Rebecca G. Stephenson, BS, PT, received her physical therapy degree from Boston University in 1974. She is also a certified childbirth educator and medical writer, member of the American Physical Therapy Association and its Section on Women's Health, and of the American Medical Writers Association.
She has practiced in diverse environments including rehabilitation, outpatient clinics, school settings, nursing homes, a residential care facility, and private practice. She has taught early pregnancy classes and currently lectures nationally on topics of women's health. As a medical writer, Rebecca co-authored the first edition of
Obstetric and Gynecologic Care in Physical Therapy, has been a journal abstractor of the
Physical Therapy Journal, a past book editor for the
Journal of Obstetric and Gynecologic Physical Therapy (currently the
Journal of the Section on Women's Health of the American Physical Therapy Association), and is now a products editor for the
Journal of the Section on Women's Health. She has written for print-and web-based publications.
She created the video
Back Care in Pregnancy and has been a consultant for other video productions. She was secretary for the Section on Women's Health and is currently secretary for the International Organization of Physical Therapists in Women's Health, a sub-group of the World Confederation of Physical Therapy. Rebecca was awarded the Section on Women's Health of the American Physical Therapy Association highest honor, the Elizabeth Nobel award, for contributions to the field of women's health. She practices women's health and adult and pediatric rehabilitation as senior clinical therapist in the outpatient clinic at Dedham Medical Associates and in private practice in Medfield, Massachusetts.
Linda J. O'Connor, MS, PT, received her physical therapy degree from the University of California, San Francisco, in 1974. Since then she has practiced in a variety of settings, including obstetric and gynecology clinics, private homes, skilled nursing facilities, school districts, residential care facilities, hospitals, and outpatient facilities. She has taught childbirth education, mother-infant exercise, and early pregnancy classes for over 15 years, intertwining teaching with independent contracting and private practice in pediatrics, geriatrics, and women's health care. As part of her interest in women's health care, Linda was editor of the
Bulletin of the Section of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the American Physical Therapy Association (later the
Journal of Obstetric and Gynecologic Physical Therapy) and the
Journal of the Section on Women's Health of the American Physical Therapy Association for 15 years. The role of editor, combined with an interest in journalism and writing, led to the completion of her master's degree in mass communications in 1990. While working on her master's degree, Linda co-authored the first edition of
Obstetric and Gynecologic Care in Physical Therapy, reviewed manuscripts and books for the journal
Physical Therapy, and had several articles published in parenting, nursing, and childbirth education publications. She also worked on a variety of media projects while working as a medical writer for a major pharmaceutical firm. Linda currently practices in pediatric home health, adult and pediatric outpatient and community care for Easter Seals Bay Area, and in pediatrics through various school districts.
