Featuring Alyssa Easley, Owner & Physical Therapist
Happy Wellness Wednesday! Today we’re giving the stage to a super important piece of women’s health that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves: The Pelvic Floor. Yes, that area of muscles often referred to as your core, located in your pelvis.
West Pelvic Wellness in Katy is a business all about meeting where you’re at. They bring pelvic wellness wellness to you, wherever you’re at. With options like Concierge Physical Therapy at the location of your choice to virtual physical therapy sessions, Owner and Physical Therapist Alyssa Easley makes it easy for women to get the treatment they deserve.
We don’t know about you guys, but we didn’t even know what pelvic floor health was before having our second baby. It’s not something we were even told about! But since learning more about the importance of your pelvic floor, we started doing research of our own in 2018.
We’re here to tell you, every woman should make this a priority. You only get one pelvic floor and with the right tools and therapy, you can unlock all kinds of goodness by ensuring yours is in tip top shape.
With West Pelvic Wellness, your goals are the top priority. Alyssa believes, like us, that Pelvic health is a vital part of daily life. With a holistic approach, she will meet you where you are and give you the tools you need in order to meet your rehab goals.
We are thrilled to feature this mama today and give her business the spotlight and attention it deserves! Whether you’re pregnant, one year postpartum, or had babies 10 years ago, Alyssa would love to help!
Check out our full interview with this mama below! And if you’re not sure if you’re a good candidate for pelvic floor PT, give her a call!
Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the Katy area?
I am originally from the Austin area (Georgetown TX). My family and I have lived in Katy for 3.5 years now.
You are a Mama, too! How old are your kiddos?
My stepson is 16 years, my oldest daughter is 7 years old and my youngest daughter is 16 months old.
What are some of your favorite local things to do in the Katy area (with kiddos or just for you!)?
I love grabbing coffee at Summer Moon. I also love taking my girls to shop at Chloe’s Closet. I enjoy working out with other Mamas when I have the time. My family and I are pretty easy going, so we love to just hang out with each other when we have time. And of course visiting local Katy restaurants.
Tell us about West Pelvic Wellness! When did you begin this service and what was the inspiration behind it?
I officially started West Pelvic Wellness 6 months ago, but I initially had the idea close to a year ago. As a Mom of multiple kids and a pelvic health PT (working full time in a busy clinic), I realized mobile pelvic floor PT would be so beneficial to Moms in our area. After the birth of my last daughter, I took all the time off for maternity leave that I could. When I went back to work full time with a full patient caseload and trying to manage pumping and newborn life, I realized that taking time out from work and mom-life to go to my own pelvic floor PT appointments would not be happening. I want pelvic health and pelvic floor therapy to be accessible to all Mamas!
What services do you offer?
I offer concierge pelvic health physical therapy in Katy and the surrounding areas and virtual pelvic PT in all of Texas. Concierge means that I come to you wherever you need- your home, your garage or backyard, a park, etc. I also offer wellness pelvic health consultations for Moms not necessarily needing PT visits but still want to check up on their pelvic health, prepare for pregnancy or delivery and know what to expect for postpartum.
When did the passion for pelvic health begin for you?
I became interested in pelvic health after I had my first daughter while still completing my physical therapy doctorate program. I chose to do some of my observation hours with a pelvic PT and then did one of my clinical internships in pelvic PT. I love pelvic health because it is so important throughout people’s entire lifespan, from potty training to older age. Bladder health, bowel health and sexual health are very important for a person’s overall quality of life, so helping people in their journey to improve these things is super rewarding for me.
Tell us about pelvic health and the pelvic floor, and how this affects moms specifically.
Pelvic health involves bladder health, bowel health, sexual health and core/abdominal health which includes your ability to exercise and do daily activities without pain. During pregnancy, delivery and postpartum there are a lot of potential changes to a Mom’s pelvic health. The changes in a person’s body that happen during pregnancy and after are all very normal, but also very challenging. Pregnancy and labor/delivery are like marathon sports.
How does one know when they might need pelvic PT?
You might need pelvic PT if you have bladder issues (leakage, urgency/frequency, difficulty emptying and/or pain), bowel issues (leakage, urgency/frequency, constipation, hemorrhoids and/or pain), sexual issues (pain or difficulty with arousal or intercourse), pelvic pain, back pain, hip pain, abdominal pain, diastasis recti, prolapse. I also recommend a check-up following delivery of your baby(ies) to assess your pelvic floor and abdominals and help with timely healing and get an individual exercise plan for recovery.
What conditions/symptoms do you treat and how do you treat them?
Here’s a list of what I treat. If you’re reading this and not sure if you fall into one of these, feel free to reach out to me. : )
Bladder or bowel leaks, bladder or bowel pain, constipation, pelvic pain, vaginismus, painful and/or difficulty with sex and orgasm, back pain, hip pain, pubic symphysis pain, diastasis recti, pelvic organ prolapse (pelvic or vaginal pressure and heaviness), pelvic muscle spasms and more.
As a physical therapist, I treat the musculoskeletal and neuromuscular systems of the body. When I do an assessment, I look at your posture, your flexibility, your strength and your joints. As a pelvic physical therapist, I have specialized training in internal pelvic muscle assessment and treatments. This is very individualized and completely up to the client. But overall, I use a combination of hands on techniques to help muscles, joints and decreasing pain as well as exercises to improve the problem areas that are causing your problem to happen. Each of my clients gets exercise homework, which is how you get better and move forward to make progress with your own personal goals.
How does being a mama yourself affect your work with your patients?
Being a Mom helps me relate better to a lot of my clients. I see and have felt the changes my body went through to have kids. I also know how important it is to take care of yourself and your own health in addition to all the other responsibilities we have as Moms. So many pelvic health problems have been taboo, but I really want Moms to know that they are not alone and that there are solutions to whatever they are facing.
What did you do prior to starting West Pelvic Wellness?
I’ve worked for some of the large hospital systems in Houston as a PT since I graduated in 2015. During PT school, I thought I would work in pediatrics and did for a short time before switching to full time pelvic health.
How do you “balance” being a mom of 3 and a business owner?
I try really hard to be present when I am home with my kids. This means that I usually schedule business time and phone time when I can. I’m not the best at it, but I’m a work in progress!
Do you get the dreaded “mom guilt”, how do you cope?
I’ve always been a very sensitive person and very empathetic- So Mom guilt is so very real to me! When I had my first daughter in school, I really struggled with feeling like I was not doing enough (in school and with my family). One of my professors in PT school told me that as a Mom, there would always be something to feel guilty about. I also had a family friend tell me that “there is no award for trying to be super mom” (so ask for help when needed). I try to not feel guilty about the things that I can’t really change and reach out for help when I need it. It helps that I really love my job! And of course, love my kiddos really hard when I’m with them.
Future plans for your businesses?
Right now I run West Pelvic Wellness on Saturdays, and am trying to make it my full time job. So be on the lookout for my expanded hours in the next few months! I also plan to offer some fun pregnancy/postpartum recovery exercise groups over the summer. One day, I hope that at West Pelvic Wellness I can offer in-clinic and mobile therapy services.
Any discounts or specials our moms can look out for?
I am looking forward to offering some pelvic health discussion and Q&A events online and in-person in Katy. Follow along on social media for more details. And if you book with me now through the month of February, you will receive my low introductory rate!