As a pelvic floor PT, I am honored to witness profound changes in my clients’ outlook and overall sense of wellbeing as a result of our work together. One of the most difficult aspects of pain or dysfunction is the sense of powerlessness; you don’t know what is happening or how to change it. I help you regain some of that power, because you cannot change what you are not aware of.
Elizabeth (not her real name) was referred to me for painful intercourse. She had been married for 5 years, but had never been able to be intimate with her husband because it was too painful. She was referred to me by her gynecologist, who was unable to perform an examination on her due to pain. At out first visit, Elizabeth was tearful as she shared her feelings: guilt for not being able to be the sexual partner she wanted to be for her husband; confusion because she did not understand why this was happening to her; shame because she felt isolated, that only she had this issue; and fear that she would never be able to get pregnant. I shared space with her and acknowledged her feelings, while discussing the factors underlying her issues. We discussed how physical therapy could address pelvic floor tightness, and I explained the process of an internal pelvic floor muscle examination. We finished the session by working on diaphragmatic breathing, both to calm her nervous system and to introduce the connection between her diaphragm and her pelvic floor.
Over the next several sessions I worked with Elizabeth on improving the mobility of the joints, muscle and fascia of her hips and spine, and we continued breathwork, adding visualizations to improve the diaphragm-pelvic floor connection. I performed manual therapy to her abdominals, pelvis, and her vulva and perineum to improve tolerance to touch and stretch in her genital area. We began internal vaginal treatment, progressing steadily and gently, with her ongoing consent, to enable her to tolerate progressively increasing stretch to her vaginal tissues without pain.
Over the course of 3 months, Elizabeth transformed from distressed and isolated to hopeful and empowered. She was confident in her ability to manage her home dilator program, and possessed the tools she needed to manage the inevitable dips in progress. She knew how to calm herself, and how to make her body feel more loose and supple. Most importantly, she was able to resume intercourse with her husband, she had a pain-free gynecological exam, and she was excited about the possibility of becoming a mother.
There are similar stories; I have helped countless women (and men) reclaim their power and zest for life by helping them address their leakage, pain, prolapse, constipation...the list goes on. I would be thrilled to be given the opportunity to work with you. Reach out today for a free 15-minute discovery call, and let’s begin our journey together!
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