Start Your Pelvic Health Journey
I have been going to see Heather for a while now, and I can't tell you enough how much she has improved my quality of life. Heather specializes in issues like pelvic floor, but I see her for other orthopedic issues.
I have a lot of chronic joint pain and dysfunction issues (back, hips, neck) that require that have ongoing physical therapy maintenance. The effects of my problem joints/areas overlap and interconnect with each other in complex ways, so helping me requires really having a complete understanding of the entire skeletal and muscular system. Pain does not always appear where the problem actually is, the human body is a twisty, many-layered puzzle. I have an exercise program I do at home and I am very functional, but there are just something things I need a PT to help me out with.
I had been seeing someone out of state for several years, so when I moved to CA I had to find a new PT. This was a painful process, both literally and figuratively. I have seen DOZENS of PT's in the area and was unable to find anyone who could deal with the level of complexity of my issues. Part of this is because I was trying to find an in-network provider, but so many of those offices just want to get patients quickly in and out the door - quantity over quality. Those types of places can offer perfectly fine, efficient, and less expensive treatment for simple issues, but I am anything but simple. I also kept having PTs be completely dismissive of what I knew and understood about my own body from my previous YEARS of intimately getting to know my issues. I actually walked of one evaluation in the middle because the guy was so condescending to me (not to mention wrong about my diagnosis). Not only was this frustrating and demoralizing, but I went months without getting help which made all of my problems keep getting worse and worse and worse. By the time I found Heather, I was a complete mess, in constant pain, and I could barely turn my head because my neck was so messed up.
Right away she impressed me with her knowledge and experience. I told her about my history and the type of treatment I got from my previous PT, and she LISTENED. A lot of PTs assume a patient doesn't know anything about what is happening in their own body. Even if they don't have much experience, the patient's interpretation of what they feel is important to understanding the issue, and it makes them feel understood, validated, and in good hands. She explained her approach, and when she does things that differ from my usual experience, she explains what she is doing and why. She is extremely professional and courteous, I don't feel uncomfortable talking with her or having her work on me. When she does to manual work, you can feel that she clearly understands what she is doing, and she is GOOD at it.
Her treatment plan for me is a mix of manual therapy and in-office + home stretches and exercises (this will all vary based on your issue of course). She wants to help you get better, but she also emphasizes preventative care and tries to give you the skills and knowledge to take care of yourself so that you (ideally) don't need more PT in the future. I also appreciate that she occasionally takes continuing education courses to learn new techniques from other PTs, and keeps up on new research in the field. Together we have even made progress on my issues beyond where I was with my previous PT - I'm not the kind of person who will probably ever be able to go completely without a PT in my life, but working with her I can see a future where I don't need it very often and I'm mostly pain free.
I can't thank Heather enough for what she has done for me, and I'm glad I have someone I can trust when I need help. This has made me feel better physically, emotionally, and made me more functional and productive in my life/work. You will be in excellent hands with her!
-- Jamie M., 3/9/17 via Yelp!
