Felicity de Blic

Women's/Teens Pelvic Health Physiotherapist

Felicity de Blic MAPA

BAppSci(Physio)
Grad Dip Psychological Studies
Grad Cert Physio (Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy)
Pelvic Health Physiotherapist (incl Paediatrics)
Yoga Teacher

Felicity (bilingual French and English) has been a physiotherapist for over 20 years, completing her physiotherapy degree at the University of Sydney in 2002, and a Graduate Diploma of Psychological Studies at the University of Queensland in 2014. She developed a keen interest in all things pelvic health after having kids, and after attending many short courses in children’s and women’s pelvic health, she is recently completed her graduate certificate in pelvic floor physiotherapy at the University of Melbourne.

Passionate about child and adolescent health, Felicity worked at the Sydney Children’s Hospital for 14 years with the complex pain, mental health and eating disorders teams. She now treats children and teens with pelvic health concerns such as bedwetting, constipation, daytime urinary or faecal incontinence and pelvic pain, and strives to help them improve their symptoms, confidence and quality of life.

Felicity has a special interest in how stress and psychological health impacts physical health, and equally how exercise, relaxation and nervous system regulation practices can improve mental and emotional wellbeing. She practises in a trauma-sensitive framework to help each patient feel safe and empowered throughout their treatment journey. Over the years she has trained in yoga, mindfulness, iRest Yoga Nidra and clinical pilates, and loves integrating these modalities into her physiotherapy practice.

Her main areas of clinical interest are:

• Kids and Teens pelvic health (including day time urinary and faecal incontinence, enuresis (bedwetting), pelvic pain, soiling/constipation, difficulty with toilet training, pain with toileting)
• Pelvic pain and sexual health (including vaginismus, endometriosis, adenomyosis, vulvodynia, PGAD)
• Birth preparation and post-natal education, treatment and management
• Incontinence (bladder or bowel)
• Overactive bladder / urgency
• Pelvic organ prolapse (including pessary fittings)

Fun Facts: 

How did you get into pelvic physio?

Like many of us, it was after having kids! With my second child I experienced birth trauma, and this opened my eyes to the essential role of pelvic physiotherapy during the pre and post natal period. I then started applying my skills in pain care, mental health and paediatrics to all things women’s and children’s pelvic health and haven’t looked back!

What are your passions in this field?

I adore helping kids and teens and their families solve their pelvic health concerns to dramatically improve their confidence and quality of life. I also love working with women with pelvic pain, especially endometriosis and vaginismus, within an holistic framework, taking into account what’s happening in the body tissues as well as in the nervous system to support symptom reduction and help them reach their goals. Due to my own experiences, I love working with pregnant women on birth preparation, to decrease the risk of birth injuries and build resilience for their physical and mental health in the precious perinatal period.

What would you like to see change in the world of pelvic health?

I think greater awareness of the role pelvic physiotherapy can play in many conditions, to facilitate earlier referrals from health care providers or self-referrals from patients. It’s very frustrating when we hear “why didn’t anyone tell me” that pelvic physio exists / could help, after months or years of unnecessary suffering. I lived in France for 4 years and had my first child there, and pelvic floor physiotherapy after birth is government funded and just the norm… I would love to see that here too.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Balancing running around after my three young kids with yoga, gardening, or getting in the ocean, enjoying yummy food with friends and practising my French.

Our Quiz:

Most inspiring person:

Dr Catherine Hamlin

Favourite Movie:

Can’t quite recall in my life pre-kids…. But I’m a fan of the Inside Out series!

Name your favourite book:

Anything about gardening and growing your own produce!

Which country would you most like to visit:

New Zealand South Island