Root & Ember Physical Therapy

07/06/2026

I just published a new resource on the blog at Root & Ember Physical Therapy that I’ve been really excited to put together.

When we start paying attention to what’s happening inside the body—especially sensations like pressure, fullness, tightness, lightness, pulling, or expansion—it can be surprisingly hard to find the right words for it. And without language, it’s even harder to track patterns, notice change, or feel grounded in what the body is communicating.

This “Body Sensation Word Map” is a simple starting place for building that vocabulary.

It’s designed to support interoceptive (internal body sensing) and proprioceptive (position/movement awareness) tracking in a way that feels accessible, not overwhelming. You can use it in sessions, journaling, recovery work, or just as a reference when you’re trying to make sense of what your body is telling you.

You can read and download it here:
www.rootandemberpt.com/blog/body-sensation-word-map

If this feels helpful, it’s something you can save and come back to whenever your body feels hard to read or put into words.

A tool designed to support interoception and proprioception in physical therapy. Learn to name and track internal sensations with greater clarity and ease. Help build mind-body-connection.

06/04/2026

I'm excited to share a new workshop series that I've created alongside Amber Adkins, PhD.

Over the years, Amber and I have collaborated with many clients navigating persistent pelvic pain, pelvic floor dysfunction, chronic pain, stress-related symptoms, and the often confusing experience of feeling stuck despite trying many different treatments.

Through that work, we've found ourselves returning to the same conversations again and again—helping people understand how the nervous system, body tissues, stress physiology, movement, pain, and life experiences interact.

Not because symptoms are "all in your head."

Because symptoms are real, and understanding the many factors that influence them can create more opportunities for healing.

We've seen firsthand how powerful it can be when physical therapy and psychology work together to make sense of the whole picture.

That's why we're excited to bring this information into a live online group setting through our new workshop series:

**Understanding the Connections Between Stress, the Body, and Healing for Pelvic Health**

Over four sessions, we'll explore:
• Stress and the nervous system
• Pain and protective responses
• Pelvic health and tension patterns
• Regulation and resilience
• Boundaries, self-expression, and healing

Our hope is to make some of the most valuable concepts we teach clients more accessible, practical, and collaborative.

📅 July 13, July 27, August 10, & August 24
⏰ 4:00–5:30 PM
💻 Online
💲 $325 for the full series

You can find the full course description and agenda on the Events page of the Root & Ember website. We'd love to have you join us.

Discover upcoming workshops and events at Root & Ember Physical Therapy. Join postpartum recovery series, pelvic floor workshops, and other educational, trauma-informed sessions designed to support your healing, movement, and wellness.

05/31/2026

I've been sharing a lot of educational content lately, so I thought I'd take a moment to introduce myself beyond the clinic.

Hi, I'm Rachael—the founder of Root & Ember Physical Therapy.

This is my husband, Matt, and our new puppy, Rye. Outside of work, we love paddle boarding, hiking, spending time with friends and family in our backyard, and lately, settling in to watch Survivor together.

While I'm passionate about helping people navigate pelvic floor and nervous system symptoms, I'm also someone who values connection, time outdoors, and the simple moments that help us recharge.

I'm grateful for this community and for everyone who follows along, supports the practice, or trusts me with their care. Thanks for being here. ❤️

05/31/2026

A lot of people come in saying some version of
“I feel like I’ve tried everything.”

Strengthening. Stretching. Breathing work. Pelvic floor exercises. Rest. Return to activity plans.

And sometimes things improve… but not in a lasting way.

What we often find is that the issue isn’t that the body isn’t doing enough. It’s that we’re only looking at one layer of a much bigger system.

In practice, we look at how load is being managed through the body as a whole—through the feet, hips, pelvis, ribs, and spine—and how that connects with breathing and nervous system protection patterns.

Because the pelvic floor doesn’t work in isolation. It responds to what the rest of the system is doing around it.

This is why two people with the same symptom can need completely different approaches. Not because one is “weaker” or “less stable,” but because their system is organizing itself differently under load.

If this perspective resonates with you, this is the lens we use in our work at Root & Ember Physical Therapy.

05/22/2026

Pain is real.

But pain is not always a direct measure of tissue damage.

Your nervous system’s job is to protect you. One of the ways it does that is through pain, tension, guarding, and other protective responses in the body.

Sometimes those responses are incredibly helpful after injury or when the body is under load.

But sometimes protection can persist even after tissues heal or when there is now less demand on the body.

That can look like:

pain that keeps returning
pelvic floor tension
symptoms that flare during stress
persistent tightness
recurring back or neck pain
urgency, leaking, or pelvic discomfort without a clear “cause”
symptoms that don’t fully match imaging findings or medical tests

This does NOT mean symptoms are “all in your head.”

The pain is very real.

It means pain is more complex than most of us were ever taught.

At Root & Ember Physical Therapy, I help people understand the connection between the nervous system, movement, stress, biomechanics, and persistent symptoms — so healing can move beyond simply chasing painful areas or tight muscles.

I also wrote a blog that goes into this concept in more depth if this resonates with you or you want to learn more. See the link in comments!

05/17/2026

You finally get back to running… and then it happens.

Leaking.

Maybe only during sprints.
Maybe immediately once you get going faster.
Maybe on longer runs.
Maybe every time you jump, laugh, or push pace.

And maybe you’ve already tried kegels — but nothing really changed.

Here’s what most people are not told:

Leakage while running is not always a “weak pelvic floor.”

Sometimes the pelvic floor is actually overworking.
Sometimes your hips aren’t sharing load well.
Sometimes your breathing, rib cage, posture, or nervous system tension patterns are changing how pressure moves through your body.

Your pelvic floor is part of an entire movement and pressure management system — not a muscle that exists in isolation.

This is why two people can have the same symptom but need completely different treatment approaches.

And this is also why so many runners feel frustrated when generic advice doesn’t work.

Whether you’re postpartum or have never carried a pregnancy, leakage with running is common — but it is not something you simply have to accept forever.

I wrote a new blog diving into:
• Why leakage happens during running
• Why kegels sometimes make symptoms worse
• The connection between hips, breathing, and pelvic floor function
• Why this happens even in strong, active people

If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. 🤍

Tap the link in the comments below to read the full blog or schedule a consultation on our website for an individualized evaluation.

05/11/2026

Many people think their body is simply “tight.”

Tight hips. Tight shoulders. Tight pelvic floor. A neck that never relaxes. A core that always feels “on.”

So they stretch.
Foam roll.
Massage.
Strengthen more.
But the tension keeps coming back.

Because often, the issue is not just the muscles themselves.
It’s a nervous system that has learned protection.

The body adapts to stress, pain, instability, injury history, overload, and repeated patterns of strain by increasing tension and bracing.

Over time, this can become so automatic that people no longer realize how much they are gripping, clenching, holding their breath, or guarding throughout the day.

This is one reason stretching alone often doesn’t create lasting change.

If the nervous system still feels a need for protection, the body will keep returning to familiar tension patterns.

The good news is that these patterns can change once we understand what the body is trying to protect.

In my newest blog post, I talk about:
• chronic tension and bracing
• protective nervous system patterns
• why muscles may stay “tight”
• and why healing sometimes starts with helping the body feel safe again

Understanding Chronic Tension & Bracing: It’s More Than Tight Muscles

www.rootandemberpt.com/blog/why-your-body-feels-stuck-in-tension

05/05/2026

A tight pelvic floor is one of the most under-recognized drivers of symptoms like urgency, pain, and constipation.

Last week I shared a post about how Kegels aren’t the answer in most cases when someone is dealing with pelvic floor symptoms.

Today I wanted to expand on what we often see in clinic: a tight, overactive pelvic floor.

For many people, the system isn’t weak—it’s doing too much. Constant gripping, bracing, or difficulty fully relaxing can create symptoms like:

- urinary urgency or frequency
- difficulty controlling urine or stool
- constipation or straining
- pelvic pain or pressure
- discomfort with intimacy
- a general sense of tightness or holding

In these cases, more strengthening is not always the first step. We often need to look at breathing mechanics, nervous system regulation, and coordination patterns first.

I wrote a blog that goes deeper into:

- signs your pelvic floor may be tight (not weak)
- why this happens
- and simple things you can start on your own

Read it here:
www.rootandemberpt.com/blog/signs-your-pelvic-floor-may-be-tight-not-weak

As always, the goal isn’t guessing—it’s understanding what your body is actually doing so you can treat the right thing.

04/27/2026

Kegels are often the first thing people are told to try for symptoms like bladder leaking, pelvic pressure, painful s*x, or postpartum core weakness.

But what I see clinically is that many people who do their Kegels consistently still don’t feel better.

I wrote a blog breaking down why this happens—and what your pelvic floor may actually need instead.

The short version?
It’s not always about weakness.

For a lot of people, the issue is coordination, pressure management, or an overactive pelvic floor that’s working too hard, not too little.

When that’s the case, more strengthening alone doesn’t solve the problem—because the system isn’t organized yet.

If you’ve been stuck doing Kegels without real change, this might help reframe what’s going on.

Read the full blog here:
👉 https://www.rootandemberpt.com/blog/why-kegels-arent-working-and-what-your-pelvic-floor-actually-needs-instead

If this sounds familiar, pelvic floor PT can help figure out what your body actually needs instead of guessing.

— Root & Ember Physical Therapy

Kegels not helping leaking, pressure, or pelvic pain? Learn why Kegels often fail and what your pelvic floor actually needs instead. Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy in Colorado Springs.

04/13/2026

Does your body feel stuck in fight-or-flight?

Have you ever been told to “just relax”… or to stretch more, foam roll, or get a massage — but your body still holds tension?

It’s not that those things are wrong. But sometimes they don’t work because your body isn’t doing something wrong in the first place — it’s trying to protect you.

Chronic tension, pain, jaw or pelvic clenching, shallow breathing, even digestive changes… these can all be signs that your system is holding patterns that haven’t had the chance to fully resolve.

If we only try to release the tension without understanding it, we can miss why it’s there.

In my work as a physical therapist, we take a different approach.
Instead of forcing the body to relax, I guide it into the patterns it’s organizing around — the ones it’s holding for a reason.

We slow down.

We listen.

We create space for the body to complete what it’s been trying to do.

And when the system feels safe enough, those patterns can begin to shift — often gently, and sometimes in surprising ways.

This is how we begin to befriend the nervous system — not as something to shut off, but something that needs support, expression, and completion.

That’s the heart behind Root & Ember Physical Therapy.

🌱 The root — grounding, safety, stability
🔥 The ember — the wisdom within you that wants to move and come alive

Sometimes healing looks like slowing down. 🌱

Sometimes it looks like supported movement so patterns can flow instead of staying stuck. 🔥

If you’ve been stuck in cycles of tension and told to “just relax”…
there may be another way.

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

I offer free 30-minute exploration calls if you’re curious 🤍
rootandemberpt.com