Finally Fearless with Dr. Mel

Welcome to 2021: where people like to sling around buzz words without actually knowing what they mean. One of those words is feminism; people are gaslighting each other, claiming you're not a feminist if you don't support all women (regardless of where that woman stands). On the other end of the spectrum, people relate feminism with negativity, calling us "snowflakes" and dismissing our experience...

"Physical therapy didn't work for me." "I don't know why I'm in PT: my doctor made me go." As a physical therapist, these were 2 sentiments that I heard over and over again when evaluating a new client, especially when I was working in the traditional setting. But what exactly do they have to do with each other? On today's episode, we are diving in to why you may feel like you've "tried everything...

Womxn with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, or EDS, are oftentimes given very lack-luster advice in regard to their health and wellness. Because of the nature of EDS, a connective tissue disorder, pelvic floor dysfunction is very common. I want you to know that if you have EDS, you don't have to grin and bear things like pain with sex and leaking when in fact there are way better answers out there! I was g...

Womxn everywhere are constantly being told that a "normal" part of life, especially after giving birth, is that sex can be "a little painful." Like, forever. This couldn't be further from the truth. Taking into consideration that you've been cleared for vaginal penetration after giving birth, sex should never be a painful endeavor. And if trash "advice" like "just relax," taking a drink before doi...

The most common question I get is "Do you take my insurance?" Because we pay so much into our medical insurance plans, most of us believe that using it is in our best interest regardless of what service we are seeking: however, because physical therapy is such a nuanced service, same issue will NOT be treated the same way depending upon who you see. And insurance for sure plays a role in that. Thi...

Besides both being incredibly awesome (ha!), Jenna J and I have one thing in common: after both trying a popular elimination diet, we both finally said F*** you to diet culture.  I had the amazing opportunity to chat with Jenna on her IG all about our experience and why aesthetic pursuits of weight loss over actual health in regard to elimination diets was not the best choice for either of us...

During the last weeks of December, I asked my Instagram followers to hit me with all their questions regarding health, wellness, and everything in between. There were so many great questions that I didn't want to miss, so I turned this into 3 episodes to cover them all! Today we are covering all things pelvic floor (my favorite!!). I can't even tell you how excited I am that you are all so interes...

During the last weeks of December, I asked my Instagram followers to hit me with all their questions regarding health, wellness, and everything in between. There were so many great questions that I didn't want to miss, so I turned this into 3 episodes to cover them all! Today I am covering all of your questions related to "general" physical therapy, meaning categories of PT that do not fall under...

During the last weeks of December, I asked my Instagram followers to hit me with all their questions regarding health, wellness, and everything in between. There were so many great questions that I didn't want to miss, so I turned this into 3 episodes to cover them all!  Today I am covering your questions that have everything to do with weight loss and fitness.  -Why don't you promote we...

If we can guarantee anything (yes, even during a global pandemic), it's that shamey messaging and marketing comes in hard and strong in December and lasts pretty much into January. Most fitness professionals and diet-toters are so ready for you to make that resolution to start a new workout program or lose weight, banking on you basically screaming  "Here, take my money." Not Jen Borruso. Jen...

We've all been there: trying new workout after new workout, only to quit about 6 weeks in. Then, December rolls around with something else , complete with the promise of changing your life for good. So what happens: you buy it, you try it, you stick with it for 6 weeks, and then you stop. You chalk it up to not having enough discipline BUT it's probably more likely that this workout wasn't for you...

We all know the drill: come December and January, there is always a new workout program or gym offering SOME kind of special. But you have to act NOW or else you're gonna pay out the ass if you wait another second! Stop. Breathe. Listen. Operating out of a sense of urgency without actually diving deep and realizing what we REALLY want is what keeps us stuck at best, or keeps us from reaching any t...

Seeing the shit storm marketing throughout 2020 that preyed on people's shame and insecurities for the sake of making a buck, I'm anticipating this will be even more exacerbated leading up to and through the first month or so of the new year. This "new year, new you" messaging is SO detrimental to how we view ourselves and our self-worth, and just needs to die with the rest of the garbage that is...

Douches, vaginal rejuvenation surgeries, bleaching creams, razors, waxes...when it comes to issues "down there," what is actually normal?! I've drilled it into your brain that when it comes to womxn's pelvic health, no matter what age you are or how many kids you've had, peeing/pooping yourself, having pain with sex/penetration, feeling a heaviness in your vagina, and always feeling like you have...

I know you've seen those posts on Facebook, all like "Did you do your billion kegels today?" Your MD prescribed kegels because you can't stop peeing your pants when you cough, sneeze, and exercise. But do you really need to be doing kegels?  Are you even doing them right?  What are you supposed to be feeling down there, anyway?  And what does your kegel program actually look like (a...

Being well-versed in your body and its capabilities is so important when embarking upon a fitness journey: yet, we are never instructed on what to look for or what to pay attention to when we are navigating exercise (there is a LOT more to it than you think!). It goes WAY beyond aesthetics and what your instructor looks like. But what SHOULD we be mindful of when putting together a fitness program...

With the most important presidential election just around the corner, it's imperative that we stop being garbage humans to each other and actually learn how to LISTEN. I am seeing so much hate and disrespect towards each other and the main question I keep posing is "How the fuck did we get here?!" One skill which many people seem to be lacking is empathy: this is what divides the children in adult...

We are switching gears today with an interview with one of my favorite people in the world, Kaitlin M. Brazil! Kaitlin is a mom of 2 boys who experienced urinary incontinence with her first child about 5 years ago. Symptoms worsened over the years and she was eventually referred by her urogynocologist to receive a urethral sling, which brought on a slew of other issues that Kaitlin continues to fa...

In honor of Bone & Joint Health Week, this episode is all about one of the most common diagnoses out there: osteoarthritis (OA), or normal wear and tear on your joints. I know what you're saying: "But Dr. Mel, I'm only 28. I don't have to worry about arthritis yet." Did you know that OA can be apparent in people as young as 19? Most importantly, however, I want you to know that OA isn't this s...

In this VERY transparent episode, I dive deep into how I gained the COVID 20, and what I did about it. And the answer might surprise you. As a health and wellness professional, I felt shame around the fact that I gained 20 lbs during quarantine: I should know better, I should do better. But what does this type of thinking actually afford anyone? In this episode, I wanted to be as transparent as po...

September is National PCOS Awareness Month and given that womxn aren't really given much info when it comes to their reproductive health, we are bringing this topic to light! PCOS, or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome affects 3-15% of womxn aged 12-51, affecting more BIPOC womxn than white womxn (Side note: I always say "Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome" because it sounds more grammatically correct to me, so t...

Today is all about how being authentic with yourself affects your mental, emotional, and physical health. This episode is purely anecdotal: I am not nor do I claim to be a mental health professional. But, I do believe that authenticity and sticking to our values and boundaries throughout our professional and personal lives is a great way to stave off stress and live lives that are actually worth l...

I know you've been told that because you're a woman, have given birth, or are of a certain age, things just "are what they are" and it's "normal" to be racing to the bathroom being that you might piss yourself. Ladies, THIS IS NOT NORMAL! But it is very common And there is also help! Today we are talking about why urinary incontinence happens, the different types, and what you can do about it! Lin...

We are taught to wear busyness as a badge of honor. That if we are busy, it means we have finally made it: WE ARE SUCCESSFUL! But why is this actually doing us more harm than good? We are getting down to it in today's episode (and, spoiler alert: I might belt out a tune in this one. BTW I was totally sober, so that's who you're dealing with). Follow me on IG: dr.mel_dpt Send me an email: mcioffidp...

Despite what many people think, not all physical therapists are created equally. You also might be surprised to know that choosing a clinic based of whether they take your insurance OR its proximity to your house are probably not the best metrics off which to base where you should go. I gotchu. This episode Has everything you need to knowing when choosing who to hire as your PT (and yes , this sho...