Meet Leanna Racine | Pelvic Health Physical Therapist, Founder of Core Connections Pelvic Health

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

Hi Leanna, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Even before Physical Therapy school, I felt drawn to pelvic health because of the way it touches some of the most essential functions of our lives—bladder, bowel, and sexual health, as well as its pivotal role in the pregnancy and postpartum journey. I never envisioned myself as an entrepreneur, but as I worked in different clinics and observed the ways pelvic health care was delivered – often rushed, within busy unspecialized clinics, or with less experienced pelvic therapists. I realized that starting my own practice was the best way to provide care in the way I felt patients truly needed.

I founded Core Connections Pelvic Health to create a space dedicated solely to pelvic health care, where I combine my advanced clinical expertise and the latest evidence-based practices with a holistic whole-person approach. I know that reaching out to a pelvic floor therapist can feel really vulnerable, and I founded Core Connections so that people can feel confident they are in the care of an experienced and compassionate professional.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
At Core Connections Pelvic Health, we help people find real solutions for sensitive and frustrating pelvic health concerns. Whether you’re dealing with urinary leakage and bladder issues, pelvic organ prolapse and heaviness, bowel concerns, or pelvic pain, we take time to understand what is truly driving your symptoms, and then create a individualized plan to find lasting relief.

One of our specialties is pregnancy and postpartum care. As both a mom and a clinician, I understand how personal and overwhelming these issues can feel, and often how inadequate the traditional healthcare support can be in these seasons. With specialized expertise from focused clinical training in pregnancy and postpartum, and shaped by my own experience in motherhood, I’ve built a practice where people feel safe, understood, and supported every step of their journey in growing a little one, birthing, and recovering after baby.

What sets us apart is how we combine advanced clinical training with deep compassion. We always aim to understand and treat the true root cause of your concerns, instead of just chasing symptoms without a clear understanding or plan. My background includes years of education and hands-on experience in pelvic health and orthopedic clinics, but what truly matters is how that knowledge is coupled with empathy and individualized care. Clients often share that they finally feel seen and heard, understand what is truly going on in their bodies, and appreciate that we create a tailored plan that works within their life.

One offering I’m especially proud of is our advanced care for prolapse, including the ability to fit pessaries in the clinic. Pessaries are small silicone devices used to support pelvic organ prolapse or heaviness in the pelvis, and truly game-changers in alleviating symptoms, and in some cases allow people to avoid surgery altogether. This service isn’t widely available in many pelvic health practices, and it allows us to provide even more comprehensive care for people navigating postpartum and prolapse concerns.

The journey in creating and building a thriving practice Core Connections hasn’t always been easy. Until starting my own business, my training was always focused on refining clinical knowledge and skill, but I realized that I would need more support learning how to deliver that care in a well-run business. I’ve learned that leaning on others for support is a sign of strength and critical for success and have sought help in those fields. The business is always growing (a great challenge to navigate!) but I’ve learned along the way that if I stay true to own values, and utilize creativity when needed, Core Connections will continue to bring my mission to life: a space where people can truly feel confident that they are in the care of an experienced, specialized, and compassionate professional.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Our trip would be all about hiking, hot springs, and good food!

I’d kick things off locally to get acquainted with the area, settle in, and spend time catching up. We would probably start by going on a nice walk around our local trails in the Littleton / Centennial area, followed by an easy home-cooked meal with lots of yummy ingredients from our home garden, or pop into on of our favorite local restaurants.

I’d make sure to go on plenty of wonderful hikes. Some of our favorite nearby hikes include Mount Falcon, Castlewood Canyon, and Apex Mountain. Venturing up to RMNP, Boulder, or the Springs area would make for a great day trip. I’m an early bird, definitely not a night owl, but would absolutely stay up for a concert at Red Rocks!

I absolutely love hot springs, and Colorado has some wonderful options! I would definitely take visitors out to soak, and hopefully stay for an overnight. Top of the list would probably be Mount Princeton Hop Springs, coupled with exploring the Buena Vista and Salida area.

Some of our favorite local restaurants include Golden Saigon and Dan Da for Vietnamese, TK’s Surf and Turf (I’m obsessed with crab), Yummy Hot Pot, Mr. Kim for Korean BBQ, and Nan Na’s for dumplings. Indian food is our go-to comfort food, and India’s Castle, has naan that is to die for! For a more festive meal we love Temaki Den and Restaurant Olivia.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been fortunate to work with and learn from incredible mentors along my journey. Stacey Fedorka, my very first clinical mentor back in 2016, introduced me to the world of pelvic health and helped spark the lifelong passion I have for this field. Later in my career, I was beyond fortunate to work for Jennifer Duggins, who is a wealth of knowledge, humor, and compassion. Truly leading from the front, Jennifer was a living example of how to design a business that delivers outstanding care and also allowed her to show up fully for her family and interests.

Before I found pelvic health, my own mother was a blueprint for my success – she founded and ran a successful education business, and it’s hard to imagine I would be where I am now if I wasn’t witness to her incredible work ethic, creativity, and passion to create a business that truly poured into the community. I am thankful for the love and support from my mom, my family, and especially my partner, as I’ve leaned on them in all seasons throughout this journey. Sending a small but mighty shoutout to my son as well – who has undoubtedly reframed my understanding of the pelvic floor and how I approach working with people during the seasons of pregnancy and postpartum.

Website: https://www.coreconnectionspelvichealth.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coreconnectionspelvichealth/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Core-Connections-Pelvic-Health/100092481941511/