This review has been a long time coming. I never write reviews, which is why the delay, but Jen's work has left a lasting impression because of her integrity. Jen is not a cookie-cutter physical therapist. Her approaches are not "traditional," but as a structural therapist, I immediately recognized Jen's deep integrative knowledge and her boldness in carrying it into her work. She helped connect a childhood head injury to my current symptoms--something other professionals completely missed--and she helped uncover obvious (to her) surgical scar tissue impacting mobility and movement patterns. Jen is one of a rising minority of young PTs who elect not to go into traditional institutional PT, because they refuse to "forget" what they actually know about the body in order to fit into a corporate insurance model. Jen's practice stands out for being truly integrative and holistic while completely grounded in science and pragmatism. I cannot recommend her enough. read more

Jennifer was a lifesaver for me at a time when I had suffered a bad knee injury and every step had been painful for months. Almost immediately Jennifer's work reduced my pain and over the course of about 4 months she helped me get back to a more normal life. Her approach was gentle, thoughtful and thorough and we discovered that my C-section scar was behind a lot of my low back pain as well. As an added bonus she does house calls and also works with dogs! This was a happy discovery as shortly after starting to work with her, our dog needed knee surgery. She came to the house and worked on both of us and I credit her with shortening the duration of both of our recoveries. Olli and I both looked forward to our sessions as Jennifer was a delight to work with. I recommend her wholeheartedly!! read more

Jennifer is body-wise brilliant! I came to her on a recommendation for myofascial release. At the time, I was struggling with repeated Achilles tendonitis that kept me from running, I'd seen multiple physical therapists including gait and sports medicine specialist PTs, but everyone was focused on the injury area. Jennifer was the first person who did a full body muscle/motion testing and really dug into the history of my body. Which was admittedly a mess. I had had multiple surgeries, chronic abdominal pain from an inflamed pancreas, some joint arthritis, and prior tendonitis in other joints. She began her detective work: trying to find the source that was forcing accommodations which led to repeated injuries. And in that first session she did something "magical." She had found a resistance weakness in the leg with a particular muscle set. Then she had me hold my fingers on one of my abdominal surgical scars and to repeat the resistance test, and the weakness was gone. I remember coming away from the first long session asking myself, "Wtf?!" I've subsequently come to understand how the scar tissue throughout my body has had a domino effect on other parts of my body, and just by drawing attention to an area, it's like putting your finger on the first domino so that it doesn't fall and topple the rest. Of course, you can't go around life with your fingers on your surgical scars all of the time, so that's where the physical therapy comes in. Jennifer both helps release adhesions and myofascial crunchiness, as well as rehabilitate with exercises. She works wonders. read more

Jennifer is a gifted practitioner. She is a warm, relatable human with honed skills and experience to get right to the issue that needs attention. I went to see Jennifer because I was having prolonged and consistent pain in my shoulder. In my case Jennifer was able to see me and recommend a couple of exercises and advise me on some pressure points to work, and boom in a couple of weeks I was back to feeling 100%. I know many issues take a lot of work over many sessions, but in my case her diagnostic skills and genuine interest in healing led me to a quick and full recovery. Jennifer is a skilled medical practitioner, who is not afraid to address issues holistically. read more

she is great practitioner! Wow, after only 5 visits with my dog, the difference in my dogs pain has just been incredible! its like my dog is 10 years younger! highly recommended! read more

Jennifer has a totally different approach than I have ever experienced regarding physical therapy. In just a few sessions, I can feel my body finding more coherence. I have some deep scars from multiple abdominal surgeries, and even after 10+ years they are softening; I am amazed. I feel so lucky that someone recommended Jennifer to me. I just wish I had found her sooner! read more

Life changing body work! I am an Equestrian of 20 years and I also have many old injuries, various chronic pains , arthritis and newly diagnosed fibromyalgia. I also work in a very physically taxing career( poor choice by me)and have many chronic pains and limitations from it. I have been working with Jennifer for a few months now and I have had significantly different (better) results than with other physician appointed physical therapists. Jennifer's approach is beyond the standard strength training "boot camp" that I have experienced from 17 years prior of on and off physical therapy. She helps understand my body's own unique limitations and incorporates the nervous system into her therapy as well as variousother techniques. I have had trouble from a really bad ankle/lower leg horse accident from 7 years ago and did not even realize how much it was impacting me until we worked on it and improved it. I can physically walk so much better now. And my leg/ankle are significantly more stable and actually a little stronger than the other side. This has also improved my back pain! She also works with me and my trainer to improve my dressage lessons and I am riding with better equitation and less pain. Jennifer also has a very kind compassionate nature and is very comforting during her sessions. She makes any and all accommodations necessary to help patients feel comfortable having their body worked on. I have been very fortunate to have found Jennifer and highly recommend her to other Equestrians and people with physical therapy needs. read more

I've worked with Jennifer for the last two years to address neck and shoulder tension for chronic migraines and more recently, a torn labrum in my hip. I cannot speak highly enough of her expertise, service, and dedication to her patients. She takes an holistic approach to rebuilding and reestablishing mind/muscle connection. Each appointment consists of a full hour of gentle body work to help identify root causes of pain and/or limited mobility. Following the session, she provides an in-depth followup email with prescribed exercises, diagrams, and next steps. The time and care Jennifer puts into each appointment is truly unparalleled. I cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

I have had the privilege of being treated by Jennifer on numerous occasions. She is a gifted practitioner who combines the knowledge of a physical therapist, the hands of an adept massage therapist, and the compassion of a true healer. Jennifer has helped guide my body into a better state of balance. I have a greater understanding of how my body resists certain movements and why it does this. She has allowed me to go deeper into my own emotional states that I was not aware were part of creating the the tension that was being produced in my body. Sessions with Jennifer have been both informative and therapeutic. She has taught me a lot about the anatomy of the body and other aspects of health and healing. I have felt very comfortable in her presence as she has held space for me during each session allowing me to go deeper into understanding my body and mind. I am now further intrigued by her skill set as she has added another technique to her repertoire, NeuroKinetic Therapy, which sounds like another missing link to manual therapy in that it incorporates the nervous system through changing motor control dysfunction. I am looking forward to more sessions with Jennifer so that I can get my body, mind, and spirit to reach its highest potential. read more

Jennifer is so knowledgeable and efficient at assessing and addressing my problematic areas of concern. Although my problems have caused me a lot of grief in the past, she gave me strategies that were easy to follow and keep me moving forward. Her NKT approach makes her the go to therapist in the East Bay and from all around. read more

I am an occupational therapist who worked with Jennifer years ago seeing mostly geriatric patients in home health.  I learned so much from her in the field, and I know that in the years since then, she has been perfecting her craft with the hands-on skill that you just can't get through regular insurance-based PT.  When I  had a stubborn case of plantar fasciitis and the traditional treatments weren't working, I turned to Jennifer. I was absolutely stunned when Jennifer honed in on my problem in the first session after a thorough exam.  She gave me a treatment plan that got me walking without pain again!  The problem wasn't really about my foot in the first place.  It was a maladaptive movement/ motor control problem.  I am so grateful! read more

Jennifer is really great at what she does. In our initial session she quickly identified weakness on my left side which is the root of a lot of my pain and muscle tension. Unknown to me, this muscle weakness was also affecting my horseback riding and I'm pleased to say that after several sessions with Jen (and with her working in collaboration with my riding instructor), I'm making great progress and have noticed a difference on the horse and off. Having a PT who can work in conjunction with a riding instructor is so valuable and she offers convenient sessions right at my barn. I would highly recommend Jennifer! read more

When I broke four vertebrae in a horseback riding accident in December of 2018, Jennifer happened to actually be present (talk about service!).  In the time that I was healing, she inquired about my well-being and provided support; once healed and I was back in the saddle (I had a baby via c-section in there too!), she worked in partnership with my riding coach to help me redevelop my musculature and reduce the chance that I would injure or reinjure myself. She supported me with realistic yet effective exercises (it's not always possible to get down on the floor and do 20 minutes of stretches three times a day with a newborn, which Kaiser doesn't seem to understand) and seven months on from getting back in the saddle in November 2019, I am as strong and capable an athlete as I ever was and probably more so. Additionally, some of the other aches and pains I had before my injury and pregnancy have also resolved, which I attribute to her careful, holistic approach to my body. Having had more than one round with Kaiser PT services, I was impressed by how much more effective Jennifer was, with actually less time spent doing the activities than when I was with Kaiser. Though I was at first worried that working with Jennifer would cost a lot more than working with the Kaiser PT department covered under my plan, it actually ended up being not that much more since the work we did was a lot more efficient. Plus, there was a personalized aspect to it that helped me feel listened to in a way that Kaiser just couldn't provide: they seemed unable to comprehend or work with the idea that I was pregnant with a broken back and once the baby came there were two issues that needed physical therapy, whereas Jennifer seemed to take the idea that everyone comes to PT with multiple issues as a given. I refer people to her all the time (most recently outside the x-ray room at Kaiser!). read more

I have been dealing with severe back pain now for almost nine months as a result of spinal fusion surgery. I have tried many different therapists and alas none was really able to help me until I called Jennifer a few weeks ago. I have already had a couple sessions with her and she has such a deep understanding of the body that she has been able to provide some badly needed pain relief for me and to also give me directions moving forward without the use of drugs. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a sympathetic, knowledgeable therapist to help them. read more

My training in so-called Western (allopathic) medicine leads me to a natural skepticism of "alternative" modes of treatment. However, after nearly two months of pain that made it at times almost impossible to walk, I tried some CAM. No luck with the first two, but then I received a referral to Jennifer Benton, physical therapist and owner of Being in Balance Physical Therapy. She gave me one of the best physical assessments I have ever seen let alone experienced, and I know what I'm talking about. She had an excellent and cogent explanation of the delicate interactions of nerve and muscle, and the effects of losing or strengthening that connection. She also linked my problem to recent abdominal surgery and the resultant scars. OK, about that I am still skeptical. On the other hand, I like to think of myself as results oriented. So, after nearly three months of daily pain, I have a one hour session with her and get a simple set of easy and quick exercises - and 4 days later I was pain free. And I've stayed that way for a month now. I have my life back! Jennifer really enjoys working with people who have lingering problems and have tried other methods of care without success. Also people who are just not feeling 100% after any kind of surgery. She does not take insurance but will give you detailed instructions on how to try to get reimbursed by your insurance company. For those of you that are curious, she employs something called Neurokinetic Therapy for the assessment and myofascial release techniques for treatment. I was not able to find much on neurokinetics online, although she had some interesting resources. But again, the results speak for themselves. read more

I've had excellent results with Jennifer Benton. She's a gifted physical therapist. She has golden hands. As part of the treatment, she also gives the patient a clear set of exercises to facilitate movement and healing. read more

She's superb! She know how to do the 'right thing' to get your body working again and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend her to anyone! Her attitude is a great asset in the healing process but her knowledge is, as well. A gifted physical therapist of the variety, too rare, that we need more of. read more

Jennifer Benton is an excellent physical therapist who I can't recommend highly enough. Before I got around to doing this Yelp review, I had already done the old-school version of Yelp by telling multiple friends that a) they would benefit from physical therapy and b) that they should go to Jennifer Benton at Being in Balance PT for their physical therapy. I found her because I had a neck and shoulder injury from a car accident that she was astute and holistic in addressing and that has led to sustained recovery (I'm writing this a few months after my treatment ended). After my successful recuperation on that front, I then realized that she could probably also be useful in addressing an old running injury that had been off and on for several years, and it only took her three sessions to solve it completely and sustainably (it's now been about a month and a half since that treatment ended). PS: on a logistical note, she provides thorough documentation that makes it easy to get reimbursed by your insurance provider. read more

Exceptional ability to assess my particular needs and then tailor treatment accordingly. I had unusual difficulty with recovering range of motion after knee surgery, but made notably better progress with this therapist compared to others. She has command of many techniques and constantly adjusts her methods in response to what your body is telling her. Very professional, cares about the job and making the process work for the patient. A skill I wouldn't have associated with physical therapy is her awareness of my psychological ups and downs during the often daunting course of rehab. Even before I knew it myself, she would sense the beginning of discouragement and could turn it around with just the right word. By always being cheerful, positive, and encouraging, she motivates you not to shirk your assigned exercises -- an important component to successful recovery. A combination of perceptiveness, superb competence, and genuine kindness -- hard to beat! read more