Meet the Hope Docs
Dr. Kaylee Simmerman
Owner, Founder, CEO
Orthopedic and Pelvic Floor Expert
Dr. Kaylee started The HOPE Doctors in 2018 in order to eliminate shame and guilt around pelvic floor dysfunction in Tampa Bay.
Her business started following an unfortunate recognition of how poorly the medical system is set up to support women through many journeys in their lives. Initially starting with solely offering home sessions, we have grown to have 4 locations, home sessions, virtual options, and online courses!
In 2020, the growth continued as she began needing help covering the clients coming into the business, wanting one-on-one care, and seeing a full-body approach.
This was when Dr. Andrea was brought into the business!
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From there, we continued to grow and then Dr. Kate joined in 2022, along with Dr. Katie and Dr. Jalisa, and Brooke, and we are proud to say that we are able to offer the BEST pelvic floor physical therapy care in all of Tampa Bay! The new mission statement expanded to making pelvic healthcare the standard of care by taking a whole-body approach, and eliminating shame and guilt around issues “down there!” We began to rebrand into The HOPE Doctors because HOPE = Holistic Ortho + Pelvic Experience, and we offer you HOPE. Her past experiences with trauma and pelvic floor dysfunction herself have led her to the approach she currently takes with clients. This approach is one on one, trauma-informed, holding space for the hard and scary things to discuss while setting realistic goals for you to reach and a plan to follow.
Dr. Kaylee has an orthopedic background and loves being able to share her ability to integrate pelvic floor health into her treatments. Everything about your experience with The HOPE Doctors reflects the passion and love that goes into each detail. Because of the business journey she has had, she chose to share by offering mentorship in 2019 to assist other pelvic floor therapists create the life of their dreams. In her spare time, she enjoys exercising, spending time with her husband Phil, dog Belle, and soon-to-be Baby Simmerman coming in August 2022!
Connect with Dr. Kaylee on Instagram.
Dr. Andrea Yarbrough
Director of Operations
Orthopedic and Pelvic Floor Expert
Dr. Andrea attained her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Biology at Charleston Southern University. She then went on to the University of St Augustine for health sciences to obtain her Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
Her interest in physical therapy began after her dad survived a massive stroke. PT assisted in her father’s recovery to walk again. She was also always involved in sports; competing in cross-country, basketball, and softball.
After PT school, Dr. Andrea worked in outpatient orthopedics. She became interested in treating pelvic floor dysfunction after seeing it as the missing link in many of her orthopedic patients (hip and/or low back pain that was never 100% resolved). After learning from the best in the pelvic floor arena and finding out she also had pelvic floor dysfunction, Dr. Andrea decided to specialize in the pelvic floor.
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Two years ago I realized I had pelvic floor dysfunction. How me? What does that even mean? I’ve never had kids, I’m under the age of 25, I consistently work out and eat well, I get yearly gyno check-ups…Healthy and young.
Externally strong, uncoordinated as hell internally. I knew at that moment I needed to spread awareness to every woman and man about pelvic floor health.
I knew I could use my doctorate of physical therapy to educate, empower, and help YOU! I want you to return to the gym without leaking, have sex without pain, pick up your baby without your belly doming or heaviness in your vagina, and overall be more aware of your private parts! You don’t have to be another statistic.
Connect with Dr. Andrea on Instagram.
Dr. Kate Smith
Orthopedic and Pelvic Floor Expert
In-Person & Virtual Sessions
Covers St. Petersburg and Bradenton areas and offers in-person at our St. Pete location, in-home, or virtual sessions
Dr. Kate received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of St. Augustine in St. Augustine, Florida in 2014 and her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Tampa.
Her interest in physical therapy began when she needed physical therapy for low back pain in high school. Dr. Kate was an avid cheerleader and loved the sport. She began experiencing low back pain from a traumatic fall on her tailbone. Little did she know, this would lead to a great degree of pelvic floor dysfunction from the time of her fall into her future.
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She received her training in Pelvic Health through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and Herman & Wallace Pelvic Rehabilitation Institute. During her time there, Dr. Kate’s main goal was to bring Pelvic Health awareness to the local providers and the small community of Kodiak Island!
Now back on the mainland, Dr. Kate’s focus is to continue to bring Pelvic Health awareness to light and to encourage women (and men) to get talking about their pelvic health!
As someone who has first-hand experience with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction resulting in urinary leakage, chronic constipation, and pelvic organ prolapse, Dr. Kate says, “I want to empower women who are experiencing any form of pelvic floor dysfunction to seek care and also be there to validate what they are experiencing and feeling!”
As she reflects on her own personal journey, Dr. Kate says, “I waited until undergoing Pelvic Health training myself to determine what was going on with my own pelvic floor. This took WAY too long and I do not want that to happen to you!
As an ortho/pelvic PT, I want to assist you in being able to have sex without any form of pain, return to your daily workouts without leakage or difficulty, guide you in your prenatal and postpartum journey, and get you back to all your daily activities without pressure or leakage with coughing, laughing or sneezing!”
I want you to know that there is HOPE for you and I cannot wait to be there guiding you along the way!
Dr. Katie Ihlenfeldt
Orthopedic and Pelvic Floor Expert
In-Person & Virtual Sessions
Dr. Katie received her undergraduate degree in Biology at Florida Gulf Coast University, where she was initially trained to be a biologist, performing research on oysters and the marine ecosystem of SWFL. Towards the end of her undergrad years, instead of wanting to go through aquatic plant identification, she became obsessed with exercise science.
It was inspiring for her to see the incredible transformation both physical and mental within herself that came from exercise, giving her confidence and self-empowerment. Wanting to share this wonderful feeling with others, she became a CrossFit coach, earning her CrossFit Level 1 & 2 certifications and NSCA CSCS, with a passion to train others to be functionally fit throughout all stages of life.
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This leads her to her career as a physical therapist, receiving her Doctorate in Physical Therapy at the University of Florida.
Within her last rotation in PT school, she observed an incredible pelvic floor therapist that showed her how impactful pelvic floor physical therapy can be. It was incredible how pelvic floor physical therapy could empower people with the tools and knowledge to resolve major issues of urinary leakage, pain with sex, pelvic pressure, and prolapse, and helping mothers prepare for birth and recover postpartum. “I saw the gap in women’s health; in how leakage or pelvic pain or really any ‘down there’ issues were not being addressed or worse, were ignored within the medical system. I knew I wanted to be apart of changing this narrative and improving women’s health. I want the world to know that it is possible, there is HOPE, to resolve many of these “down there” issues using your OWN body!”
Covers Tampa Bay area and offers in-person at our St. Pete location, in-home, or virtual sessions
Brooke Thomas
Plan of Care Coordination and Administrative Assistant
Born in raised in Fort Myers, Brooke is a true Floridian. She has been dancing since the “go”! In 2008, Brooke graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Modern Dance Performance. Following graduation, she had a brief “visit” to New York City to experience the dance life there.
She realized that she belonged in Florida and became a member of Moving Current Dance Collective, a modern dance company based in Tampa.
Still itching for more knowledge, she decided to go back to school and became a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2012. After moving to St. Pete in 2014, Brooke stumbled upon Pure Barre by happenstance, and after her first class, she realized that she needed it in her life!
She’s been teaching at Pure Barre St. Pete since August 2014 and isn’t planning on stopping anytime soon. Brooke lives in St. Pete with her husband,
Alan, a sweet little girl, Cora, and two pups, Rascal and Shiloh.
Taylor Caudill
The HOPE Doctors Virtual Assistant & CEO Personal Assistant
Taylor is originally from the Bradenton area and moved to south Florida in 2010 to attend Florida Atlantic University - where she met her husband.
She recently moved back to the Tampa area a few years ago where her husband and her started their family. She is a first time mom to a 6 month old and she has two German shepherds!
She has a strong background in sales and client relations and she loves to connect with people of all backgrounds.
Fun facts about Taylor:
She started competitive cheerleading in the 5th grade and coached gymnastics through high school and part of college
She doesn’t like her foods to touch on her plate
Her favorite band is sister hazel and she got engaged at one of their concerts!
Kaitlyn Armes
Virtual Receptionist
Kaitlyn is a Florida native born and raised here in the Tampa Bay Area.
She has been married to her wonderful husband for almost 7 years and is a mom to a 5 year old and a 3 year old.
Fun facts about Kaitlyn:
She has 3 dogs and a pot belly pig
She likes going camping and spending time outdoors
She likes country music
Her favorite food is Spaghetti
Awards
Voted Best of Dunedin 2022: PHYSICAL THERAPIST
Voted Best of the Best Tampa Bay 2022: PHYSICAL THERAPIST