Meet Dr. Grace Walker Gray

Ever since can I remember, I have searched for ways to be of service. I have always been astonished by the human body’s capability to heal. I created Walker Physical Therapy and Pain Center in Orange, California, specializing in physical therapy, occupational therapy, and holistic health care, and providing caring, compassionate, and empowering care.

After treating patients with physical and occupational therapy for over thirty years, I realized that I was missing the holistic approach to patient care. I completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship with the Gray Institute, based out of Michigan, which taught me to incorporate a functional approach to treating patients. Following this, I went to the Natural Healing Institute in Encinitas, California. to obtain a Holistic Healthcare Practitioner Certification. Through this certification, I became a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, a Certified Master of Herbology, and a Certified Aromatherapist. Over the years, I have been to help over eleven thousand patients and clients. I have also taught courses to physical and occupational therapists, and I have mentored students. As a certified Health Coach for COPE (Center for Obesity Prevention Education), I am able to influence others more significantly. I have also consulted with fellow physical therapists regarding their complex patients.

I am the author of numerous professional publications and I continue to speak about health and fitness nationally and internationally, at the International Rehabilitation Medicine at the International Rehabilitation Medicine Association, the Fifth World Congress in Manila, Philippines; at the Low Back Symposium in La Vegas; at the American Physical Therapy Association; at the International Pelvic Pain Society; and at the University of California, Irvine.

While I was operating my physical therapy practice in Orange, California, I had the opportunity to meet many clients who were involved with a variety of non-profit organizations. I became an avid supporter myself. Some of the organizations I support include Go Red for Women, American Heart Association, Rise Against Hunger (known previously as Stop Hunger Now), WHW (Women helping Women/men2work), Soles4Souls, Second Harvest Food Bank, and Back to School Jamaica Project, Inc. I love spending my free time discovering new opportunities to help others. I love spending my free time discovering new opportunities to help others. Being of service is the best way for me to forget about any of my own problems, and help someone in need.

In my free time, I enjoy Pilates, walking, scrapbooking, dog training, skiing, and reading. I enjoy researching publications and ideas online, and utilizing websites such as Pinterest and Shutterfly. As a mother to four children, I have developed a deep interest in cooking nutritiously, gardening. Now that I have an “empty nest,” I find that I like to travel!

I have a five-year-old blond golden retriever, Timberee Princess, call name, “Nyxie” to some. She is a therapy dog who has been certified with the American Kennel Association as a Canine Good Citizen and also as an Advanced Trick Dog. Nyxie enjoys coming with me on my adventures and has spent a lot of time with my clients and me in my clinics.

I recently retired from my physical therapy practice after thirty-eight years of providing care to clients. I felt accomplished through my therapy practice and the thousands of clients I had the opportunity to help. I loved owning a business and working with fantastic physical therapists and clients, but my priorities are very different from when I began! Now that I feel I have worked long enough in serving my local community, I would like to branch out and share my knowledge with others around the world.

My ebooks and websites gather together my personal experiences and interactions with the people I have met throughout my career. Throughout my years of service, I found certain techniques, exercises, and education of my clients became the key to long lasting success in reducing back pain and sciatica. I am now very excited to present my compilation of experiences to everyone!

Post-Graduation Training

  • Post–Doctoral Fellowship with the Gray Institute based in Michigan, 2007
  • Certified Clinical Nutritionist, Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy, Encinitas, California, 2011
  • Certified Clinical Master of Herbology, Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy, Encinitas, California, 2012
  • Certified Aromatherapist, Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy, Encinitas, California, 2013
  • Holistic Healthcare Practitioner (HHP)- Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy, Encinitas, California, 2013
  • COPE (Center for Obesity Prevention Education) Certified Health Coach, Take Shape for Life, In Progress: Certified Naturopathic Practitioner: Natural Healing Institute of Naturopathy, Encinitas, California: 2015

My Personal Story

Thirty-eight years ago, after practicing physical therapy for several years, I realized that I had a strong interest in orthopedic conditions and a desire to help people in pain. This led me to take a yearlong residency at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center, in Hayward, California, to become credentialed in the manual treatment of orthopedic pain disorders. This led me to open Walker Physical Therapy and later Walker Physical Therapy and Pain Center.

We grew to a company of thirty employees, and over five hundred physicians in California referred clients and patients to us. We were the physical therapists the doctors chose to refer to. As an active physical therapist, I exercised daily and treated a full patient load, plus I did a lot of administration work.

One day after cooking dinner out at our lake home, I went running up the stairs to take my food to the sitting area. I was wearing palazzo pants. My left foot got caught in the pant as I ran upstairs. I fell backwards and screamed! I have never felt such intense pain in my back. And every movement intensified the pain.

This was serious stuff!

My husband helped me into the car and we made the trip back home … two hours away. Every time the car turned a corner, I cried out. The same happened every time my husband used the car brakes.

We got home and I went to bed. I put an ice pack on my back for fifteen minutes. That seemed to help a little.

Over the next month, I received physical therapy daily, used pain patches, and took over-the-counter meds.

I also saw an orthopedist who took x-rays and an MRI which showed joint and bone degeneration plus two slipped discs. He gave me pain meds.

This definitely affected my life. I had to give up patient care for four weeks and cut back on assisting our ten-year-old son. Fortunately, I had help in the home to assist my son and prepare meals.

But, I learned so much about back pain and I am here to share what I have learned because my experience enabled me to help many other people.

That was fifteen years ago and I have continued to exercise, walk, stretch, and do “core” exercises. I see my chiropractor twice a week and treat myself to a massage twice a month. I have aromatherapy baths and I have a diffuser set in my bedroom and in my office. I use CBD (cannabidiol) oil lotion if I need to. I have several sit discs to use when I am sitting, one on each of the three main chairs I use. They help to decrease pressure on my spine as I do a lot of computer work.

I try to eat healthfully, get my rest, and I am active in mindfulness meditation.

I learned that our bodies are meant to heal. I want to share with you some of the holistic options that I have used personally and with patients over my 38 years of practice.