Melinda Couch, PT, Owner, Program Director
Melinda, a physical therapist with over three decades of experience, graduated from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in 1993. Her journey began as a traveling therapist, leading her to Colorado in 1995. Initially focusing on sports medicine and orthopedic manual therapy, she started working with U.S. Figure Skating at Skate America in 1999. In 2003, Melinda became a member of the Sports Medicine Committee of USFSA, dedicated to advancing injury prevention and enhancing sports performance for the U.S. Figure Skating Team. Her role expanded to serving as a physical therapist at numerous events, including four World Championships, and she was part of the Team USA medical staff at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. For her extensive volunteer work within local and international sports communities, she received the Thayer Tutt Sportsman Award in 2018.
Melinda’s interest in Low-Intensity Light Therapy, or Photobiomodulation, as a treatment for orthopedic and sports injuries was sparked in 2015 after she read “The Brain’s Way of Healing” by Dr. Norman Doidge. The fourth chapter of the book details the efforts of clinicians in Toronto, Canada, who have been studying and applying this technology for more than thirty years, achieving notable outcomes in Traumatic Brain Injury and Stroke Recovery. Additionally, they have successfully treated a broad spectrum of orthopedic and sports-related injuries.
Melinda and her former business associate made a trip to Canada to visit the research and treatment facility described in Dr. Doidge’s book. Impressed by the data and outcomes Meditech International was producing using their Bioflex Laser Therapy System, they established Peak LiLT, LLC, introducing Low-Intensity Light Therapy to the Colorado Springs area.
Immediate success was soon realized in aiding individuals to recuperate from sports injuries, as well as in treating herniated and bulging spinal discs, and in the post-operative recovery following total knee and hip replacements.
Shortly thereafter, they began assisting individuals recovering from concussions due to car accidents or sports like figure skating. They were amazed by the effectiveness of light therapy in expediting concussion recovery when treatment commenced swiftly, within days of the injury. When treated during this critical period, the majority of patients saw their concussion symptoms resolve after only 5-6 sessions of LiLT.
In 2022, Melinda gained full ownership of Peak LiLT and has since redirected our therapeutic approach towards Neurological Conditions, drawing upon her initial degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience. She has integrated her expertise in manual physical therapy, specifically osteopathic cranial and visceral mobilization, with the neuroscience behind using light therapy on the brain and nervous system. This combination has yielded significant outcomes for individuals seeking to improve brain and nervous system function.
We are currently seeing positive outcomes with tPBM, or transcranial Photobiomodulation, in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Dementia, and those undergoing Stroke Recovery, as well as ongoing successes in TBI and Concussion Recovery. Additionally, we are making significant strides in Autonomic Nervous System recovery, aiding those dealing with Long-Covid and various digestive disorders like IBS, as well as migraines/headaches, sleep disorders, and bone density recovery (since the Autonomic Nervous System regulates bone density).
Melinda, a lifelong learner, is piecing together research suggesting that neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s might originate in the gut. However, it’s possible that gut microbiome issues begin with a dysfunctional Autonomic Nervous System. More updates to follow!
Bryce Martin, LMT, Clinic Operations Manager
Bryce became a part of Peak LiLT in 2018, working as a certified laser therapy clinician. He witnessed the effectiveness of this treatment firsthand when he used it to address his own migraine headaches. Having endured moderately severe migraines since he was five, he found relief after undergoing Photobiomodulation therapy, which has successfully prevented migraines up to the present.
Bryce was promoted to Clinic Operations Manager due to his profound grasp of the treatments and the evolving protocols as we advance a patient’s treatment. He also contributes to training new staff and participating in patient treatments. Bryce is an invaluable member of our team! Additionally, he is a certified Neuromuscular Massage Therapist and serves in this role at our clinic several days a week.
Bryce is a Colorado native and enjoys camping, hiking, playing golf and spending time with his wife Amanda and their dog Scooby.