The first time I tore a ligament in my knee I was a sophomore in high school playing lacrosse. I had knee surgery and went through 6 months of physical therapy. After that I knew I wanted to be a physical therapist. And if you had asked me back then, "why do you want to be a physical therapist" I would have said "I like helping people recover from their physical injuries." However not until 2 years into my career did I realize the actual answer...
I experienced this with my first knee injury without even realizing it. That when you are unable to do the thing you love, it's more than just being physically injured; you lose a sense of your identity, your purpose and your self worth. I believe this is true for everyone, not just athletes that can no longer play their sport; but also the person that plays with their grandkids every weekend or the person that hike's with their dog every morning.
So yes, I love helping people recover from injuries and get past physical barriers through proper strength training and movement. But I am PASSIONATE about helping others (re)gain their identity, get back to their purpose, build confidence and self worth.