The Therapist

Martha Plescia earned an interdepartmental bachelor's degree in Life Sciences and a master’s degree in Physical Therapy from Stanford University.  She began her career in spinal cord and brain-injured patient rehabilitation at Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro, California.  Later she  worked in Kaiser out-patient and occupational medicine clinics in the San Francisco Bay Area (with a break when her sons were young) until she established her private practice in 2002 in Sunnyvale, California.

Early in her career she participated in two Kaiser-Permanente post-graduate residency programs, Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) (six months) and Advanced Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy (twelve months).  Throughout her career she has continued to take courses in orthopedic manual therapy approaches, and in 1997 she began studying complementary approaches as well.  

 She is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association.

Continuing Education Courses (partial list):

• The Brain (Bruno Chikly, Chikly Institute)
• Autonomic Nervous System, 24 hours, 2006
• Reticular Alarm System, 24 hours, 2007 
• Peripheral Nervous System, 24 hours, 2011
• The Brain (Jean-Pierre Barral, Barral Institute)
• Level I, 18 hours, 2022
• Cervicogenic Headaches, 14 hours, 2001 (Gwendelyn Jull, DPT)
• Complete Scoliosis Program: Foundation Training, 12 hours, 2011 (Shah Boroumand, PTA)
• The Core and Beyond: Evidence-Based Exercise Prescription, 15 hours, 2004 (Wayne Diamond, PT)
• CoreFirst Strategies/Back Education and Training, 20 hours, 2012 (Vicky Johnson, Institute of Physical Arts)
• CranioSacral Therapy (Upledger Institute)
• Level I, 24 hours, 2000
• Level II, 24 hours, 2001  
• Somato-Emotional Release I, 24 hours, 2003, (Dr. John Upledger)
• Touching the Brain, Stimulating Self-Correction, 30 hours, 2017
• Diagnosis and Treatment of Muscle Imbalances (Shirley Sahrmann, DPT)
• Level I, 16 hours, 1997
• Level II, 13 hours, 1998
• Fascial Membrane Techniques (Peter Schwind, PhD)
• Interacting Cavities--Thorax, Abdomen and Pelvis, 24 hours, 2008
• Extremities, 24 hours, 2009
• Cranium, Jaw and Cervical Region, 24 hours, 2010
• Frequency Specific Microcurrent (Carolyn McMakin, DC) 
• Basic Course, 4 days, 2004
• Advanced Course, 2 days, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2019
• International Symposium, 1 day,  2005 and 2006
• Comprehensive Treatment of Fibromyalgia, 1 day, 2006
• Visceral Applications, 2019
• Functional Mobilization (Institute of Physical Arts)
• Level 1: 30 hours, 2014
• Level II: 32 hours, 2015
• Lymphatic Drainage Therapy I, 24 hours, 2002 (Chikly Institute)
• Managing Difficult Shoulders (Dora Partridge, PT)
• Level I, 15 hours, 2004
• Level II, 16 hours, 2012
• Manual Articular Appoach (Jean-Pierre Barral, D.O, Barral Institute)
• Spine and Pelvis, 18 hours, 2011
• Disc and Spine, 18 hours, 2017
• Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: Treatment for Chronic Low Back and Hip Pain, 16 hours, 2003 (Nancy Shaw, PT)
• Neural Manipulation (Barral Institute)
• The Menenges, 24 hours, 2008
• Peripheral Nerves: Upper Body, 18 hours, 2014
• Peripheral Nerves: Lower Body, 18 hours, 2015
• Brain and Cranial Nerves, 18 hours, 2015
• Neuro-Visceral Manipulation of the Thorax and Abdomen, 18 hours, 2015
• Neuromuscular Techniques: Cervical and Cranium, 20 hours, 2005 (NMT American Version)
• Neurovascular Entrapment and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, 16 hours, 1997 (Peter Edgelow, PT)
• Ortho Bionomy (Jim Berns, Ortho Biotomy Institute)
• Spine, 16 hours, 2002
• Isometrics, 16 hours, 2002
• Shoulder/Neck, 8 hours, 2003
• Extremities, 16 hours, 2003
• Movement, 16 hours, 2003
• Peripheral Nervous System Anatomy and Biomechanics in Physical Therapy, 8 hours, 2007 (UCSF)
• Principles of Manual Medicine, 40 hours, 2000 (Michigan State University)
• Sacral Iliac Joint Dysfunction, New Approach for Treating, 15 hours, 2006 (Mulligan Approach)
• The Shoulder Girdle, 15 hours, 1998 (Cliff Fowler, MCSP)
• Shoulder Syndromes: Assessment and Treatment, 14 hours, 2009 (Lyn Watson, PT)
• Visceral Manipulation (Upledger or Barral Institutes)
• The Abdomen I-A, 24 hours, 2001
• The Abdomen I-B, 24 hours, 2002
• Level II, 24 hours, 2002
• Practical Integration of VM, 24 hours, 2002
• Visceral Listening, 18 hours, 2003 & 2008
• The Pelvis, 24 hours, 2005
• The Thorax, 24 hours, 2005
• Manual Thermal Evaluation and Viscero-Emotional, 24 hours, 2005
• Gynecologic Visceral Manipulation, 30 hours, 2007
• Viscero-Emotional Relationships, 18 hours, 2012
• Cranio-Visceral Symposum, 12 hours, 2012
• Visceral, Neural and Articular Advanced Clinical Synthesis, 18 hours, 2012
• Advanced Visceral Components of the Neck and Thorax, 18 hours, 2015
• Neuroendocrine Effects of Soft Tissue Treatment, 18 hours, 2015
• Strategic Crossroads of the Body I, 18 hours, 2016
• Neuroendorocrine Effects of Soft Tissue Treatment, 18 hours, 2018
• Zero Balancing (Zero Balancing Health Association)
• Level I, 28 hours, 2009
• Level II, 28 hours, 28 hours, 2009
• Spirit of the Organs, 25 hours, 2009
• Freely Movable Joints, 25 hours, 2012 
• Verbal Fulcrums in Zero Balancing, 25 hours, 2013