Today we’d like to introduce you to Vera Philipsen DPT COMT CHT.
Vera, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I graduated Physical Therapy school in 2008, and worked primarily in orthopedic settings with a manual therapy focus. After the birth of my second daughter I had an extended maternity leave planned. I started attending playgroups in my community for the first time and really talking to other mothers around me. I heard straight from their mouths the massive need for postpartum and pelvic care. I began dreaming of modeling a physical therapy practice after the in-home care I had received from midwives before, during and after my home birth. Nothing compares to having excellent care provided in the ease of your own home. I spent the next two years taking relevant coursework, finding mentors in the pelvic floor world and learning all the ins and outs of starting my own practice. Finally, at the beginning of this year, I took the leap and left my position at a clinic I loved and turned my focus full time to building Verafied Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy.
Has it been a smooth road?
I was very uneasy initially about making the firm decision not to work for anyone else and be totally on my own, building my own practice. But, once I was actually doing it, I felt liberated, confident and so thrilled! I was finally able to put into practice all the personal ideas, principles and values I held with regard to being a healthcare provider. Then, just a few months later, COVID 19 hit. Suddenly schools were closed, shelter at home was in place and I had to cancel my entire case load. Talk about a major speed bump. The idea of not being able to sit face to face with my patients in the same room, and use my greatest tool, my hands and touch, put me into a panic. After some reflection, I realized I needed to think long term, define myself even further, and resource my inner strengths: creativity, resourcefulness and adaptability. While social distancing was slowing the spread of COVID, it was simultaneously eliminating women’s already minimal support during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Consequently, instead shifting my typical physical therapy assessment onto a virtual platform, I decided on a less structured, more attainable and approachable offering. I began providing weekly “office hour” slots where women could freely ask any questions or concerns, with the focus being on connection and support. This relaxed approach has been so well received, allowing women, locally and from other states, to initiate their pelvic health journey, without feeling like they are adding another commitment onto their already overloaded plates. It has re-enforced that yes, my hands are my greatest tool, but there is still plenty to get done in a virtual setting.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Verafied Pelvic Health and Physical Therapy offers in-home orthopedic and pelvic floor physical therapy for pelvic pain, incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, diastisis recti, painful sex, low back or hip pain, urinary urgency, birth prep, postpartum healing, and exercise guidance before, during and after pregnancy.
I also specialize in physical therapy for the upper extremity, meaning neck to finger tips. I come to your home so you don’t have to venture out with a newborn just a few weeks postpartum, or wrestle your wild toddler into a treatment room while trying to learn how to not pee when you sneeze. Helping women to connect with their pelvic floor and guiding them toward optimal movement throughout their lifespan, whether during pregnancy, birth, postpartum or menopause, is at the core of what I do. I pride myself on building a safe and inviting relationship with each of my patients, where we work together to build knowledge about and connection to their pelvis and body. They then become the keepers of this knowledge, to be shared and passed to daughters, nieces, mothers and women in their circles.
How do you, personally, define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc.?
I keep my definition of success for my business, myself personally and my family very simple. I am successful if I am actively centering and supporting women, mothers and babies within the various communities I am a part of. I’ve found that if I focus on this simple concept when making business or life decisions, the answer becomes obvious. If it is best for women and mother/baby, it is best for families, communities, all humans, and also planet Earth.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.verafiedpt.com
- Phone: 619-491-7821
- Email: drvera@verafiedpt.com
- Instagram: @verafiedpt
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