Heal Your Chronic Pelvic Pain

Rachel Gofman, DPT

The Heal Your Chronic Pelvic Pain Podcast helps you heal chronic pelvic pain through a proven mind-body approach. Hosted by Rachel Gofman, DPT – a pelvic pain coach and physical therapist who overcame years of her own pain — each episode gives you science-based tools and compassionate guidance to partner with your nervous system to heal symptoms and reclaim your life.

  1. Why It's All in Your Body, with Dr. Sula Windgassen

    1d ago

    Why It's All in Your Body, with Dr. Sula Windgassen

    If you've ever been told your symptoms are "all in your head," this episode is for you. Today I'm joined by health psychologist, cognitive behavioral therapist, EMDR therapist, and author Dr. Sula Windgassen to discuss her incredible new book, It's All in Your Body. Sula has become one of my favorite educators in the mind-body space because of her unique ability to explain the science behind chronic symptoms in a way that is both accessible and  deeply validating. Together, we explore why symptoms that often feel random, confusing, or "unknowable" are actually incredibly understandable when you begin to view the body as one integrated system. Whether you're living with chronic pelvic pain, bladder symptoms, recurrent infections, or another chronic condition, this conversation will help you better understand what's happening in your body and why healing is possible. In this episode, we discuss: Why "It's All in Your Body" is a complete reframe from "It's all in your head"The science behind the mind-body connectionWhy your symptoms make sense, even when medical testing is normalHow the brain, nervous system, immune system, and body constantly communicateWhy mindfulness and nervous system regulation feel so difficult when you're highly symptomaticThe difference between acceptance and resignationWhy suppressing emotions and thoughts often backfiresWhy trying to "think positively" isn't the goalThe biology behind bladder urgency, pelvic pain, and pelvic floor tensionHow chronic stress can influence the immune system and recurrent infectionsWhy the length of time you've had symptoms does not determine how long healing will takeHow small, consistent shifts can create meaningful change over time Resources Mentioned It's All in Your Body by Dr. Sula Windgassen Follow Dr. Sula Windgassen: Website: https://healthpsychologist.co.ukInstagram: @the_health_psychologist_Podcast: How We Really Feel Ready for the next step? The doors to Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain reopen in July. Inside BCPP, I'll teach you exactly how to apply these mind-body principles to your own healing through structured lessons, live coaching, and practical tools that help you change your relationship with symptoms, create safety within your nervous system, and get back to living your life. 👉 Join the waitlist here!

    52 min
  2. Why "Just Allow" Isn't Working

    Jun 22

    Why "Just Allow" Isn't Working

    One of the most common pieces of advice in the mind-body healing world is: "Just allow the sensation." But what if allowing feels impossible? What if a large part of you is screaming that this isn't okay, that you want the symptoms to stop, and that you wish things were different? In this episode, I'm sharing why allowing symptoms often feels so difficult and the missing piece I see over and over again with my clients. The answer isn't forcing acceptance. The answer isn't convincing yourself you're okay. The answer isn't suppressing the part of you that hates what's happening. It's facilitating grief. In this episode, I discuss: Why "just allow" can feel impossibleThe hidden grief that often exists beneath chronic symptomsWhy suppressing your frustration, sadness, and anger creates more internal struggleHow grief helps us stop fighting realityThe relationship between grief, agency, and nervous system safetyWhy allowing the grieving part of you often makes allowing sensations possibleHow grief can become a powerful facilitator of healingIf you've been trying to force yourself into acceptance and it isn't working, this episode is for you. Remember, healing is possible for you. You've got this.  Rooting for you, Always 💜 Connect with Rachel:  Get on the waitlist for Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain (doors opening again this summer) Get Your Free Pain Flare Plan Book A Pelvic Pain Strategy Session IG: thepelvicpaincoach Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

    13 min
  3. How to Keep Going When Healing Takes Longer Than You Want (with Sarah)

    Jun 19

    How to Keep Going When Healing Takes Longer Than You Want (with Sarah)

    What do you do when healing is taking longer than you want? When you're doing the work, showing up consistently, making progress... and you're still not where you want to be yet? In today's episode, I'm joined by my client Sarah, who shares her experience healing her chronic pelvic pain through a mind-body approach. Sarah lived with pelvic pain for over 20 years. Along the way, she received multiple diagnoses, tried countless treatments, was prescribed medications, and was even told she should consider a hysterectomy. When she found this work, she wasn't looking for just another treatment. She was looking for a different way to move forward not only in her healing, but in her life.  In this conversation, Sarah shares what has helped her stay in the process, continue expanding her life, and keep moving forward even when healing hasn't happened on the timeline she would have preferred. We discuss: Sarah's 20-year journey with chronic pelvic painWhy she decided not to move forward with a recommended hysterectomyWhat initially resonated with a mind-body approachThe challenge of letting go of timelines, control, and perfectionismWhy tracking small wins became such an important part of her recoveryHow she gradually returned to biking, swimming, exercise, and other activities she had stopped doing because of symptomsBuilding genuine self-compassion and learning to support herself through fearWhat she's still working through todayThe mindset shifts that helped her stay committed to the processOne of my favorite parts of this conversation is that Sarah isn't sharing from the finish line. She's sharing from the middle. She's still healing. She's still learning. She's still working through challenges. And she's also living a bigger, fuller life than she was when she started. If healing is taking longer than you want, I hope Sarah's story reminds you that progress is still progress. Sometimes the most important work isn't learning how to heal faster. It's learning how to keep going. Connect with Rachel:  Get on the waitlist for Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain (doors opening again this summer) Get Your Free Pain Flare Plan Book A Pelvic Pain Strategy Session IG: thepelvicpaincoach Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

    49 min
  4. Sex, Intimacy, and Chronic Pelvic Pain: The Conversation We Need to Have (with Vanessa Blackstone)

    Jun 5

    Sex, Intimacy, and Chronic Pelvic Pain: The Conversation We Need to Have (with Vanessa Blackstone)

    Let's talk about the part of chronic pelvic pain that doesn't get discussed nearly enough. Sex. Intimacy. Navigating Relationships. The fear that your partner might leave. The pressure to push through discomfort. In this episode, I'm joined by my friend and colleague Vanessa Blackstone, Executive Director of the Pain Psychology Center, for an honest and nuanced conversation about sex, intimacy, chronic pelvic pain, and healing. Together, we explore the ways shame, cultural conditioning, people-pleasing, and nervous system patterns can shape our relationship with sex and our bodies. We also explore: • Why conversations about sex are often missing from the chronic pain and mind-body healing space • The cultural messages many women receive about sex, pleasure, and their bodies • How people-pleasing and perfectionism can impact intimacy • Why creating safety with yourself matters before creating safety with a partner • Dating and navigating intimacy while living with chronic pelvic pain • Rebuilding trust with your body after years of symptoms This conversation is for anyone who has ever felt disconnected from their body, afraid of intimacy, or unsure how to move forward when pain has impacted their relationship with sex. You are not broken. You are not alone. And there is another way forward. Connect with Vanessa: Instagram: @that.therapist PRT Workbook Vanessa’s Substack: https://substack.com/@vanessablackstone Connect with Rachel:  IG: thepelvicpaincoach Get Your Free Pain Flare Plan Book A Pelvic Pain Strategy Session Get on the waitlist for Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain (doors opening again this summer) Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

    1h 17m
  5. How To Trust Yourself (with Anna Holtzman)

    May 22

    How To Trust Yourself (with Anna Holtzman)

    In this episode, I’m joined by my friend and colleague, Anna Holtzman, for a conversation about self-trust, visibility, nervous system healing, and what happens after symptoms stop being the center of your life. We talk about the often-overlooked phase of healing where life starts opening back up again… and how terrifying that can feel when your nervous system has learned to associate visibility, expansion, creativity, and authenticity with danger. Together, we explore:  Why healing often involves shrinking your world before expanding it again The fear of nervous system “repercussions” when you start taking up more space How perfectionism, people pleasing, and over-self-reliance disconnect us from ourselves The difference between regret and grief Why self-trust doesn’t mean certainty The role of co-regulation and safe relationships in healing The transition from borrowing belief to learning to self-source safety and trust Why “getting the right tool” can eventually become another protective strategy How to begin repairing your relationship with yourselfThis episode is for anyone who feels stuck between wanting more for their life and feeling terrified to fully step into it. About Anna: Anna Holtzman is a licensed therapist and coach who helps high-achieving women move through the fear of visibility and emerge into a truer expression of their work and identity. After 15 years in TV and publishing, Anna experienced firsthand how burnout, chronic pain, and repeated self-silencing can arise when success is driven by pressure rather than self-trust. Her own healing led her to nervous-system-informed tools that helped her reconnect with her voice and show up more honestly in her work. Now she supports other women in doing the same, melting through imposter syndrome, bringing their most authentic visions to life, and allowing themselves to be seen without performing. She lives in Queens with her husband, stepdaughter, and three orange cats, and hosts the podcast How to Trust Yourself. Connect with Anna:  Website: AnnaHoltzman.com Free workshop: Let Yourself Be Seen Instagram: @anna_holtzman Podcast: How to Trust YourselfAnna’s Email: Anna@annaholtzman.comConnect with Rachel:  IG: thepelvicpaincoachGet Your Free Pain Flare PlanGet on the waitlist for a Pelvic Pain Strategy SessionGet on the waitlist for Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain (doors opening early summer)  Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

    1h 1m
  6. Client Story: Shawna's IC symptoms had her frozen in fear. Now she's training for a ballroom competition.

    May 15

    Client Story: Shawna's IC symptoms had her frozen in fear. Now she's training for a ballroom competition.

    Shawna spent nearly three years doing everything right. She saw the specialists. She did the rounds of antibiotics (eight of them). She cut out every food on the IC list and tracked her symptoms by the hour. She had a compassionate pelvic PT in her corner. She had done everything she was supposed to do. But she was still having debilitating symptoms. And she was still terrified. Her healthcare providers were doing their absolute best, but they were running out of new ways to help her. So her pelvic PT referred her to me. Now, Shawna is training for her next ballroom competition in August. She took three international trips in three months. She is setting boundaries, speaking up for herself, and she often forgets she ever had symptoms at all. In this episode, Shawna shares her full story. The diagnosis that changed how she thought about her body. The way dance, her biggest passion, became her biggest trigger. The loneliness of living with symptoms that the people in your life can never understand. And how she got to where she is now, living her life beyond chronic pelvic pain. I am so grateful to Shawna for being willing to share her story so openly and honestly. It takes courage, and I know it's going to mean so much to the people listening. We talk about: Her diagnosis of interstitial cystitis Why dance became a trigger, and what was actually happening in her nervous systemThe hypervigilance spiral: tracking, dietary restriction, and what all of it was really doing to her systemWhat made her open to mind-body work when so many people resist itThe specific tools that helped most, including EFT tapping, visualization, and parts workWhat it feels like to say "I like who I am" and actually mean itWhere her symptoms are now, and how she thinks about flare-ups differentlyIf you've been told your pain is something you just have to live with, this episode is for you. Resources & Links: Follow me on Instagram: @thepelvicpaincoachGet Your Free Pain Flare Plan (download): https://thepelvicpaincoach.myflodesk.com/painflareplanGet on the waitlist for a Pelvic Pain Strategy Session: https://thepelvicpaincoach.com/strategy-sessionGet on the waitlist for Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain (doors opening early summer): https://thepelvicpaincoach.com/healing-program Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

    1h 4m
5
out of 5
15 Ratings

About

The Heal Your Chronic Pelvic Pain Podcast helps you heal chronic pelvic pain through a proven mind-body approach. Hosted by Rachel Gofman, DPT – a pelvic pain coach and physical therapist who overcame years of her own pain — each episode gives you science-based tools and compassionate guidance to partner with your nervous system to heal symptoms and reclaim your life.

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