treating joint injuries as well as joint replacement rehabilitation in order to get patients back to the activities they love. She also enjoys improving strength and flexibility for patients who have experienced weakness or hypermobility either throughout their lives or as a result of injury. Some of Erin's most important focuses with patients are on proper breathing mechanics, posture realignment and functional biomechanics to not just heal injuries and relieve pain but also to improve overall quality of life, sleep quality and mental well-being through physical health.
Erin has also coached gymnastics for over 30 years and enjoys working with athletes of all ages. For fun, Erin enjoys spending time with her husband, their children and dogs. They love working on their home, watching soccer, paddle boarding and traveling. Erin has also been practicing yoga for over 20 years and loves incorporating it into her patients' treatments to facilitate faster recovery and improve their overall health and mental well-being.
Job Titles:
- Doctor of Physical Therapy
Jessica Metzger is a Doctor of Physical Therapy that has been practicing since 2017. She graduated from Kansas State University with a Degree in Athletic Training with a minor in Kinesiology and went on to get her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City. Since graduating she has become a Certified Manual Trigger Point Therapist for Dry Needling through Myopain Seminars, received training in Kenesiotaping and Spinal Mobilization techniques.
Jessica specializes in treating Orthopedic injuries. has been a member of the American Physical therapy Association since 2014 and the subsequent chapters of Nebraska and Kansas. She stays up to date on current research and best practices through the Journal of Orthopedic and Sports Physical Therapy. She enjoys learning about and building relationships with her patients while improving their function and addressing their individual goals.
In her free time, Jessica likes to attend sporting events for her alma maters, read and maintain her own fitness through various exercise programs and outdoor activities. She enjoys spending time with her family and pets.
Job Titles:
- Physical Therapy Assistant
Meagan joined Rehab Guru in January 2019. She graduated summa cum laude from Clarkson College in August 2018 with an Associate of Science Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. Meagan is an expert in Cupping and is up to date on all the latest and greatest Cupping techniques. She also specializes in the treatment of TMJ. We are so happy to have such a kind, professional and thorough health care provider in our office. When you are working with Meagan you will receive compassionate and professional service every time you come in. She provides a wide variety of techniques with great results. She is excited and grateful to be working in a field where she can help others improve mobility, restore function, decrease pain and promote overall fitness and health. She loves spending time with her family when she is not working.
Job Titles:
- Physical Therapy Assistant
Melissa graduated from Clarkson College August 2010 with a Associates of Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant. Melissa has spent the last 3 years specializing in chronic pain teaching patients about pain neuroscience, pain management, postural exercises, sleep hygiene, stress management, and therapeutic exercises to help patients improve lifestyle changes to manage their pain.
Melissa has also specialized in various manual therapy techniques such as craniosacral therapy, zero balance, total body balancing, and myofascial release to incorporate in her hands on treatment to improve patients' overall function.
Melissa is certified in yoga with specific training in spine mobility and trauma yoga to help patients restore balance, strength, and mobility.
She enjoys being able to work with patients to help them restore their function and improve quality of life. When she is not working Melissa enjoys spending time with her family.
Valerie has been a practicing physical therapy for over 20 years. She received her Masters of Physical Therapy from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and a Bachelors degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she studied athletic training. Valerie specializes in treating orthopedic injuries and sports rehabilitation. She also has a very good knowledge of Dry Needling which she uses regularly as a treatment approach with great results.She especially enjoys incorporating hands-on myofascial release treatment techniques and guiding her patients on the path to improved function. Valerie has spent the last six years as an adjunct professor with the UNMC Physical Therapy program. She also treats injured athletes at a small high school outside of Omaha. In her spare time, Valerie serves on several foundations, likes to travel, listen to live music and care for the many animals on the large acreage she shares with her husband and three children.