Pamela is a Physical Therapist, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, and Certified GYROTONIC® Instructor with over 25 years of experience. A Colorado native, she earned her B.A. in Biology from Colorado College, where an anatomical kinesiology class sparked her passion for the inner workings of the body. With more than 20 years of dance experience at the time, she was inspired by the connection between movement and anatomy—a passion that led her to pursue a Master of Science in Physical Therapy at Regis University, completed in 1998.
Pamela began her career at The Phoenix Center for Health Excellence in Denver, CO, where she was first introduced to Pilates. She became Polestar Pilates Rehabilitation Certified and soon joined the Polestar team as an educator. In 2001, she relocated to Vermont, where she taught, practiced physical therapy, and ultimately opened her own studio, Pilates Space, in Burlington. For seven years she directed and ran several thriving businesses, combining physical therapy, Pilates, and GYROTONIC® work while continuing to educate for Polestar nationally and internationally.
In 2008, Pamela and her husband returned to Colorado, settling in Steamboat Springs. There, she expanded her expertise in Functional Manual Therapy through the Institute of Physical Art (IPA) and collaborated with a multidisciplinary team at Align: Physical Therapy, Pilates, and Wellness. She also presented nationally and internationally to the Pilates community and proctored Polestar certification exams.
Her continuing education includes advanced manual therapy training with NAIOMT and ASPIRE OMT, Visceral Manipulation through the Barral Institute, and the John Barnes Myofascial Release Technique®. The latter has literally changed the way she practices. JFB-MFR views the body as an interconnected system. Releasing one restriction can create positive changes throughout the body, much like loosening a thread in a sweater can affect its overall shape. This has been part of the missing link in fully allowing clients to heal and excel when imaging, tests and years of therapy have been unhelpful. Most recently, she has been studying Applied Biotensegrity, integrating this framework into her evolving physical therapy practice.
Pamela’s approach is gentle, intuitive, and movement-centered. She helps clients discover more efficient ways of moving, restoring ease and resilience in their bodies. Her lifelong love of dance continues to inspire her work and personal life. Now based in the Roaring Fork Valley, Pamela enjoys dancing, hiking, telemark and cross-country skiing, stand-up paddleboarding, watching sunsets and traveling with her husband, Grady.
Dr. Stephen G Warfel II has been practicing Manual Physical Therapy for 18 years now. His education journey began at Penn State, where he had the good fortune of working in research and athletic settings in the exercise physiology program. For two years he was a trainer and tester for the US Army Study, which evaluated the ability of women to gain strength and the physiological changes with a strength training regimen. After finishing with the military study, he was accepted as a trainer for varsity sports at Penn State. For two years he trained athletes ranging from wrestling to women’s lacrosse with HIT training philosophy.
Dr. Warfel graduated from Penn State University with a B.S in Exercise Physiology in December of 1999 and was accepted to Physical Therapy School at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USA).
St. Augustine’s curriculum was focused on orthopedic manual therapy with extensive anatomical detail, coupled with biomechanical evaluation and treatment to the involved regions. He completed his Master and Doctorate degrees in Physical Therapy at USA in 2001 and 2002 respectively, earning high honors and the Manual Therapy Certification (MTC). Upon leaving Florida, he accepted his first job at HealthSouth in Lakewood, CO and began studying with the Institute of Physical Art.
Dr. Warfel completed the IPA curriculum and achieved the Certification in Functional Manual Therapy (CFMT) with honors. After completing certification, he began lab assisting IPA courses, which gave him valuable experience, but also lead to an invitation from the IPA to complete a yearlong fellowship in Steamboat Springs.
Dr. Warfel worked diligently academically and clinically to improve his skills and broaden his knowledge base over the year long program. After graduating and achieving fellow status with the IPA and nationally with the American Association of Orthopedic Manual Therapists (AAOMPT), he accepted a permanent position at Johnson and Johnson PT as a staff PT as well as co-fellowship instructor. This opportunity to teach and work with very skilled therapists continued to broaden his horizons and fuels him to seek more training and knowledge to share.
He has spent the last 5 years working on the viscera, craniofacial region and airway, presenting with Dr. Brad Gilden at the AAPMD conference in 2016. He continues to study these regions in-depth and develop new treatments to improve physiology as well as biomechanical function.
Dr. Warfel is an avid outdoors man and enjoys snowboarding, hiking, running, and mountain biking. He has raced mountain bikes at CAT 1 level for ten years for Feedback Sports out of Golden, CO. He has completed multiple trail marathons and endurance cross country mountain bike races, highlighted by he and his wife’s first place award in the Summer Grand Traverse 2016. Above all, Steve enjoys spending time with his family, his wife Heidi and daughter Finley.
