ABOUT

Dr. Jess Royal, PT, DPT

Board-Certified Neurologic Clinical Specialist

Founder | Physical Therapist

Jess believes recovery begins with understanding the person behind the diagnosis. Her clinical experience spans acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, specialty clinics, and outpatient neurologic practice. After earning her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Boston University, she completed a neurologic physical therapy residency at Emory University and went on to practice as an advanced clinician at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, caring for people with complex neurologic and vestibular conditions. She has continued to deepen her expertise through competency certificates in vestibular rehabilitation and cervicogenic dizziness, along with advanced training in Parkinson’s disease management.

Her commitment to improving care has further shaped her work beyond direct treatment. Jess has served as a laboratory instructor in neurologic rehabilitation at Emory and the MGH Institute of Health Professions, and has presented nationally on stroke rehabilitation and functional neurologic disorders. As Lead Therapist at BrainQ Technologies, she collaborated with clinicians and product teams on technology to support stroke rehabilitation, using clinical evidence and user feedback to improve patient experience and outcomes.

Jess’s experience has shown her how fragmented care can become for people with complex needs, especially as they move between settings. Busy clinics and insurance limitations can make it difficult to provide the time and flexibility individualized care requires. She is building The Way Forward to meet that need through specialized, one-on-one physical therapy at home, bringing together person-centered care, evidence-based treatment, and thoughtful use of technology.