Your bladder doesn't work alone. It never did.

It's in constant conversation with your pelvic floor, your autonomic nervous system and your brain. When that conversation becomes dysregulated, the mind body connection in pelvic pain becomes impossible to ignore, and surprisingly hard to treat without understanding it.

In this episode Dr Sula goes deeper into the science of pelvic and bladder symptoms with two specialists who between them hold an unusually complete picture: Jilly Bond, specialist pelvic health physiotherapist, Masters-qualified in pelvic pain, currently completing her PhD exploring sensorimotor distortions in women with persistent pelvic pain, and a recognised voice in pelvic health education internationally. And Dr Elise De, Professor of Urology, OBGYN and Neurology at Albany Medical Center, world authority on pelvic pain and neuro-urology, and author of clinical guidelines for the American Urological Association.

This conversation moves into territory that Episode 1 opened the door to and walks through it. If you've ever wondered why symptoms persist even when tests are clear, why pain seems to travel and shift around the pelvis, or why stress and pelvic symptoms seem so frustratingly intertwined, this episode builds the picture piece by piece.

• The bladder-brain connection unpacked. How your autonomic nervous system drives overactive bladder symptoms, pelvic floor tension and chronic pelvic pain, and why treating the bladder alone often isn't enough
• When the pelvis becomes a whole-system problem. The science of organ crosstalk, central sensitisation and why pelvic pain that has spread beyond one area needs a different treatment approach
• Finding your way through a complex system: Practical, honest guidance on advocating for yourself in healthcare settings where pelvic pain is still frequently misunderstood, and what genuinely good multidisciplinary care looks like

Whether you're years into a diagnosis, still searching for answers, or a clinician wanting to understand the fuller picture of what your patients are experiencing, this episode offers real clarity on one of the most under-explored areas of women's bladder health.

Even long-standing pelvic pain and bladder dysfunction can improve. As Dr Elise De says: “Just because you've had pain for a decade doesn't mean you'll have it for another"

You can find references and resources mentioned in this podcast here.

You can follow Dr Sula Windgassen here https://www.instagram.com/the_health_psychologist_

📖 Show notes & resources: https://www.howwereallyfeel.com/episode-two
📩 Newsletter: www.healthpsychologist.co.uk/subscribe
🔗 Jilly Bond: https://www.jillybond.com/
🔗 Dr Elise De - Facing Pelvic Pain: https://www.facingpelvicpain.org/