MEET THE HOPE DOCS TEAM
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.
The 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 2 locations, home sessions, virtual options, and online courses and memberships!
The growth of the practice has continued as we have been able to bring on trauma - informed and heart - centered therapists. Our goal is to truly offer you HOPE and provide the best experience for your pelvic healthcare journey that we possibly can.
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From there, we continued to grow our team, and worked on becoming the BEST Pelvic Floor Therapy in Tampa Bay!
Due to a growing team - there is growing impact - therefore we had a vision be born. That vision is to make pelvic healthcare the standard of care - to become a household name!
The HOPE Doctors is an acronym for Holistic Ortho + Pelvic Experience, and we offer you HOPE.
Our founders past experiences with trauma and pelvic floor dysfunction herself have led her to the approach she currently takes with clients. This approach has been taught to her team, from the Receptionist who answers the phone, to the Doctor who is working with you. 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.
Outside of being the CEO of this heart filled business, she is a past ballet dancer, a wife to a Real Estate Agent, mom to her son Bryce and her dog Belle (who is 5!). She enjoys traveling, exploring, being outdoors, reading, and gardening.
She hopes you join our family!
Dr. Katie Ihlenfeldt
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.
Orthopedic and Pelvic Floor Expert
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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 and virtual appointments at our Dunedin location
Dr. Johanna Gaffney
Orthopedic and Pelvic Floor Expert
In-Person & Virtual Sessions
Dr. Johanna received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL in 2024. Johanna earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Oneonta State University in Oneonta, New York in 2021.
Her passion for physical therapy began in the sophomore year of her undergraduate studies when she worked at a PT clinic for a summer and assisted in the care of a patient with Cerebral Palsy. Johanna realized PT was her calling when she was a part of this patient's journey as she reached her goal of walking across the stage at her high school graduation.
Johanna was a multisport athlete throughout high school, including playing basketball in college. She found her passion for health and fitness through her active lifestyle and life as an athlete. Johanna is also heavily focused on mindfulness, yoga and meditation, and she loves to share this approach with the people around her, including her patients.
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When Johanna began Physical Therapy school, she had to deal with her own pelvic floor dysfunction. Johanna realized how uncomfortable it can be to experience these symptoms and not know who to talk to about them. She saw how difficult it was to share these problems with the people around her because issues in the pelvic region are topics most people feel uncomfortable talking about. This allowed her to find her own passion in Pelvic Floor PT as well as fill her with compassion towards others who may be going through similar circumstances.
Through her own experiences, Johanna realized that she wants to help others feel safe when talking about these problems, as well as educate others about the help that they can get for these symptoms. The HOPE Doctors' mission of eliminating shame and guilt around pelvic floor dysfunction truly aligns with Johanna's values and what she wants to bring into this world.
Taylor Caudill
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 has a strong background in sales and client relations and she loves to connect with people of all backgrounds.
Awards
Voted Best of Dunedin 2022: PHYSICAL THERAPIST
Voted Best of the Best Tampa Bay 2022: PHYSICAL THERAPIST