Our Mission
One-On-One Approach To Physical Therapy
It is so commonplace these days to hear people complain that their healthcare professional only spent a few minutes with them before rushing to the next patient. “I barely had time to tell them what was wrong before they were gone.” Unfortunately, this is also true at most other physical therapy clinics.
At Starace Total Balance Physical Therapy we have elected to avoid the industry standard of scheduling 2 or more patients at the same time with unlicensed staff participating in patient care.
We remain committed to providing one-on-one care. This commitment makes all the difference in the patient’s experience.
Dr. Mike & Omayra Starace
Dr. Mike Starace is a native of Sayville, New York. He attended Touro College of New York where he received his undergraduate degree in Health Sciences and a doctorate in Physical Therapy. Dr. Starace found his way to New Smyrna when his father retired and moved to Florida. Before going into private practice, he accepted a position as the Clinical Director of the Neurological Unit at Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Daytona Beach. Mike focused on neurological rehabilitation for patients with traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and spinal cord injuries. He is the recipient of a Star Award given by Brooks Rehabilitation for treating a brain/spinal cord injury patient from a trauma accident. With the help of his wife, Omayra, Dr. Starace fulfilled his dream of opening a private practice and founded Starace Total Balance Physical Therapy P.A. in 2017. When he isn’t spending time helping patients reach their goals, Dr. Starace enjoys spending time with his wife and two wonderful stepdaughters. Aside from kickboxing and mountain biking, his leisure time is also spent on his motorcycle. He holds a pro-motocross license and participates in motocross and motorcycle road racing. He now resides in Palm Coast, FL where he moved to be with his loving wife. Together, they travel and explore the underwater world by scuba diving.
Omayra Starace is originally from Puerto Rico. Her parents decided to uproot the family to St. Augustine, FL where the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind was located in order to provide a better life for them and her deaf brother. Omayra worked in the medical records department of Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine for over eight years. She fell into the sales and advertising world on a random day when she passed by a tent sale hosted by Xcel media. The owner, Rick Teets, was there and saw potential in her and hired her as a greeter. She quickly learned the ropes of the industry where her new career has brought her joy in seeing her clients succeed with Xcel Media’s products. As Xcel Media’s only female in sales, she holds the record for the salesperson retaining the most business. She is also the recipient of the company’s award for superior performance. The knowledge she gained about healthcare from Flagler Hospital combined with her experience in advertising, helped Omayra assist her husband in founding Starace Total Balance Physical Therapy P.A. Above all, Omayra is the proud mother of two beautiful daughters whom she enjoys spending time with outside of work. Together, with her husband, they all enjoy kickboxing, mountain biking, traveling, and exploring the underwater world by scuba diving.
Robert “Bob” Rodgers PTA
Meet Robert “Bob” Rodgers
A Pennsylvania native but Central Florida resident since 1981, Bob has been providing high-quality Physical Therapy services since 2012. He graduated from Daytona State with Honors and was his Physical Therapy Assistant Class President.
Bob has worked in every type of rehabilitation setting, including managing an outpatient clinic, and can address most any injury or problem you may have. He has completed multiple classes for improved manual therapy and training techniques. Bob prefers to be hands-on and interactive with clients to progress them as quickly as possible to be safe, strong, and independent. Having worked in different fields prior to entering the therapy profession, he understands the different needs of each individual, and how to quickly get them back to what they want or need to do.
When not helping clients, Bob is likely to spend time with his wife and son, either at home, the beach, school functions, or out finding new things to do in the local area. He also keeps himself in shape by working out in his home gym, or by doing yard work. If Bob is not at home or with his family, then you will probably find him out riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Miguel Palau PTA
Meet Miguel Palau
Miguel Palau is a New Yorker who, like many other NY’ers, came to Florida to be away from the craziness of northern life and live the southern beach life instead. He shares his home life with his wife Chris Palau and daughter Mackenzie Palau. Miguel has lived in Ormond Beach for 11 years and enjoys watching his family grow up there.
Miguel graduated from Daytona State College physical therapist assistant program in 2019 and has been in the medical industry since 1998 when he was a firefighter/EMT. He has worked in several health care environments including, Acute care, Emergency care, and Long term and outpatient. Miguel really enjoys taking this therapy adventure with his clients and seeing their progress as they continue down their own improvement path. When he’s not in the clinic, Miguel works with high school and college color guard, and percussion performer designing shows and working on perfecting the program until the end. Miguel also works as a contest coordinator and announcer for pageantry arts programs around the world.
Miguel can’t wait to meet and work with you to achieve your therapeutic goals and improvements.
