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

Marcy , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Starting The Down There Doc was never a “safe” move—it was a leap, a trust fall into the unknown, and honestly, one of the scariest things I’ve ever done.

For years, I had started and owned thriving in-person practices, I worked for hospitals, I taught, I trained other PT’s. I was hands-on, literally, helping women heal from birth injuries, regain strength, and reclaim their bodies. The work was intimate, personal, and deeply fulfilling. But I kept seeing the same problem over and over again: access. Women were falling through the cracks. Too many were left suffering because they didn’t have the right care, the right guidance, or even the right language to advocate for themselves. And they didn’t even know this type of care existed

I knew I needed to do something bigger. I had the expertise, the knowledge, and the drive to change the system—but how? I had 2 small children, a husband at the time who was unavailable to help or support, and we would love cities and states for his job.

How do you take something as nuanced and individualized as pelvic floor therapy and make it accessible online? Could I create a digital space that actually worked, where women could get the tools they needed without setting foot in a clinic? Would anyone even trust it?

There was no blueprint for this. I had to figure it out as I went—learning about online education, content creation, digital marketing, and all the things they don’t teach you in PT school., all while moving, raising kids, and trying to keep up woth the ever changing digital landscape. I also had to fight my own doubts (and the doubts of others) that pelvic health could be taught effectively online and that I would “make it”.

But I kept going. I built The Down There Doc from scratch, launching courses, creating content (3 am in my living room while my kids slept), and using my voice to cut through the noise. And it worked. Women from all over started enrolling, engaging, and—most importantly—getting results. Seeing women regain their confidence, heal faster, and feel heard? That’s when I knew the risk was worth it.

I went from treating one patient at a time to reaching thousands. I traded the safety of a traditional practice for something uncharted, and it paid off in ways I never imagined. Now, I get to change the way we think about birth, recovery, and postpartum health—on a scale I never could have achieved within four walls. And this is just the beginning.

Taking the leap was terrifying. But staying small, staying safe, and letting women continue to suffer in silence? That was never an option.

Marcy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi, I’m Dr. Marcy Crouch—board-certified women’s health physical therapist, founder of The Down There Doc, and a fierce advocate for changing the way we talk about, prepare for, and recover from birth. I’m on a mission to bridge the massive gaps in maternal healthcare and give women the tools, education, and support they need to prevent birth trauma, heal, thrive, and reclaim their bodies after birth.

I’ve spent my entire career in pelvic health, and one thing became glaringly obvious early on: women are not getting the care they deserve. Too many are told that leaking, pain, prolapse, and dysfunction are just the “price” of motherhood. Too many are dismissed, ignored, or left to suffer in silence. And I knew I had to do something about it.

That’s why I created The Down There Doc. What started as a traditional, hands-on practice evolved into a comprehensive online platform offering birth prep and postpartum recovery courses, resources, and expert guidance—all designed to give women (and their partners) the education and strategies they need to avoid preventable injuries and recover fully. I took everything I was doing in the clinic and transformed it into an accessible, digital experience so that no one has to struggle just because they don’t live near a pelvic floor PT or don’t know where to start.

What We Offer: Real Education, Real Recovery

Through The Down There Doc, I offer:

Online Birth Prep & Recovery Programs – Courses designed to help women prepare their bodies for birth and recover properly after, so they don’t end up in crisis mode months (or years) later. These programs teach prevention strategies to minimize the risk of pelvic floor injuries, perineal trauma, and complications that too many women are told are just “part of the process.”

The Partner Course – Because birth isn’t a solo act. Partners play a huge role in labor and recovery, and this course helps them understand how to be supportive, proactive, and actually help during the process.

Postpartum Power – A step-by-step guide to healing after birth—no matter how you delivered—so you can get back to feeling strong and confident in your body.

Return to Running & Return to Sex Programs – Because getting back to the things you love (and feeling good doing them) shouldn’t be a mystery.

Breaking the Silence on Pelvic Health – I don’t just educate women—I work to change the culture around birth, recovery, and postpartum. These issues have been shrouded in shame and silence for far too long. I talk openly about pelvic health, birth injuries, and the realities of postpartum so women finally get the information and validation they deserve.

What Sets The Down There Doc Apart?
Unlike traditional postpartum advice (or, let’s be honest, the lack thereof), my approach is rooted in science, expertise, and actual solutions. I don’t just help women survive postpartum—I help them thrive. I’m not here to tell you to “give it time” or “just accept your new normal.” I’m here to give you the tools to prevent injury, take control of your recovery, and feel powerful in your body.

And I’m not afraid to say the things no one else is talking about. Birth trauma, pain with sex, pelvic floor dysfunction—these topics shouldn’t be taboo. The more we talk about them, the more women realize they’re not alone and that there’s help available.

I’m also a mom, so I get it. I know what it feels like to be dismissed, to struggle, to feel like you’ve lost a piece of yourself in the chaos of motherhood. That’s why my work isn’t just about education—it’s about empowerment. It’s about making sure no woman has to feel alone, ashamed, or hopeless about her body after birth.

What I’m Most Proud Of
I’m proud that The Down There Doc has changed lives. I’ve helped thousands of women worldwide take control of their recovery and finally feel heard. I’ve had moms tell me that they avoided major surgery, saved their relationships, and felt stronger postpartum than before pregnancy—just from following my programs.

I’m also incredibly proud of the conversations I’ve started. Women are finally talking openly about pelvic health, birth trauma, and the realities of postpartum recovery—because they’ve been given the language and knowledge to do so.

What I Want You to Know

If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or years out from having kids and still dealing with issues—this is for you. You don’t have to live with pain, leaking, prolapse, or feeling disconnected from your body. You don’t have to suffer in silence. There’s a better way, and I’m here to show you how.

You deserve real answers. You deserve real recovery. You deserve to feel like yourself again. And The Down There Doc is here to make sure you do

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Resilience isn’t built in the moments of success—it’s forged in the moments of doubt, exhaustion, and sheer survival mode. And if there’s one moment that illustrates my resilience, it’s this: me, sitting on my closet floor, crying, wondering if I had made the biggest mistake of my life.

When I decided to take The Down There Doc from a traditional in-person practice to an online business, I knew it was a risk. But I believed in it. I knew women needed access to real education and support around birth and postpartum recovery, and I was willing to do whatever it took to make that happen.

What I didn’t realize? How damn hard it would be.

I sank everything into this business—time, LOTS of money, energy, myself. I took on debt to get it off the ground. I hired a team because I knew I couldn’t do it alone. And then, when the numbers weren’t climbing fast enough, when revenue wasn’t flowing the way I had projected, I had to make the hard choices:

I paid my team before I paid myself. I kept everything running, even when it meant I was scraping by. I stretched every dollar. I juggled expenses. I strategized, pivoted, and adjusted constantly just to keep the business alive.

And all while dealing with the relentless voices—some external, some internal—saying, You can’t do this. This won’t work. No one will pay for this. Maybe you should just go back to a “real” job.

I heard “no” from investors, from brands, from partnerships, from people who didn’t understand why this mattered. I had people question if pelvic health could even be taught online. I had moments where I started questioning myself, too.

And then there was the day I broke.

I had been holding everything together—running the business, being a mom, pushing forward despite the mounting stress. But that day, it all felt like too much. I locked myself in my closet, sat on the floor, and sobbed. The weight of it all—the financial strain, the exhaustion, the fear—came crashing down.

But after a while, I wiped my face, took a deep breath, and got up. Because here’s the thing about resilience: it’s not about never breaking. It’s about getting back up anyway.

So I kept going.

I found new ways to grow the business. I leaned into my mission harder than ever. I stayed focused on why I started this in the first place—to change the way we think about birth, postpartum, and women’s health.

And slowly, things started shifting.

The courses grew. The community expanded. Women started talking—about their bodies, their pain, their recovery. The impact was real, and I could see it.

Now, The Down There Doc is helping thousands of women worldwide. But it didn’t happen overnight. It happened through sheer resilience—through the closet floor moments, the unpaid months, the relentless “no’s.” It happened because I refused to give up.

And if there’s one thing I’ve learned in this journey, it’s this: No one is coming to save you. You have to bet on yourself, even when no one else will. Even when it’s terrifying. Even when it feels impossible.

Because on the other side of that struggle? That’s where the magic happens. So when I still have these moments of doubt, which I do frequently, I go cry in the closet, and then get up and keep moving,

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Building my reputation in the women’s health and birth recovery space wasn’t about playing it safe. It wasn’t about saying what people wanted to hear. It was about saying what they needed to hear—loudly, consistently, and unapologetically. And ruffling a few feathers in the process.

The biggest thing that helped me? Telling the truth.

For too long, women have been told to “just deal” with the trauma, pain, and dysfunction that can follow birth. Leaking? Normal. Pain during sex? Expected. Feeling broken? “Welcome to motherhood.”

I refused to accept that. And I refused to let women believe that suffering was just part of the deal. And I openly challenged providers that are of that midset

What Set Me Apart?
💥 I Talk About the Hard Stuff. I say the words people tiptoe around: vagina, prolapse, tearing, painful sex, leaking. I break down the taboos and make pelvic health something we can actually talk about—without shame, without stigma, without the usual “just do Kegels” nonsense.

💥 I Show Up as Myself. I don’t hide behind medical jargon. I’m direct, I’m real, I make things relatable. I bring humor into an often uncomfortable topic because if we can’t laugh about the wild reality of birth and postpartum, we’ll just cry (and trust me, I’ve done plenty of both).

💥 I Give Women Actionable Solutions. I don’t just talk about the problems—I give women a way forward. My courses, my content, my entire brand is built on giving women back control over their bodies.

💥 Consistency. I kept going—even when it felt like no one was listening, even when the algorithm didn’t love me that day, even when I was exhausted and unsure. I kept educating, kept advocating, kept showing up. And over time? People started listening.

💥 Real Results. At the end of the day, reputation is built on impact. The reason women trust me isn’t just because I talk about this stuff—it’s because my methods work. They see real changes in their bodies, their recovery, their confidence. They share their success stories. And that word-of-mouth has been one of the most powerful tools in growing my platform.

The Bottom Line?
I built my reputation by telling the truth, showing up, and delivering real results. I didn’t try to fit into a mold. I didn’t water down my message. I spoke directly to the women who needed this information the most—and they found me because no one else was saying it this way.

And I’m just getting started.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thedowntheredoc.com
• Instagram: thedowntheredoc
• Facebook: thedowntheredoc
• Linkedin: Dr. Marcy Crouch, PT, DPT, WCS
• Youtube: thedowntheredoc
• Other: TikTok: thedowntheredoc

Image Credits

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