We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Katy Girlinghouse. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Katy below.
Katy , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result?
The best advice I have ever given to a patient is to tell them to believe in themselves, trust their gut and keep looking for answers until they get them. Several people have benefitted from this advice but one woman stands out in particular. She was working with a variety of doctors who had recommended different treatments which had at best done nothing and at worst had increased her pain after every treatment. The doctor was again recommending another series of this treatment, bladder instillations, and the patient was fearful that she her pain would continue to worsen after each treatment but didn’t know what else to do. We talked about all of the things going on in her life, how pain occurs in the body and factors that can increase pain and then she told me what she thought was causing her increased pain and we made a plan to address those factors – her high stress levels in college, fear of the pain never resolving and her posture creating more muscle tension in the pelvis. Once we had a plan that aligned with her beliefs and values she was able to see that the bladder instillations didn’t play a beneficial role and chose not to continue with them. Through addressing the root cause of her symptoms she was able to overcome her pelvic pain and return to college, sexual activity and other activities she enjoyed without pain.
Katy , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Pelvic Physical Therapy is such an under valued service that many people don’t even know it exists or think it’s only for pregnancy. That is what drove me to start working in this field. The more I understood that the pelvic floor and core play an essential role for every day life, the more I became inspired to help those who weren’t getting the support they needed in the medical community. Some of my first patients were those with back and hip pain who didn’t get better until I started addressing the pelvic floor function. Since then I’ve grown to provide support for anyone with pelvic, hip, abdominal and low back pain including conditions such as endometriosis, interstitial cystitis, sciatica, and pelvic girdle pain. While we do work with women during pregnancy to stay active and feel great we also work with them to prevent diastasis, bladder and bowel leakage and postpartum we will work with everyone to regain core strength, resolve any concerns, and return to weight lifting, running, horseback riding and playing with their kids!
I want everyone to know that pain isn’t normal and surgery isn’t always the answer. A great physical therapist can help you get better, longer-lasting relief!
Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?
Being able to listen to others, and really hear them, is the most important skill I utilize. Being able to listen helps me hear your real story and the hurt and frustration behind the obvious problem of having pain or leaking. Being able to listen allows me to get to the root of the problem, find the solution and help you surpass your goals!
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
People who have achieved things they never thought possible will always share their story with those around them. It may be a Mom that they can finally jump on the trampoline without leaking and gets to play with her kids. She will share that with every other Mom who complains or jokes about not being able to jump since having kids. My patients are the best referral sources and so I will always celebrate their wins and lift them up to be the amazing women they didn’t know they had within them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thefitpelvis.com
- Instagram: thefitpelvis
- Facebook: facebook.com/thefitpelvis
Image Credits
Mattie Lewis Photography