Meet Jessica Blaisdell | Doctor of Physical Therapy; Pregnancy & Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Blaisdell and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The idea for starting my own business sprouted during my own pregnancy and postpartum journey, and after hearing countless stories from others regarding the challenges they’ve faced. So many people I spoke with were dealing with pain throughout pregnancy and postpartum, leaking, prolapse, diastasis, or having challenges with returning to their favorite exercises or hobbies. It felt apparent that there was a lack of support, and a dire need for more personalized guidance and care. I wanted to know how to help!

I started spending all of my free time researching how physical therapists could help with various pregnancy and postpartum pains, pelvic floor issues, diastasis recti and returning to run and fitness. At the time, I had a nagging TFL (hip muscle) running injury that I couldn’t get to quiet down. I happened upon a blog by Sarah Duvall that had such a unique perspective. I was so impressed with her breadth of knowledge that I took her “Pregnancy and Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist” certification course. As I worked my way through it, I not only was able to successfully recover from my hip pain and run again, but also came out with an in-depth knowledge and skill base to help people navigate pregnancy and postpartum challenges. I was so excited and hopeful! I started taking all of the pelvic health, peripartum, and running courses I could get my hands on, and integrating it into my patient’s care. I have been blown away by the impact pelvic floor physical therapy can have not only for the immediate, but also for a lifetime. I’ve also been blown away by how underutilized it is. I had definitely found my passion and wanted to find a way to focus on helping this specific population get the care they need.

I began thinking about what an ideal physical therapy session would look like- the environment, the amount of time we’d have, the evaluation and types of treatment, etc. Soon I was daydreaming about what a specialized physical therapy practice could look like that incorporated my ideal sessions, had additional services to help people connect with each other and feel refreshed, and provided me with a good work-life balance so I could enjoy time with my two sweet kids and husband. After a lot of thought and planning, Bloom launched!

What should our readers know about your business?
What’s unique about Bloom: What is unique about Bloom is our specialization, the holistic nature of our physical therapy sessions, and the amount of personalized care client’s receive. In addition to physical therapy, we also offer indoor and outdoor yoga and wellness classes, pop-up parent/child classes, workshops, and a relaxing salt lounge (halotherapy).

While we can and do treat a variety of conditions, we’ve really honed our efforts, time and energy into becoming experts in helping with obstetric, pelvic and running related concerns. After earning a doctorate in physical therapy, I took several specialized intensive courses to learn how to best help pregnant and postpartum people, those with back, hip and pelvic pain or dysfunction, and runners feel their best and get back to the activities they love.

As I mentioned earlier, daydreaming about my own “ideal physical therapy session” led me to think outside of the box to create a unique experience for patients. We value creating a warm, welcoming environment for patients. Patients have time to enjoy a coffee while they share their story, thoughts, wins, challenges and ask questions. We take time to assess and practice movements and exercises, using a full body approach, and providing education throughout our treatment sessions. I love helping people learn how to connect with their bodies, develop great movement mechanics and get strong! After each session, patient’s custom-made exercise videos are added to their app. I create all of my own videos with tips on how to perform the movement correctly, and add in reminders of cues given during their session. They have the option to track their progress and ask any questions that come to mind between their sessions.

Bloom is unique in other ways as well. If it’s nice out, sometimes we venture outside to do exercises! My practice is on a gorgeous running path, so it’s not uncommon for my clients and I to go on short runs while I give them real-time cues. Dry needling and cupping are often integrated into treatment as well. Patients also have the perk of enjoying the salt lounge after their session if they choose. It’s so relaxing!!!

Bloom makes getting care convenient. We offer in-office care as well as in-home physical therapy. We love having our relaxing, comfortable space for people to enjoy, but we also recognize that getting to a clinic can be a challenge at times! Whether a patient has a newborn, small children, or a tight work schedule, having the option for in-home care can eliminate one major barrier to accessing the care they could benefit greatly from.

Growing a business:
Earlier on I shared how what inspired me to launch Bloom. I have loved the journey! It’s not been without challenges and working countless late nights after getting my little ones to bed, but it’s been completely worth it! I am so very thankful for the opportunity to build a practice where my whole goal is to build a haven for people to be cared for, connect with themselves and others, recover and feel their best, and have guidance in getting back to the things they love most in life. It’s truly a dream come true. I’m so excited to see how Bloom grows and what it morphs into in the coming years!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oooh, this is a great question. There are so many great options in the area, so I’ll share just a few of our go-to activities and spots for when our friends or family visit. We love to take them for a walk around Lake Harriet and swing on up to Sebastian Joe’s for some tasty ice cream. Following that, we’d venture down to the Lake Harriet Bandshell for some live music and grab dinner at Colita. Another day we’d rent SUP’s from Tally’s Dockside to spend the day on White Bear Lake, then walk over to Mizu for sushi. Following that we’d bike the Gateway and Brown Creek Trail to Stillwater for the St. Croix Crossing Loop trail. We’d then paint pottery at Kari’s Create and Paint, and get dinner and drinks at Lolito or Domacin. We’d also spend a good amount of time in nearby State and Country Parks. Willow River has some nice hikes and a gorgeous waterfall that’s enjoyable to take a dip in.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people that have played a role in supporting and encouraging me as Bloom sprouted. Here are a few!

My husband, Jeff, has by far been my biggest supporter. He’s stood by my side and encouraged me throughout this journey. He listens to the ideas I dream up, helps me narrow my focus and prioritize, lent a helping hand to set up and move into my office, and he continues to help with any tech issues I come across. His support is absolutely one of the main reasons why Bloom is a reality, and I am so grateful.

As I started getting my “ducks in a row” to launch Bloom, I had some very dear friends offer to help. Emily, Maria and Amanda were so encouraging and supportive. They took time out of their busy lives to help me test out my business systems to fine tune things before launching. Emily is a very talented artist, and has graciously let me display her beautiful artwork throughout my clinic.

Ashley LaBore, owner of Align Optimal Wellness in Stillwater and my former TA from PT school, absolutely deserves a big shoutout as well. She was such an inspiration to me, and opened my eyes to what was possible with having a unique and holistic practice model. She welcomed me into her beautiful space to see patients when I needed a treatment room, and was so supportive in helping me gain confidence and get my feet on the ground as I worked through my first year of Bloom. I’m so appreciative!

Website: bloomptwellness.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/bloomptwellness/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BloomPTwellness

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/bloom-physical-therapy-and-wellness-mahtomedi

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bloomptwellness

Other: Email: Jess@bloomptwellness.com