Dr. Katherine De Lara, DPT Senior Physical Therapist

I enjoy being active.

I remember being in park district sports as soon as my parents were able to sign me up. Though I struggled a bit playing tee ball as a 6 year old still working on my hand-eye coordination,  I found a love for sports and competition from a really young age. I played every sport you were allowed to be a part of in middle school, but living with a basketball-loving family, it naturally became my favorite sport.

My older brother was the one that taught me how to shoot a lay-up at our local rec center, and my parents were always the loudest people in the crowd at basketball games. In high, I did cross country, track, and basketball, which kept me busy all year round. With summer sports camps and winter tournaments, I had very short time for breaks and a lot of time to develop injuries. I spent a lot of time in the athletic training room and with my physical therapist working to recover from knee/back pain and ankle sprains. Through personal experience as a patient and seeing family and friends through the rehabilitation process, I realized how physical therapy can make such a huge impact on a person’s life.

When I realized I could combine my love of movement and compassion to help others into a career, I decided to pursue a degree in athletic training and attended physical therapy school. With an interest in sports and experience as an athletic training student, I developed an interest in treating orthopedic conditions. However, I can say with confidence that my career decisions are most heavily influenced by my determination to provide the best care possible for my clients.

I enjoy working at Rose Physical Therapy Group because of the welcoming environment and friendly staff that make for an amazing clinic to help our clients get back to doing what they love and loving how they feel. It is so important to me that my clients are at the center of their care because as individuals, every client has different needs and goals. Through one-hour, one-on-one sessions, I am able to give clients the time they deserve to evaluate and treat their conditions, but more importantly, it gives me the opportunity to truly get to know clients and build genuine rapport. My overall goal is to be the best physical therapist to my clients, striving to learn and grow every day. At Rose, I am fully supported in this goal through great mentorship and continuing education courses to expand my clinical skills and knowledge. I look forward to each day at Rose where I can work together with my clients as team to improve their conditions and reach their own personal goals.

I am originally from the suburbs of Chicago, where the winters are brutal but the skyline can’t be beat. I received both my Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training and Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. After graduating from physical therapy school, I made the move to Washington, DC to see what life outside of the Midwest has to offer. Aside from work, I love spending time with family and friends, enjoying the outdoors on a good hike or spending the night in watching a movie.