Pelvic Health Physical Therapy
Eating Disorders | Prepartum & Postpartum | Orthopedic
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Does this sound familiar?
- You are in eating disorder recovery and want to know how to safely re-integrate movement and exercise
- You have a history of dysfunctional exercise and want to build a new relationship with movement and exercise
- You are pregnant and want to optimize your body for birth
- You are curious about how to safely continue exercise during pregnancy and postpartum
- You are feeling disconnected from your body because of an eating disorder, pregnancy, and/or postpartum
- You are experiencing bladder leakage, pelvic pain, or another issue that is preventing you from doing what you love
Our bodies are made to move
Stop missing out on activities that you love!
Strength Within Physical Therapy & Wellness EMPOWERS those in eating disorder recovery to RESET their relationship with exercise.
We help ALL bodies with bladder leakage, pelvic pain, pregnancy, and postpartum RESTORE and RETURN to the activities that they love with confidence.
In all encounters, Strength Within helps YOU reclaim, become strong, and live in your body.
- Strength Within Physical Therapy & Wellness EMPOWERS those in eating disorder recovery to RESET their relationship with exercise.
- We help ALL bodies with bladder leakage, pelvic pain, pregnancy, and postpartum RESTORE and RETURN to the activities that they love with confidence.
- In all encounters, Strength Within helps YOU reclaim, become strong, and live in your body.
Are you ready to reclaim, become strong, and live in your body?
Our Process Together
- Book FREE discovery call
- Book initial assessment – indicate if it is eating disorder or pelvic health focused (it can be both!)
- Disentangle beliefs about movement/exercise from eating disorder
- Build curiosity about movement
- Nervous system downregulation
- Goals pyramid – set goals and steps to achieve goals
- Breathwork/lengthen muscle tissue
- Explore movement-based interventions with supervision
- Process before/during/after thoughts with movement-based interventions
- Goals pyramid – check status and update
- Breathwork/strengthen muscle tissue
- Explore movement-based interventions individually
- Process before/during/after thoughts with movement-based interventions
- Goals pyramid – check status and update
- Return to provoking activities
Regardless of your story, Strength Within can assist you with achieving YOUR goals.
Our Process Together
Discovery Call
- Book your FREE consult call through the links in this website
- Chat with Dr. Michelle about YOUR goals and ask all your questions
- Schedule your initial evaluation directly with Dr. Michelle during your discovery call
Reset
Gently disentangle beliefs around movement and exercise from eating disorder influences
Cultivate curiosity and a more compassionate relationship with movement
Support nervous system regulation and restoration
Collaboratively create a personalized goal pyramid, with clear steps to support sustainable progress
Integrate breathwork and techniques to promote muscle lengthening and tissue release
Restore
Explore supervised, movement-based interventions in a supportive setting
Process thoughts and body cues before, during, and after movement
Review, refine, and update personalized goals
Apply breathwork techniques to support nervous system regulation
Strengthen key muscle groups to improve function and stability
Build resilience through progressive, supportive movement
Reclaim
Explore individualized, movement-based interventions
Process thoughts and body cues before, during, and after movement
Review current goals and assess progress
Refine and update goals as needs evolve
Create a supportive, step-by-step plan for continued growth
Gradually return to previously provoking activities with guidance and support
Regardless of your story, Strength Within can assist you with achieving YOUR goals.
Strength Within specializes in:
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About Dr. Michelle
Dr. Michelle is proud to be the first physical therapist recognized by IAEDP™ as both a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) and Approved Supervisor (CEDS-C)
As a weight-inclusive, HAES®-informed practitioner, Dr. Michelle recognized a critical gap in pelvic floor education within eating disorder recovery and pursued specialized training as a pelvic floor physical therapist. She has extensive experience supporting individuals in recovery who experience gastrointestinal distress, constipation, bloating, abdominal distension, pelvic pain, and abdominal wall dysfunction—challenges that can make meaningful recovery feel out of reach.
Through her work, Dr. Michelle has also observed meaningful parallels between individuals with eating disorders and women in the pre- and postpartum periods, including reduced body awareness, body dysmorphia, coordination difficulties, and a strong drive to return to exercise. With creativity and compassion, she helps clients navigate these challenges while actively inviting them to reconnect with, trust, and live fully in their bodies.
Dr. Michelle is passionate about partnering with clients who are ready to rebuild a positive relationship with movement and address pelvic floor concerns in a supportive, inclusive environment—regardless of body weight, shape, or size.
About Dr. Michelle
Dr. Michelle was recognized as the first physical therapist to earn the designation of Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) and Approved Supervisor (CEDS-S) through IAEDP.™
As a weight-inclusive and HAES® informed practitioner, Dr. Michelle recognized the need for greater pelvic floor literacy within the world of eating disorder recovery and completed training as a pelvic floor physical therapist. She has worked with individuals in eating disorder recovery that have experienced gastrointestinal distress, constipation, bloat, distension, pelvic pain, along with abdominal wall muscle dysfunction – all of which make it hard to participate in progress toward recovery. Likewise, she has noted a parallel between individuals with eating disorders and women pre/postpartum regarding decreased body awareness and body dysmorphia, coordination, and drive to return to exercise. Dr. Michelle offers creative solutions to individuals experiencing these issues AND actively invites her clients to reclaim and live in their bodies.
Dr. Michelle is excited to partner with clients that are ready to connect with their bodies and instill movement as a positive component of their lifestyle and/or to solve their pelvic floor issues – regardless of body weight, shape, size, etc.
Explore Michelle's Blog
What does physical therapy in eating disorder care look like in practical terms?
Honestly, it depends on the setting and not all settings offer physical therapy as standard of care. In eating disorder care, patients work with a multidisciplinary team of providers. Most often, the team includes a
The Role Of Physical Therapy In Eating Disorder Care
Upon graduation from physical therapy school, like most new grad PT’s, we both had ideas of the practice setting that we’d like to work within. Michelle felt most comfortable in an inpatient, hospital-based setting and
Urinary Leakage AKA Urinary Incontinence
Is this you? Are you constantly running to the bathroom? When you laugh is it hard to stay in the moment because you’re worried about peeing? Is jumping up and down out of the question?
What does physical therapy in eating disorder care look like in practical terms?
Honestly, it depends on the setting and not all settings offer physical therapy as standard of care. In eating disorder care, patients
The Role Of Physical Therapy In Eating Disorder Care
Upon graduation from physical therapy school, like most new grad PT’s, we both had ideas of the practice setting that we’d like
Contact Us
Michelle Laging
- Physical Therapist (PT)
- Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT)
- PCES (Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist)
- CPPC (Certified Pre & Postpartum Coach)
- CEDS-C (Certified Eating Disorders Specialist – Supervisor)