Brooke is a pelvic health specialist serving women of all ages who want to better understand their bodies, manage and prevent disruptive symptoms, and optimize strength, energy, and mental health wellness necessary to participate in the things they love. I'm proud to be practicing in the field of Occupational Therapy (OT), where science meets creativity and yields function, meaning, and health. Be
coming a mother 11 years ago launched me into a world of countless new norms, complex feelings, and foreign responsibilities, all of which I was expecting, yet could never have prepared for. All of this, combined with sleep deprivation, colic, and breast feeding failure sent me down a path of anxiety and depression. Luckily for me, I had an amazingly supportive spouse and family, and had no qualms about seeking out therapy. Subsequent pregnancies, infertility, and the birth of our second daughter involved many more physical challenges that significantly impacted my ability to manage work, life, and family demands. The reality is that there were many gaps of missing information leaving room for assumptions and need for self-directed care. There was no discussion of pelvic pain, potential for bowel/bladder dysfunction, or how to fix my core from feeling so disjointed from the rest of my body. Ways to save my body from musculoskeletal pain and strain resulting from hours of nursing, lifting, and holding were never visited. And, even as a therapist, I questioned the quality of my mother/baby bond and worried about the pace at which my baby was meeting her milestones, having no guidance or reassurance from another professional. Talking openly about my struggles with friends, peers, and other professionals, it became very clear that most mothers share similar frustrations, questions, and isolation. Knowing that a mother's health is essential for the health of her family and knowing that mental health is of equal importance to physical health, it has become my mission to support women in the perinatal period. Offering both 1:1 care in the privacy of clients' homes and group workshops in the community, She Thrives incorporates a variety of therapeutic approaches. Examples include strengthening and stretching exercises for the core, ergonomic/biomechanic guidance, adaptive strategy for "brain fog", education on/facilitation of attachment, techniques for managing mental health, and more. Further details and ideas on your individualized care plan will be discussed in our initial (free) consultation.
