Meet the Spirit Winds Team

​The Spirit Winds staff is a caring and professional team of individuals dedicated to helping patients achieve their goals for healing and wellness. Each member is uniquely gifted with special skills and talents which together create a well-rounded team of professionals. Our staff is focused on providing a safe and healing environment, therapeutic tools and education to assist you in your path toward well-being.

Meet the Therapists

Michele, owner of Spirit Winds, is a native of San Francisco. After receiving a degree in Physical Therapy from Long Beach State in 1994, Michele focused her studies on Manual Therapy. She found two pioneers in the field and began studying with and working for Sharon Giammatteo, PT, Ph.D at the Center for Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) in Connecticut in 1998. A year later, she found a second mentor in Frank Lowen LMT, innovator of Dynamic Manual Interface. Michele's passions include anything involving body movement. She has extensive training in martial arts, has participated in triathlons and her newest passion is ballroom dancing. Michele is thrilled to bring her approach and this level of physical therapy care to the Central Coast.

Michele S. Jang

Physical Therapist

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Larry graduated from Cal State Northridge University in 1985 and completed his Master's coursework in 2006 through Texas Tech University. Larry has a special interest in working with oncology patients, including those with lymphedema/edema. He also has extensive experience with disorders of the spine, knee, hip, and shoulder. Larry completed the 6-month Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation program at Kaiser, Vallejo where he worked primarily with neurological patients including those with stroke, and brain/spinal cord injuries. Larry's interests include bicycling, hiking, travel, music and spending time with his beautiful wife Michele.

Larry Hazen

Physical Therapist

Laura feels blessed to have found family amongst the all-around wonderful people at Spirit Winds Therapy, where she brings her love of mind-body practices, her desire for helping people, and her passion for integrating and sharing her unique work as a Physical Therapist Assistant and a Yoga Therapist. Her background includes being the Senior Fitness Coordinator at the local YMCA, teaching Yoga at various healing centers in the community, and working as a Physical Therapist Assistant in Arroyo Grande. The therapeutic Yoga program, which she developed here at Spirit Winds continues to grow and offer regular classes based around healing and breath/ core awareness. Her style of Physical Therapy naturally integrates all that she has learned from her unique holistic background. Her latest adventure is wading through the magical and surprising world of parenthood with her husband John. Her two young daughters have taught Laura more about the depth of the human heart than she ever knew.

Laura Ghiringhelli Knutson

Physical Therapist Assistant

Laird graduated from the University of Oklahoma with his BS in Health and Exercise Science. He then moved to France for 3.5 years to live, work, and travel, before moving to Denver, Colorado where he earned his Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from Regis University. His physical therapy background includes post-stroke rehabilitation, post-operation and sports rehabilitation, and home health pediatrics. Laird approaches patients’ problems systematically; Analyzing gait, posture, and biomechanics to determine the cause of a patient’s pain, so that he can treat the source of the issue. Through his practice, he provides patients the tools to take care of themselves and avoid having the same issue arise again. Laird strives to become a holistic therapist who, while being trained in Western medicine thinking, supports all healing sciences. In his free time, Laird enjoys being active outdoors, taking cooking classes, and spending time with friends. Laird is passionate about making others around him feel good and believes that a positive attitude can truly change the world. Laird is overjoyed for this opportunity to move to the Central Coast with his Parisian wife, 2-month old baby boy, and his little dog named Nugget.

Laird Reeds

Physical Therapist

Miles is our office therapy dog. He comes to work on Mondays and Thursdays and if you are lucky he will greet you when you arrive! He loves to spend his time sleeping, getting pets, and of course his walks! If he is invited up on the table he will gladly accept the extra attention. He is a sweet little guy and always helps to perk up our office and bring smiles to our patient's faces. 

Miles 

Therapy Dog