Val sits down with Dr. Poulos to tackle the often-overlooked topic of incontinence.

Together, they explore what incontinence is, breaking down the difference between urge and stress incontinence, and offering a clear understanding of how they impact daily life. Dr. Poulos shares expert insights on the potential causes of incontinence, from lifestyle factors to medical conditions.

This is part one of a series of two episodes on Incontinence.

Val is honored to have the opportunity to sit down with Melanie Verwoerd, an author, podcaster, and advocate for supporting women and the medical community to better understand hysterectomies, among many other impressive accomplishments.

In this conversation, they explore Melanie’s personal journey, from the shocking discovery during a routine gynecological checkup of a potentially cancerous growth on one of her ovaries, to undergoing a radical hysterectomy just days later. She also details her learnings acquired throughout the recovery process and the advocacy work she has pursued since to enable more women to understand how to "Never Waste a Good Hysterectomy".

Links to check out:

Find out more about our guest: Melanie Verwoerd

Find her Book and Podcast: Never Waste Good Hysterectomy
Book & Podcast

Learn more about Melanie's new organization, "When Women Rise", a four-night luxury women's retreat intended for women of all ages, who feel that they need time for reflection, rest and healing.

Not So Private Parts Website
NSPP Instagram

The Pelvic Floor plays an important role in our bodies. It's an incredible collection of muscles & ligaments that support our bladder, uterus, & rectum.

It plays a role in sexual function, in childbirth, in supporting our daily and lifelong activities of peeing and pooping!

It turns out there's even physical therapists specifically trained to support those who may need to work on loosening or strengthening those muscles of the pelvic floor.

The ladies at Not So Private Parts were thrilled to have a chat with Kendra Erven, a Chicagoland Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist who's been working in the field for over 25 years. (That's a heck of lot of pelvic floors people!)

Join us and learn what is the pelvic floor, what does it do, what issues can arise that stem from the pelvic floor and what can we do about them!

Our community shout out for this episode is Dignity Period!

Stay tuned at the end of the episode to hear from the Executive Director, Angie Wiseman, and learn the story and impact behind Dignity Period's mission.