My Story...

I am an Orthopedic and Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, Certified Doula, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Certified Athletic Trainer based in Christmas City USA - Bethlehem, PA! I have a HUGE passion for spreading a message of hope and healing to EVERYONE who moves and has a pelvic floor (pssst, that means literally everyone!). 

My interest in Physical Therapy literally began in the womb! My mother was a Physical Therapist for 35 years who owned her own private Sports/Ortho PT practice a mile down the road form our home in the middle-of-nowhere, Central PA. My younger brother and I grew up in her clinic. I wanted to be just like my mom and "play" everyday while getting others excited about the health of their bodies!

I've worked as a PT in many corners of our nation in a variety of settings. In Denver, CO I worked with Dr. Kevin DeGroot (founder of TZero Physio and co-founder of Uncaged Clinicians) treating triathletes. In ABQ, New Mexico I worked at the University Trauma One Hospital on the Acute Neuro floor working with patients with spinal cord injuries. In Chattanooga, TN I worked at a large Outpatient Ortho Clinic where the toxic work environment eventually spurred me to start my own PT practice. 

While working in Chattanooga, TN, the lack of alignment with my purpose and the way I wished to provide physical therapy care to clients manifested into a physical illness. I knew I needed to leave my job. It felt like life or death. I decided it was time to start my own practice. 

I began looking at the needs of my Chattanooga community and where I could niche down to create a business. It was clear that there was a HUGE need for Pelvic Health Physical Therapy in my community. The only issue was that the lackluster 2 hour pelvic health lecture/lab I had received in PT school had in no way prepared me to venture into the field of Pelvic Health, nor had it made me excited about it. I had never seen a Pelvic Health PT in practice which made me question the validity and necessity of the field. Simply put, I didn't know if Pelvic Health was a joke. 

Desperate to create a way out of my current work environment,   I vowed to explore Pelvic Health and see if it was a viable jumping off point for me to create more alignment and purpose in my life. I started devouring every Pelvic Health book and blog I could get my hands on. I saved up money to take a Herman and Wallace level 1 course. Since Pelvic Health services were not offered in my current clinic, I was denied access to PTO and my CEU fund to pay for the course. Travel, accommodations, course fees, and unpaid time off made accessing my first Pelvic Health course SO EXPSENSIVE!

When I returned that following Tuesday after the course, I was horrified to learn that the clinic had started marketing for Pelvic Health services and I had 3 clients with pelvic health needs on my schedule. I felt betrayed, alone, and had no one to reach out to for help. In that moment, I knew it was time to quit my job.

Luckily, during my exploration of Pelvic Health I stumbled upon a surprise....I found a DEEP love for Pelvic Health! As PT in various settings, I had always felt like there was a hole in my knowledge and skillset. I felt that something was missing. I realized that Pelvic Health knowledge and skills was the answer to the hole that I had felt. As a PT, I was defined as an "expert in human movement," but it wasn't until I learned about the ORIGIN of all human movement - the pelvic floor and deep core system - that I felt fully armed in my profession. 

I decided to jump in and started a Concierge Pelvic Health PT Practice in Chattanooga, TN. For 2 years, I spent my time traveling to new mother's homes and providing care in the the comfort of their own space. It was pure magic!

At the end of 2019, I experienced intense burnout. I was still recovering from the illness that had manifested as I was living and practicing out of alignment with my ethics and values at my former job, and with my new business I had jumped in with a "hustle and grind" mentality that I THOUGHT was necessary for success (I know now that this is far from true and intentially foster peace and rest in my current business model). I decided to take a sabbatical on the other side of the world to answer the deep questions of life revolving around purpose, values, priorities, and the life I wanted to create. 

While in a tent in New Zealand, the idea for Pelvic Health Kickstarters was born! Pelvic Health Kickstarters is the world I have created to increase access to Pelvic Health Education and Mentorship for students and New Grads throughout our nation and abroad!  When was a new therapist trying to explore the world of Pelvic Health, I ran into a lot of obstacles such as decreased access to education, resources, and mentorship. When I couldn't find a clear path to reach my goals, I decided to create one so that no one would have the same rocky experience I did. 

Pelvic Health Kickstarters now hosts a variety of Free Master Classes, Courses, Mentorship Programs, and Networking Opportunities to pour into the next generation of Pelvic Health Educators, Advocates, and Clinicians! Our flagship program, The Pelvic Health Kickstarter Academy is now in its 8th season and counting! The PHK Academy provides sought out Pelvic Health education and mentorship to students throughout the nation and across the world in countries such as India and Slovenia!

If you have a passion for being the best PT you can be, I am already in your corner cheering you on! As an "expert in human movement," you NEED access to Pelvic Health education. No matter what setting or population you are passionate about working alongside, Pelvic Health is vitally important for everyone and is an integral base of knowledge for understanding and influencing movement, mechanics, compensation patterns, and wellness of the overall body system. 

In November 2020, I purchased a 102 year old Victorian home in Bethlehem, PA. My mother and I spent a year remodeling the first floor of the home into a clinic. In November 2021, Core 4 Healing and Wellness opened her doors to provide ortho and pelvic health services to the community, host music events and workshops in our backyard venue, and to provide in-clinic learning for students from around the world! 

It has been quite the ride, and I am looking forward to continuing to embrace the joyage! 

Come along with us! You are welcome here! :)