With her own physical therapy practice and a new baby, this mom is feeling the time squeeze...and the overwhelming love.
Profession: Pelvic floor physical therapist & business owner
Community: Eugene, Santa Clara area
Partner: Kurt Clark, construction & studying for real estate license
Children: Remi, 5 months
Photos by: Livia fremouw
Family comes first.
All families are unique. Tell us about yours. I’m originally from Ohio and my husband, Kurt, is originally from Washington. We met in 2018 in Washington after I moved to the Tri-Cities from Florida. We then got married in 2021 in Hood River, and we welcomed our little Remi in October 2024. We both brought a fur baby into the family. I brought Ari, a Boston Terrier, and he brought Kobe, a Yorkie Poo.
We moved to Eugene in March 2024 after traveling for a year. We had a loose rubric of what we wanted to find in a community to put roots down and Eugene fit the bill.
Every family has its own traditions, rituals or inside jokes. What are some of yours? Now that we have a baby, we have been talking about what type of traditions and rituals we want to create as a family. One inside joke we do have is that if one of us helps out the other, the receiver of the favor sings, “You’re my hero” from Wind Beneath My Wings by Bette Midler.
Tell us about one of your proudest mom moments. Right now I’m really proud of how I’ve leaned into my maternal side. I’ve been driven by my masculine, serious, productive side my entire life and currently I’m enjoying being soft, silly and affectionate. I’m also proud of how I brought Remi into this world. My own birth was traumatic and I had this vision of healing my trauma, and my ancestral trauma, while welcoming a baby at home in an empowered, informed and loving manner.
Now tell us about one of your most humbling mom moments. Oh man, literally every day of my young mom life. I’ve had to learn, and continue to learn, that how I envision my day going is most likely not going to happen. My time isn’t my time anymore.
What is something you swore you would never do before kids that you now do (skip showers,
go to a drive-through coffee in your pjs, etc.)? This is TMI but…poop with the door open. I wasn’t quite sure how I could go to the bathroom by putting Remi down unattended. I think I set the record for the fastest poop ever!
You know you’re a mom when you hear yourself say… I’ve reheated this coffee twice now.
No one works harder than mom.
We know that being a mom is a full-time job. How do you balance (or not) motherhood, activities, work, volunteering, household responsibilities, and life in general? What sometimes falls through the cracks?
I feel like when I talk to other moms, no matter how old their kids are, there seems to be no such thing as balance. It’s almost like here are five important aspects of your life but you can only pick three to focus on. Which I greatly struggle with. I’m asking myself a lot, “What needs are and aren’t being met?” And that helps me prioritize.
Since I just opened up my own physical therapy practice, the three aspects I’ve been focusing on lately are career, motherhood and community outreach. I’m hoping that when Remi gets a little older that I can put more focus on my self-care and being a better friend.
Tell us about your work or volunteerism outside of the home. I have been a pelvic health physical therapist for 9 years and I am the proud owner of Duality Pelvic Health and Wellness (DPHW). When I tell people my niche in physical therapy there are many follow-up questions because it’s still not well known in the general public.
I remember being in my third year of physical therapy school, not really sure which population I wanted to work with and almost worried that I picked the wrong career. One day, a pelvic health physical therapist spoke to our class and I instantly knew that was what I wanted to do. Since I graduated in 2016, I have thrown all of my energy into learning how to diagnose and treat pelvic floor concerns including leakage, bowel issues, pain, prolapse and diastasis recti, especially when it comes
to athletes and active adults.
As for volunteerism, I’m hoping to broaden my work in the future to include other aspects in the community. Currently, I’m setting up a bunch of free educational seminars throughout the community with a variety of places so be sure to keep an eye out for those.
Tell us about a recent achievement you’re proud of, or a personal passion or talent. Well, opening up my own practice has been in the works for over two years so I am extremely proud of this accomplishment! I wanted to create a space that was family-oriented and community- minded with a serene atmosphere to promote healing. And I think I have achieved that.
When was the last time you failed? What did you learn? I’m going to answer this question a little differently. I have made tons of mistakes, whether they have been small or large, throughout my adulthood. I remember when I was younger I would be so hard on myself when I did make a mistake and it was difficult to admit to them; not being perfect felt like a failure. But now, I embrace making mistakes and not being perfect…that’s how I grow. I still struggle from time to time with the voice in the back of my head saying that I’m never good enough. When that happens, I know I need to give myself some grace and have a day full of rest and replenishment.
Do you have a goal you’d like to accomplish within the next five years? I would love for my practice to grow with not only more physical therapists, but also with other practitioners. I want DPHW to be almost a one-stop shop for your health concerns. And if we don’t provide a certain service, I sure hope that we have made strong connections in the community so that you can access those services easily. Also, my vision for DPHW is to be a leader in reducing birth trauma and the maternal mortality rate, especially within BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities.
If mom’s not happy, nobody’s happy.
Tell us about your upbringing. How did it shape the mother you are today? I grew up in a very supportive family where I was encouraged to try new things and be independent. I’m an only child so I was given many opportunities, from competitive sports to traveling to education. Because of these experiences, I understand the privileges I had (and continue to have), and I want to ensure that my daughter can recognize those as well. A couple aspects that I wish were emphasized during my childhood that I am focusing on with my daughter is teaching her how to set boundaries and how to feel and express her emotions in a healthy way.
What do you think is the most important life skill or value your parents taught you? They may have had a hard time with it from time to time but they raised a very independent woman who even from a young age would challenge the status quo. My mom tells this story of how I would get “talks too much” on my report cards in elementary school. When she would discuss this with the teacher, my mom would ask if I was being disruptive and they always said no. So my mom would reply, then we probably should just let her talk then! She wanted me to know that what I had to say was important and valued.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? In 2023 I actually took a sabbatical, focusing on my mental and physical health. My husband and I sold our house and travelled the country for a few months in a RV. Then we stayed in Kurt’s hometown and I got a job at a winery where I learned so many new skills. It may not seem that those skills would pertain to being a physical therapist or running a practice, but they sure did.
Which good habit do you wish you started earlier? Exercise to be healthy and strong both physically and mentally, not to lose weight. Like many girls, my weight was a frequent topic of discussion as a kid/teen. So I learned from a pretty young age that exercise was meant to be a punishment and to make me smaller. Because of this mindset, I tend to have an on-again, off-again relation-ship with exercise. I wish I knew what I know now about the benefits of exercise when it’s not tied to what you look like.
When did you realize you were no longer a child? This is pretty hard…in 2023 my husband and I experienced two miscarriages. It’s weird to say that I never really felt like an adult until one of the most tragic events happened to me. These miscarriages showed me how fragile life really is and made me question my entire reality.
It’s Saturday afternoon and you suddenly find yourself at home alone for a few hours (we know, it never happens). What do you do? Take myself out on a date. I used to either head to breakfast or sit at the bar at a nicer restaurant by myself when I needed to recharge my batteries.
What’s your superpower? Persistence
Tell us something about you that would surprise people who don’t know you. I absolutely love sports! It’s been a part of my life and continues to be in many ways. I can watch, talk or play sports all the time.
If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, in which event would you win a gold medal? Playing Chopped. I can take a look at what’s inside our fridge, pull out the stuff that needs to be eaten before it goes bad, and make something pretty tasty.
What is your least/most favorite household chore? Despite loving to cook, I hate grocery shopping. My favorite chore is putting away clutter and organizing.
Outside of your family members, who/what inspires you to be better? Our community. I truly believe that if we want to create change and to improve our quality of life, it starts with advocating for equity in our local communities.
Listen to mom.
Who and what has influenced the mother you are today? All of the mothers in my life have influenced me and especially my mom. She became a mom soon after her own mom had passed so she had to navigate motherhood without having the ability to ask her mom for advice or help. That takes so much courage and resiliency.
What message would you like to share with other moms? Remember to tell it like it is. We aren’t supposed to do this alone. How our society has evolved has taken away the village aspect of motherhood. If you feel you are alone, please reach out to a trusted person. Or even me! At DPHW, I built a cozy space with a couch, coffee and tea so moms and their kids can hang out in a safe space if needed.
Is motherhood what you expected? What surprised you the most? I’m still early in my motherhood journey and what has surprised me is that I don’t really know how to describe the feelings I have for my daughter. Like it’s more than love and I’ve only ever known her outside of me for five months. I tell her every day that I love her and am so proud of her but I find that so inadequate. We should brainstorm a word that encompasses all of the feelings that we have for our kids.
MOM’s favorite…
Tell us about your favorite…
…words to live by: Connect authentically, grow fearlessly, lead boldly
…place to find some peace & quiet: Ridgeline Trail
…binge-worthy TV or podcast: Anything true crime!
…way to get out of making dinner: We rotate who makes dinner throughout the week so it doesn’t feel like too much of a chore.
…inspirational quote: My Brain And Heart Divorced, a poem by John Roedel
MOMs love local…
We love locally owned businesses, restaurants, places and organizations. Share your favorite…
…shop to pick up a gift for friend: Down to Earth
…coffee spot: Washburne Cafe
…spot to get a good workout: TreeLine CrossFit
…restaurant to take the kids: Public House
…restaurants for a date night: George & Violet’s, Marche, Sabai
…take-out or quick bite: Evergreen Indian Restaurant
…meetup spot for happy hour: I would love suggestions!
…local park where kids can let off steam: Remi isn’t old enough yet to be on the equipment but the park at Skinner Butte looks fun.
…events in your community: Ducks football & softball games
…any other local places you love: Havana Cafe, Provisions
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