Participants who register for this course have the option to attend the course live-online and/or watch the recording later. The recording will be available to all registrants for a 6-week period and access is provided on the next business day following the course. This allows participants who may not be able to attend live-online to still benefit from the content. To facilitate attendance tracking, please indicate on your registration form if you won't be attending live.
Description:
Stay Current. Stay Inspired. Stay Connected.
Join us each month for Hot Topic Sessions - a dynamic mentorship initiative designed to keep pelvic health professionals up to date on the latest clinical trends, evidence-based practices, and emerging research. Led by expert guest speakers in the field, these interactive webinars are crafted to enhance clinical reasoning, stimulate peer engagement, and support knowledge translation into everyday practice. Whether you're looking to refresh your knowledge, challenge your thinking, or strengthen your clinical toolbox, Hot Topic Sessions offer an engaging and convenient way to grow professionally—one month at a time.
✨ Sign up anytime! Your registration provides you with access to the next 6 consecutive months of expert-led sessions—so you can start learning right away and stay connected as new topics roll out.
📅 Sessions take place on the second Wednesday of every month.
👉 If you register after that month’s session has already taken place, your 6-month access will begin the following month. (Please note: months cannot be skipped; access runs consecutively from the time of registration.)Program format:
- Expert-Led Lecture (60 minutes):Â Insightful presentations on current and relevant topics from respected leaders and researchers in pelvic health.
- Case Study Integration & Discussion (60 minutes):Â Real-life case studies analyzed collaboratively, with opportunities for group dialogue, peer sharing, and Q&A.
- Monthly live Zoom sessions with 6-week recording access available for registrants.
- Curated topics that address clinical complexity, innovation, and best practices.
- Emphasis on practical application and decision-making.
- Supportive learning environment to build community and confidence.
- Live attendance is preferred, but registrants will receive 6-week recording access to each session.
- Flexible entry - sign up anytime and enjoy 6 consecutive months of access (no skipping months; starts from your registration date or the following month if you join after that month’s session).
Speakers/Topics:
- March 2026 - Robyn Synnott - Preventing Clinician Burnout and Enhancing Patient Experience Through Trauma-Informed CareÂ
- April 2026Â - Jo Milios
- May 2026 - Sarah Marshall -Â Beyond Cancer Survivorship - Restoring Quality of Life in Those Affected by Cancer
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June 2026 - Anita Lambert - Rethinking the Second Stage of Labour: Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Strategies for the Pushing Phase of Birth
- July 2026 - Cara McDougall
- August 2026 - Sheela Zelmer - Sex and IntimacyÂ
- September 2026 - TBD
- October 2026 - Dr. Beth Shelly - Pre- and Post-Operative Care for Men Undergoing Prostatectomy – More Than Just KegelsÂ
- November 2026 - MJ Forget - Pregnancy and Post-Partum
- December 2026 - TBD
Please note: The speaker line-up is subject to change.
Audience:Â Open to all healthcare and wellness professionals
Date/time:Â The second Wednesday of every month from 7:00-9:00pm ET. Please convert to your local time zone.
Speaker Descriptions
Preventing Clinician Burnout and Enhancing Patient Experience Through Trauma-Informed Care - Robyn Synnott
Clinicians today are practicing in a healthcare system that is increasingly fast-paced, productivity-driven, and emotionally demanding. Many providers find themselves facing burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and moral injury - often while striving to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care. At the same time, patients frequently report feeling rushed, unheard, or disconnected from their care.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) offers a practical, evidence-informed framework that supports both clinician well-being and improved patient outcomes. Rather than adding more to your workload, TIC can reshape how care is delivered - fostering collaboration, restoring meaning in clinical work, and creating safer, more empowering experiences for patients.
This interactive session will explore the systemic and clinical drivers of burnout, clarify what Trauma-Informed Care truly is (and what it is not), and demonstrate how TIC principles can be integrated into everyday practice. Participants will leave with concrete, immediately applicable strategies to reduce clinician strain, strengthen therapeutic relationships, and enhance the patient experience.
Objectives:
- Differentiate between burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and moral injury—and recognize their impact on clinical practice.
- Describe the core principles of Trauma-Informed Care and identify common misconceptions.
- Explain how Trauma-Informed Care can support clinician well-being while acknowledging real-world implementation challenges.
- Identify the ways Trauma-Informed Care improves patient engagement, trust, and health outcomes.
- Apply practical, actionable strategies to begin integrating Trauma-Informed Care into clinical practice immediately.
Bio:
Robyn Synnott is a Registered Physiotherapist of over 15 years, and a pelvic health physiotherapist for over a decade. She has a trauma-informed practice helping women and gender-diverse individuals with pelvic health concerns and persistent pain. She has a private practice in Burlington at Thrive Massage and Wellness and works part-time for the Hamilton Family Health Team providing these services to those who could not otherwise afford it. Robyn also teaches continuing education courses for allied health professionals through Pelvic Health Solutions on how to practice trauma-informed care and how to support clients through labour and birth. She is a fierce advocate for women, gender-diverse individuals, and marginalized people in the community and in healthcare.
Beyond Cancer Survivorship - Restoring Quality of Life in Those Affected by Cancer - Sarah Marshall
Cancers in the pelvis account for a relatively large percentage of new diagnoses for both cis-males and females. Side effects can occur with any type of cancer treatment, whether that be surgical, radiation, or chemotherapy. The severity and type of side effects will depend on the specific area or organs effected, size of area treated, type and amount of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, and overall health and co-morbidities.
With modern advances in cancer treatment, more people are surviving cancer than ever before. Patients live with the burden of having had cancer, radiation, chemotherapy and surgeries. We must now look beyond the initial good outcome of survivorship and focus on optimizing quality of life.
Pelvic health physiotherapy is uniquely positioned to address symptoms of cancer treatment including urinary, bowel, and sexual dysfunction. This evidence-based lecture discusses a whole-person approach that can help improve the quality of life in this under-serviced population.
Objectives:Â
- Discuss the prevalence of cancers affecting the pelvis and pelvic floor dysfunction following treatment
- Summarize common medical cancer treatments
- Review assessment considerations for people affected by cancer
- Review the evidence for physiotherapy treatment options
Bio:
Sarah holds a Master’s of Physiotherapy with Merit from Robert Gordon University, Scotland. Sarah became passionate about pelvic health physiotherapy after working in a health & fitness setting with people who were pregnant or post-partum. She has since dedicated her continued training and professional development to the treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, including pelvic pain, urogenital dysfunction, gastrointestinal disorders, neurogenic bowel and bladder, penile rehabilitation, and paediatric pelvic floor dysfunction.
Sarah is a Lab Assistant and Instructor with Pelvic Health Solutions, delivering a course in Oncology and the Pelvic Floor. Sarah has presented on various topics for organizations including the Obstetrical Management Seminars for the University of Calgary, Ostomy Canada Society, Pelvic Health Solutions, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and Princess Margaret Cancer Centre.Â
Rethinking the Second Stage of Labour: Pelvic Health Physiotherapist Strategies for the Pushing Phase of Birth - Anita Lambert
The pushing stage of birth (also known as the second stage of labour) is often glossed over in traditional birth classes, leaving many clients unprepared for what pushing may look or feel like.
This session equips pelvic health physiotherapists with practical, teachable strategies to help clients feel prepared going into the pushing stage and confident with their options during this part of birth.Â
Topics will include:
- What the second stage is (passive vs active).
- The types of pushing (coached vs spontaneous).
- The timing of pushing (delayed vs immediate).
- Pushing position options (with and without an epidural).
- Perineal massage and pelvic floor relaxation techniques.
To bring these concepts into clinical practice, the session will include case study integration and interactive discussion, where participants will apply strategies to common scenarios they may encounter with pregnant clients. Attendees will leave with greater confidence in teaching about the pushing stage and equipping clients with practical ways to prepare for it.
Objectives:
- Explain the second stage of labour (passive/latent vs active) to clients.
- Teach clients about the types of pushing (coached vs spontaneous).
- Teach clients about the timing of pushing (delayed vs immediate).
- Demonstrate and explain pushing position options, with and without an epidural.
- Introduce and guide clients in perineal massage and pelvic floor relaxation strategies.
- Prepare clients in pregnancy with practical strategies and options for the pushing stage.
- Guide clients in asking questions of their care team in prenatal appointments and during birth.
- Support clients in feeling confident and empowered to make informed choices during the pushing stage of labour.
Bio:
Anita Lambert is a pelvic health and orthopaedic physiotherapist with a focus on perinatal care. She is the owner of Holistic Health Physiotherapy, creator of the Bump to Birth Method, cohost of the To Birth & Beyond podcast, and a mentor and coach to pelvic health physiotherapists worldwide.
Growing up as a ballet dancer and athlete, Anita was fascinated with how the body moves and heals. While completing her Kinesiology degree, she worked with McMaster University’s women’s rugby and basketball teams. Since becoming a physiotherapist, she has served as President of Healthy Dancer Canada and as on-site physiotherapist for Canada’s Ballet Jörgen.
Anita began her career in orthopaedics and, a few years in, expanded into pelvic health. Since then, she has focused her clinical practice on pregnancy, birth preparation, and postpartum recovery, while continuing to work with dancers and athletes of all levels during these stages of life.Â
Having worked as a physiotherapist for over 15 years, she enjoys coaching and mentoring pelvic health physiotherapists who are diving into perinatal care — helping them expand their skill set, increase their confidence, and build thriving practices.
Outside of work, Anita enjoys strength training, yoga, Pilates, and spending time outdoors with her husband, daughter, and son.
Pre- and Post-Operative Care for Men Undergoing Prostatectomy – More Than Just Kegels - Dr. Beth ShellyÂ
This 2-hour webinar will review the evidence-based treatment of men before and after prostate removal for cancer. This wholistic approach includes general exercise, diet and bowel care, activity restrictions, and a comprehensive pelvic floor muscle training program including strength, endurance and coordination. Clinical case examples will be discussed. Bring your questions and listen to the most up to date evidence on the treatment of these challenging cases.Â
Objectives:
- Provide evidenced based description of male pelvic floor muscle contraction.
- List components of a comprehensive pelvic floor muscle training program for men before and after prostate removal.
- Develop a wholistic pre and post operative program for men undergoing prostatectomy for cancer including education and exercise.
Bio:
Dr. Beth Shelly PT, DPT, WCS, BCB PMD is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and board certified in Women's Health and Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Biofeedback. Beth has been working in the field of women’s health for over 35 years and is the women's health editor for both "Pathology for Physical Therapists" and "Differential Diagnosis for Physical Therapists" textbooks. In 2010 Dr. Shelly started the Pelvic PT Distance Journal Club which now has over 1300 members all over the world and presents journal reviews monthly in English and Spanish. In addition, she has been active in setting standard terms and definitions with the International Continence Society (ICS) as past member of the Physiotherapy Committee and the Standardization Committee and an author and co-chair on three working groups including the recently published ICS standard terms for Pelvic Floor Muscle assessment. Dr Shelly is the physical therapy representative on the American Urological Association clinical practice guidelines on assessment and treatment of male pelvic pain recently published. She lectures to medical professionals all over the world and owns a private practice in the United States where she treats outpatients with all forms of pelvic floor dysfunctions. Â
Schedule
Dates/time:Â The second Wednesday of every month from 7-9pm ET.
Delivery Format
Live attendance is not mandatory for this online course. Enjoy a 6-week period to access and review the course recording, which is sent out on the next business day. We understand that life can be busy, which is why we offer you the freedom to access the course recording(s) during the time-limited viewing period.