Dr. Heidi
DR. HEIDI GASTLER
When Dr. Heidi Gastler founded Mountain to Sea in 2016, she set out to create a physical therapy experience unlike any other in Southern California. A lifelong adventurer, she believes in pushing herself and her patients beyond the limits. She grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota where she competed in downhill ski racing and snowboarding and danced in a ballet company. An avid ocean-sport enthusiast, she felt the call of the Pacific and relocated to Southern California in 2011. She enjoys spending her free time either on or under the water, prone paddling or scuba diving.
She has paddled 32 miles from Catalina Island to the Manhattan Beach Pier three times in the Catalina Classic paddleboard race and she has her Advanced Open Water Diver certification. When she’s not at the beach, you are likely to find her hiking with her dog, Doc, keeping fit at her local powerlifting gym or in the mountains backpacking or skiing.
She believes life should be lived and aims to arm her patients with what they need to achieve their physical goals.
Natalie
DR. NATALIE PAVDEEN
Dr. Natalie Padveen, a Montreal native, has dedicated the past 32 years of her life to the practice of physical therapy in the United States, with stints in Boca Raton, Florida, Toronto, Ontario, and most recently has settled in Los Angeles, California. Her journey began with a physiotherapy degree from McGill University in 1992, and she has never looked back since. She is deeply passionate about education and prevention, a passion that led her to author “Leak No More – What your parents never told you about good bladder and bowel habits.” Dr. Natalie is also a certified barre and spin instructor. When she is not offering lectures to the public on topics relating to pelvic floor dysfunction and caring for your pelvic floor during Menopause, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two adult sons, and her four-legged child, Charlie.
Natalie
NATALIE ECKHARDT
Natalie was born and raised in Southern California and grew up playing basketball, softball, volleyball and running track before a 10-year career at Fox Sports, where she met her husband. After bonding over their history of bad backs they were married, welcomed a honeymoon baby in 2018 and completed their family with a baby girl born in June 2020.
While in search of a career better equipped to balance work and family life, Natalie crossed paths with Dr. Heidi and was named business administrator in 2019. Once the pelvic floor physical therapy program launched that summer, she quickly realized the importance of the community care approach, especially in regards to pregnancy and postpartum.
Prior to having two kids (and Covid!) she spent her time practicing yoga, going on hikes, dabbling in new adventures, being outdoors and traveling. Now you’ll likely find her in a never-ending search for self-care while trying to balance work, family, relationships and grinding hard to help change the way pregnancy and postpartum is handled in our country.
In addition to administrative duties, Natalie launched her own business and serves as a Birth and Postpartum Doula and Certified Lactation Counselor. Natalie’s services include prenatal prep visits, birth attendance, postpartum support sessions, lactation support, and referrals for additional support including mind and body work, nutrition and hormone support, placenta encapsulation, baby and parenting classes, parent-child therapy sessions and more.
Natalie is on a mission to make sure new parents never feel alone and to educate birthing people on the full scope of pregnancy and postpartum healthcare options, with her own care providing valuable and necessary services adjacent to Mountain to Sea Physical Therapy’s Pelvic Health program.
Dogtor
DOC "THE DOGTOR"
Doc “The Dogtor” is both Dr. Heidi’s medical alert dog, as well as Mountain to Sea Physical Therapy’s therapy dogtor. Doc was born in August 2020 in Utah at Green Valley Aussies and came home with Dr. Heidi at 8 weeks old. He immediately started training as a medical alert dog and grew up working in the clinic. Doc has never failed to make a friend – be it human or animal – and especially loves children. In clinic, he both watches over Dr. Heidi as well as providing patients with calm and comfort.
Outside of the clinic, Doc’s favorite things are hiking with Dr. Heidi, checking the surf with his dad, playing with his friends at the dog park and, of course, SNACKS!