23: Reconnecting with Your Body: Movement, Menopause & Personalized Wellness with Dr. Emma Stevenson

In this episode of The Planted Yogi, Dr. Ciara Martin sits down with physical therapist and movement educator Dr. Emma Stevenson, founder of Atomic PT. Together, they explore how physical therapy is evolving—from a reactive model focused on injury, to a proactive and deeply personalized approach to long-term wellness.

Emma shares her journey from competitive gymnast to integrative PT, and how she helps women navigate key life transitions—like menopause—through movement, education, and sustainable habit-building. The conversation dives into community care, innovative techniques like cupping and dry needling, and the emotional side of physical health.

Whether you're facing burnout, feeling disconnected from your body, or curious about aging well, this episode offers empowering tools to come back home to yourself.

In this episode, we explore:

• The evolution of PT: beyond injury, into longevity
• Menopause, strength, and staying active through life’s changes
• Why community-based care creates lasting wellness
• How to reconnect with your “why” and make movement meaningful
• Innovative techniques: dry needling, cupping, strength coaching
• How to build sustainable habits that align with real life

Timestamps
[00:00] Welcome to The Planted Yogi with Dr. Ciara Martin
[01:04] Meet Dr. Emma Stevenson: From gymnast to PT
[03:26] How physical therapy is changing for the better
[08:34] Longevity & moving well through all life stages
[11:22] Addressing menopause with a PT lens
[14:22] Making movement accessible through community care
[18:02] Tools of the trade: cupping, needling & strength work
[26:10] Balancing wellness, business & personal health
[28:26] Motivation, embodiment & reconnecting to your body
[32:30] Small steps that build long-term habits
[37:09] Staying open to growth: the evolution of a healer
[42:19] Aha moments: supporting women through life transitions
[47:15] Final reflections & getting involved with community care