About

Teton Hand Therapy

Our Teton Hand Therapy staff has grown through the years to be a staff of 4 therapists, an office manager and an assistant office manager. There is now a Teton Hand Therapy satellite clinic in Driggs, Idaho. It’s been an interesting 15 years, to say the least. In 2006 our building caught fire and had to be rebuilt. During the interim, we saw our patients in the Equine Center of Teton Veterinary Clinic and were fondly referred to as “Teton Hoof and Hand”. We look forward to many more years of serving both the people of Jackson Hole and surrounding communities.

A Little History

Teton Hand Therapy was born out of necessity as the Jackson community grew. Cyndie Griggs, founder and owner of Teton Hand Therapy, began her career practicing occupational therapy in the local school district and the local hospital. As an occupational therapist with a close connection to the community, Cyndie set out to begin a specialized practice in hand therapy in 1988.

Cynth, as her children came to call her when they worked together, had been practicing general OT as well as hand therapy in an 8' x 10' office within the local hospital. Small as it was, she was happy to have the space, as it was much more than she had had in years past. When she entered into the hand therapy specialty area she met her first patient at her husband Kenny’s veterinary clinic. Then she and the family designated a room in their home as a small clinic. In the early nineties it became very apparent that Jackson Hole was ready for a hand therapy clinic.

In the fall of 1995, Cynth contacted her son, Rhett, who was an occupational therapist practicing hand therapy with Cynth’s hand mentor, Nina Healy at Colorado Hand Therapy in Denver, and asked if he would consider going into practice with Cynth in Jackson. He deliberated, Nina encouraged him and he consented.

Kenny and Cynth had decided to take a big leap forward and build an office building just three blocks from the hospital. Rhett, Cynth and Kenny worked with the architect on the clinic layout for weeks. Finally in January of 1996 they opened the doors of Teton Hand Therapy.

They continued to cover the hospital practice while building the hand practice for the next few years until the hospital was able to hire a full time occupational therapist. In 1998 Rhett decided to go back to school and become a physician and left the practice to Cynth. Rhett and his wife Lisa, who is a physical therapist, have instructed our hand clinic staff from time to time in pertinent continuing education topics.

It’s been an interesting 15 years, to say the least. In 2006 our building caught fire and had to be rebuilt. During the interim, we saw our patients in the Equine Center of Teton Veterinary Clinic and were fondly referred to as “Teton Hoof and Hand”.

Lisa Griggs Robertson decided to come learn about hand therapy and practiced with Cynth for two years. Lisa’s enjoyment of working with children and an interest in the visual systems in childhood development lead her in a different direction. Lisa went on to specialize in school district occupational therapy and vision therapy.

Stacey Griggs Cricchio practices pediatric occupational therapy as well as school district occupational therapy in Gainesville, Florida. Stacey’s husband, Mike Cricchio is the head of the hand clinic at Shand’s Rehab which is under the University of Florida. Cynth and Mike work together on their common interests in the management of hand therapy clinics as well as an annual conference, The Teton Hand and Upper Extremity Conference, which is held each winter in Jackson Hole.

Teton Hand Therapy has grown significantly through the years. Currently, Teton Hand Therapy employs four therapists in the Wyoming/ Idaho area, with clinics in Jackson, Wyoming and Driggs, ID. Additionally, there are now Teton Hand Therapy clinics in Crested Butte and Gunnison, Colorado. We look forward to many more years of serving both the people of Jackson Hole and surrounding communities.