Gray Institute for Functional Transformation (GIFT) is a 40-week mentorship program in Applied Functional Science® (AFS) for the movement industry. Participating GIFT Fellows gain content, confidence, and community—all second to none.
Since GIFT’s inception in 2007, over 1,200 professionals from around the world have both participated in and contributed to the program. It is an experience unlike any other in the movement industry.
Why would a physical therapist, personal trainer, strength coach, medical doctor, chiropractor, or anyone else in the industry take part in GIFT? Impact. From the standpoint of content, confidence, and community, GIFT will make a tremendous, positive impact on you and your patients and clients.
The GIFT Fellowship Open Extraordinary New Doors for Participants
When we say GIFT changes lives and careers, we mean it. But why take our word for it when you can hear from the participants themselves?
“GIFT has been the most extraordinary course that I have ever undertaken! My knowledge of 3D function has grown exponentially, week on week. However, GIFT is truly transformative. It goes far beyond information about the body, function, and movement. It is very much a course in wisdom and humility.
[GIFT] goes to the very core of my being and reveals much about who I am as a human being and what drives me. I feel honored to have sat at the feet of the most knowledgeable and the humblest people in the movement and fitness world.”
Build Your Community and Confidence With GIFT
Imagine having a 40-week program that you are involved in. On top of learning the most comprehensive information on AFS, imagine sharing your experiences and expertise with other fellow professionals. Imagine learning from others’ experiences and expertise, too. This is GIFT.
One GIFT Fellow says,
“GIFT has given me the knowledge and thorough process to have way more confidence in my professional ability each day. I now feel as though I can impact the life of every person I have in front of me.
This not only helps my patients but myself enjoy my job every day. I was fortunate enough to be working in an environment full of AFS-trained individuals, and GIFT was missing piece that tied all the concepts together for me!”
Knowing that everybody and every human body is different, it makes no sense to treat and train everyone the same. While protocols and off-the-shelf programs have decent intentions, they fall dramatically short on impact for the individual. Through GIFT’s content, GIFT Fellows learn how the body really moves (three planes of motion, as a Chain Reaction®) and how to utilize this information for prevention, performance, and rehabilitation. This perspective truly provides the tools to treat and train everyone based on each person’s individuality, as well as their needs, wants, and goals. GIFT exists because the above is not comprehensively taught in physical therapy school, nor traditional training certifications.
Through GIFT’s content, GIFT Fellows learn how the body really moves (three planes of motion, as a Chain Reaction®) and how to utilize this information for prevention, performance, and rehabilitation.
Another GIFT Fellow says, “GIFT has helped fine-tune and focus the treatment of my patients as a physical therapist. It has also allowed a further in-depth look at biomechanics that I would have liked to have in PT school.”
Enrich Your Understanding of Biomechanics
Another feature of GIFT from a biomechanics standpoint is understanding the difference between causes and compensations (pain, injuries). From a rehabilitation standpoint, every physical therapist should ask the question: “Why?” Why did this injury occur? Why is there pain here?”
If you are not treating the injury, pain, and the cause, then the patient is getting the short end of the stick. GIFT empowers physical therapists with the tools they need to assess, identify, and treat the source of the dysfunction and its symptoms.
One GIFT Fellow explains, “I feel like I have more knowledge of human biomechanics. I also feel more confident in understanding causes of injuries.”
The GIFT Community Is Unlike any Other
While content (and application thereof) is paramount in GIFT, it pales in comparison to the community. GIFT is a community of support, of camaraderie, of encouragement. It is comprised of over 1,200 professionals that wanted to learn more, share more, provide more for their patients, clients, and athletes.
“GIFT has helped me to develop a framework with which to apply the many principles, strategies, and techniques I have learned over the years, from both the Gray Institute and from others. It helped not only with being able to make a difference in the physical aspect, but also to foster mental and spiritual giftedness. During the struggles I faced as a new grad working in physical therapy, the GIFT content and community served to encourage and uplift me week after week as I progressed through this journey.”
RELATED ARTICLE: How the GIFT Fellowship Changes Careers and Lives: My perspective After 14 Years as Its Director
“The GIFT experience has impacted my professional and personal life in so many ways. The content is so inspiring! Inside the community, you feel ‘HOME,’” another GIFT fellow explains, “free to be who you are, free to enhance your talents, free to share, and free to make those mistakes you need to grow stronger.”
GIFT is the Gift You Give Your Career, Your Patients and Clients, and Yourself
So why write a blog on GIFT? Because GIFT truly has been a gift for the community it’s assembled over the last 15 years. More importantly, the community assembled has been the greatest gift to Gray Institute. We are so very proud of this special community, and it is our hope and desire to continue the program and, more importantly, grow the community to further impact the world.
A recent GIFT Graduate said it best: “GIFT definitely is the best thing a have done for my growth and career!”
A recent GIFT Graduate said it best: “GIFT definitely is the best thing a have done for my growth and career!”
If You’ve Been Considering Enrolling in GIFT, Now’s Your Chance
If you’re ready to take your career to the next level, we’re ready to help you make that happen. With multiple learning options (Online Only and Online + Gatherings) there’s a way to learn, no matter where you are in the world.
If you’d like to learn more about GIFT, contact Gray Institute today. We look forward to speaking with you!