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Monday 8:30am - 8pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm

Pelvic Resilience

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Canada
Kitchener, ON
Pelvic Resilience

A private Occupational Therapy practice assisting individuals struggling with pain and pelvic health

https://pelvicresilience.ca/
We also offer mentorship to clinicians interested in developing a more psychologically-informed practice or launching an innovative practice in the field of chronic pain, mental health, or women's health

12/22/2025

🎙️ Loved this conversation SO much.

I had the joy of joining Lindsey Vestal on the mic with two brilliant humans — my fellow Canadian, psychologist Dr. Lauren Walker 🇨🇦 and trauma-informed pelvic health leader Dr. Krystyna Holland 🇺🇸 .holland

We talk about what trauma-informed care actually means (no buzzwords), why it’s essential in pelvic health & gynecological care, and how this research came to life — plus the real change we’re hoping to see as it reaches everyday clinical practice.

Also… can we talk about how good a Canada–US research collab is?! When we bridge borders and disciplines, care gets better. Period.

✨ If you care about pelvic health that centres safety, consent, and humanity — this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen via the OTs in Pelvic Health podcast
PelvicHealthOT PelvicHealthPT TraumaInformedPelvicHealth PelvicHealthEducation

12/16/2025

Sometimes, the fix isn’t the fix.

This week, I caught myself jumping straight to “fix-it mode” with my daughter when she was overwhelmed.

Logic. Reassurance. Problem-solving.

All the ‘right’ things — but not what she needed in that moment.

When I paused, asked for a “do-over,” and simply said “That’s hard, I’m sorry,” she exhaled.
I was reminded — when we prioritize connection first, solutions emerge more smoothly later.

We do this in health care, too.
When we feel rushed or pressured, we often skip connection, moving straight to our solution-focused agenda.

Yet empathy is not optional — it’s necessary and a scientifically sound strategy.
It creates the neurochemistry for co-regulation and safety - a prerequisite for meaningful change.

As .ca teaches, we need to Match, Mirror, and Move.
And sometimes, we have to circle back for a do-over to Match and Mirror before the “Move” can really happen.

💜 Drop a purple heart if you’ve ever humbly and bravely asked a client for a do-over when you’ve realized that you jumped too quickly to offering reassurance or solutions. 🙋‍♀️

12/09/2025

🗣️ “What do I do when a client chats with me as a way to avoid their anxiety during exposure?”

In exposure work, even small behaviors can function as avoidance. The goal isn’t to stop the talking — it’s to notice it together, explore the function it serves, and gently co-create strategies to anchor the client back to being with their anxiety and has an opportunity to manage it in a way that build self-efficacy.

That’s where the therapeutic value of exposure really grows — not by eliminating anxiety, but by helping clients practice staying with it.

12/02/2025

🌦️ “How do I manage my pain when I can’t control the weather?”

Weather shifts can be a powerful trigger for symptoms like pain, dysautonomia, and fatigue. You can’t change the forecast — but you can prepare with a weather survival plan.

Some helpful elements might include:
✨ Nervous system care — grounding, gentle breathwork, calming inputs.
✨ Energy budgeting — pacing, lowering demands, and softening expectations on high-trigger days.
✨ Comfort strategies — layering, heat, cold, or soothing sensory inputs.
✨ Recovery supports — hydration, nourishing food, movement, rest.

You can’t stop the storm — but you can make it easier to weather.

11/25/2025

🗣️ “What do you do when clients resist practicing self-compassion?”

For many, gentle self-compassion feels out of reach — too soft, too foreign, or even unsafe. That’s where fierce self-compassion can be a more accessible entry point.

Fierce self-compassion asks: What action can I take that honors my needs and boundaries, even if I don’t fully feel deserving yet?

Some experiments to try with clients:
✨ Saying “no” to one extra demand this week
✨ Scheduling rest as a non-negotiable appointment
✨ Advocating for themselves in a small but meaningful way
✨ Choosing food, movement, or routines that nourish rather than deplete

Sometimes acting “as if” can open the door to truly feeling deserving over time.

11/18/2025

🗣️ “How do you respond to shame and self-criticism?”

As clinicians, it helps to remember that shame and self-criticism aren’t things we fix for clients — they’re experiences we can meet with compassion and curiosity.

One powerful approach? Offer a menu of options and explore what resonates:
✨ Gently noticing the self-critical voice without fusing to it
✨ Naming shame as a common human experience
✨ Practicing kinder, more compassionate self-talk
✨ Asking about workability — does this way of relating move you toward what matters, or keep you stuck?

The goal isn’t to eliminate shame, but to help clients find different ways of holding it — and support flexibility in how they respond.

11/11/2025

🗣️ “What happened to the term compassion fatigue?”

Many are moving toward the term empathic strain. Because it’s not compassion that drains us — it’s empathy without boundaries.

Research from Dr. Kristin Neff shows that practicing compassion and self-compassion can actually expand our capacity, protect against burnout, and buffer us from empathic strain.

What if compassion is a renewable resource when intentionally practiced?

11/04/2025

🗣️ “Should I keep coming to see you, even though my pain has really settled down?”

Yes — because this is often the best time to do proactive work. With pain less overwhelming, we can focus on:
✨ Moving toward meaningful (but sometimes triggering) activities
✨ Applying pain management skills to deeper emotional discomfort

It’s not just about reducing pain — it’s about building flexibility and confidence for what comes next.

10/30/2025

As OT Month in Canada winds down, I’m feeling both grateful and fired up. 💛

Today, I have the privilege of joining Justine Jecker and to record an episode of CAOT’s Conversations that Matter Podcast — all about the occupational therapy role in pelvic health.

I’m so looking forward to an honest, nuanced conversation — about the challenges we face, the work still to be done, and why it’s so incredibly worth it to keep raising awareness in this space. 🌿

Everywhere I go — conferences, podcasts, classrooms — I meet OTs who care deeply about helping people live more freely. That’s what this is really about.

Pelvic health isn’t niche.
It’s everyday life.

From chronic constipation in kids, to post-prostatectomy recovery, to navigating menopause, trauma, or intimacy — everyone has a pelvis, and everyone deserves care that supports their ability to participate fully in what matters most.

As Renee Quiring put it so beautifully:

“OT brings an unmatched depth and versatility to pelvic health… guiding clients through rebuilding routines, regaining confidence, and restoring function across all areas of daily life.”

That’s exactly what we do.
We make pelvic health care accessible, trauma-informed, and rooted in function — and we’re only getting started.

Here’s to continuing the conversation — and continuing the work. 🔥

10/28/2025

Thank you !
Building bridges between disciplines has been one of the most rewarding parts of my journey. 🤝

In pelvic health, collaboration isn’t optional — it’s essential. When OTs, PTs, nurses, physicians, and mental health providers come together, clients receive care that’s not only comprehensive but truly human.

Still, I know it can be easy for OTs in Canada to get caught in the weeds — especially when we see limitations or restrictions in what our role looks like. It might not always involve “hands-on” work in the traditional sense, and that can stir some identity confusion when we’re learning from interprofessional colleagues who work differently.

But here’s the thing: our lens is the difference-maker.
The occupational therapy perspective brings meaning, context, and function back to the centre of care. We help teams connect the dots — how symptoms intersect with routines, relationships, roles, and values — so that interventions actually translate into daily life.

When we anchor ourselves in occupation-based practice, we don’t just define our role more clearly — we expand what’s possible for the whole team. We add vision, coordination, and compassion to complex care.

OTs don’t replace anyone on the team — we complete the circle of care.
Here’s to staying grounded in our roots, curious in collaboration, and confident in the value we bring. 🌿

10/23/2025

Every symptom has a story.
Every body has a reason. 🌿

Occupational therapists are trained to look beneath the surface — to understand why patterns persist.

Sometimes it’s overwork or fear.
Other times, trauma, sensory overload, or a nervous system doing its best to protect.

said it beautifully — OTs help clients change the drivers of their symptoms.

Through occupation, we use meaningful activity to help the body find safety again.
When people return to what matters — movement, connection, creativity, rest — the nervous system starts to believe it’s safe.
Threat drops.
Tension eases.
Symptoms often follow. 💛

This month, I’m especially excited to share that A Practical Guide to ACT for Rehabilitation Professionals is officially launching — a project years in the making.

ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) helps us and our clients build psychological flexibility — the ability to stay open, grounded, and connected to values even when discomfort shows up.

In pelvic health, this is everything.
Willingness — not avoidance — becomes the pathway to both regulation and freedom.

Because healing happens when we stop trying to “fix”… and start to understand.

✨ Want to join ACT: A Practical Guide for Rehabilitation Professionals?
👉 Link in bio or DM me for details.

Address

625 King Street E
Kitchener, ON
N2G2M2

Opening Hours

Monday	8:30am - 8pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm

Website

http://pelvicresilience.ca/

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