About Dr. Melanie and the creation of The Pranamix Method

My path into healing began unexpectedly in a high school biology class. This class sparked a lifelong fascination with how the body works—and how it heals. I went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a focus on molecular biology and in-vitro cell biotechnology. While I loved the science, especially genetics, I realized I wanted to work more directly with people, supporting healing in a way that was both relational and meaningful. That realization ultimately led me to a career in Physical Therapy.

I began my clinical career after earning my Master’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Old Dominion University in 1997. Over the next two decades, I worked extensively with children and adults with developmental delays, complex medical histories, and chronic health conditions, gaining deep clinical experience across the lifespan.

As my career progressed, I became increasingly aware of a significant gap in how chronic pain is traditionally treated. While conventional physical therapy often focuses on “fixing the body,” it frequently overlooks the profound effects pain has on the nervous system and the wiring of the brain. I saw firsthand that healing cannot be isolated to tissues and joints alone—a whole-human approach is essential.

I decided to return to school to deepen my training and address this gap. I completed my Doctorate at UNC Chapel Hill, with a focused emphasis on non-pharmaceutical, evidence-based approaches to relieving chronic pain grounded in pain neuroscience and mindfulness practices. My doctoral work centered on understanding how pain is processed, learned, and sustained in the brain—and how targeted, evidence-based interventions can help rewire these patterns and restore function.

This journey led me to develop The Pranamix Method—a personalized, evidence-based approach that integrates physical therapy, pain neuroscience, mindful movement, and therapeutic exercise to address pain at its root rather than simply managing symptoms.

The Pranamix Method blends traditional rehabilitation principles with tools based on well researched pain neuroscience and includes mindfulness-based pain strategies, hands-on manual therapy, therapeutic yoga and a wide range of functional strength training techniques. Each treatment plan is carefully individualized, recognizing that pain, movement, and healing are deeply personal and influenced by both physical and nervous system factors.

I am honored to serve clients in Hawaii, New York City, and now the Lake Norman area of North Carolina.