In my work

Welcome back to my Agora!
This intangible space for storytelling and sharing is reopening—a place where, every month, I tell you a little about myself and my work.

Speaking of my work, if someone asked you, “What does Paola Dalmasso do for a living?”, what would be your first answer?

The community around us is, in a way, a mirror of who we are, and today I’d like to see myself reflected in you.
Because there’s something that happens to me quite often.

When I talk about what I do, at some point, someone looks at me with a surprised expression and says, “Oh, but you’re also a physical therapist!”
That “also” makes me think and tells me that I need to explain things better—or rather, explain myself better.
Yes, I’m a physical therapist, and perhaps precisely because I am, over the years I’ve felt the need to broaden my approach to work.
After graduating, I began my career in large hospitals, working in intensive care units, bone marrow and heart transplant units, as well as in orthopedics and neurology departments.

But if I had to describe what I do on a daily basis, I’d say: I work on symptoms.
On the symptoms of people who’ve been in a car accident, of those recovering from a fracture, of those with second-degree burn scars on their bodies.
Other times, however, I work on scars that aren’t visible but cause unexpected pain, affecting the way people move, how they feel their bodies, and how they interact with others.
I may also treat migraines, lower back pain, the full range of muscle and joint pain, acid reflux, constipation, and other symptoms.

The starting point can vary greatly, but the symptom is often what these people have in common: pain, stiffness, difficulty moving, or a sensation that won’t go away. And that’s where I begin.
Not because the symptom is “everything,” but because it’s what the person is experiencing at that moment and what prompts them to ask me to listen.

In my work, I draw on what I’ve studied and what my profession allows me to do. But over time, I’ve chosen to complement these skills with unconventional methods as well.

And here I want to be very clear, because I wouldn’t want this aspect of my work to be misunderstood: I am not “a physical therapist who also does alternative things.”
My training as a physical therapist is the foundation of my work. It is a precise profession, with skills and tools that are part of my journey.

Over time, I’ve combined this with an approach to my work that I feel is deeply my own.
It’s a method that doesn’t overlook the person in front of me, because no two symptoms are alike, just as no two people are alike.

That’s why my work is always personalized: I observe, listen, and assess based on what that person is experiencing and what they need at that moment.

With me, you’ll find a physical therapist—with her professionalism and certified expertise—combined with a personal approach to caring for you, one that takes into account your history, your characteristics, and your unique way of experiencing that symptom.