Pivotal Connections

Healing Hospitality meets Balanced Excellence

At Pivotal Connections, we help people live life to the fullest.

We understand that pain or injury isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s something that keeps you from doing what you love.

If you’ve tried physical therapy before and left feeling frustrated—rushed appointments, generic exercises, and only partial relief—you’ll notice right away that Pivotal Connections is different. We combine individualized, one-on-one care with advanced, evidence-based techniques to help you achieve results that last.

As an Integrative Physical Therapy and Wellness Center, we offer a comprehensive approach that blends traditional physical therapy with restorative therapies designed to activate the body’s natural ability to heal. Our team takes the time to identify the root cause of your pain, then tailors your treatment to restore movement, strength, and confidence.

Our mission is not only to help you recover, but to help you rediscover what’s possible. We want every person who walks through our doors to leave feeling better—not just with relief from pain, but with renewed energy, optimism, and a sense of hope for what’s ahead.

Our Therapy Team

Dr. Sandi Buchheister, DPT, OCS, RT(DXA)
(pronounced Boo-hi-stir)

Doctor of Physical Therapy, Board Certified Orthopaedic Specialist, Radiology Technician for BMD

Dr. Sandi Buchheister has built her career around one core mission: helping people move, heal, and thrive independently for life. She takes a holistic, whole-body approach—seeking out the true source of pain and movement dysfunction to help her patients recover beyond what they ever thought possible.

A proud Midwesterner from Wisconsin, Sandi earned her undergraduate degree in Biology from Lawrence University, where she also played collegiate soccer. Before pursuing physical therapy, she gained a wide range of experience as a personal trainer, microscopy technician, YMCA membership director, and endurance athlete—competing in marathons and triathlons.

In 2008, Sandi earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. After years working in high-volume clinics that prioritized numbers over people, she founded Pivotal Connections Physical Therapy in 2014 to provide the kind of individualized, high-quality care her patients deserved. She later brought her practice to Arcata in 2016, where it has continued to grow and evolve.

Sandi became an Orthopedic Certified Specialist (OCS) in 2017 and is currently pursuing certification in Osteopractics to further deepen her expertise in advanced manual therapy and dry needling techniques. Her broad clinical background includes Sports and Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Geriatrics, and Women’s Health, with a special focus on injury prevention and movement dysfunction.

She believes prevention is not only easier—but smarter and more cost-effective—than treatment.

Dr. Buchheister is currently accepting new clients on a very limited basis. To join her waitlist, please contact the clinic directly.

Nikki Davoodiaria, PT, DPT, Cert. Pilates

Doctor of Physical Therapy, Certified Pilates Instructor

Nikki Davoodiaria is a licensed physical therapist with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Oakland University, Rochester, MI. She is a certified Pilates instructor from Stott Pilates® and has a Bachelor of Science degree in clinical psychology. She moved from Metro Detroit to Humboldt in 2016. She has over 17 years of experience in sports and orthopedic rehabilitation.
Her special interests include, but are not limited to, evaluation and customization of individually tailored exercise programs for athletes with injuries and or to prevent injuries. Nikki has extensive experience in applying Pilates principles to clients with injuries. Her primary goal is to develop, maintain, and restore functional abilities and improve body awareness. Her focus in physical therapy lies in combining therapeutic exercise, patient education, and manual therapy to provide effective rehabilitation interventions.

Rehab Pilates We offer rehabilitation Pilates, aimed at those who are recovering from injury/pain, surgery, or postural related pain and problems. The Pilates method focuses on building a healthy, balanced, injury-free body by encouraging controlled and concentrated movement. Our licensed physical
therapist, who is trained and certified in the Pilates method, uses her knowledge and skills to properly diagnose and treat areas of muscle and joint dysfunction. The Pilates method approach to rehab centers the body with core strengthening and stabilization while maintaining a dynamic flow. The benefits of Pilates-based rehabilitation from a licensed Physical Therapist and certified Pilates instructor is remarkable.

New Client

Current Client

Schedule Pilates

Christopher Mitchell, CMT

Certified Massage Therapist

These Values Drive Everything We Do

Vitality

Hope-filled

We believe everyone deserves to live life to the fullest, which is why we’re in the business of getting our patients better than they ever thought possible. We approach our work in a way that not only helps people recover and maintain their peak health but also gives them a sense of hope.

Hospitality

Healing

You’ll feel it from the moment you walk in—we foster a feeling of warmth and genuine joy throughout our clinic. Our goal is for you to leave our clinic feeling better—not only with relief from pain but also feeling lighter and happier as they go into the rest of their day.

Excellence

Balanced

As high-performance athletes ourselves, we understand the drive to push our bodies to the limits. But sometimes “no pain, no gain” can lead to straining our bodies past what’s healthy. We’re committed to helping our patients balance their hard work with a deep and effective self-care regimen to help them go the distance.

Our Support Team

Sheli Benson - Administrative Assistant

Sheli is responsible for many of the behind the scenes wizardry that goes on here. She joined the team early in 2022 and has proven herself to be extremely valuable in making the day to day process running as smoothly as possible. Sheli has been working on projects that will roll out over the course of the next 6 months. Make sure to stay tuned for those!

When Sheli is not at work she enjoys running, working out, handing out with family and exploring everything that Northern California has to offer. Make sure to stop in and meet Sheli!

Sebastian (Seb) Vaisset-Fauvel

Seb is pursuing his undergraduate degree in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Physical Therapy while also competing for the Cross Country and Track teams at Cal Poly Humboldt. His educational and athletic background not only provides him with a strong foundation in the field but also enables him to offer valuable insights and guidance to our clients. Outside of his professional pursuits, Sebastian embraces an active and vibrant lifestyle. He enjoys spending time with friends, fishing, biking, hiking, playing soccer and running. Living in Humboldt has taught him how to appreciate a lot about nature and the community he lives in.

Bel Halet

Write up coming soon!