Finally Fearless with Dr. Mel

"Am I the only one who's going through things like this?" This is a question I get asked a lot by clients who have never been pregnant (and never plan to be) but experience things like leaking, pelvic pain, constipation, and prolapse. The truth is, pelvic floor issues can happen in ANYONE, regardless of birthing history. Today, we uncover what can go down and why that's the case....

Today we are talking about the 2 most common groups in which my clients tend to fall: those who are postpartum and feel like they're the only ones who won't "just deal with" their leaking or prolapse or :insert any pelvic floor woe here: or clients who have never been/plan to be postpartum and feel like they are "weird" for having pelvic floor issues. If you can relate to either of these, I want y...

We are back, baby! Finally Fearless has gone through a makeover; today we are talking about what to expect from the show moving forward and where to find me! Pelvic health is so much more than Kegels and squeezing balls between your knees. Your pelvic floor isn’t just some moody muscle — it’s the MVP of everything from laughing, sneezing, pooping, peeing, sexual pleasure, housing and having babies...

If you've ever experienced pain with penetration, you might have been given a dilator...but not much instruction on how to use it. In this episode, we are covering all the ins and outs of exactly how to use this helpful tool other than just putting it in and hoping for the best. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our...

Today we are talking about the irony that is societal messaging in how women "should" be living and its implication on our pelvic health. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today,...

Experiencing diastasis recti? Given birth recently? Can't get rid of that abdominal pooch? These are all situations that society has taught us to fear because it means you have a weak core. But how do you know when your core is actually weak and what do you do about it? We are chatting all things that actually matter re: having a strong core (and what that means for the pelvic floor) in today&...

We've all heard that kegels are *THE* pelvic floor strengthening exercise, but what we've been told for so long (and without any expertise behind the message) is actually doing us a disservice. Sometimes, kegels can actually make your pelvic floor symptoms worse: and,m surprisingly to many, this includes leaking. Today we are going over times when kegeling might not be the best idea and wh...

The insanity that is American politics got me thinking how the narratives we've been told and keep telling each other are affecting our approach to health, fitness, and of course, the pelvic floor. Today's episode is a conversation covering all the things to consider when you're considering not *doing* politics and how it's affecting your leaking, prolapse, pregnancy, and sex life....

One of the concerns my pregnant and postpartum clients have is what happens if you tear during the labor & delivery process? Is there anything you can do to prevent it? Is there anything you can do in case you do tear? Should you get an episiotomy? We are talking all things perineal tears on today's episode! Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left...

Something my clients (and myself) struggle with is staying consistent with exercise. The key piece of staying leak-free, reducing prolapse symptoms, overcoming core weakness from diastasis recti is this: EXERCISE. If you're coming from a history of diet culture BS, there are a lot of "rules" that today's episode will give you permission to break: so that you can get your damn lif...

In today's episode, we are talking about what I call the "rehab rollercoaster:" namely, the ups and downs of figuring out how to move and use your body after being sidelined by something physical that's been giving you grief. Whether you're overcoming an injury or are trying to return to the gym after dealing with pelvic floor issues like prolapse, leaking, or giving birth, t...

This week's episode stems a bit off last week; today, we explore the world of pelvic floor exercise and how sometimes that doesn't look much different from work you're already doing in the gym: the focus just might be a little different. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to bein...

There seem to be 2 camps of people talking about pelvic floor strengthening: those who think squeezing balls between their knees and kegeling out the wazoo are sure-fire ways to condition their pelvic floor, and those who overly complicate every exercise so that your brain explodes. Today we are talking about how effective pelvic floor work lands somewhere in the middle, and what exactly that look...

Most people don't realize how involved their pelvic floor and deep abs are when doing "regular" workouts at the gym (or off YouTube). Today's episode is filled with tips & tricks to be mindful of when it comes to getting the best out of your workouts and how to know when your pelvic floor is telling you to dial it back. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigat...

Pain with sexual activity (called "dyspareunia") can happen to anyone, regardless of age or life experience. In today's episode, we talk about the reasons why someone might be experiencing pain with penetrative sex and the things I look at when getting people on their way to finally enjoying sex again! Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left...

I've been on hiatus for the past 8 weeks due to a health issue that spiraled out of control (cuz my body likes to go big or go home). Today's episode is full of info re: signs to pay attention to when it comes to gallbladder issues, what to look for with your poop and when you should get it checked out, what it means to have a "normal" bladder, the early (aka boring) stages of re...

If you're trying to overcome something physical that's been holding you back, it's SUPER difficult to navigate if you're also a survivor of diet culture. Those nagging thoughts like "I could do more" or "you're not burning enough calories" start to creep in and you're SO tempted to just push through the pain to get a workout in. These thoughts have been...

Some of you have been asking in the DMs how I got started with my own mobile physical therapy practice: so, I decided to make a podcast episode about it! In part 2, we're talking all things marketing and how I built my client roster. Please note, we are all different people with different ideas and work VERY differently, so what might work for one person may not for another, and that's tot...

Some of you have been asking in the DMs how I got started with my own mobile physical therapy practice: so, I decided to make a podcast episode about it! In part 1, we're uncovering the super basics in regard to logistics that you might want to consider when building your own PT biz. Please note, we are all different people with different ideas and work VERY differently, so what might work for...

You're leaking with sneezing, coughing, laughing, and exercise. You bring it up to your MD. That MD tells you to go on Amazon and get some kegel weights to "train your pelvic floor." So you do. And you're so excited cuz NOW you finally have something to target your pelvic floor woes. Except when you try to use them, they fall out. Your leaking never gets better. So what gives?! T...

So you've decided it's time to work on your pelvic floor. You threw "pelvic floor physical therapy near me" into Google and you got a TON of results. As you dive deeper, you're not really sure who knows their ish and who doesn't: there are personal trainers promoting pelvic rehab, chiropractors, "coaches," and, yes, physical therapists. But how do you know who&#...

I'm calling it now: "hormone balancing" is gonna be the new workout and diet craze of 2024: hey, maybe it already is?! How do you know if your hormones are "imbalanced?" What's the best workout to do for your hormones? And how does this all relate to the pelvic floor? We are covering all of that and more in today's episode! Healthcare is a difficult territory for wo...

What are we talking about this season?! Let's find out... Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are left feeling dismissed and unheard, our concerns being chalked up to being a "crazy woman" who just needs to lose weight (BARF). That shit ends here and now. Today, we take back our health and speak up: because no one else is gonna do it for us. Join...

Ever worried about undoing all your hard work if you skip 1, 2, 20 workout sessions? In today's episode, we are talking all about how consistency and capacity play into your body's response to exercise (or lack thereof) and how to ensure you don't feel like you're "going backwards" ever again. Healthcare is a difficult territory for women to navigate, as many of us are le...

I know you've heard of sciatica: whether you know someone who has gone through it or you have experienced it yourself, it can be scary and confusing. What should you be doing in regard to exercise & movement? What is the sciatic nerve, anyway? Does having sciatic nerve trouble mean you're destined for a life of surgery and injections? And why does it feel like you leaking got worse whe...