“I felt so affirmed, that the pain I was feeling wasn’t just in my head.”

If you’re thinking about seeing a pelvic health physiotherapist, you probably have questions: Is it for me? Will it be awkward? Will it actually help me? And while we’re happy to answer anything you want to know, we also thought you’d benefit from hearing from people just like you. That’s why we’ve asked a few Happy Down There patients to share their experiences with pelvic health physiotherapy.

This patient story comes from a 25 year old person with a vagina who came to see us after experiencing chronic pelvic pain, including pain with sex, for years.

How did you find out about Michiko and Happy Down There?

I had recently learned about pelvic physio and felt that it could probably help me deal with my chronic pelvic pain. But I felt uneasy about the intimacy of this kind of physiotherapy, and was trying to figure out how to gauge whether practitioners I was seeing online were people I felt I could trust. Then, one day when I was googling, Michiko’s page came up. And I knew right away in the ways she described her practice that this seemed like someone I could trust and feel safe around. 

What drew me to Michiko’s practice, more than anything, was the way the language on her website was so gender-inclusive and queer-inclusive. As a bisexual person, I do feel that my sexuality has a powerful connection to the pelvic pain I have felt and the complex feelings I have had around penetration. So this made me feel really affirmed and just instantly made me feel like I could be myself around her, a key aspect of doing this kind of therapy. 

And once I talked to her on the phone for a consult, I knew for sure it’d be a good fit!

Why did you initially come see me?

I had been dealing with pain during penetration for years — not all the time but often, and there were lots of limits to how and when I could have penetrative intercourse. It was really impacting my relationship and my happiness, and my desire to have any kind of intimacy with my partner at all, because some part of me felt that even small gestures of affection might lead to sex, which would be painful. It was really affecting my life. 

How did you feel after the first appointment? 

I felt amazing. I felt so affirmed — that this pain I was feeling wasn’t just something in my head, which I had sometimes wondered, even though psychological elements also did have lots to do with it. I also felt so empowered that this was something I could change. 

From the first session Michiko gave me exercises to do — stretches as well as breathing exercises. She taught me how to become more aware of my pelvic floor, and how to relax it. 

And she also taught me a lot about the connection between my central nervous system and what I was experiencing in my pelvis. This is one of the things that makes her work so special, because she does focus so much on that body and mind connection, which is so crucial for healing and changing. 

What made you want to keep coming for pelvic health physio? 

I could see that it was working. The heightened awareness of my pelvic area and my greater sense of connection to and control over the muscles and tissue of that area were helping me change mentally even before the physical changes started. That alone was reason to keep coming. 

What would you say to someone who is hesitant to see a pelvic health physio? 

Once you establish a bond of trust with the physio, it really can feel like a very safe and empowering practice. And it’s incredible how much it can transform not just your physical body but also your mental well-being. It is so worth it!