5 Reminders for When OT Feels Hard (and Why That’s a Good Thing)

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Transcript

New and seasoned OTs are finding their calling in pelvic health. After all, what's more ADL than sex, peeing, and poop? But here's the question. What does it take to become a successful, fulfilled, and thriving OT in pelvic health? How do you go from beginner to seasoned and everything in between? Those are the questions, and this podcast will give you the answers.

 We are inspired OTs. We are out-of-the-box OTs. We are Pelvic Health OTs.

 I'm your host, Lindsay Vestal, and welcome to the OTs in Pelvic Health Podcast. So today's episode is for those moments when you're feeling unsure, overwhelmed, maybe like a little imposter syndrome is creeping in. Whether you've been a pelvic OT for years or just got started last month, I promise this episode will speak to you.

We're talking about the tough moments, those moments that make you question if you're cut out for this work. And honestly, those are often the moments that end up being the most rewarding. So today's episode, I am going over five reminders that I always come back to.

These are the things that I share with the over 1,700 students that I've had the pleasure of supporting with my program since 2018. And honestly, these are the same reminders that I give myself too, because no matter where you are in your journey, they still apply. All right, so let's walk through them together.

Number one, you know more than you think you do. Seriously, seriously, you really do. If you're hanging out in pelvic health OT spaces, listening to this podcast, joining us at the OTs for Pelvic Health Facebook group, which has close to 8,000 members now, being curious, right? You're already miles ahead of where most of your clients are starting.

We talk about the pelvic floor all day long, but out in the rest of the world, most people don't even know they have a pelvic floor, let alone how it works. So yes, when you talk about things like posture, breath or fiber, it might feel basic to you, but to your client, it is revolutionary. But remember this, simple is incredibly meaningful.

Think about a constipated client. Sure, they probably heard drink more water. Maybe someone told them to eat more fiber.But did anyone actually take the time to explain why that matters? Or better yet, did anyone ask them why it's been so hard to follow through with these recommendations? You see, my friend, that's where you come in. You get to slow it down, customize this information to the person sitting across from you and help them make sense of their symptoms. That's literally what makes you different.

And that's what makes the biggest difference. Putting it into the context of their lives makes the terms or the concepts of drinking more water and adding more fiber actually worthwhile. Reminder number two, go back to the basics. I say this all the time inside Pelvic OTPs United, my off-social media community. You can join us. The link is in the show notes. It's $39 a month. I go live every single week. And we have a very, very beautifully supportive community.

So the best do the basics better. Breath, posture, nervous system regulation, sleep, partner connection. These are not filler topics.They're foundational. So you can definitely layer in some more complex stuff like balloon training or SIBO testing at a functional medicine practitioner or referrals to a naturopath later on. But first, start what moves the needle.I once had a client in New York City who couldn't go to the bathroom, couldn't have a bowel movement unless it happened in 30 seconds or less. I am not joking here. She'd go into the bathroom.

She would sit down, try to go, and if it didn't happen right away, she was done, right? And this could go on for her. Her typical pattern was to stay in this constipated state for about four to five days. When we got curious about why, she remembered being teased as a kid by one of her sisters because she took too long in the bathroom. It probably happened a few times, but that tiny moment shaped her adult habits. And that is literally the power of OT. We hold space for stories.

We uncover the why behind the symptom. And we do that by sticking with the basics, right? Because the best do the basics better. Reminder number three, you don't have to know everything. Now, I know this is a hard one. We may feel like we need to know all the answers, have all the answers, especially when you're new. But here's the truth. Nobody knows everything. And we don't know something. It's totally okay, right? There's a lot of really beautiful ways that we can handle this.

One of my favorites is to say, let me look into that and get back to you. And then, this is important, you actually follow up. You actually get back to them in the timeframe that you said you would. Because what happens next is kind of magical. Your client trusts you even more. Not because you had all the answers, but because you were honest and you cared enough to circle back.

Reminder number four, practice, practice, practice whenever you can. When I was starting out in New York City back in 2014, I created a pelvic floor study group. Every time I took a course, I'd ask someone, hey, can I, we get together, can we practice on each other this weekend? Find your people.Practice with friends, with colleagues, family. Repetition builds confidence. And the more comfortable you are with your tools, the more present you can be in the room with your client instead of worrying about whether you're doing it right.

Reminder number four, have a grounding ritual. Now, this is a biggie. Find a way to ground yourself that's authentically yours. Even after being in this field well over a decade, I still get nervous before seeing clients. And you know what? I'm glad I do because it means I care. It means I want to show up well. But I've also learned that I need space between sessions. Early on, I literally booked my clients back to back and burned myself out. Now I give myself breathing room and it's usually just five minutes, but it makes a difference.

I will often make a cup of tea in that time. Often I'm lying down on the floor and stretching. I've even been known to stare at a wall. And honestly, sometimes that's enough. I have to take those moments to reset because every client, even with the same diagnoses, will bring something different. And I want to show up for that person, not just their symptoms. So if you're in one of those hard OT moments right now, I see you and I've been there. And I promise these moments don't mean you're failing. They mean you're growing.

So here's a quick recap of those five reminders. You know more than you think you do. Go back to the basics. You don't have to know everything. Practice whenever you can and have a grounding ritual. This work is hard, but it's also beautiful.So keep showing up, keep learning, and remember you're not alone. If this episode speaks to you, share it with a colleague who needs to hear it. And if you have your own grounding ritual, I'd love to hear what works for you. Email me, DM me on social, catch me at the OTs for Pelvic Health Facebook group. Until next time, take care of yourself like you want your clients to, with compassion, patience, and a little bit of grace. 

Thanks for listening to another episode of OTs and Pelvic Health.If you haven't already, hop onto Facebook and join my group, OTs for Pelvic Health, where we have thousands of OTs at all stages of their pelvic health career journey. This is such an incredibly supportive community where I go live each and every week. If you love this episode, please take a screenshot of this episode on your phone and post it to IG, Facebook, wherever you post your stuff, and be sure to tag me and let me know why you like this episode.

This will help me to create in the future what you want to hear more of. Thanks again for listening to the OTs and Pelvic Health podcast.