We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Carlin Reaume a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Carlin, thanks for joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

Immediately after giving birth to my daughter in 2019, I was jolted into the realization that there is a significant gap in support for new parents. My daughter had her regularly scheduled medical check ups 2 days, 2 weeks, and 2 months after birth, but in the midst of all of that, I felt as though no one was really checking in on how I was doing (which I honestly would describe as “barely holding it together”). I felt like there was no one to turn to that could help me navigate such a massive life transition in all of the ways that I was looking for. I wanted to know how to care for my postpartum body in a way that best supported its healing. I wanted to understand how to find ways to reconnect to the person I was before giving birth so at least not every single part of the experience felt new. I wanted to feel more knowledgeable about where and how I could seek out support and what might be baby steps to get there that would help feel more achievable. I wanted to feel equipped with tools to help better navigate this transition with my partner. The list is long.

I started my private practice during a pandemic, so needless to say, it was a unique experience. I began with virtual services to provide maternal wellness support and then eventually expanded into providing mobile, in-home services to address a variety of postpartum concerns and now am thrilled to say that I have my own brick and mortar office location where I focus on providing holistic pelvic floor therapy for people who have given birth. A cozy oasis for healing where my clients can come to rest, feel safe, and be cared for.

My advice to anyone thinking about starting their own practice is to not let yourself get in the way. I am the type of person who wants everything to be “perfect” before jumping in. I want the processes to be smooth, the client experience to be seamless…none of that is possible on the first attempt. So get out there, let it be messy. My motto for myself at the very beginning was “take imperfect action”. Otherwise I would be paralyzed with fear that I wasn’t doing things ‘right” the first time around. So I started taking action, knowing that each step of the way was an opportunity for me to learn, refine my processes, and help move my business forward towards the vision that I have for it. Necessary growing pains, if you will. The driving force that has continued pushing me forward is thinking about all the people that are looking for the care that I know I can provide. There are people really struggling who are looking for my help. They don’t particularly care about the copy on my website or how often I post on Instagram or whether or not I send out a weekly newsletter. I was finding myself paralyzed around some of these pieces – and not to say that they don’t matter, but just don’t let them stop you from moving forward.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

As a licensed occupational therapist with a strong foundation in mind-body practices, I bring a valuable perspective to addressing the gap in care that occurs for so many people after giving birth. My journey started with over a decade as a professional dancer in L.A., followed by obtaining a clinical doctorate in occupational therapy from the University of Southern California along with certifications in Pilates and yoga. I followed this education with additional specialized training in yoga therapy, perinatal mental health, pelvic floor rehab, and trauma-informed care.

At my private maternal wellness practice, Supported Mama, I work individually with clients to provide holistic pelvic health services – both in person at my office in Sacramento and virtually throughout California. I help people who experience pain with intimacy, leakage, diastasis recti, prolapse, and many other pelvic floor dysfunctions, as well as those who are just trying to learn how to navigate the process of caring for their bodies after giving birth. I specialize in working with parents who are feeling particularly overwhelmed, or those who have a history of trauma or perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

A common piece of feedback I receive is that clients feel truly heard and seen by me in a way that they don’t often experience with other healthcare providers. They often tell me that they leave our time together feeling much more grounded, informed, and empowered. I could hope for nothing more.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I truly think that the biggest support to building my reputation within the community is my clear passion for this work and that fact that I am fully 100% myself, all of the time. I show up the same way in social media interactions as I do at public speaking engagements as I do during one on one client interactions. My strength lies in the combination of my rich professional background and my personal experiences navigating motherhood. I don’t need to try to be anyone else – something that continues to feel more and more comfortable for me as I grow older. The way I provide care to my clients is informed by the way that I would have been wanted to care for. People know what to expect when they choose to work with me. My clients truly know how deeply honored I feel to be walking alongside them in their journey.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Within helping professions, it is essential to figure out what kinds of boundaries need to be set for yourself in order to avoid burnout. I have limited the days and times that I am available to take on clients. I build in breaks when I need to. This allows me to show up in the way that I want to for every single client, for my family, and for myself. When I push beyond this, there’s a negative impact that is always felt somewhere. I am the best version of myself when I honor my boundaries, which allows me to make time to restore in the ways that I know fulfill me most – plenty of movement, solo quiet time, snuggle time with my little one, quality time with my dearest loved ones, and nurturing special connections with my community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.supportedmama.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/supportedmama

Image Credits

Emilie Bers, Christine Alward