Lucy D’Aponte
Physical Therapist, Yoga Therapist, Ayurvedic Educator
AREAS OF SPECIALTY
Anxiety
Regulate your nervous system, learn stress reducing tools, create lifestyle practices that support your stress levels and reduce unproductive attachments and emotions.
Caregiver + Provider Support
Are you a support provider for others? A parent of a neurodivergent child, a teacher, a medical professional? Come renew your balance and regulation through yoga therapy practices. Caregiver fatigue decreases health and immunity. Make space for yourself to be witnessed and recharge so that you can continue the important work you do with reingnited joy and purpose.
Changing Bodies
Aging bodies are a given. Practice radical acceptance and self love of your body and its amazing design as it navigates aging, injury, and transitions. Learn about and witness how to support your innate design to remain as strong and mobile as you can through a lifetime.
Chronic + Acute pain
Acute pain is typically a short-lived discomfort associated with a sudden onset injury or illness. It is your body's way of telling that something is wrong and requires attention. This type of pain varies in intensity and usually resolves in three months or less. Chronic pain is pain that lasts beyond the expected time for healing and recovery. This form of pain is varies in intensity and may be referred to as a “dis-ease” state. Pain is a message. What is your pain telling you? Are you ready to listen and find your healing path?
Life Transitions
The end of a relationship, the beginning of a relationship, retirement, marriage, divorce, “empty nest”, moving, changing jobs, birthdays, and loss of a loved one are all examples of life transitions. There are many. Yoga therapy offers tools and a save place to witness yourself during these times. Learn techniques to support yourself during these changes. Offering yourself space for these transitions can lead to healing old wounds, improved stress management, improved understanding of grief and help in navigating these life experiences with greater self connection and grace.
Mind/Body Health
The body and mind are not separate entities. The health of your body is the health of your mind and visa versa. Bring your body to therapy and support your whole being with yoga therapy. Movement, therapeutic touch, lifestyle education and dialogue are all pathways to your wellness.
Trauma Healing
Trauma experiences effect our whole being. It is not only our thoughts and mind that witness trauma. Our whole body is witness to trauma. Yoga has been found to improve the functioning of individuals affected by their trauma. It does this by supporting individuals in self witnessing while moving through physical and sensory experiences to increase their emotional awareness and improve tolerance.
Weakness/Injury
Physical healing and strengthening of the musculoskeletal system is what physical therapists do. Teaching individuals how to increase muscle strength properly and in balance with your healing process is our expertise. Creating the right program that meets your lifestyle, interests, unique goals, movement ability, age and life situation to support a succesful outcome is my mission.
Education:
Graduate of Sarah Lawrence College with a major in dance and Italian language
Performed with The Angela Caponigro Dance Ensemble and other small modern dance companies in NYC.
Returned to night school while working at Cornell Medical Center as a receptionist. Began full time graduate program to receive a Master of Science in Physical therapy from Long Island University.
Almost 30 years of physical therapy practice in multiple healthcare settings, including infants in the NICU, children in schools, geriatrics in subacute facilities and athletes, dancers, parents and other healthcare providers in outpatient settings.
Teaching yoga to adults and children for over 20 years. Yoga practitioner forever.
Certified yoga teacher, a certified yoga therapist (C-International Association of Yoga Therapist) and a certified Ayurvedic educator.
Ongoing continuing education in yoga, physical therapy modalities as well as trauma informed practices, inclusivity, and anti-racism.
Forever grateful and learning as a mother, daughter, sister, wife and human.
Hi ,
I’m so glad you’re here and would love to meet you! Here’s a little about me to help you get to know me better.
My treatment approach bridges the ancient wisdom of yoga with the art and science of physical therapy to guide you on your unique path to healing and living. The name of my practice, Bridge Wellness, is inspired by both my last name and the integration of Western and Eastern therapeutic approaches that shape my work. D’Aponte means “from the bridge” in Italian (da = from, ponte = bridge), reminding me of my heritage and my goal to connect you with your inner wisdom. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, I have an Italian-born father and a mother with Italian, English, and Irish roots from NYC. My first introduction to Ayurveda came from the family of my best friend growing up. From the ages of 7 to 11, I observed her parents, medical physicians from India, giving her baby sister massages, and I enjoyed their delicious Indian food. Little did I know that learning about spices, watching massage techniques, and wearing bindis would be my first exposure to the rich Eastern traditions that would later become my passion.
My journey into mind-body work began when I was a dancer and needed physical therapy to recover and regain strength following a roller skating injury. This experience eventually sparked my interest in injury prevention and led me to physical therapy school. My love for children and babies guided me to pediatric physical therapy, and eventually, I expanded my practice to include people of all ages. Later in my career, the healing power of yoga therapy and grief counseling saved my spirit and helped me trust my body and the Universe again after the loss of a late-stage pregnancy. Over many years of study and practice, and with deep respect for the Eastern sciences of yoga and Ayurveda, I became an internationally certified yoga therapist.
A bridge connects and joins. It requires strength, balance, and integrity to support that connection. My goal as a therapist is to remind you that you are designed for optimal mind-body-spirit health and to guide you toward discovering your inner wisdom.
Like a bridge, I will hold space for you with compassionate strength as you navigate the ever-changing landscape of your body and life. I often say, “Life keeps life-ing,” and I have the tools to help you find delight, healing, and a path to inner balance.
I consider myself a student of life and am immensely grateful for my teachers and clients, past and present, who have taught and continue to teach me so much. I love spending time with family and friends, dancing in my kitchen, working on house projects, making jewelry, laughing, being outdoors as much as possible, gardening, and enjoying good food.
I hope to get to meet you soon!
Lucy
NO MUD, NO LOTUS
Thich Nhat Hanh
This is your invitation to heal.
Is your body trying to tell you something? Are you ready to listen?