Staff

Lauren Cook

Lauren Cook,
PT

Lauren Cook is the Clinical Director. She graduated with a BS/specialty in Physical Therapyfrom UVM in 1980. She started her career at the Medical Center Hospital of Vermont, now known as UVM Medical Center. She had the opportunity to work on different services and ultimately developed a love for orthopedics and sports medicine. She moved from the hospital to Sports and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Center in 1987 where she was able to further hone her skills and had the opportunity to work with a variety of health care professionals. In 1996 Choice Physical Therapy was founded in Barre and she was the first full time PT with the company. Over time, Lauren has worked to develop her manual skills. She has been certified in Active Release Techniques(ART), Graston techniques and has taken dry needling, taping and a variety of other courses. She believes that there is not a one size fits all approach and having a bag of tools to draw from is helpful. She works with a variety of patients and has a particular affinity for shoulder rehab and low back/pelvic disorders.

Lauren was drawn to PT as a way to help people. She had the good fortune of experiencing a great PT as a teenager in a time when PT was not well known. She was also a big Bruins fan and they had a PT on staff- what could be better! She continues to enjoy the privilege of meeting and helping new people everyday and the joy of seeing them improve.

She has now spent the better part of her career at Choice PT. It is a company that puts the patient first and shares her ethics. She has been encouraged to grow and explore and develop new skills as part of an outstanding team.

In her off time she enjoys the outdoors- hiking, kayaking, snowshoeing and exploring the lesser known attractions in Vermont. She also enjoys a good book.

MaryEllen Boutin

MaryEllen Boutin,
PT

MaryEllen graduated from The University of Vermont in 1996 with a BS of Science in Physical Therapy. She started her career working in Waltham, MA at Deaconess-Waltham Hospital gaining experience in acute care, short-term rehab and outpatient physical therapy settings.  Upon returning to Vermont in 1999, she developed her ultimate love of working with orthopedic injuries and dysfunctions and sports medicine while working in an active outpatient orthopedic clinic. 

MaryEllen has been a member of the Choice Physical Therapy family since 2001. During this time she has expanded her knowledge and skills with treating sports related injuries, pre and post surgical care, total joint replacements, general orthopaedic injuries and movement dysfunctions.   MaryEllen is trained in an array of manual techniques which include: Active Release Therapy, Graston Technique, Cupping Therapy and Dry Needling for the Lumbopelvic & Lower Extremity Disorders. Other areas of knowledge include vestibular rehabilitation, taping, falls prevention and pre/postnatal pelvic health. 

MaryEllen takes great pride in being able to work for Choice Physical Therapy for the last 20 years.  Some of the things that she has enjoyed most about working for Choice Physical Therapy is the one on one personal treatment that is provided to our patients as well as the relationships that she has been able to establish with these patients and their families over the years.  “The one on one care is what she feels makes Choice PT stand out from other physical therapy clinics. It lets the patients know that we care about them as a whole and that we are not trying to just get them in and out the door. Our goal is to get them back to doing what they love to do!”

When she is not treating patients, MaryEllen enjoys teaching Spinning classes as she is a Level 2//Rockstar Certified Spinning Instructor as well as instructing group fitness classes. She also enjoys kayaking and biking as well as spending time with her husband and son and following their son around to various hockey and lacrosse games. 

Maureen Fraser

Maureen Fraser,
PT

“A physical therapist has the brain of a scientist, the heart of a humanist and the hands of an artist.”  “Physical therapist’s training makes them experts in the science of movement and injury recovery, more than any other profession.  We are in a unique position to combine this science with getting to know our patients as individuals and tailor a recovery program to their specific needs.”  Maureen has over 35 years of experience in orthopedics and sports medicine. She treats injuries across the age spectrum from adolescents to people in their 90’s with the mantra “movement is medicine”. 

After graduating from the University of Vermont, she spent several years at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston specializing in the rehab of patients after total joint replacements.  She returned to Vermont to raise her family and continued working in sports medicine and orthopedics, joining Choice Physical Therapy in 1993. “Choice Physical Therapy is a practice that has always put their patients first.  They strive for excellent customer satisfaction, cost effective care and have been adamant that one on one, hands on care is the hallmark of their treatment approach. I feel fortunate to work for a company that allows us to have the time we need to treat the whole patient, not just their injury.”

Maureen has advanced training in manual therapy including Active Release Technique and Graston myofascial mobilization.  Areas of special interest include shoulder rehab, ankle / foot rehab, treatment of balance disorders and fall prevention, treatment of work related injuries and helping people recover from joint replacement surgery. 

Outside of work, Maureen and her husband have raised two sons and been involved in Scouting and high school football.  Maureen can often be found volunteering for Lyric theatre’s costume shop or boating on Lake Champlain.