Healing through trust with a trauma-informed practitioner!
Have you ever avoided a medical appointment because the thought of being vulnerable and exposed felt overwhelming? You’re not alone. For many people, especially those with a history of trauma, pelvic floor examinations and treatments can feel terrifying rather than healing.
The good news? There’s a better way. Trauma-informed pelvic floor care is revolutionizing how healthcare providers approach these sensitive treatments, putting your comfort, safety, and autonomy at the center of every interaction.
If you’ve been putting off pelvic floor care because of fear, anxiety, or past negative experiences, this guide will help you understand what trauma-informed care looks like and how it can transform your healing journey.
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed care acknowledges a fundamental truth: healthcare organizations and care teams need to understand your complete life situation—past and present—to provide truly effective healing services. According to the Center for Health Care Strategies, this approach recognizes that many people have experienced trauma that affects how they navigate medical settings.
Rather than asking “What’s wrong with you?” trauma-informed care asks “What happened to you?” This shift creates space for understanding how your experiences shape your healthcare needs and responses.
The approach operates on six core principles that guide every interaction:
Safety means you feel physically and emotionally secure in the treatment environment. This includes well-lit common areas, easy access to exits, and staff who understand healthy boundaries.
Trustworthiness and transparency involve clear communication about treatment plans, findings, and decisions. Your provider explains what they’re doing and why.
Peer support recognizes the value of connecting with others who understand your experiences, while also protecting healthcare workers from secondary trauma through proper support systems.
Collaboration and mutuality shift the power dynamic, making you an active partner in your treatment rather than a passive recipient of care.
Empowerment, voice, and choice ensure you have options and input in your treatment. You’re never forced to disclose more than you’re comfortable sharing.
Cultural humility and responsiveness address biases and stereotypes while honoring your identity, including your preferred name and pronouns.
Your Pelvic Floor and Trauma: The Connection
Your pelvic floor consists of muscles, ligaments, and tissues that support your pelvic organs. These muscles help control bladder and bowel function, support sexual health, and provide core stability. But here’s what many people don’t realize: your pelvic floor holds emotional tension just like other parts of your body.
Trauma can manifest in your pelvic floor through muscle tension, pain, dysfunction, or hypersensitivity. Sexual trauma, medical trauma, birth trauma, or even emotional stress can create patterns of holding and guarding in these muscles.
When you’ve experienced trauma, your nervous system may interpret pelvic floor examinations or treatments as threatening, even when you intellectually know you’re safe. This isn’t weakness or overreaction—it’s your body’s protective response.
The Healing Power of Trauma-Informed Pelvic Floor Care
Trauma-informed pelvic floor care offers profound benefits that extend far beyond physical healing:
Restored agency and control. You lead the process and have the power to pause, adjust, or stop treatment at any time. This helps rebuild trust in your body’s signals and your right to set boundaries.
Reduced re-traumatization. By moving at your pace and honoring your responses, trauma-informed care prevents the additional harm that can occur when treatments feel coercive or overwhelming.
Improved treatment outcomes. When you feel safe and supported, your nervous system can relax enough to allow true healing. Muscle tension decreases, and you can better engage with treatment.
Enhanced self-advocacy skills. You learn to recognize your body’s early warning signals and communicate your needs effectively, skills that benefit you in all healthcare settings.
Deeper mind-body connection. Trauma-informed care helps you reconnect with your body’s wisdom and trust its signals rather than overriding them.
What to Expect: A Different Kind of Care
Clinic Director Sherryl DeVries, MSPT, exemplifies this approach: “When you walk in for your evaluation, you are in charge! Take the reins and tell me everything about your physical, medical, and emotional history, what do you love to do, and what is not working for you!”
This collaborative approach looks different from traditional medical care:
Comprehensive intake happens in a comfortable office setting, not on an exam table. Your provider wants to understand your whole story, including what you love doing and what isn’t working.
Education comes first. You’ll learn about pelvic floor anatomy and function before any hands-on treatment, helping you understand what’s happening in your body.
Pacing respects your readiness. As DeVries notes, “It is imperative you feel heard, informed, safe, and comfortable in my space, so I save Pelvic Floor Mapping for your second visit.” Internal examinations only happen when you’re ready.
Ongoing consent means your provider asks permission before each step, explains what they’re doing and why, and regularly checks in with you throughout treatment.
Environmental modifications might include bringing a support person, playing music, using warming blankets, or other comfort measures that help you feel safe.
No enduring allowed. If something feels uncomfortable mentally, emotionally, or physically, your provider will adjust or stop. There’s no “pushing through” or “white-knuckling it.”
Finding Your Trauma-Informed Provider
Not all pelvic floor practitioners are trained in trauma-informed care, so knowing what to look for can help you find the right fit:
During your initial call or consultation, ask:
- How do you approach care for people with trauma histories?
- What happens if I need to pause or stop during treatment?
- Do you offer internal examinations during the first visit?
- How do you handle consent throughout treatment?
Look for providers who:
- Spend time in initial consultations understanding your history and concerns
- Explain their approach to trauma-informed care
- Offer flexible scheduling and treatment options
- Have additional training in trauma-informed approaches
- Create welcoming, calming environments
Red flags include:
- Rushing through examinations or treatments
- Dismissing your concerns or anxiety
- Insisting on specific treatments without offering alternatives
- Making you feel judged or uncomfortable asking questions
Supporting Your Own Healing Journey
While finding the right provider is crucial, there are ways you can support your own healing process:
Prepare for appointments by writing down questions, bringing a support person if helpful, and practicing grounding techniques like deep breathing.
Listen to your body’s signals. Notice early signs of discomfort like tension, shallow breathing, or feeling disconnected, and communicate these to your provider.
Practice self-advocacy. It’s okay to ask for breaks, request explanations, or say no to treatments that don’t feel right.
Build your support network. Connect with others who understand your experience, whether through support groups, online communities, or trusted friends and family.
Engage in self-care practices that help regulate your nervous system, such as gentle movement, meditation, journaling, or creative activities.
Your Healing Deserves Compassion
Your pelvic floor health matters, and you deserve care that honors your experiences while supporting your healing. Trauma-informed pelvic floor care isn’t just about treating symptoms—it’s about restoring your sense of safety, agency, and trust in your body.
Remember, healing isn’t linear, and it doesn’t happen on anyone’s timeline but your own. Every small step toward reclaiming your health and comfort in your body is worth celebrating.
If you’ve been avoiding pelvic floor care because of fear or past negative experiences, consider reaching out to a trauma-informed provider. You deserve care that feels safe, supportive, and empowering. Your healing journey can begin with a single phone call to ask about trauma-informed approaches.
Your body has carried you through difficult experiences, and now it deserves the gentle, respectful care that can help it heal.
If you’re in the Seattle metropolitan area and are looking for pelvic floor care from a trauma-informed and respectful practitioner, don’t wait to begin your healing journey. Reach out to Relax Therapy today to see how we can support you with compassionate, expert care. You deserve to feel safe, understood, and empowered every step of the way.