Exploring Life & Business with Rakhi Srivastava of Queen City Pelvic Health And Wellness

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rakhi Srivastava. 

Hi Rakhi, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I always had an interest in healthcare. I initially pursued that by going to medical school after undergrad. After a couple years I realized that being a doctor wasn’t for me. I spent some time looking into other fields and discovered occupational therapy. I enrolled at Xavier University, and it was a perfect fit. I have been an occupational therapist (OT) for 12 years, primarily in the fields of inpatient rehabilitation and acute care for the beginning of my career. I even spent 4.5 years as an adjunct professor at Xavier University, where I taught OT undergraduate and graduate students. Eventually, I learned about the specialty of pelvic floor therapy and dove in right away, taking a whole intro series of courses in less than a year and then so many more in following years. I helped develop the pelvic floor therapy program at the hospital where I worked, and it grew quickly because there is such a need! I eventually started my private practice, Queen City Pelvic Health and Wellness, at the beginning of 2022. I listened to podcasts and audiobooks to figure out how to run a business, and worked my tail off to get business materials in order before I started seeing clients in April. In the last year I mentored my first pelvic health Fieldwork student, learned dry needling, presented at the very first OTs in Pelvic Health Summit, was a guest on the OTs in Pelvic Health Podcast, collaborated with one of my best friends to bring nutrition and dietetic services to the practice, and gave two guest lectures to Xavier OT doctoral students. I have been working with a handful of pelvic health OTs to build a Pelvic Health Community of Practice at the national level within the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Most recently, I was asked by President Alyson Stover and the Board of AOTA to co-chair a task force to develop occupational therapy’s response to the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court decision in which Roe v. Wade was overturned. I have connected with so many amazing practitioners and female business owners to further explore the medical model as well as alternative treatments and theories. I was afraid that I would be losing any sense of community by leaving my hospital bubble but instead I have found fantastic support systems, listening ears, and a world where things just keep falling into place. It has been a year of immeasurable growth and continual evolution. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Honestly, the practice grew much more quickly than I expected. Many clients came with me from my hospital, and I had a good referral base from the hospital. I already had some name recognition from the area “mom groups” on Facebook since I had been practicing in the specialty for over 4 years. I decided to bring on an OT student right at the beginning of my practice and wasn’t sure if that was a great idea or the worst idea ever. It turned out to be a great idea because while she learned how to treat and run a new business, she was also a great sounding board for me. Some of the struggles have been more on the business end of things-learning to budget, figuring out taxes, learning how to hire as the company grows, and managing my time! It’s a lot of hats to wear with running the practice, being the treating therapist, and doing the marketing. Marketing has mostly come easily because I try to keep things authentic, but it almost forces social media to be part of my life which takes away time from my family. I hope to find a better work-life balance in the upcoming year because ultimately the reason I started this practice was to have more control over my own schedule and spend more time with my family. 

As you know, we’re big fans of Queen City Pelvic Health And Wellness, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am an occupational therapist specialized in pelvic health for all genders based in Cincinnati, OH. Pelvic floor therapy can be helpful for a variety of issues including bladder issues such as leakage, retention, painful urination, chronic UTIs; prolapse of the bladder, uterus, or rectum; bowel dysfunction such as chronic constipation or diarrhea; sexual dysfunction, painful intercourse or outercourse, decreased libido; changes and pain occurring with pregnancy and postpartum periods as well as menopause. I have a registered dietitian nutritionist contracting with me as well since diet has such an impact on pelvic and overall health; she is just starting to see clients for individual or family nutrition counseling virtually while my pelvic floor treatments are all in-person. I think what sets us apart is using evidence-based practice to guide our treatments but also being relatable and making sure to fit therapy in with the client’s lifestyle. A newly postpartum mom is going to have different time/energy/emotional availability than a woman whose children are grown and out of the house and who makes time for daily exercise. Each program is designed specifically for that client to set them up for success. 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Ha! A bookworm, quiet, shy. I didn’t come out of my shell until college. I’m still quite the introvert but I fake extrovert well when I need to. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.queencitypelvichealth.com
• Instagram: @queencitypelvichealth
• Facebook: @queencitypelvichealth
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/Rakhisrivastava

Image Credits
Door to the North Photography