Your First Visit at Mindful Motion Physio
Your first physical therapy appointment should feel clear, calm, and easy to prepare for.
At Mindful Motion Physio, your first visit is a full-hour evaluation with Alex Dilger, PT, DPT. You will have time to talk through what is going on, understand what may be contributing to your symptoms, and leave with a clear plan for what happens next.
The space is calm and private — patients often say it feels different from other physical therapy settings. That is intentional. You are here to be heard and helped, not rushed through a routine.
Before your first visit
After you schedule, Alex will send intake forms for you to complete before your appointment. These include:
A medical history form
A consent to physical therapy evaluation and treatment
A financial agreement and cancellation policy
A HIPAA consent form
Completing these before your visit means you spend your full hour on care — not paperwork.
If you have any imaging, prior PT records, surgical notes, or other relevant documents, feel free to bring them along. They can be helpful but are not required.
What happens during your first visit
Your first visit is a full-hour physical therapy evaluation.
You will talk through what is going on: how long it has been happening, how it affects your daily life, and what you want to get back to doing. Alex may ask about your medical history, symptoms, work habits, sleep position, recreational activities, movement patterns, and goals.
From there, Alex will assess how your body moves. Depending on what you are coming in for, this may include posture, range of motion, strength, walking, balance, joint mobility, soft tissue, or specific testing for the area involved.
By the end of your first visit, you should have a clearer picture of what Alex thinks may be contributing, what areas you will work on together, and what your next steps look like.
When time allows, treatment begins during the first session — and it usually does.
What should I wear
Wear comfortable clothing you can move in easily.
Choose something that allows Alex to see and assess the area you are coming in for:
Back, hip, knee, or ankle concerns — shorts or flexible pants work well
Shoulder, neck, or upper back concerns — a tank top or loose-fitting shirt is helpful
Jaw or TMJ concerns — any comfortable clothing is fine
Dizziness, vertigo, or concussion symptoms — comfortable shoes and clothing you can move safely in
You do not need to dress up. This is physical therapy, not a job interview with squats.
Do I need a doctor’s referral
No. You do not need a doctor's referral to schedule with Alex.
Alex is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and provides direct access physical therapy in Indiana. That means you can schedule an evaluation without first getting a physician's order.
If you plan to submit a superbill to insurance for possible reimbursement, your insurance plan may have its own referral requirements. If that matters to you, check with your insurance company before your appointment.
Can I submit to insurance
Mindful Motion does not bill insurance directly and is not an in-network provider.
For non-Medicare patients, Alex can provide a superbill — a detailed receipt that includes the provider information, service codes, diagnosis codes, and payment confirmation your insurance company may need if you choose to submit a claim yourself.
Submitting a superbill does not guarantee reimbursement. Your insurance plan determines what, if anything, is reimbursed or applied to your deductible. If reimbursement matters to you, contact your insurance company before scheduling to ask about your out-of-network benefits.
Medicare patients: Mindful Motion is not enrolled with Medicare. Medicare patients cannot submit claims, invoices, or receipts to Medicare or Medicare Advantage for reimbursement. Please contact Alex before scheduling if you have questions.
For complete details, review our Policies page.
How long is each session
Every physical therapy session at Mindful Motion is a full hour — your first visit and every follow-up.
That time matters. It gives Alex room to listen, assess, provide hands-on care, explain what she is finding, and adjust the plan based on how your body responds. You are not watching the clock or wondering when you will be passed off to someone else.
Can I use HSA or FSA
Yes. Mindful Motion accepts HSA and FSA payments.
If you are not sure whether your HSA or FSA plan will cover your physical therapy appointment, check with your plan administrator before your visit.
How often will I need to come in
At your first visit, Alex will share what frequency and plan she thinks make sense for your specific situation.
New or acute injury: Once a week is a typical starting point while the body is actively healing and responding to treatment.
Chronic or recurring pain: Starting with once a week makes sense until things stabilize, then shifting to 2-3 times a month for maintenance.
Multiple areas or ongoing concerns: No problem. Mindful Motion's model allows Alex to work on whatever area needs attention that day — there is no insurance code restricting what she can address in a session.
Maintenance care: Some patients come in periodically for check-ins — before a big trip, during marathon training, after a busy season, or just to make sure things are still moving in the right direction. You do not have to wait until the pain is unbearable to come in.
What if I have more than one area of pain
That is common — and it is exactly why Mindful Motion uses a whole-body approach.
You might come in for neck pain and mention your jaw has been tense. Or schedule for back pain and realize your hip, ankle, sleep position, or daily movement patterns may also be involved.
Because there are no insurance-driven restrictions on what Alex can address in a session, she can work on whatever area needs attention that day. She will help prioritize what most affects your function and examine how different areas may be connected.
What if I am not sure physical therapy is right for me
You do not have to know exactly what you need before reaching out.
If you are dealing with pain, injury recovery, dizziness, vertigo, jaw symptoms, concussion symptoms, chronic musculoskeletal pain, or mobility limitations, an evaluation can help clarify what may be contributing and whether physical therapy makes sense.
If Alex does not think physical therapy is the right fit, she will tell you.