When Does A Doula Need To Refer Someone?

This is the beginning of a series for the whole month of July featuring various providers who are answering questions they want doulas to know about when clients can use their services and when/how to refer to them. This is a vital part of every doula’s work because there are many providers who should be referred to and who our clients can benefit greatly from.

Dr. Teiya Qualls is our first provider! She is a wonderful Pelvic Floor PT in the DC area and is doing amazing work to bring better pelvic health to the area one client at at a time. See her full bio below.

Doulas often think of Pelvic Floor PT for post-delivery, but there is much more to a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist’s role in a pregnant person’s whole pregnancy as well! There are a wide range of issues treated by a Pelvic Floor PT from muscle pain in the pelvic floor to pelvic pain in the sacrum or hips! The pelvic floor is connected to the whole body, so there are many issues that can impact its health and tone.

OUR GUEST:

Dr. Tieya M. Qualls, PT, DPT, PRPC is the founder of Quality Touch Physical Therapy & Wellness, serving the DMV area. She is a licensed Physical Therapist with additional certification in pelvic health. She earned a B.S. in Biology from Hampton University, in Hampton, VA in 2002. Following this, she received both her Master and Doctoral degrees in Physical Therapy from Howard University, in Washington, DC in 2005 and 2012, respectively. Throughout her 16+ year career, she has attained experience working in a variety of clinical settings including, orthopedic outpatient, skilled nursing, home healthcare, and acute care. Dr. Qualls is also trained as a birth doula, providing education, emotional and physical support for the pregnant and postpartum population.

She values being a part of their birth team, whether it is educating, serving as an advocate, or simply holding space for her clients during a time when they are most vulnerable. She is always honored to be chosen by her clients, to assist them during this important period of ushering new life into their world. She has served as an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor at Howard University, in The College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences. She is also an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, utilizing her knowledge and skills to assist with educating the next generation of Physical Therapists.

After completing the pelvic floor course series with the Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute, Dr. Qualls earned the Pelvic Rehabilitation Practitioner Certification, also offered by the organization. This certification designates her as a pelvic rehabilitation specialist, possessing the knowledge and skills to accurately diagnose and treat pelvic floor dysfunctions for all genders. She has also served as a TA for the organization, assisting instructors as they educate other healthcare professionals on topics within the pelvic health field.

In addition to her passion for treating conditions of the pelvic floor, pregnancy, and the postpartum period, she also treats a variety of musculoskeletal and chronic pain conditions. She has taken multiple advanced manual therapy courses addressing not only the pelvic floor and pelvic girdle, but also other regions of the spine and soft tissues of the body, globally.

In an effort to maximize patient outcomes, she incorporates a variety of manual therapy techniques into her treatment approach. These include myofascial release, muscle energy and trigger point dry needling, including dry needling to the pelvic floor, when appropriate. She uses her specialized training and evidenced-based practice to create individualized treatment programs that focus on the whole person. She also values empowering her pa

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