Dr. Russ L'HommeDieu, DPT
Speaker, Educator, Clinician
Dr. Russ L’HommeDieu ( lohm-DEW ) has been a practicing physical therapist for over 35 years.
He began his career after earning his master’s degree in 1990 and has since worked across virtually every clinical setting you can imagine, including acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health, outpatient orthopedics, and pediatrics.
He went on to earn his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2007.
Dr. L’HommeDieu is also a certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist, a wellness coach, and a Certified Age in Place Specialist. He recently completed the Harvard Bok Higher Education Teaching Certificate and is currently finishing his Doctorate in Healthcare Education and Leadership at Nebraska Methodist College.
His doctoral research focuses on how compassion training can reduce burnout and improve well-being in healthcare professionals, which is a topic that could not be more timely or more important.
He is also the owner of a rehabilitation staffing company, giving him a rare perspective that bridges both clinical practice and the business realities of healthcare.
In recent years, his work has expanded into teaching, consulting in the health technology space, and even co-authoring children’s books with his wife, Karen, about their differently-abled dog, Daisy.
These stories center on kindness, compassion, and resilience, values that deeply reflect who he is and how he leads.
What makes Dr. L’HommeDieu especially powerful as a speaker is not that he presents himself as someone who has all the answers.
Instead, he comes to us as someone who has walked through struggle, burnout, and challenge, and who continues to navigate that journey with humility, honesty, and courage. He speaks not from perfection, but from experience, reflection, and deep care for the well-being of others.
My Projects
Practical Innovations
Practical Innovations is a healthcare consulting practice. We specialize in training and leadership coaching, instructional design, and health-tech innovation, helping organizations build sustainable systems for professional development, compassionate care delivery, and the integration of emerging technologies into clinical practice.
C.O.R.E Framework
The CORE Framework is an instructional design methodology developed by Dr. Russ L'HommeDieu, DPT that ensures every learning experience is Concise, Organized, Relevant, and Engaging. It provides educators and organizations with a repeatable structure for creating content that learners retain, apply, and translate into meaningful behavior change.
Three Paws Publishing
Three Paws Publishing was co-founded by Dr. Russ and Karen L'HommeDieu, inspired by their three-legged therapy dog Daisy. Our mission is to teach and empower all children through the power of story, creating books that celebrate inclusion, resilience, and social-emotional learning for young readers everywhere. Dr. Russ is also a
Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS)
Occupational Distress Syndrome
Occupational Distress Syndrome moves beyond the burnout metaphor to offer a precise framework for understanding workplace suffering. Grounded in Carol Ryff's eudaimonic well-being model, it identifies how organizational demands damage internal human flourishing. The site provides assessment tools, explainer resources, and evidence-based pathways to restore workplace well-being architecture and purpose.
Northeast Restorative Care
Northeast Restorative Physical & Occupational Therapy Services is a rehabilitation staffing company.
We are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of patient care with a focus on compassion, professionalism, and achieving the best possible outcomes for our patients.