Dance like everyone’s watching

October 1, 2025

A diverse group of people, including wheelchair users, dance and laugh together in a colorful, neon-lit room with balloons and haze. A sign reads, “Caution may cause dancing,” creating a true sense of belonging for everyone present.

Paris and Alexi showing off their moves with their Shepherd Center dance partners. (Pictured left to right): Katie Metzger, Director of Brain Injury Services; Alexi Dodson; Shereena Rodney, Case Manager for SHARE Military Initiative; Madison Russell; Paris Carter; and Joseph Ralph, Apothecary Associate. Photo by @eley_photo

Healing in motion: The rhythm of belonging and recovery at Shepherd Center

Rehabilitation at Shepherd Center doesn’t follow a script — it dances to its own rhythm. It doesn’t always begin in a hospital bed or end when you leave the building. Healing here is less about checklists and more about moments: the ones that make you laugh unexpectedly, rediscover your passions, and feel truly seen. It’s joy in motion. Whether that means dancing through pain, crossing a 5K finish line, or finding community in the most unexpected places..

Rediscovering strength through connection

For Alexi Dodson, that motion began after a life-changing spinal cord injury. She arrived at Shepherd Center with a feeding tube, a tracheostomy, and fears of losing her independence. She left with renewed strength, confidence, wrist-powered mobility, and a deeper connection to herself and the people around her.

“I talk to my body now,” Alexi says. “I thank it for everything it’s endured. When I need hope, I remember how far I’ve come.”

Alexi, a former Zumba instructor, found healing in therapy, music, humor, and even dancing. Even on the hardest days, there were reasons to smile. Therapists danced through complex procedures. Nurses made her laugh until the hallways echoed. Peers bonded over inside jokes that only someone walking a similar path could understand.

“We learned to laugh until we were crying, instead of just crying,” she says. “That’s the Shepherd difference.”

A woman in a wheelchair with headphones enjoys music, radiating hope. Two inset circles show her with a medal and a peer support mentor, and posing outside Shepherd Center. Neon lines arc over the dark purple background.
Alexi, a former Zumba instructor, embraced healing through therapy, music, humor, and even dance. Above, she enjoys music; shares a silly face with her peer support liaison, Daquarius Greene; and smiles outside Shepherd before heading to an Atlanta United soccer game.

Embracing new passions and possibilities

But Shepherd Center’s impact reaches far beyond inpatient rooms. Just ask Paris Carter, who was first referred to Shepherd after aging out of pediatric care. What began as a visit for specialized services soon became something more.

“Even during the height of the pandemic, with masks and distancing, the staff created an atmosphere of joy and compassion,” Paris says. “That environment truly drew me in, and it kept me coming back.”

As an outpatient, Paris found belonging through the driving program, the seating clinic, recreational therapy events, and adaptive sports. She’s now part of a basketball team, plays tennis, and dreams of skiing more often after a Shepherd-led trip introduced her to the slopes.

“I’m way more active now than ever,” she says. “And I’m excited for what’s ahead for me, and what’s ahead for Shepherd Center, too.”

A smiling woman in a sports wheelchair is in the foreground, embodying hope. Two circular inset photos show her in graduation attire by a university sign and outdoors in a wheelchair, all set on a purple background.
Paris discovered community, joy, and new opportunities beyond inpatient care. Above, she’s pictured before an Atlanta Hawks game; celebrating her Master’s graduation in Healthcare Management/Informatics; and hitting the slopes with adaptive equipment at a Shepherd Recreation Therapy event.

Laughing, belonging, and being seen

The sense of camaraderie that defines the Shepherd experience doesn’t depend on the length of your stay. It’s felt in the quiet encouragement of a therapist, the laughter shared at rec therapy, and the small moments that stick with you forever.

For Paris, one of those moments came at the finish line of her first post-injury 5K.

“A staff member recognized me and ran over to cheer me on. They remembered me and were so proud. That interaction meant the world to me,” she says. “That’s the heart of Shepherd. It’s not just a place where patients are seen. It’s a place where they’re celebrated.”

And for Alexi, the heart showed up in hundreds of small but powerful ways, from nurses who lifted her spirits to therapists who empowered her voice.

“They helped me believe in my body again,” she says. “They didn’t just support me; they reminded me who I was.”

Two photos framed by wavy white borders on a purple background: Left, two women smile together indoors. Right, two women share a joyful moment in a rehabilitation setting. Neon heart and star designs add hope to the image.
Paris and Alexi found connection in the little moments that mattered most at Shepherd — where encouragement and joy go hand in hand. On the left: Paris with Madison Russell, a friend she met through Shepherd’s Recreation Therapy events; on the right: Alexi sharing a laugh with her nurse, Deborah McNeesse.

A place like no other

Whether you’re recovering from a recent injury or navigating long-term care, Shepherd Center feels less like a hospital and more like a stage. A stage where every person is invited to move, grow, and shine. Here, healing isn’t just clinical; it’s emotional, communal, and often joyful. It’s a place where the music of hope plays loud, and everyone finds their own rhythm.

“The support I’ve felt is hard to describe,” Paris says. “The staff truly care. They’re deeply invested in helping every person become the best version of themselves.”

Both Alexi and Paris now serve as powerful reminders that healing isn’t linear or solitary. It’s something built together with heart.

“Give yourself so much grace,” Alexi says. “Forget about the big stuff. Focus on the little things. They’ll become your biggest accomplishments.”

Healing at Shepherd Center happens through hope, humor, and even moments of dancing where staff and patients like Dr. Jacqueline Rosenthal and Alexi celebrate progress and share smiles along the way.

About Shepherd Center

With five decades of experience, Shepherd Center provides world-class clinical care, research, and family support for people experiencing the most complex conditions, including spinal cord and brain injuries, multi-trauma, traumatic amputations, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pain. An elite center ranked by U.S. News as one of the nation’s top hospitals for rehabilitation, Shepherd Center is also recognized as both Spinal Cord Injury and Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems. Shepherd Center treats thousands of patients annually with unmatched expertise and unwavering compassion to help them begin again.

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