Podcast
Heal Your Chronic Pelvic Pain
Hosted by Rachel Gofman, DPT · EN
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.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
How To Trust Yourself (with Anna Holtzman)
3w ago01:01:06Tap to summarizeIn 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.
Transcribe →Client Story: Shawna's IC symptoms had her frozen in fear. Now she's training for a ballroom competition.
4w ago01:04:29Tap to summarizeShawna 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-programDisclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Transcribe →Your Future Self (Part 2): The Practice
May 100:22:51Tap to summarizeLast week I talked about the concept. This week, I'm giving you the practice.The Future Self Visualization is a guided imagery practice that up until now has only lived inside my program, Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain. It was a big part of my own healing. I listened to some version of this almost every single day for years. Until I healed. Until I became my future self.In this episode:Why your brain might resist this (and what to do with that resistance)The full guided Future Self VisualizationHow to take that energy into your actual dayThe one question to ask yourself when you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like it's not workingBefore you press play: find somewhere safe to sit or lie down where you won't be disturbed. You'll want to close your eyes for part of this.Ready to stop just visualizing your future self and start becoming her?That’s what I help you do inside Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain. Doors Close TONIGHT 5/1 at midnight. When doors reopen at the end of June, the price goes up.[Learn More + Join BCPP]Resources & Links:Follow me on Instagram: @thepelvicpaincoachGet Your Free Pain Flare Plan (download): https://thepelvicpaincoach/painflareplanDisclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Transcribe →Connecting with Your Future Self (and Becoming Her)
Apr 2400:24:45Tap to summarizeThere's a version of you who has already healed.Who feels safe in her body.Whose life is no longer consumed by pain. Who is living the life you've been dreaming of.And, she's closer than you think.In this podcast episode, I discuss practice that changed everything for me in my own healing: connecting with your future self.Not as a theoretical concept. As a decision-making tool.Because when you're in pain, everything narrows down to: how do I feel better right now?And that urgency keeps you stuck in the same patterns that created the pain in the first place.What shifted things for me the most was learning to ask a different question:If I knew I was going to get there... what would I do right now?In this episode, I walk you through how to actually start thinking and making decisions from that place. And I share a deeply personal moment where this practice carried me through one of the hardest days of my healing journey.Want support applying this work?If you’re ready to stop doing this alone and actually start becoming her, I’d love to support you inside Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain.This is your last opportunity to join at $847. Doors close May 1st. When we reopen, it will be $1200.👉 Join the programDisclaimer:This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Transcribe →Why You’re Still In Pain and What To Do About It (Free Masterclass)
Apr 1700:05:53Tap to summarizeIf you’ve been doing everything right… and you’re still in pain, this episode is for you.In this short episode, I’m directing you to a free masterclass I created:“Why You’re Still In Pain, And What To Do About It.”What you might be missingMost providers are only trained to treat pain from a structural perspective.So when nothing shows up on testing, or your symptoms continue after something has been treated, you’re often left without real answers.But that doesn’t mean there aren’t answers.Inside the masterclass, you’ll learn:Why pain can continue even when nothing is structurally wrongThe different types of pain and what’s actually driving your symptomsWhat needs to shift to start moving forwardWatch the Free Masterclass👉 Click here to watch 🗓 Available until April 27thIf you’re feeling stuck or unsure what to do next, this is your next step.Want support applying this work?At the end of the masterclass, I share how to go deeper inside Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain.Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Transcribe →The Validation Trap: A Hidden Block to Healing Chronic Pelvic Pain
Apr 1000:16:03Tap to summarizeIn this episode, I’m talking about something I see all the time with my clients, and something I personally experienced for a long time:The push-pull between validation and empowerment.And how the very thing that once helped you survive… might now be covertly blocking your ability to move forward.In this episode, we talk about:Why the need for validation makes so much sense (especially after medical gaslighting and invisible pain) How self-validation can turn into a loop that keeps you stuck The turning point: wanting to be well more than wanting validation The difference between self-pity and self-compassion (this one is big) What self-compassion actually looks like in real time The grief that comes with realizing no one can fully understand your experience Reflection questions to help you shift out of the validation loop and into healingA question to sit with:Are you validating yourself in a way that helps you feel supported and capable…Or in a way that keeps you stuck, cycling through how hard and unfair this is?If you’re ready for support…This is exactly the work we do inside Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain.Inside the program, you’ll learn how to: Understand why your pain is happening Shift out of fear and symptom focus Respond to your body in a new way Stay in process, even when it feels hard Build real momentum in your healingYou don’t have to figure this out alone.👉 Learn more here: https://thepelvicpaincoach.com/healing-programDoors are currently open, but enrollment is closing at the end of April. When we reopen at the end of June, it will be at a new price.Healing is possible for you.Rooting for you, always 💜Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Lagging Results: When the Work Is Working (But You Can’t Feel It Yet)
Apr 200:17:20Tap to summarizeIf you’ve been doing the work:✅Regulating your nervous system, ✅Responding to symptoms with safety✅Practicing self-compassion…but you’re still not feeling better yet, this episode is for you.Because one of the hardest parts of the healing journey isn’t learning what to do.It’s continuing to do it when it feels like nothing is changing.In this episode, we’re talking about lagging results — the experience of doing the work without yet seeing symptomatic change.And more importantly… how to stay in the process without spiraling, doubting yourself, or giving up.Inside this episode, we cover:What “lagging results” actually are (and why they’re normal)Why constantly checking your symptoms can keep you stuckHow urgency and outcome-dependence signal danger to your nervous systemThe real mechanism behind neuroplastic healing (what’s happening beneath the surface)Why healing often feels like “nothing is working” right before things start to shiftThe difference between inputs vs outcomes (and where to focus your energy)How to stay in the work, even when your brain is telling you it’s not workingThe core message:You are not doing it wrong.The work is working.The results are just lagging.A reframe to take with you:Healing is not like flipping a switch. It’s more like planting a seed.For a while… nothing looks different. But underneath the surface, everything is changing.Reflection questions to support you:Where am I measuring success only by symptoms right now?What inputs am I consistently providing, even if I can’t feel the results yet?What would change if I trusted that my nervous system is rewiring beneath the surface? What would it look like to stay in process without needing proof right now?Want guidance and support?If this episode resonates and you want guidance and support learning how to consistently ground back into what’s actually in your control, so your energy is moving in the direction of healing, Rachel would love to support you inside her coaching program, Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain.Inside the program, you’ll get a self-paced curriculum grounded in modern pain neuroscience and specifically tailored for healing chronic pelvic pain, along with weekly live group coaching calls where you can ask questions, get clarity, and receive support applying this work to your real symptoms and your real life.You don’t have to do this alone anymore.You deserve to live a life beyond chronic pelvic pain.👉 Learn more about the program hereRooting for you, always 💜 RachelDisclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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Why Fun, Play, and Joy Are Essential for Healing (with Lauren Garchow, LCSW)
Mar 2600:53:40Tap to summarizeIf you’ve been approaching your healing like something to figure out, fix, or do perfectly… this episode is for you.In this conversation with psychotherapist and mind-body coach Lauren Garchow, we’re talking about something that doesn’t get nearly enough attention in the healing space: that fun, play, joy, and lightness are POWERFUL healing modalities.We explore why so many of us struggle to access these states (especially if you’re driven, analytical, or used to pushing through), how pressure builds in the body and contributes to symptoms, and why expanding your life is actually part of how you heal, not something you wait to experience once you’re symptom-free.This is a grounded, practical conversation that will likely shift how you think about “doing the work.”Together, We Cover:How play, joy, and lightness help regulate your nervous systemWhy fun can feel unsafe or inaccessible (and what to do about it)The difference between top-down vs bottom-up healingHow to start accessing joy when it feels completely out of reachWhy trying harder can actually make symptoms worseThe role of self-compassion and acceptance in healingHow community and co-regulation support your nervous systemWhat it looks like to expand your life while you healYou don’t have to wait until you’re symptom-free to start living your life.Even small moments of joy, presence, or lightness are doing something meaningful in your nervous system.This work isn’t about forcing yourself to feel good.It’s about slowly expanding your capacity to experience more of the good.If fun feels far away right now, start small:Listen to a song you love and notice how it feels in your bodyWatch something that makes you laugh (this counts)Spend time with someone who feels easy to be aroundStep outside and let your mind take a breakNotice even one second of something enjoyableEvery little bit counts. About Lauren:Lauren Garchow, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, mind-body coach, and speaker based in Los Angeles, CA. Her own chronic pain healing journey revealed the mind’s powerful ability to change and adapt, igniting a deep passion to support others in their mind-body healing.As the owner of Lauren G therapy, she focuses on helping women feel at home in their bodies and has guided numerous clients through diverse chronic symptom challenges, including pelvic pain. Her work connects physical symptoms with the broader context of a person’s life, including their experiences, relationships, and identity—empowering clients to explore their minds and bodies with curiosity and compassion.Lauren deeply values balance in her life. In order for her to show up whole-heartily in this work, she prioritizes having a full life outside of it. A key part of her healing journey was learning to have more FUN and lighten up on herself. She brings this perspective into her work, encouraging clients to cultivate play, creativity, and connection as part of their healing process.Website: www.laurengtherapy.comInstagram: @laurengarchowLinkedIn: Lauren Garchow Resources & UpcomingSomatic Tracking for Dizziness (Live on Curable)March 27 at 10 AM PST→ Join + get 6 weeks free:
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The Thoughts That Keep You Stuck vs. The Ones That Move You Forward
Mar 1900:15:39Tap to summarizeIn this episode, Rachel introduces a powerful framework:Stop Healing Thoughts vs. Keep Healing ThoughtsYou’ll learn how to identify the thoughts that pull you out of the process of healing, and how to gently shift into thoughts that help you stay in it long enough for healing to actually happen.In This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why your thoughts are not the problem, but how you relate to them isHow your nervous system state influences the thoughts you thinkWhat “Stop Healing Thoughts” are and how they keep you stuckWhat “Keep Healing Thoughts” are and how they support healingWhy healing doesn’t require perfect thinking, just staying in the workA simple practice to identify your own thought patterns and shift themYour Takeaway Practice:Take a few minutes and write down:Your Stop Healing Thoughts (What pulls you into fear, hopelessness, or quitting?)Your Keep Healing Thoughts (What helps you take your next step, even when it’s hard?)This awareness alone can change everything.Want Support Applying This Work?If you’re listening and thinking, “Okay, I get this… but how do I actually apply it to my symptoms and my life?”You don’t have to figure that out alone.Inside my Beyond Chronic Pelvic Pain Healing Program, I walk you through exactly how to do this work step-by-step, with guidance, structure, and support.You’ll learn how to:Understand your symptoms through a mind-body lensReduce fear and nervous system threatBuild safety in your bodyReturn to movement, intimacy, and lifeStay consistent in the work (even when your brain wants to spiral)✨ Learn more here
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Why Time (Alone) Doesn’t Heal Chronic Pelvic Pain
Mar 1200:25:33Tap to summarizeMany people living with chronic pelvic pain hold onto the hope that if they just wait long enough, their pain will eventually just go away. You rest. You avoid certain activities. You give it time.But months pass. Sometimes years. And the pain is still there.In this episode, Rachel explains why time alone doesn’t heal chronic pelvic pain, and what actually creates healing.If you've been stuck in the frustrating cycle of waiting and hoping things will improve on their own, this conversation will help you understand what’s really happening in your body and why a different approach is needed.Chronic pain isn’t simply a matter of tissues needing more time to recover. When chronic pelvic pain persists beyond normal healing timelines, it often means the nervous system has learned a protective pattern that continues to generate symptoms even when the body itself is safe.True healing happens when the nervous system begins to receive new signals of safety.In this episode, Rachel breaks down the three key areas where safety must be rebuilt in order to retrain the nervous system and move out of chronic pelvic pain.If you’ve been waiting for time to heal you, this episode will help you understand why that hasn’t worked and what can.And most importantly, it will remind you that healing is still possible.In This EpisodeWhy it’s completely normal to believe that time will heal chronic pelvic painThe difference between acute injury pain and chronic painWhy persistent symptoms often mean the nervous system has learned a protective patternHow waiting, resting, and avoiding can unintentionally reinforce pain pathwaysThe three types of safety your nervous system needs in order to healWhy healing chronic pelvic pain requires active nervous system retraining, not just timeMentioned in This EpisodeListen to the Understanding Pain Series (Episodes 2–6) for a deeper explanation of pain science and neuroplastic symptoms.Ready to Go Deeper?If you’re ready to stop waiting for your pain to go away and start actively retraining your nervous system, Rachel invites you to join her coaching program:Beyond Chronic Pelvic PainThis 4-month coaching container helps you:Understand what’s actually driving your symptomsRetrain your nervous system out of chronic painBuild safety in your body, yourself, and your lifeReturn to living a full and empowered life while you healThe program includes a structured curriculum plus weekly live coaching calls with Rachel for guidance and support as you apply this work to your own body and life.You can learn more here.Connect with RachelFollow me on Instagram: @thepelvicpaincoachGet Your Free Pain Flare Plan (download): https://thepelvicpaincoach/painflareplanDisclaimer: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
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