Expert Q&A with Dr. Rose Schlaff: Holistic Pelvic Health & Sexual Wellness

At AlignSD Wellness Center, we believe in connecting our patients with top professionals who provide the highest quality, integrative care. We’re excited to feature Dr. Rose Schlaff, DPT, WHC, IF, founder of Be Well with Rose, a practice dedicated to helping individuals overcome pelvic pain, boost libido, and improve relationships using a holistic, trauma-informed, and neuroscience-based approach.

We’re also thrilled to announce that Dr. Rose is our guest speaker at the next Inspired Birth Worker’s Alliance (IBWA) Social at AlignSD Wellness Center! This event brings together perinatal and pediatric professionals—doulas, PTs, acupuncturists, lactation consultants, and more—who are passionate about supporting and empowering our maternal and pediatric community. If you are a San Diego based provider who is looking to foster deeper connections within the birth community, join us on Saturday, April 5th, 2025 for this special opportunity to learn from Dr. Rose as she shares her expertise on pelvic health, intimacy, and overall well-being.

Register for our free event HERE!

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Q: What inspired you to focus on pelvic health and sexual wellness?

Dr. Rose: I’ll never forget the feeling of being completely out of control of my body—alone, confused, and frustrated with every doctor I saw. On the outside, life was good. I was in my dream career, working at a world-renowned sexual medicine center, learning from the best doctors and therapists in the industry. I was even teaching at the University of Michigan’s program for sex therapists and counselors—professionally, I was in heaven.

But my physical health was falling apart. And I wasn’t the only one.

Many of my patients—especially my female, queer, and BIPOC clients struggling with pelvic pain, painful intimacy, and low desire—shared the same story: feeling dismissed by the medical system, disconnected from their bodies, and left without real answers. I kept thinking: If I can’t navigate this system with a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and almost a decade of studying the human brain and body… how can anyone?

That moment changed everything. I made it my mission to learn what it really takes to feel good in your body—mentally clear, focused, happy, connected, turned on, and alive. I tested every strategy to see what created the biggest impact with the least effort (because I love simple and effective). And I refused to recommend anything I hadn’t tried myself.

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Q: What unique methodologies or techniques do you incorporate in your work with clients?

Dr. Rose: There are three steps to increase your desire for and enjoyment of intimacy:

✔ Take the pressure off – I use hypnosis and holistic coaching to help my clients identify and shift unconscious beliefs that create pressure and resistance around sex.

✔ Optimize the mind/body state – I teach 30-second functional neurology exercises to help shift from stress and anxiety to a state of calm and openness to intimacy. I also incorporate evidence-based pelvic floor and mindfulness exercises, which have been shown to increase desire, arousal, and orgasmic ability (Jorge et al., 2024).

✔ Increase the feel-good factor – I help my clients connect with their partners through somatic-informed sex counseling techniques, making intimacy feel effortless and fulfilling.

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Q: How do you approach working with clients who are navigating physical or emotional health challenges?

Dr. Rose: I believe the mind impacts the body, and the body impacts the mind. You cannot separate the two.

Your pelvic floor is part of your body’s general threat response system—when people are exposed to stress, their pelvic floor and shoulders are the first muscles to contract (van der Velde, 2001). This is why my work centers around both psychological and physiological safety—the more emotionally safe and calm someone feels, the less tension and physiological stress chemicals will be present in their body. This creates an environment where healing and repair are possible.

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Q: What are the biggest misconceptions about sexual wellness?

Dr. Rose: The most common myths I hear are:

✔ “I’m too old,” or “The spark is gone.” People believe their desire is static, when in reality, it can be nurtured and strengthened just like any other habit.

✔ “Improving sexual wellness is hard.” In reality, 70-80% of my work isn’t about sex at all—it’s simple 30-second strategies and easy lifestyle shifts that optimize sleep, blood sugar, stress management, and nervous system regulation.

✔ “If I go to a sex therapist, they’ll tell me to try lingerie, wine, and lube.” Instead, I use scientifically-backed approaches like hypnosis, somatic exercises, and communication strategies to help clients feel more connected and confident.

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Q: How does lifestyle impact pelvic and sexual health?

Dr. Rose: Small lifestyle changes can have a huge impact on hormone balance, libido, and sexual function:

✔ Better sleep = better intimacy: Just one extra hour of sleep per night increases sexual frequency by 14% (Kalmbach et al., 2015).

✔ Blood sugar balance affects relationships: Low glucose levels have been linked to increased aggression and stress in couples (Bushman et al., 2014).

✔ Sunlight boosts libido: Exposure to UVB light has been shown to increase sexual desire in all genders (Parikh et al., 2021).

By addressing these foundational health factors, I help my clients achieve lasting, transformative results.

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Q: What are some success stories that stand out to you?

Dr. Rose: One of my most memorable clients, S, came to me struggling with pain during intimacy and a complete loss of desire. Through our work together, she learned how to:

✔ Use pelvic floor exercises to decrease pain and improve arousal

✔ Incorporate breathing techniques and vagus nerve exercises to reduce stress

✔ Reframe harmful beliefs about sex through hypnosis and communication exercises

✔ Improve sleep, balance blood sugar, and add libido-boosting nutrients to her diet

Within a few months, S’s pelvic pain was gone, and she reported feeling like a newlywed again! Her renewed confidence extended beyond her relationship—she had more energy for friendships, career, and self-care.

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Q: How do you envision the future of integrative and holistic healthcare evolving?

Dr. Rose: Healthcare is changing because information is so readily available. With AI and the internet, people can Google anything—but the challenge is knowing what’s actually useful. I believe that healthcare providers of the future won’t just educate; they’ll guide, simplify, and personalize care.

This is why I’m so passionate about my upcoming Neuroscience and Holistic Sexual Wellness for Therapists and Health Pros Podcast—to help providers integrate evidence-based, holistic strategies into their practices. Whether you’re a health professional or just someone looking to learn more about how to use Neuroscience-techniques to increase desire and overcome pelvic pain for yourself, this is the podcast for you. Go to www.bewellwithrose.com/bettersex to get on the “pod squad” where you’ll get exclusive access to prizes, giveaways and episodes before they publicly drop. 

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Q: How can people work with you?

Dr. Rose: I offer private coaching, small group programs, and professional education:

FOR INDIVIDUALS:

✔ Struggling with low libido, pelvic pain, postpartum recovery, or intimacy concerns? Schedule a free strategy call at bewellwithrose.com/schedule-now

✔ Check out the free training at bewellwithrose.com/moredesire

✔ Download the free “Let’s Talk About Sex” at bewellwithrose.com/talk to start talking to your partner about these topics in a fun and easy way

FOR PROFESSIONALS: Want to integrate Neuroscience and Holistic Sexual Wellness into your work? Explore my CEU courses at bewellwithrose.com/sexualhealthceus

FOLLOW DR. ROSE ON Instagram: @bewellwithrose

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS: To hear more about S’s story and many other clients’ success stories, please visit: bewellwithrose.com/testimonials

References:

van der Velde J, Everaerd W. The relationship between involuntary pelvic floor muscle activity, muscle awareness and experienced threat in women with and without vaginismus. Behav Res Ther. 2001;39(4):395-408. doi:10.1016/s0005-7967(00)00007-3

Bushman BJ, Dewall CN, Pond RS Jr, Hanus MD. Low glucose relates to greater aggression in married couples. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2014;111(17):6254-6257. doi:10.1073/pnas.1400619111

Parikh R, Sorek E, Parikh S, et al. Skin exposure to UVB light induces a skin-brain-gonad axis and sexual behavior. Cell Rep. 2021;36(8):109579. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109579

Jorge CH, Bø K, Chiazuto Catai C, Oliveira Brito LG, Driusso P, Kolberg Tennfjord M. Pelvic floor muscle training as treatment for female sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2024;231(1):51-66.e1. doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2024.01.001

Kalmbach DA, Arnedt JT, Pillai V, Ciesla JA. The impact of sleep on female sexual response and behavior: a pilot study. J Sex Med. 2015;12(5):1221-1232. doi:10.1111/jsm.12858