Dr. Jena Blackwood
PT, DPT

Dr. Jena Blackwood came to a career in rehabilitation through a life immersed in movement and driven by observational curiosity. She grew up playing sports and, like many active people, dealt with her share of injuries early on. Those experiences sparked a long-standing interest in how the body adapts, heals, and stays resilient over time.

In 1997, a physical therapist encouraged her to add yoga to her training. That practice became foundational - not just physically, but in shaping how she understood the relationship between movement, awareness, and recovery. It showed her the importance of working with the body, not just treating symptoms.

In 2004, she completed a 500-hour yoga teacher training and began teaching yoga and fitness across the country. Over time, her work naturally shifted toward clients with more complex pain and movement challenges. While she saw how effective yoga could be for pain and function, she also noticed its limitations. Through her own personal experience, she also saw that traditional physical therapy often fell short in delivering lasting solutions. Her natural curiosity pushed her to want to look deeper.

To better serve her community, Dr. Blackwood pursued her degree in physical therapy with a specific goal: integrating mind-body principles into evidence-based rehabilitation. She earned her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and subsequently completed extensive postgraduate training in specialized rehabilitation methods. She then began a private practice in New York City while searching for the right PhD program.

Through a series of synchronistic events, she learned of her PhD mentor, Ann Van de Winckel, PT, MSPT, PhD, at the University of Minnesota Brain-Body-Mind Lab. There, Dr. Van de Winckel was conducting groundbreaking research on the role of the mind–body connection in pain and resilience in rehabilitation. After meeting Dr. Van de Winckel, she knew she had found the next step on her path.

Dr. Blackwood is thrilled to be pursuing a PhD in Rehabilitation Science through the University of Minnesota Medical School under the guidance of Dr. Van de Winckel. Her research interest focuses on body awareness and resilience in the context of rehabilitation for pain, neurological conditions, and complex orthopedic presentations.

Dr. Blackwood’s clinical practice includes work with connective tissue disorders (including Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and hypermobility spectrum disorders), fibromyalgia, neurological and neuropathic pain, pelvic health, and complex orthopedic cases and cervical instability. She also has a strong interest in osteoporosis and osteopenia, as well as in supporting long-term function and resilience in aging.

Dr. Blackwood’s approach is thoughtful and individualized, drawing on extensive education, ongoing research, and strong partnerships in the medical and wellness community. Her work emphasizes body awareness, proprioception, and movement strategies that clients can carry into their daily lives outside the clinical setting. She currently works with clients in New York City and the Minneapolis - St. Paul area in Minnesota.