Women’s Health coach & Pelvic Floor expert

You’ve been surviving. It’s time to start thriving.

Whether you’re living with autoimmune illness, moving through the natural cycles that punctuate a woman's life or experiencing pelvic floor issues—I can help you reclaim and restore your health.

Wellness is a human right, not a privilege.

 Past Clients include

You’re looking for a human connection on your health journey.

A real person, an advocate, and an ally—who not only understands, but has been through it herself.

You’ve been tossed around by the medical system and are feeling lost and uncertain.

I’ve been where you are—exhausted and looking for answers and not knowing where to go next.

Your symptoms are real and you deserve time, space, and support to heal in the way that’s best for you.

My goal is to help you live more of your life—so that you can do more of what you love every day.

Hi, I’m Stephanie Sandleben (she/her), Women’s Health Coach and Pelvic Floor Yoga Expert

Aside from extensive training and certifications over 20+ years, much of what I’ve learned about health and vitality has come through my decade-long journey of healing from chronic illness and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Services

  • 1:1 Women’s Health Coaching

    Our work together is centered on your wholeness—starting with what’s working in your life, and how to bring connection back into the areas that feel diminished and remote.

    This isn’t about doing it better or harder, but figuring out how to bring harmony and balance to your life, one step at a time.

  • 1:1 Pelvic Floor Care

    Therapeutic yoga and functional movement to address pelvic floor imbalances that often go untreated.

    Heal incontinence, pelvic and lower back pain, postpartum injuries, painful intercourse, and/or pelvic organ prolapse.

All bodies have stories and intersections, regardless of one's gender identity, and my work supports embodied healing. While I focus on women's health, I invite trans & non-binary individuals to work with me if their needs align with my offerings.

What Past Clients Say

  • "Stephanie is a heart, mind, and body healer. All those who are lucky enough to cross paths with her guidance will be rewarded."

    Helen Yoon, Bay Area

  • “Working with Stephanie as a health-coaching client was a liberating and clarifying experience, and it's the gift that keeps giving!

    I was able to come to Stephanie with my series of challenges and goals, and through generative inquiry and carefully tailored assessment, Stephanie mirrored back to me concrete pathways that I could take that would not only be aspirational, but practical for my long-term well-being.

    She brought a nuanced skill set of functional medicine knowledge, yoga praxis, nutritional acuity, and all in my case curated through a lens of practical parenting hacks, so the goals would support my home-life too.

    Stephanie invited the complexity of my story, supporting next steps that were not only doable, but instantly made my life more rewarding and spacious.

    Emily Affolter, AZ

  • “I have had a regular and nourishing yoga practice for fourteen years, yet suddenly one day I began to experience chronic pelvic pain. After finally being diagnosed with a pelvic floor dysfunction, I was fortunate to be led to Stephanie Sandleben at TheSamaMama.com.

    What an enormous shift Stephanie has brought to my yoga practice. In a very short period of time, she has been able to teach me how to effectively observe some of my own habits within my yoga postures, that may be contributing to my pelvic pain.

    More importantly, she has taught me how to actually release my pelvic tension in effective, yet simple movements including modifications, breathing, and attention to symmetry.

    I am pain-free now and very grateful to have learned these essential self-care methods, as I continue onward with my yoga practice.

    Linda E., Berkeley, CA

  • "After my third pregnancy, I started to learn about pelvic floor health as a way to prevent and repair some of the strains of birth and pregnancy. Since my first pregnancy with my twins, I had experienced diastasis recti, and after my third pregnancy, I wanted to make sure my pelvic floor muscles were functioning optimally to help me repair this diastasis and also to prevent future issues.

    Working with Stephanie was amazing. She educated me on the details of how the pelvic floor works with the rest of the body, and she tailored exercises for me and my body. I was able to really understand how it works, and the exercises were simple enough that I could do them at home or even while out. Her program was thorough but not overwhelming, meaning that I now feel confident that I am equipped with the knowledge I need to continue healing and maintain pelvic floor health on my own.

    I highly recommend Stephanie for any woman who is experiencing pelvic floor issues, or who wants to prevent issues and/or maintain pelvic floor health!"

    Samantha, Prescott, AZ

  • “I was chosen to participate in a UCSF study about pelvic floor issues after many years of both urge, and especially, stress incontinence. Stephanie was my yoga teacher.

    How incredible. She explains the anatomy clearly and the impact of ingrained behaviors, like tucking your tailbone under, in such an empowering way. It has always felt like a collaboration to help me get and stay better. When we do the yoga poses her descriptions and observations are both helpful and supportive.

    Stephanie demonstrates a deep understanding of these issues and how best to improve them. All of this was accomplished over Zoom! I hope to continue practicing with her for many years.”

    Joanne S.,Berkeley, CA

sa - ma (Sanskrit), n. harmony, equality, balanced state of mind, calmness

ma - ma (English), n. mother, teacher, healer, tantrum tamer

My story

My passion for healing came from my own personal journey. 

I’ve been living with chronic illness for over a decade.

After the birth of my daughter, I started having unexplainable symptoms—fatigue, GI distress, rashes and hives—that were written off as stress. I went from practitioner to practitioner and couldn’t find answers to my health crisis. 

I was gaslighted and told it was in my head. I felt alone and scared, wondering if this would be my new normal. 

Soon I was parenting two small children and I found that my physical health was affecting my mental health. I didn’t know how to escape the grip of this downward spiral.

Amazingly, I was introduced to Functional Medicine and found a practitioner that wouldn’t give up on me.

Slowly, by addressing lifestyle factors, like stress, my support system, sleep and food, I started to heal.

Throughout this whole experience, I learned that wellness isn’t just about following a specific diet or taking the right supplements—it’s a holistic approach to healing that includes self-compassion, joy, and reconnecting to what lights us up most. 

 

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