A Holiday Edition
During a season that reminds us why purpose matters, Jerry Yarborough offers a story made for this moment. What began as one clinic with four employees has grown into a nine-clinic mission-driven network with more than 70 team members, built on faith, purpose, and a calling rooted in his own battle to regain balance. In his own words, “Mr. FYZICAL,” the 2023 Brand Triumph Franchisee of the Year, credits God and FYZICAL for giving him the opportunity to help thousands rediscover hope, strength, and the profound gift of returning to the lives they love.
Some stories stay with you long after they’re told.
Some remind you why this work matters.
And some — like Jerry Yarborough’s — become a reminder that the hardest chapters can lead to a purpose far bigger, and far more meaningful, than ever imagined.
He began with one outpatient clinic. Today, he leads a nine-clinic network, a Master Franchise territory, and a growing legacy of care that reaches far beyond the walls of any single clinic.
But the real headline isn’t the growth — it’s what made it possible.
What truly forged Jerry’s path was the year he spent fighting for his own recovery — a year that quietly prepared him for the moment he discovered the FYZICAL Balance Paradigm. His hardest season became the foundation for his calling, strengthening his ability to help thousands reclaim balance, independence, and hope.
This is his story.
Long before FYZICAL and long before balance became his mission, Jerry was a PTA with a dream. Years of persistence, humility, and faith created the foundation for a life of service he couldn't yet see coming.
Q: Can you tell me a little about your background?
Jerry: I started in physical therapy 31 years ago, beginning as a PTA for the first 18. I opened my first outpatient clinic a little over 23 years ago and brought on a partner for security while I planned to finish my PT degree.
What we thought would be a three-year arrangement turned into twelve years of real-life experience.
After finishing my DPT, I bought out my partner and began growing the business as a PT, which was vital to our success. I had just opened my second clinic right before I bought into FYZICAL.
A tremor, followed by an unsteady step and a loss of control he could not explain, turned a holiday trip home into a difficult year — one that would challenge Jerry as both a patient and a clinician, and ultimately reshape the direction of his career.
Q: You had just opened your second clinic when everything changed. What happened, and when did you first realize something was wrong?
Jerry: It was Thanksgiving, 16 years ago. We lived in Ruston, Louisiana, and we were driving to my hometown of Fort Worth. I had a headache like never before. Anyone in the medical field knows that can be a sign of a possible stroke, but that never crossed my mind. I just assumed it was a sinus headache, even though I had never had one like that.
When we got to Fort Worth, we stopped at my favorite fast-food Mexican place, Taco Bueno. At the soda fountain, my hand started shaking violently. That was the first moment I thought, "Something is wrong." We kept visiting family, but by that evening, I was staggering like I was drunk, even though I had not had anything to drink.
"At the soda fountain, my hand started shaking violently. That was the first moment I thought, 'Something is wrong.'"
-Jerry Yarborough, PT, DPT, Master Franchisee
We went to a walk-in clinic. The practitioner was only concerned about my weight and tried to give me medicine for that. I knew it was not the issue, but I kept getting worse.
Later, while visiting my brother, I was still walking like a drunk man. They let me get behind the wheel, but very quickly it became apparent I could not drive. I pulled over and told my wife, "I can’t drive."
She took over.
That night, I started vomiting nonstop. I told my wife we needed to go to the ER. When we arrived, I was staggering, slurring my speech, and vomiting everywhere. I sat down and said, "I feel like I’m drunk," and my wife told them, "He hasn’t had anything to drink. He is not drunk."
After testing, they diagnosed me with viral meningitis and encephalitis. I was in the hospital for a week.
In the hospital, Jerry reached his lowest point. He had no balance, no ability to sit or stand, and no clear diagnosis. What he did have was a stubborn determination and a faith that refused to quit. Doctors had run out of answers. The medical system had failed him. But Jerry refused to accept a future that looked nothing like the life he had built.
Q: In those early days in the hospital, what were you being told about your condition, and what were those first moments of recovery like?
Jerry: I had no balance to sit up or stand, double vision, and slurred speech. OT had me try simple tests, like touching my index finger to my nose or clapping my hands.
I could not do either.
I remember being in the shower, bouncing from side to side, and the neurologist at the hospital said, “Oh, you have BPPV.” At FYZICAL, we specialize in that, and he should have known that I did not.
After a week in the hospital, they said there was nothing else they could do. They gave me antibiotics and said, "We suggest you go to a nursing home."
At the time, I said, "Absolutely not." I told my wife to take me back home to Louisiana, even though it was a struggle. I could not take care of myself.
They said to rest, and maybe I'll get better. So I did that for a couple of weeks.
I did not get better.
Q: When you returned home, what steps did you take to start your recovery?
Jerry: At that time, I owned an outpatient clinic as a PTA, and like most outpatient settings, we didn’t specialize in balance or vestibular rehab. In school, you learn a little about everything, and vestibular is one of those areas.
So I began researching on my own. I learned what I could, applied it to myself, and became my own therapist.
By the grace of God, I recovered about 95 percent over the next year.
He allowed me to walk through that experience so I could understand, on a personal level, what our patients feel. Until you have lived it, you cannot grasp the fear, the loss of independence, or the exhaustion.
That led me to specialize in balance and vestibular rehab.
"[God] allowed me to walk through that experience so I could understand, on a personal level, what our patients feel. Until you have lived it, you cannot grasp the fear, the loss of independence, or the exhaustion. That led me to specialize in balance and vestibular rehab."
-Jerry Yarborough, PT, DPT, Master Franchisee
Q: How did being on the patient side of the table change your perspective as a clinician?
Jerry: I knew what I had lost, going from being completely independent to being in a wheelchair and confined.
I didn’t have the energy to walk from my bedroom to the kitchen.
Going through that and recovering, I really believe God had me go through it so I would gain empathy and understanding of what that felt like, so I could learn more and help more people.
Q: During the hardest parts of your recovery, what anchored you and kept you moving forward?
Jerry: I would definitely attribute that to my faith. God created me to be a pretty stubborn guy. I don’t like taking no for an answer. I really respect people in the military and even worked on a military base for six years, but I chose not to go into that field because I’m pretty independent. I don’t like being told what I can and can’t do.
Knowing that He takes care of me helped me get through. And the support of my family and friends — and eventually through FYZICAL — became an even larger family.
Q: When your diagnosis was missed, what did that reveal to you about the gaps in our healthcare system — and how did that experience shape the way you care for patients today?
Jerry: It didn’t help my faith in the medical community at all. For a neurologist at a big hospital in a big city to miss that was disappointing. Unfortunately, I see that all the time with some of our referring sources.
They just don’t know because they don’t specialize in it.
That’s why it’s important for our patients to come to us directly so we can provide an accurate diagnosis. When that doesn’t happen, people lose hope.
I hear it from patients all the time — some even lose hope for living.
I lost hope in the medical community, and many of our patients do too, because their quality of life becomes so sedentary. They give up so much. They’re stuck at home. They miss family events that matter, like grandchildren’s weddings and birthdays. They stop playing cards with friends. They stop working in their yards or gardens, and they stop doing the things they love.
That’s why I enjoy helping people get an accurate diagnosis to the best of our ability and then helping guide them through recovery. Our Balance Paradigm and our proprietary programs through FYZICAL allow us to help our communities in that way.
As Jerry regained his strength, his direction sharpened. What he experienced as a patient didn’t just change his recovery; it clarified his next step. It pushed him deeper into balance and vestibular rehabilitation and toward a future that required more structure, better education, and real support. That search led him to finish his DPT, rethink how he ran his clinics, and ultimately recognize what he could not build alone.
Q: You didn’t pause your professional goals during recovery. What was it like pushing forward with your DPT while still navigating severe physical limitations?
Jerry: I had been accepted into the only PTA-to-DPT bridge program in the country, located in Ohio. I live in Louisiana, so every other weekend, I flew to Ohio for the full-time program — in a wheelchair. My classmates picked me up at the airport and helped me get to class using a walker, a cane, or a wheelchair.
I was so exhausted I couldn’t hold my head up. I recorded lectures and lay my head on the desk. My professors knew what was going on and suggested I put it off for another year, but it was their first DPT cohort, and I had worked almost 20 years to get there. I told them I could hear them — I just didn’t have the energy to sit up straight.
By February, my partner asked when I was coming back to work. I was still in a wheelchair and doing outpatient therapy, so I decided to take a medical leave.
I continued therapy, and by the grace of God, I got better over the next year. That led me to specialize in balance and vestibular rehab. A couple of years later, I finished my DPT, bought my partner out, and within the next year, I started getting fliers from this weirdly spelled company— FYZICAL.
I saw they specialized in balance and vestibular rehab.
I said, “That makes sense. I like that. That’s what I’m doing.”
Q: As you regained your footing clinically and professionally, what made FYZICAL feel like the right next step?
Jerry: I realized I was out there alone. I thought to myself, “There are so many governmental changes — how do I keep up with all this?” I’d always handled the administrative side of the business, but I needed support.
I had joined some physical therapy owner groups, which helped a little, but I needed more. I needed help learning how to run a business because physical therapists are trained to treat patients — not run companies. That made a lot of sense to me.
"I needed help learning how to run a business because physical therapists are trained to treat patients — not run companies."
- Jerry Yarborough, PT, DPT, Master Franchisee
Two things really stood out. One was the proprietary balance program, and the other was FYZICAL's National Director of Balance Center Development and Education & Training, Brian Werner, PT, MPT. Balance and vestibular rehab was my niche, and what I saw was far deeper than anything I had access to on my own.
The other was BodyQ — an integrated testing program focused on movement, balance, recovery, and injury prevention.
This company had invested millions into developing proprietary programs that addressed preventative impairments in a simple, effective way. That’s why I bought in. Being alone wasn’t a safe place.
So I decided, “This is it. I’m buying in.” And I did.
Now we’re more than ten years into the franchise. I do claim to be “Mr. FYZICAL” because I embrace the brand and the services. I’ve helped thousands of people in our communities with balance and vestibular issues, and I’ve grown significantly — without taking credit away from the franchise.
I’m very growth-oriented and goal-oriented by nature. Being part of FYZICAL really opened that up for me. Now we’re working on our 10th clinic, and we’ve grown leaps and bounds.
Q: What was it about FYZICAL’s Balance Paradigm that convinced you it was the right approach for both you and your patients?
Jerry: My studies and specialization in balance were mainly on my own. I took a couple of courses here and there, but it was disorganized and very elementary compared to what I saw through FYZICAL and Brian Werner’s Paradigm.
I didn’t fully understand it at the time; I just knew it was deeper and that he had a lot of success.
I strongly believe in following successful people or companies who are aligned with where you want to go. I’m always looking for that mentor to work toward what they’ve built.
Jerry wasn’t looking for a franchise; he was looking for answers — and for a way to grow without losing what mattered most. FYZICAL offered both. It was the first time he saw a structure that honored the patient experience, elevated balance rehabilitation, and gave him the business support he had long needed.
Q: Once you joined FYZICAL, how did the business — and your impact — begin to change?
Jerry: Since opening our first clinic, we’ve scaled the business to nearly 20 times its original size, and we’re working on acquiring our 10th clinic.
I give God all the praise and glory for that, and I don’t take any credit away from the franchise. I was willing to take risks and put in the work because it takes a lot of effort. My success didn’t fall from the sky. Anyone can do it if I can, because there’s nothing special about me other than trusting the Lord and doing the work.
Q: Did you ever imagine you could reach this level of growth? What do you believe made it possible?
Jerry: It was beyond anything I could have imagined back then.
I’m a dreamer and a goal-setter, and I focus on growth—but if you had told me ten years ago this is where we’d be, I would have said, “No way.”
Jerry understood imbalance and dizziness not as abstract diagnoses, but as lived experience. That perspective fueled his deep commitment to FYZICAL’s proprietary Balance Paradigm. To him, it is not just a protocol, but a responsibility. Across every clinic, it became the standard of care — designed to give patients what he once lacked: clarity, accuracy, and a way back to the life they love.
Q: Why has the Balance Paradigm become non-negotiable across all of your clinics?
Jerry: One of our mottos is, “FYZICAL, spelled different because we are different.” I emphasize to our patients and staff that if you’re not following the Paradigm, you’re doing what the clinic down the street does. That does not set you apart and does not help our patients to the best of our ability.
We have a Balance Paradigm that has been clinically proven to help patients in ways other therapists can’t. I hear it all day long. Whatever clinic I’m at, patients tell me, "We’ve been to other clinics and have never experienced what we do here." And it’s true — we are different. We’re different because we strive to be different. We’re different because we have the Paradigm nobody else has.
"Whatever clinic I’m at, patients tell me, 'We’ve been to other clinics and have never experienced what we do here.' And it’s true — we are different. We’re different because we strive to be different. We’re different because we have the Paradigm nobody else has."
- Jerry Yarborough, PT, DPT, Master Franchisee
That’s why I stress to our staff that they have to utilize it. It’s the differentiator, and it helps people far more than just throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. If we follow the Paradigm, it has been clinically shown to help people in ways nothing else does.
Q: Why is fall prevention such a central part of your mission, and why does it matter so deeply to you?
Jerry: Let’s start with the statistics.
Every 11 seconds, someone experiences an unintentional fall.
Every 19 minutes, someone dies from one.
No one plans a fall. No one wakes up thinking they’re going to fall, hit their head, or break a hip. But it’s happening at an alarming rate. It’s a national epidemic, and our government is very serious about controlling it as best we can.
That’s why here at FYZICAL, fall prevention is an entry point for our patients, whether they’ve already fallen or they’re afraid of falling. Fear alone increases risk. Our goal is to keep people from becoming part of those statistics and help them love their life again through our Paradigm and treatments.
I tell patients that all the time. In my evaluation room, there’s a border on the wall that says, “Love Your Life.” I tell them, “This is where it all begins."
That’s what we work toward.
Q: Can you share a patient story that shows what’s possible with the Balance Paradigm?
Jerry: I had a patient who was about 33 and had been involved in a wreck, which caused fractures and vestibular issues. He had been everywhere for treatment and came to me as a last-ditch effort.
At that point, his life was reduced to sleeping, taking medication, eating, and going to the bathroom. He had quit school at LSU, moved back home, couldn’t date, couldn’t watch TV, couldn’t go to football games, and couldn’t spend time with family. He had filed for disability and accepted that this was his life.
He had given up.
After working together for a couple of months, he started making significant progress. Within a year, he no longer needed disability. He was driving again, dating, going to movies and games, traveling, and living his life.
Last I heard, he’s about to get married.
That’s why we do this. It keeps us going.
For Jerry, delivering excellent care isn’t just about outcomes — it’s about experience. He believes patients and staff should feel the difference the moment they walk in. That belief guides every interaction, sets every standard, and fuels a culture where people feel valued, supported, and invested in completing their plan of care.
Q: How do you define an exceptional experience, and why has it become such a cornerstone of how you lead your clinics?
Jerry: One of the most important things I focus on, for both our staff and our patients, is an exceptional experience. That’s critical for staff retention — people need to enjoy their work and feel valued — and it’s just as crucial for patients. Experience impacts patient retention, plan-of-care completion, and how people feel about us as a company.
They are gold.
I tell people the business side matters—we have KPIs and responsibilities — but it’s not the top priority. The Bible tells us that God will take care of us financially. He always has, and He always will.
Our focus has to be on people, not money.
Despite all his growth, Jerry has never taken the spotlight. For him, the real story isn’t the number of clinics — it’s the people behind them. From his executive team to the newest staff member, every role matters, and the success he's built is carried by people who feel valued, supported, and proud to be part of something bigger than themselves.
Q: What drives you to do this work every day, and how has FYZICAL helped you live out that calling?
Jerry: I do what I do because God gave me the ability to do it and the desire to do it. The blessings that come along with it are just the icing on the cake.
We get to have a legacy.
I’m 57, so at this age, you naturally start thinking about what kind of legacy you’re going to leave. I embrace being known as “Mr. FYZICAL” and helping people improve their quality of life, their balance, and their vestibular function.
FYZICAL helps me do that through the ongoing education we receive. Brian Werner is a brainiac. I get education from him almost every single day. You just don’t get that anywhere else. Other PT groups can help you work through things, but the ongoing educational support through FYZICAL is unlike anything else I’ve experienced.
And I can’t leave out the FYZICAL family. I have endless stories of how the FYZICAL family supported me and helped me through things. That’s priceless. You can’t buy that.
"I have endless stories of how the FYZICAL family supported me and helped me through things. That’s priceless. You can’t buy that."
- Jerry Yarborough, PT, DPT, Master Franchisee
Let me share a quick story. In 2019, a tornado came through my hometown of Ruston. That morning, we were getting ready to go to Brand Triumph in New Orleans. The tornado alarms woke us up around 1 a.m., and at 5 a.m.
My son called and said, “Dad, the clinic’s been hit.”
It doesn’t matter how many times I tell that story — it’s always emotional. I went up there and saw the destruction and thought, “Oh Lord, what are we doing?”
I shared that with the FYZICAL family, and they immediately started calling and supporting us. [FYZICAL Co-Founder] Dan Deems called and said, “I just landed in New Orleans. I’m on my way. What can I do?”
I told him not to come because I didn’t even know what could be done.
The support from headquarters and the entire FYZICAL family at that time was unbelievable. My team and I boarded up the building and did everything we could that day, and then we went to New Orleans.
Q: What helps you deliver that kind of experience every day across all your clinics?
Jerry: God provided me with an incredible executive team, and I couldn’t do the number of clinics we do without them. I want to give them — and all of our staff — credit for the hard work they do. I couldn’t do this without them.
I always tell our staff, whether we're interviewing or talking to them, that no one is more important than anyone else. From the housekeeper to me, we’re all equally important. We all have different roles, but every role matters.
I never want anyone to think I did this alone. I’m just part of it.
Q: What does being part of the FYZICAL family mean to you personally?
Jerry: As I said, it’s priceless. I’ve heard many franchisees say that out of everything FYZICAL offers, the family means the most.
Being part of FYZICAL has opened doors I never would have had access to. I wouldn’t have even known those opportunities existed. There was no way I would have ever been approached about some of these things if I weren't part of FYZICAL. That’s why I would never take credit away from FYZICAL for our growth — they absolutely contributed to it and opened doors.
Ultimately, it’s God, and He gets the glory for everything. And personally, I get uncomfortable when people say, "Yeah, sure, God did His thing, but you had to do a lot." And I did. You have to be willing to work hard and take risks. I’m a risk-taker — my wife supports that, and she supports me. She knows I seek the Lord in all that I do, and she has security in knowing that.
Jerry may be goal-driven by nature, but for him, every clinic represents an opportunity God has placed before him: another way to serve, reach people, and live out his calling.
Q: As you look ahead, how do you think about growth and what comes next?
Jerry: God gave me this number of 30. I don’t know why, and I don’t necessarily have a desire to have 30 clinics myself. But He can do all things, so we’ll see.
I’m good right now. I was good with the last clinic and the one before that. I don’t have to grow anymore.
But I am growth-oriented and goal-oriented. So we’ll keep doing what we’re supposed to do. If God continues to open doors that we need to step through, we’ll pray through them and step through the ones He opens.
Jerry’s story ends where his purpose begins: with people.
Every clinic, every patient, every breakthrough is part of a legacy built not on numbers, but on impact. It’s a legacy still unfolding — one life restored, one family supported, one community strengthened at a time.
Q: When you think about the legacy behind the name “Mr. FYZICAL,” what do you hope people remember most about the lives you’ve helped change?
Jerry: My older brother is always bragging on me. He was a computer programmer, got tired of corporate America, and started doing handyman work about 25 years ago. He’s come into some of the clinics—he lives five hours away—and helped me remodel one of them.
He always says, “I can’t believe how many people God has you helping.” Just being in the clinics, he sees and hears it. And that’s a blessing—to be used by God to help so many people.
My prayer every day is that He would increase my territory, meaning He would use me to reach more people.
This is my mission field.
That’s who I am.
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