We were lucky to catch up with Katy Girlinghouse recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Katy, thanks for joining us today. What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?
My parents always believed in me. It seems a simple thing to believe in your children but then you watch them trying to climb at the playground and know that they’re going to fall because they just haven’t mastered that skill yet. You cheer them on, you say encouraging words, you give them a boost when they need it and then you get out of the way and let them do the work. My parents, Barry and Karen, always showed support and gave me a boost but they knew when to get out of the way so I could test my own skills and learn from my own experiences. Now that I’m a parent, I see how difficulty this can be at times. You see your kids challenging themselves and mine are toddlers still so I keep thinking of the playground. They push themselves to climb higher and higher and even though you’re screaming inside and holding your breath you encourage them to climb. You stand beneath them incase they lose their footing and you speak positive words or the occasional advice on hand placement. They know you are there and though they may not remember this specific moment in 30 years, they will remember that you were always there and always believed in them.
I take that feeling with me in every new adventure. I felt their support in school, sports, becoming an adult, getting married, traveling the country and in starting my own PT practice. Each new step is a challenge and even though I may slip off the rung and be dangling for a few moments, I know they are there to speak a word of advice and I’ll always be able to pull myself back up and prepare for the next step.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I founded The Fit Pelvis in April 2020 in McKinney and since that time we’ve grown to include office and home physical therapy appointments, birth preparation classes and individual session, and prenatal, postpartum and vinyasa yoga classes. We work with all people to solve pelvic health problems These can be urinary, bowel, sexual concerns or pain throughout the body. We are a unique practice because we work with you as a person and not just a body part. We take into account your lifestyle and schedule, your mental health, nutrition and the physical health from your head to toe. I love working with clients who really want to have a better life but aren’t sure where to start to get there. I love helping someone with pain with gynecological exams and sex when they came to me for leaking when they sneeze. I love that being a pelvic health physical therapist is my passion and it allows me to change the ability of people to really live their life.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
I connect with people on a personal level. Everyone wants to feel heard and I take the time to hear them. No matter what I can do to help them resolve their pain or incontinence it only works and it only matters if I listen first.
If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?
I would absolutely choose the same profession and specialty. I always feel better after I work with a client, even if they weren’t having the best day. The issues that we get to help people resolve are so personal and so life altering that many have dealt with them for years without telling anyone. Many have been told that nothing can help them or surgery is the only option. I help people get their life back, rediscover their passions and laugh again.
Contact Info:
- Website: thefitpelvis.com
- Instagram: thefitpelvis
- Facebook: thefitpelvis
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-fit-pelvis-mckinney?osq=the+fit+pelvis
Image Credits
Mattie Lewis Photography