ABOUT US
"Breathing First" Approach
Movement is the basis of life, and all movement begins with breathing. At Academy West, we evaluate breathing using a physical therapy approach based on proven methods, current medical research, and objective data.
While many people attempt to teach breathing with yoga / meditation / energy backgrounds, Academy West was developed and propelled by success in the ICU. We provide the most medically credible and reliably professional breathing evaluation, education, and intervention available anywhere. Physical Therapists are highly trained medical experts in body movement and patient education. We identify muscle groups and movement patterns that require improvement, and use a combination of hands-on manual skills and strength training aimed at your respiratory system. By targeting the "breathing first", we effect change throughout the body. We believe that the musculoskeletal expertise, extensive medical experience with all types of bodies, and hands-on approach are what set us apart from any other resource.
Built on the same physical therapy concepts, Performance Training is geared toward enhancement of human potential. Academy West incorporates simple breathing strategies during dynamic athletic activity to retrain the brain to breathe more effectively. This translates to use of effective breathing strategies both in everyday life and in pursuit of greatness.
Our Beginning
PT Andy Sabatier has spent years working in the ICU with patients whose breathing is compromised for a variety of life-altering reasons. Based on the success of focused breathing evalution, education, and intervention in the ICU, Academy West was founded to apply these principles to a greater population. Teaching and facilitating the use of breathing strategies then incorporating elements of strength and endurance training allows all populations across various levels of activity to benefit. No matter our age or activity level, we are all trying to perform better in one way or another, and it starts and ends with how we breathe.
Andy Sabatier, PT, DPT
Breathing Specialized Physical Therapist
Andy Sabatier completed his doctorate in physical therapy in 2013 from New York University, followed by clinical training at Stanford Hospital in the cardiac ICU. He helped thousands of patients to breathe to survive their most critical and complicated moments practicing in the ICU in Central Oregon. He has continued to study breathing mechanics under the guidance of Mary Massery DPT.
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Prior to his work as a physical therapist, Andy earned a BS in psychology while playing four years of lacrosse at Auburn University. After moving west, he enjoyed a 5-year career as a professional freeskier, traveling and competing in some of the world’s most iconic mountains. Acquiring knowledge about the human body and training for the challenges that lie ahead has been his life’s work. Academy West combines that passion for excellence in performance with a critical eye for patient care and improving the human condition through the power of functional breathing strategies.