About Us
What is A Life In Balance?
A Life in Balance (ALIB) is a wellness studio located in Flemington, New Jersey, dedicated to partnering with people who are looking to improve their health and well-being. Through physical and occupational therapy, ALIB assesses people who are in pain or have movement limitations that are keeping them from living their best life. With a thorough evaluation and treatment plan, patients decrease pain, improve balance, and achieve overall wellness and improved functional mobility. In addition to physical and occupational therapy, we also offer wellness and preventative care through 1-on-1 reformer pilates, transitional fitness, dry needling, as well as massage. Continual physical activity allows patients, who have achieved an improved level of mobility with physical therapy, to optimize their health and wellness.
We work from the outside in to address multiple layers of compensations that keep you from living your best life. We prove that pain is not a necessary part of aging. We rehabilitate old and new injuries, improve body awareness and motor development, and we help athletes achieve their highest level of performance. We address individualized needs in a small and intimate setting with one one-on-one attention.
Our Mission
A Life in Balance began as Dr. Paula’s attempt to bring together all of her different experiences and approaches that she cultivated over the years to the patients that she treats. Her goal was to provide patients one-on-one care that treated the body as a WHOLE and not the sum of its parts. People with injuries are often referred to by their injury - “the knee patient” or “the guy with the bad back”. At ALIB, a person is not just someone who has knee or back pain. Rather, you are an entire person and your entire body is treated at once. Pain is a symptom - it doesn’t always tell us WHAT the problem is. We treat the pain and symptoms by addressing the root cause using neurokinetic therapy, neuromotor and neurodevelopmental techniques, full body exercise, and global pattern improvements.
Over the years, we have incorporated more forms of whole-body care to the practice through occupational and massage therapy, as well as fitness, yoga and pilates. By taking care of your whole body, injury or no injury, we can best help keep you at your optimal level of function for many years to come!
Our Team
Physical Therapy
Owner, Physical Therapist
Paula Czapla PT, DPT, OCS, IADN Crt.SP.
Dr. Paula Czapla provides in-depth evaluation and treatment of infants through adults. She specializes in functional movement and mobility using traditional and alternative strategies. Dr. Paula received her clinical doctorate in Physical Therapy from Seton Hall University in 2006. She specializes in infants' functional and integrated health and wellness through adults.
Dr. Paula is also a yoga instructor and focuses on a mind-body connection. She uses neurological and manual treatment strategies, along with traditional strengthening, to help her patients regain their highest level of mobility. In addition, she earned her Dry Needling Certification from Intricate Art Spine & Body Solutions in September 2023 and became board-certified by the American Physical Therapy Association in Orthopedics in June 2024.
Dr. Paula is also a second-degree Reiki and incorporates that into her treatments. As a college athlete, she played softball at Villanova University where she attended undergraduate school prior to transferring to Seton Hall University. She has coached girls’ softball and was the founder and head coach of a competitive travel girls’ softball team in northern New Jersey. She loves the outdoors, hiking, biking, and kayaking. Dr. Paula currently lives in NJ with her husband, daughter, and three dogs.
Physical Therapist
Aurora James-Palmer, PT, DPT, PhD
Aurora's journey started with a passion for dance and gymnastics, but a high school ankle injury changed her path. Inspired by her own rehabilitation, she pursued a career in physical therapy. She graduated from Rutgers University in 2018 with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. Afterward, she continued her studies at Rutgers, earning a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation and Movement Sciences, focusing on remote yoga interventions for individuals with movement disorders.
During her Ph.D. studies, she also worked as a clinical physical therapist in a Newark preschool. In 2022, she completed her dissertation and began practicing outpatient physical therapy in Lebanon, New Jersey, and now at ALIB.
Aurora integrates her yoga knowledge into her treatment sessions, combining it with manual techniques, neuromuscular re-education, and traditional strengthening and exercise interventions. She values the partnership between clients and clinicians and helps individuals achieve their goals. Outside the clinic, Aurora enjoys nature, elephants, and staying active. She spends her free time on her yoga practice, creating recipes, and listening to audiobooks.
Physical Therapist Assistant
Lauren Karafin, PTA
Lauren earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Pennsylvania State University in Kinesiology with a specialization in Movement Science in 2013. Upon graduation, Lauren began working full-time as an aide at Bucks Physical Therapy Sports Rehabilitation and Aquatics where she had once rehabilitated her knee from an ACL tear. Inspired by her co-workers, she decided to return to school for her Associate of Science from Harcum College becoming a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant in 2016. She utilizes manual techniques, strengthening and endurance training, neuro-muscular re-education, and functional activities in order to optimize patients’ quality of life and mobility. Lauren is enjoying her journey at ALIB learning and adopting Dr. Paula’s methods and integrating her own. She also holds an Integrative Lifestyle Medicine Certification from the Living Well Institute.
Lauren spends her spare time outdoors playing fistball, pool basketball against her dad and brothers, taking her mom’s spin and reformer classes, spending quality time with her partner Jess kayaking, taking Joey to the dog park for long walks, recreating comfort food recipes with healthier ingredients, hiking, biking, motorcycling, and staying active.
Physical Therapy Assistant
Cassie Szabo
Cassie has always had an interest in healthcare since she was young. She had many family members who worked in the industry and loves to help others. Cassie began working as an aide after receiving physical therapy herself while studying Exercise Science at Raritan Valley Community College. She soon realized that she wanted to become a therapist after seeing how physical therapy can be life-changing for so many people.
Cassie recently graduated with an Associate of Applied Science in May of 2022 from Union County College and became a Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant. She helps improve patients’ quality of life by using manual skills and therapeutic exercises. Cassie is excited to grow within ALIB using Dr. Paula’s methods and continuing to learn even more from continuing education courses.
Cassie is never bored between hiking, working out, binge-watching her current show, and spending time with her friends and family. She has a dog and a cat who are best friends and never leave her side when she’s home. Cassie enjoys baking, Marvel, spending time outdoors, and playing sports.
1-on-1 Trainer
Tracy Bubalis, CPT, CNC, CF-L2 Trainer
Tracy has been a fitness enthusiast since high school (cross country, track, and horseback riding). After graduating from college, she worked in the corporate setting, while still pursuing fitness on the side as a Spin and Boot Camp instructor.
Tracy discovered CrossFit and functional fitness in 2017 and hasn’t looked back. She is now a Senior Coach at ASDC CrossFit in Flemington, where she leads group classes and also trains clients privately. After undergoing surgery in early 2023, Tracy made the most of her recovery time and studied to become a Certified Nutrition Coach with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. It was at this same time that she became a patient at A Life in Balance to assist with her recovery. Tracy obtained her CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) through NASM in October of 2023 and decided that she wanted to use her training to help others the way ALIB helped her.
In Tracy’s spare time, she enjoys working out at CrossFit, riding her pony, Meatball, baking and decorating cookies, painting and creating artwork, and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapist/Pilates Instructor
Sarah Stangota, OT
Sarah Stangota graduated from Thomas Jefferson University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. In addition to being a board-certified Occupational Therapist, Sarah holds the following certifications:
Neurokinetic Theory Level 2
PWR!Moves®️ Therapist Certification
Teacher trained in Balanced Body Pilates Mat 1, Reformer 1, 2, and Apparatus 1, 2
Sarah’s passion for Occupational Therapy began at the young age of 13 when she was babysitting a special needs child. After completing her degree, she focused her practice in the Birth-21 years age group in multiple environments, including early intervention, hospitals, and schools. She ran an independent practice for 9 years before taking a short break to have more “mom” time with her 4 young kids. She joined A Life In Balance in May 2020. Sarah’s goal is to help patients become as functional as possible to carry out their everyday activities, including those at home, school, or work. Sarah utilizes a multi-dimensional approach to evaluating and treating her patients.
Massage
Licensed Massage Therapist
James Czapla, LMT
Motivated by his wife, Paula’s dedication to health and wellness, Jim got his massage license in 2015 and has been an integral part of the practice ever since. He enjoys working alongside the physical therapists at A Life In Balance to provide neuromuscular massage as a component of their rehabilitative care. Prior to becoming a massage therapist, Jim worked for Siemens Healthcare where he was a customer service engineer. In this setting, he received experience in the management of healthcare processes and has been able to bring that professional experience to A Life In Balance.
Jim was in the Air Force from 1995 to 2004 and traveled all over the world as a weapons instructor. An amateur hockey goalie, Jim played and coached for over 25 years most recently at Flemington Ice Arena. Jim lives in Sergeantsville, NJ with his wife Paula, their two children Liam and Rory, and their four dogs Ollie, Colbie, Izzy, and Rosie. In his spare time, you can find him hiking, napping, or at a Philadelphia Flyers game!
Front Desk
Practice Manager
Joanna Resnick
Joanna started her journey at A Life in Balance as a yoga student while she was finishing up her yoga teacher training. Once becoming a certified instructor in June 2016 she joined the staff as a yoga teacher. A little less than a year later she was a full-time manager of the yoga studio!
When the physical therapy office underwent restructuring in 2018, she offered to help out at the desk and put her master skills of organization to use. It wasn’t long before she became overall practice manager and can take sole credit for keeping everything running smoothly on both sides of the Stangl Factory. When she isn’t keeping all the wheels turning, you can find her spending time with her family and her two dogs or riding her Peloton.