Join Laura Grace, Women’s Health and Pelvic Pain Psychologist, for this live online CPD session hosted by Alex Diggles
Monday 29 June 2026 at 5pm WA | 6:30pm SA, NT | 7pm QLD, NSW, VIC, ACT, TAS

Pelvic pain is often shaped by more than symptoms alone. For many people, perfectionism, self-criticism, overdoing, shame, identity, trauma, and the invisible load of chronic illness can all influence how pain is experienced, managed, and communicated. In this session, psychologist and founder of Ash & Bloom: Pelvic Health Collaborative, Laura Grace, will explore the emotional, behavioural, and nervous system impacts of persistent pelvic pain, with a focus on how clinicians can better recognise and respond to patterns of overdoing, rigidity, and pressure to “get it right”.

This CPD session is designed for health professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of the psychological and relational aspects of pelvic pain and support more compassionate, person-centred care. PPFA Subscribers can register for free.

Learning outcomes:
1. Describe common perfectionism characteristics that may present in pelvic pain patients, such as ‘pushing through’, self criticism, and overdoing it. 

2. Explain the contribution perfectionism in the pelvic pain picture- including pain, fatigue, anxiety, trauma and the nervous system- within a biopsychosocial framework. 

3. Select psychologically informed consultation strategies, such as validation, compassionate language, pacing and values-based goal setting and referrals.

How to register

PPFA subscribers register here or via the button below.

If you’re not a PPFA subscriber, you can purchase a single CPD session ticket by clicking on the button below or click here to learn more about becoming a PPFA subscriber.

Pain, Participation & Empowerment. The role of Occupational Therapy in Persistent Pain Care

Persistent pain affects far more than pain intensity. It can influence movement, sleep, work, study, parenting, relationships, self-care, identity, confidence and participation in everyday life.

Join QPPN for an interdisciplinary evening exploring the role of Occupational Therapy in supporting people living with persistent pain, including pelvic pain, to move forward in practical, person-centred and meaningful ways.

This event will explore how Occupational Therapists support:

• Participation and daily function

• Pacing and sustainable activity

• Nervous system and sensory-informed support

• Confidence, identity and meaningful roles

• Behaviour change and moving forward with pain

Featuring Occupational Therapy perspectives from:

• Nikita Plowman, Occupational Therapist, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service

• Lucy Ruttiman, Principal Occupational Therapist, Thriving Lives Co.

• Hollie Swanton, Endorsed Mental Health Occupational Therapist, Women’s Health OT

Who should attend?

This event is for clinicians and health professionals working across persistent pain, pelvic pain, women’s health, mental health, rehabilitation and community care.

Registration

• non-members sign-up to QPPN then follow the prompts on the member page to register.

• QPPN & PPFA members register here

• Don’t want a membership? Purchase event ticket only here for $35.

If you have any queries about your membership status, please email contact@pelvicpain.org.au

Pelvic Pain in the Pub: Pain, Pressure or Frequency?
Making Sense of Bladder & Urethral Symptoms

When It Burns, Hurts or Won't Behave: Understanding Bladder & Urethral Pain with Dr Yu Hwee Tan, Urogynaecologist and Pelvic Reconstructive Surgeon.

Join the Queensland Pelvic Pain Network for an evening of practical learning, discussion and networking with colleagues interested in pelvic pain care. Bladder and urethral symptoms are common, often distressing, and frequently challenging to diagnose and manage. Patients may present with pain, urgency, frequency, recurrent urinary tract infection symptoms, or persistent symptoms despite negative investigations. Understanding when symptoms reflect pathology, pelvic pain, bladder dysfunction, or overlapping conditions is essential for effective care.

In this session, Dr Yu Hwee Tan will explore both painful and non-painful bladder and urethral conditions, providing practical insights for clinicians working across primary care, specialist services and multidisciplinary pelvic health settings. The evening will include clinical updates, case-based discussion and opportunities to connect with colleagues across Brisbane's growing pelvic pain community.

Dr Tan is a specialist urogynaecologist with expertise in complex bladder, pelvic floor and pelvic pain conditions. She has extensive experience managing urinary dysfunction, recurrent urinary tract symptoms, urethral disorders and chronic pelvic pain, working collaboratively within multidisciplinary pelvic health teams to optimise patient outcomes.

At the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Differentiate common painful and non-painful bladder and urethral presentations encountered in primary care settings.

• Identify clinical features and red flags that warrant specialist investigation or referral in patients presenting with bladder and urethral symptoms.

• Develop an evidence-informed initial management plan for patients with bladder pain, urinary urgency, frequency and recurrent urinary symptoms.

• Apply appropriate referral pathways and multidisciplinary management strategies for complex bladder and urethral conditions.

Registration

• non-members sign-up to QPPN then follow the prompts on the member page to register.

• QPPN & PPFA members register here

• Don’t want a membership? Purchase event ticket only here for $35.

If you have any queries about your membership status, please email contact@pelvicpain.org.au

Clinical Hypnotherapy for Chronic Pelvic Pain with Geordie Thompson, Hypnologic Solutions

Geordie is a Clinical Hypnotherapist with a focus on helping clients resolve persistent symptoms such as overactive bladder and bladder urgency, IBS and chronic pain conditions including bladder and pelvic pain. Geordie helps clients develop an understanding of the mind body connection and how emotions can influence the perception of sensations in their bodies.

Hypnotherapy helps clients move from cognitive processing to more limbic processing, in effect moving from asking “why this is happening?” to “how is my body doing this?” and “how can I change the signals?”

Hypnotherapy has been used for pain management for many years and is a safe and empowering therapy that works well as a complimentary approach to the traditional bio-medical interventions.

In this session, Geordie will expand some of the approaches used in clinical hypnotherapy and present a case study on bladder urgency.

 Learning outcomes:

1. Describe how hypnotherapy interacts with the peripheral, core and autonomic nervous systems

2. Explain the relationship between the Polyvagal Theory and Multiple Brain Models in the pain process

3. Apply pain reprocessing and reframing techniques to support pain reduction and management 

4. Outline how language reframing in hypnotherapy assists in pain reduction and management. 

Menstrual Management in Pelvic Pain: getting it right

Join SAPPN as they host session 3 of Pelvic Pain in the Pub with Dr Preetam Ganu, Gynaecologist and
Dr Carmel Reynolds, GP presenting on menstrual management in Pelvic Pain.

Registration

• non-members sign-up to SAPPN then follow the prompts on the member page to register.

• SAPPN & PPFA members register here.

• Or purchase a one-off attendance ticket here

If you have any queries about your membership status, please email contact@pelvicpain.org.au

Join colleagues from across Queensland and Australia for an informal evening of connection, conversation and community-building ahead of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia Seminar.

This networking event provides an opportunity for clinicians, researchers, educators, students and healthcare professionals with an interest in pelvic pain to meet peers, strengthen referral and collaboration pathways, and build supportive professional networks within the pelvic pain sector.

The evening is designed to foster meaningful connections across disciplines and regions, including attendees travelling from interstate for the seminar. Whether you are established in pelvic pain care or looking to expand your network and knowledge, all are welcome.

Advancing Pelvic Pain Care: Diagnosis, Complexity and Clinical Practice

Join the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia Annual Health Practitioner Seminar as leading clinicians, researchers and multidisciplinary experts come together to advance the future of pelvic pain care. This one-day accredited CPD educational event will explore the diagnosis, complexity and clinical management of pelvic pain across a range of presentations and patient populations.

Designed for GPs, gynaecologists, pelvic physiotherapists and allied health professionals, the program will provide evidence-based education, practical clinical insights and multidisciplinary perspectives to support improved patient outcomes and more confident care.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Strengthen confidence in recognising and diagnosing complex pelvic pain presentations

• Explore contemporary, multidisciplinary approaches to assessment and management

• Learn from expert-led sessions grounded in real-world clinical practice

• Gain practical strategies that can be applied directly in patient care

• Connect with a national network of health professionals committed to improving pelvic pain outcomes

The seminar reflects PPFA’s ongoing commitment to reducing diagnostic delay, improving access to evidence-based care, and supporting health professionals through high-quality education, collaboration and clinical leadership.

For more details visit our 2026 seminar page.