Today we’d like to introduce you to Shushma Nedunuri.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey into pelvic floor physical therapy began at a time when I was simply trying to understand my own body.
During my first pregnancy and especially after giving birth, I experienced multiple complications that left me feeling unlike myself. I developed a significant diastasis, and even simple, everyday tasks became difficult. Caring for my newborn—something I had imagined would be filled with joy—was physically overwhelming.
I remember feeling lost, confused, and scared. I didn’t understand why my body wasn’t recovering the way I expected it to, and I didn’t know where to turn for answers. What made it even harder was the lack of emotional support and the feeling that I was navigating something that no one around me truly understood.
I went from provider to provider, hoping someone would connect the dots and explain what was happening. But I often left appointments with more questions than answers. Eventually, I realized that if I wanted answers, I was going to have to advocate for myself.
So I started researching.
That search led me to online support groups and, for the first time, I discovered the world of pelvic floor health. I began learning that the changes I was experiencing were not something I simply had to accept or “live with.” There was a whole area of healthcare dedicated to helping women understand and recover from these very challenges.
I kept advocating for myself until I finally found pelvic floor physical therapy.
And it changed my life.
Pelvic floor therapy gave me more than physical recovery. It gave me understanding. It gave me confidence in my body again. Most importantly, it gave me hope.
When I became pregnant with my second child, I experienced pregnancy and postpartum with an entirely different perspective. I could feel the difference in my body, but I could also recognize how much the knowledge and therapy I had received had changed my experience.
That was the moment something shifted for me.
I kept thinking about the woman I had been after my first pregnancy—the woman who was scared, overwhelmed, searching for answers, and desperately needed someone to say, “I understand what you’re going through, and there is help.”
I wanted to become that person for other women.
That realization led me to pursue specialized clinical training in pelvic floor physical therapy. What began as a deeply personal struggle became a professional calling.
Today, my work is rooted in something much deeper than treating muscles or symptoms. I want women to feel heard. I want them to understand their bodies. I want them to know that their pain, discomfort, and concerns deserve to be taken seriously.
My own experience taught me how vulnerable it can feel when your body changes and you don’t have the answers. It also taught me the incredible difference that education, compassionate care, and the right support can make.
I didn’t choose pelvic floor physical therapy because it was simply a career path. I found it because I needed it myself.
And now, I have the privilege of helping other women find their way through the same uncertainty—with knowledge, confidence, and hope on the other side.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. In fact, some of the most difficult parts of my journey have also been the moments that shaped me the most.
When I first entered the world of pelvic health, I was learning from my own experience while trying to understand an area of healthcare that wasn’t widely talked about. There were times when I questioned myself, wondered whether I was on the right path, and felt frustrated by how difficult it could be for women to find the right support.
Becoming a pelvic floor physical therapist also meant stepping outside of my comfort zone. I had to continue learning, pursue specialized training, and build confidence in a very specialized field. Starting my own practice brought another layer of challenges—building a name, finding patients, developing relationships with referring providers, managing the business side, and learning to believe in the value of what I was offering.
There have definitely been moments of self-doubt. When you put your heart into something so personal, even one difficult experience or piece of feedback can make you question yourself. I’ve had to remind myself that no two women’s bodies or journeys are the same, and that helping someone is not about being perfect—it’s about listening, continuing to learn, and showing up for that person.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth rarely happens in a straight line. There have been setbacks, uncertainty, and moments when I wondered if I was doing enough. But each challenge has made me more compassionate, more curious, and more determined to keep growing.
In many ways, the struggles have made me a better clinician. Because I’ve experienced what it feels like to be the woman searching for answers.
So no, it hasn’t been a smooth road. But I don’t think I would change that. The difficult parts have given me perspective, resilience, and a deeper understanding of why this work matters so much to me.
We’ve been impressed with Serenity Pelvic care and Physical Therapy, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Serenity Pelvic Care and Physical Therapy was created from a deeply personal place. I know firsthand what it feels like to experience changes in your body, not understand what is happening, and struggle to find someone who truly listens. That experience has shaped the way I practice today.
Serenity Pelvic Care is a women’s health and pelvic floor physical therapy practice focused on helping women understand, heal, and reconnect with their bodies. I work with women through different stages of life, including pregnancy, postpartum recovery, pelvic pain, prolapse, edometriosis, bladder and bowel concerns, pelvic floor dysfunction, diastasis, and other women’s health conditions.
What sets my practice apart is the individualized and whole-person approach I take with every patient. I don’t believe pelvic health can be reduced to a single exercise or a one-size-fits-all treatment plan. I take the time to understand the whole picture—what a woman is experiencing physically, how it is affecting her daily life, and what may be contributing to her symptoms.
My approach incorporates hands-on techniques such as myofascial release and visceral mobilization, along with therapeutic exercise, movement, education, and other individualized strategies. I also draw from my training in orthopedic physical therapy to help patients develop a deeper awareness and connection with their bodies.
One of the things I am most proud of is the identity I have built around the word “Serenity.” I wanted my practice to feel different from a typical healthcare environment—a place where women feel safe, heard, respected, and never embarrassed to talk about symptoms that can be difficult to discuss.
I am also proud that the practice grew out of my own journey. Serenity is not simply a name or a brand; it represents what I hope every woman experiences through her care: a sense of understanding, empowerment, and peace in her own body.
Ultimately, I want readers to know that pelvic floor health is an important part of women’s overall health, yet it is still an area that many women don’t know enough about. Pain, leaking, pressure, painful intercourse, diastasis, or changes after pregnancy and childbirth are not things women should simply be expected to tolerate.
At Serenity Pelvic Care and Physical Therapy, my goal is to create a space where women can ask questions, receive individualized care, and become active participants in their own healing. I want every patient to leave not only feeling better physically, but also feeling more informed and confident about her body.
That is what Serenity means to me: creating a space where women can slow down, be heard, and receive the care they deserve.
What does success mean to you?
For me, success is when a woman walks into my practice feeling confused, uncomfortable, embarrassed, or disconnected from her body and leaves feeling heard, understood, and empowered. It is seeing someone regain confidence in her body, return to an activity she loves, feel comfortable caring for her children, or simply understand what is happening in her own body for the first time.
It is very powerful when someone finally listens and gives you the right tools and guidance. That is the kind of impact I want to create for my patients.
Of course, building a sustainable and successful practice matters to me. I want Serenity Pelvic Care and Physical Therapy to continue growing, reach more women, and become a trusted resource for pelvic and women’s health in the community. But I don’t want growth to come at the expense of personalized care.
Ultimately, I measure success by the relationships I build, the trust my patients place in me, and the difference I can make in their quality of life. If a woman leaves my practice feeling more confident, more informed, and more hopeful than when she walked in, I consider that success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.serenitypelviccare.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serenitypelviccare/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenity.pelviccare
