April 2021
Why do you do what you do? We often ask this of our kids when they do something we just don’t understand. We want to know what thought process or influence got them to where they are. Knowing “the why” helps us understand them better.
As a pelvic physical therapist, I get this question ALL THE TIME! At some point in everyone’s care, I hear the same inquiry. “So… how exactly did you get into pelvic therapy?”. The story is years in the making but is a combination of my own health experiences and needs, a deep desire to connect with others and help them be the best they can be, and to meet needs (both in the community and in my own life).
In 2000, there was a group of physicians who approached the therapy clinic I worked at asking for therapists who could treat their bladder dysfunction patients. We did some research and found very few options for them and began looking for ways to fill this void in care. (No pun intended!) That was my first exposure to pelvic therapy. After a few courses, I realized how much this information and education was helping me with my own core issues, including 2 c-sections, an umbilical hernia repair, seasons of painful sex, and a lifetime of constipation.
In Physical Therapy, we are always striving to help people, to get them moving better and help them get back to doing the things they love most. In Pelvic PT, we take that a step further and help people get back to doing things that are so closely tied to our identities and how we see ourselves – as women, as wives, as moms. Pelvic therapy helps to restore parts of women’s lives that might feel like they have been lost. What an honor to help give that back to my patients!
And, to be fair, it has its perks. I get more one on one time with my patients than just about any other niche of therapy. I do a lot less lifting than days I’ve spent in the hospital mobilizing people, which means I can do this job for many more years (good news for you and for me!). And my favorite part: getting to see some of the sweet babies that sometimes tag along with their AMAZING MOTHERS!
It is such a privilege to be entrusted with the personal care of others and I am grateful every day for the role I get to play in their success!!
