New Patient FAQ

Getting Started

Insurance, Rates & Availability

What to Expect

The Practical Stuff

Getting Started

What happens at my first visit?

Your first appointment is a full 60 min comprehensive evaluation.  We will go over your health history, your birth story if you have one, what’s been going on in your body, and what your goals are for physical therapy. Then we will assess your body based on the information I’ve gathered and you’ll leave with a plan built around you, not a protocol pulled off a shelf. Afterward, I’ll send you a written summary of what we found and a personalized home exercise program.

What exactly is a pelvic floor evaluation?

An internal pelvic floor evaluation is the only way to test the function of your pelvic floor muscles. First I show you the pelvic floor model and identify what muscles we are going to assess and how the exam is done. Then I get your verbal consent before we proceed. If you consent, I get the table set up so you are comfortable, draped with your underwear and pants off. I have a glove on, lube on one finger and the exam is done with my finger. No stirrups or speculum. I explain every step of the way and your comfort and consent are the most important part. It is all in your control at all times and we never have to do any of it!

Do I need a referral?

No referral needed to book your evaluation in California. Under California’s Direct Access law, if we keep working together past 45 days from that evaluation, I will need a referral from a doctor to continue treatment — if you have an OB/GYN or other doctor, just have them fax one over (1-888-378-9536). If you don’t have one yet, we’ll sort it out together when we meet.

How do I book an appointment?

Click Book Appointment and choose your location — San Rafael or San Francisco’s Noe Valley. I’d recommend booking your follow-up 2-4 weeks out at the same time as your evaluation, since spots book up fast and this holds your place.

What type of appointment do I book?

Everyone starts with a 60-Minute Evaluation, whether you’re prenatal, postpartum, or coming in for anything else. A few notes to help you pick the right one:

  • 60 Min Evaluation: you have never been in before, or it’s been over a year since I have seen you.
  • Birth Prep 1st Visit: you are 33+ weeks pregnant and we have never met, or I haven’t seen you in THIS pregnancy.
  • Birth Prep Follow-up: I’ve already seen you in this current pregnancy.
  • Postpartum Eval — Returning Patient: I saw you in your pregnancy.
  • Follow-up: I’ve seen you for this current issue within the last year.

Can I schedule a phone consult?

Yes — a complimentary 20-minute phone consult is a bookable option on my online schedule, no commitment needed. Check either location’s schedule for availability; it doesn’t matter which one you’d eventually be seen at. I will call you at the appointment time. You’re always welcome to email me directly instead, too.

Where are you located, and when are you open?

  • San Rafael (914 Mission Ave, Floor 2, Suite 1) — Monday afternoons, Tuesdays, and Thursdays; there’s a designated parking lot under the building (YES YOU CAN PARK THERE)
  • San Francisco’s Noe Valley, inside The Root (1300 Sanchez St( — Wednesdays; street parking

You’ll get more location detail in your appointment confirmation and reminder emails.

Insurance, Rates & Availability

Do you take insurance?

I’m not in network with any insurance company, but I’ll give you a superbill to submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement, and I accept FSA/HSA cards. Unfortunately insurance companies do not pay physical therapists a living wage for me to be able to provide the care that I do as a small business where you get direct care from me for your whole visit. Insurance companies also do not recognize any expertise or experience and would pay me the same as a brand new physical therapist working in a big gym setting.

Do you take Medicare?

I’m not a Medicare provider, which means Medicare cannot reimburse you for my services. If you’re a Medicare beneficiary, please contact me directly before booking so we can figure out the right path together.

What are your rates?

Current rates are always listed on my online schedule, and I keep pricing simple and transparent — no surprise fees. $10 discount if you pay with cash or check.

Your schedule books out — is there a waitlist?

Yes. My schedule typically books out 4-6 weeks (a bit more in San Francisco), so grab whatever spot works and then add yourself to the waitlist for anything sooner — the link is in the bottom-left corner of the online schedule. I work with a lot of moms, so schedules shift constantly and something opens up most weeks; you’ll get an email the moment it does. If nothing fits your timeline, my online courses (Birth Prep, Postpartum, and topic-specific mini-courses) are there too.

What to Expect

Will I need an internal exam?

Not necessarily, and never without your consent first. A lot can be learned through conversation, observation, and external work alone. When an internal exam is indicated, I’ll explain exactly why and what it involves before we do anything — it’s always your call.

What if I have my period?

Totally fine — come as scheduled. It’s welcome and not a problem at all, and a part of working in women’s health!

Can I bring my baby?

Yes, at both locations. Bring the baby, the car seat, the stroller, whatever you need — we’ll make it work.

I’m pregnant — is anything different about my first visit?

If you’re early in pregnancy, we typically hold off on an internal pelvic floor assessment until after the 1st trimester. In certain cases I might decide an internal exam is warranted earlier than that, and I’ll explain why and get your consent before we do anything.

When do you recommend coming in during pregnancy?

Whenever something feels off, such as pain, or if you want to do a baseline check on your pelvic floor. Then we do Birth Prep sessions specifically after 33+ weeks to focus on pelvic floor function — relaxing and pushing. Earlier in pregnancy, I’m often addressing pain, core and pelvic floor coordination, and helping you move well as your body changes.

Can my partner come to my birth prep appointment?

Yes.

Can I come see you if I’ve never been pregnant?

Yes. Pelvic floor issues — pain, leaking, pressure, pain with sex — aren’t only a postpartum thing. If your pelvis is telling you something’s off, that’s reason enough to come in.

Do you treat men?

My practice is focused specifically on women’s and maternal pelvic health, so I don’t see male patients at this time.

Do you treat patients beyond childbearing years?

Yes. Pelvic health doesn’t end when the childbearing years do — I treat perimenopause and menopause-related changes too, including new vaginal pain, urinary incontinence and urgency, and prolapse.

What about C-section recovery?

A C-section is major abdominal surgery, which affects the tissues and muscles that stabilize your spine and pelvis. It’s really important to come in after a C-section to fully heal and decrease injury risk from unresolved core issues. We’ll also address the scar, and sometimes the pelvic floor is involved in recovery as well.

When should I see you postpartum?

C-sections: anytime after 4 weeks postpartum. Vaginal births: we don’t do an internal exam until 6 weeks, but you can still come in earlier to address other issues. And there’s no deadline — even if you’re years postpartum, we can still address unresolved postpartum issues.

Do you only treat the pelvis?

No! I am an expert in Diastasis Recti as a postpartum condition, and I also treat musculoskeletal issues such as joint pain in the pelvis and hip, low back pain, and upper body/posture issues most common in a postpartum body.

The Practical Stuff

How many sessions will I need?

Honestly, it depends on your body and what brought you in. Some concerns resolve in a handful of visits; others take longer. I’ll never put you on a generic timeline or sell you a package — we reassess together as we go, so you always know why we’re doing what we’re doing. Commit to 2 sessions to get started: an evaluation and a follow-up, and I’ll tell you more when we meet.

What should I wear or bring?

Comfortable clothes you can move in, like what you’d wear to a workout. Bring your health history if you have documentation, and any questions you’ve been sitting on — there’s no such thing as a silly one.

I still have questions. Can I just ask you directly?

Please do. Reach out through the contact page — I read every message myself.

Coming to see a pelvic floor PT for the first time can feel vulnerable, especially if no one’s ever asked you these questions before. I don’t take that lightly — my job is to make sure you feel heard, respected, and never rushed. You cannot shock me or gross me out. I love being a safe place for my patients to get the care they need.

— Alicia