How to Find The Best Fit Pelvic Floor Specialist For You
With different options available, it’s essential to find a specialist who aligns with your values, possesses the necessary skills, is conveniently located, fits your budget, and makes you feel safe and supported. Here are some aspects to consider to help you choose the best match for your needs:
Safety
Safety is most important. Pelvic health can include vulnerable issues and treatments, so it is critical that you are in a safe environment.
Consent: Your specialist should always obtain your explicit consent before any assessment or treatment. This includes explaining what the treatment involves, why it’s necessary, and ensuring you are comfortable with proceeding. You should feel empowered to withdraw consent at any time without fear of judgment or pressure.
Trauma-Informed: A trauma-informed therapist will be aware of the potential for emotional triggers and will approach your care with empathy, understanding, and a focus on creating a safe, non-threatening environment. They should regularly check in with you and adjust their approach based on your comfort level.
Shame-Free Environment: Pelvic floor issues can often involve deeply personal and vulnerable topics. Your therapist should handle these matters with the utmost respect and confidentiality. It should be a safe space, where nothing is TMI. They should foster an environment where you feel safe to discuss your concerns without fear of embarrassment or discomfort. It should also be a shame-free space to never feel guilty for “not doing homework”. If there is an incongruence with what feels plausible, motivating, or appropriate for you and what your provider recommends, then there should be a guilt-free conversation about a new strategy.
Skills and Expertise
Ensure your therapist has appropriate qualifications and experience for what YOU are looking for. Pelvic floor therapy is not a protected term. This means that anyone providing treatment towards the pelvic muscles can claim they are doing pelvic floor therapy.
License: Typical licenses to look for in a pelvic floor therapist would be occupational therapist (OT), occupational therapy assistant (OTA), physical therapist (PT), or physical therapy assistant (PTA).
If you find someone with a different license and approach that can bring you to the same outcome you’re looking for and you prefer that provider, great! It is completely up to you as the consumer to find someone that is the best for you.
Example of another provider you may fit best with: A yoga therapist who specializes in pelvic floor yoga therapy.
Specialty Education: Pelvic health is a specialty. Currently, licensed degrees at a baseline (OT or PT) are not enough in itself to provide pelvic floor therapy at its fullest. Pelvic health is also vast in what it can cover. When looking for a provider, see what types of treatments or conditions they specialize in. This may especially be important if you feel your situation is more unique or specialized.
If you’re unsure how someone’s specialty aligns with your needs, just ask. Most people in pelvic health are very passionate and love life long learning. If we don’t feel specialized enough for a certain population or condition that comes up, we may be able to do some research and get back to you or we may know someone we can refer you to.
Experience: Experience level is another factor to check out, whether that be within pelvic health in general, or with a condition or population specific to you. Someone also may be open about lived experience on pelvic issues that you connect with. As a colleague of mine, Kayla Concannon, says, “lived expertise is greater than degrees”.
Techniques Used: Seeking out specific treatment methods? What pelvic floor therapy looks like can vary significantly from therapist to therapist. Some may be more exercise focused, some are heavy on body work, some are more mind-body based, and some are a mix of it all. If you are seeking a certain style or technique, keep this in mind.
However with skills, experience, and techniques, I encourage you to keep an open mind. You may be surprised at what or who ends up fitting with you best.
Location
Convenience is key to maintaining consistent therapy sessions:
Proximity: Choose a therapist whose clinic is easily accessible from your home or workplace. If it is farther, ensure an option for teletherapy.
Accessibility and Feasibility: Consider how a clinic matches your wants or needs such as if they have a parking lot, a close by bus stop, accessible entrances, etc.
Availability: Check their office hours and appointment availability to ensure they fit into your schedule.
Cost
Assess your finances and the level of importance for your pelvic wellness. Use this information to check in with what your budget will be. Consider factors such as:
Insurance Coverage: If you want to use insurance, verify if they accept your insurance and/or check with your insurance company to ensure coverage. Most out of network providers can provide a superbill for you to take to your insurance, if your insurance offers out of network benefits.
Session Costs: Inquire about the cost per session and any package deals or discounts for multiple sessions. Many clinics offer sliding scale options if not using insurance.
Payment Plans: Ask if they offer flexible payment options.
Remember, this is an investment. Think about what value this care will bring to your daily life, and how your quality of life will be impacted. Also consider into your budget, how it may impact spending in other aspects, such as reducing costs of other pain management or incontinence management products.
Shop Around
Remember, it’s perfectly acceptable to shop around or change therapists if needed. Some ways to get to know a specialist better:
Website: To get to know a provider better, you may find more information on their “About Me” or “Meet the Team” pages. Here you will often find information such as their specialties and treatment styles.
Discovery Calls: Depending on the clinic or provider, you may also be able to do free 15-20 minute calls. This gives you the opportunity to ask questions and see if it feels like a best fit for you. If you can’t talk directly to a provider, you may also have the option to chat with someone from the front desk who may have insight that helps you.
Switching Therapists: If you’re not satisfied or feel like something is off, it’s okay to switch to another therapist who better meets your needs. This care is for YOU, not them. Do what feels best for you.
Finding the right pelvic floor specialist might take some time, but the effort is well worth it for your pelvic wellness. By considering these factors, you can ensure you choose someone who is the best fit for you.
Visit our directory page to help find your best fit pelvic floor specialist.
