In this episode, I sit down with bodywork therapist Samantha Beckton, founder of Knot Now Therapeutics, to explore the powerful connection between the lymphatic system, hormone balance, and women’s overall healing. Samantha shares her incredible personal journey—from high-level athlete to chronic pain survivor to holistic healer—revealing how years of overlooked muscular issues and pelvic floor dysfunction taught her the missing piece behind so many women’s unexplained pain and “normal” symptoms. Together, we unpack why so many women with PCOS (and beyond) are told to “just live with it,” how the medical system often misses muscular and postural imbalances, and why learning to listen to your body is the ultimate act of empowerment. By the end, listeners will feel inspired to question the “just normal” narrative and explore how bodywork, lymphatic massage, and deeper self-awareness can help them move from survival to thriving.
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(0:02 - 0:29) Hey there, and welcome back to PCOS Unfiltered, the space where we cut through the noise and rewrite the stories we've been handed. I'm your host, Lindsie, and today's episode is going to challenge a narrative that far too many women have been told, that's just normal. Whether it's fatigue, bloating, weight gain, or being dismissed because of your diagnosis, you've probably been told to accept a version of health that feels anything but empowering.
(0:30 - 0:58) My guest today is Samantha Beckton, owner of Knot Now Therapeutics, and she's here to flip that script. As a certified bodywork therapist, Samantha has helped countless women reconnect with their bodies and shed the idea that they just have to live with it. We'll talk about how lymphatic massage supports hormone balance, detoxification, and inflammation, and why it's a missing link for so many women, especially those navigating PCOS.
(0:59 - 1:24) Plus, we'll get real about how powerful it is to question what you've been told is normal and how you can begin to reclaim your story. So, if you're ready to ditch the diagnosis mindset and move toward healing that's actually aligned with your body, this episode is for you. As always, the content shared on PCOS Unfiltered is for informational and educational purposes only.
(1:24 - 1:45) The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are not intended to serve as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or treatment plan. The information shared is based on personal experience and expert interviews and is not a substitute for professional medical guidance.
(1:46 - 2:13) Now grab your foam roller and let's get into it. So what was your turning point? Like what was your, you know, your big aha that turned everything around? There's been so many, there's been so many, but, um, you know, that's, that's good because yeah, it shows you it's not a straight line. Like, yeah.
(2:13 - 2:24) Or, or even if you hit that point that it's not a straight line, it's up and down for sure. Totally, totally. No, I, you know, I alluded, I, I was a high level athlete, I was an aerial acrobat.
(2:24 - 2:54) I'd been in seven pretty major car accidents by the time I was 20 as passenger and most of them were full of a driver, but, um, my neck is a mess, you know, and, and, and it's like when any of these things happen, what's, what's the go, you go to the chiropractor, right? Yeah. Whatever. And so I remember, so when I was an aerial acrobat and I was doing these big drops from the scene, I was just giving myself whiplash over and over and over again.
(2:54 - 3:03) And I remember, you know, like I'd be like, you know, I couldn't even turn my head from side to side. I had daily headaches. Oh, he's in my twenties.
(3:04 - 3:12) Right. And I had a young son, so I know what it's like to not show up and be your best self. And they just didn't give me anything to fix it.
(3:12 - 3:20) $5,000 in like chiropractic, you know, blah, blah, blah. But they're just manipulating you. And I was like, yeah, I don't want to do that.
(3:20 - 3:37) And I remember they did, they tell you these fear tactics, right? Like anybody is listening to this right now. And you've been told that you're the worst case of X, Y, and Z that they have ever seen. That is marketing.
(3:38 - 3:50) Every single person that I know has been the worst case that anybody has ever seen. I've been the worst case that anybody's ever seen. And if you're the worst case that anybody's ever seen, then you become dependent on that person.
(3:50 - 3:56) You're the worst case. That's sad though. It's sad.
(3:56 - 3:58) Yeah. Yeah. It's sad.
(3:59 - 4:06) Yeah. So I was just like, I just don't know. And that's when I started working on myself and working on my own neck.
(4:06 - 4:26) And I ended up fixing my own problems because the chiropractic doesn't address the muscles. And so when I'm talking about things like that, more physical, like muscles move bones, bones don't go moving around all willy nilly by themselves. It's not like my neck is like, I'm gonna be over here without my muscles working on, like moving it.
(4:26 - 4:35) So there's a problem with my bone and there has to be a problem with my muscle. So why are we always just pushing the bone and not working on the muscles? I'm gonna work on the muscles. I'm going to work on my posture.
(4:35 - 4:44) I'm going to work on these things. Yay. So I couldn't lift my arm up for a year and a half over 90 degrees.
(4:44 - 4:50) I injured myself doing doubles trapeze. And that's when I went to school for physical therapy. Didn't learn anything.
(4:50 - 5:08) Nothing. I saw like 27 different massage therapists, at least many different chiropractors. And this is where I started to learn like, you know, not just because somebody is something doesn't mean they know something like massage therapists all know different things.
(5:08 - 5:19) And the vast majority of massage therapists went to school for like spa work. No, no downing spa work. You know what I mean? If you want to go somebody have them rub lotion on you.
(5:19 - 5:22) Yeah. And that still helps with stress. And yeah.
(5:23 - 5:29) Totally. But don't expect that person to know anything about true pain relief. And then we go to them.
(5:30 - 5:35) Right. And then it's like, well, I just went to somebody and it felt better for a little bit. And then it felt worse again.
(5:35 - 5:41) And it's just a bandaid. Well, it's a bandaid because you didn't change. Yeah.
(5:41 - 5:48) You're still being you. Which means like, the problem, if you have a problem, the problem is you. Right.
(5:48 - 5:52) Yeah. So we have to figure out what it is. Right.
(5:52 - 6:08) And, and there's something happening in there again, like I go back to the sitting cross legged thing. But I think when we're talking about like, what really drove it home for me is I ended up fixing all of these problems muscularly. And then this will drive home because this is a female problem.
(6:08 - 6:27) I had a pelvic floor injury. And, and it kind of came on over time until one day I could not stand up physically could not stand up straight without shooting pain through my vagina and my anus. I could not.
(6:29 - 6:39) And, and it was bad. And it was a Sunday. And, you know, like, I mean, I'm a high level athlete. (6:39 - 6:52) I've been in some pain, you know, and I went to the emergency room where they drug tested me. Right. And, and then like to make sure that I wasn't just drug seeking.
(6:52 - 6:59) Yeah. And then, you know, because ER sees everything. Oh, yeah.
(6:59 - 7:22) They want to make sure I wasn't telling some stories up in there. All of these things I did a CT scan, all of this stuff, they couldn't find anything wrong with me. They diagnosed this ER doctor diagnosed me with a tummy ache.
(7:23 - 7:47) And you have to know I lost my mind, right? This is where I go back to like the anger thing, like, you know what I mean? And it's like, I looked at him and I was like, I don't know what doctor school you went to, but I'm an educated human being. And I happen to know that my tummy is nowhere near my vagina. Give me a correct diagnosis.
(7:48 - 8:03) That would be great. Get her out of here. Right, so they ended up giving me like an IV muscle relaxer, like you would for any two year old with a tummy ache.
(8:04 - 8:17) And, and then they gave me a prescription for muscle relaxers. And I can't remember what it was at this point in time, and sent me on my way told me to go follow up with my, you know, OBGYN, whatever it is. Yeah, I did that.
(8:17 - 8:28) I went into the OBGYN. And they did like the vaginal ultrasound couldn't find anything wrong. She's like, well, maybe a cyst ruptured, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe, maybe.
(8:28 - 8:46) And I was just like, no, I'm in pain. I had a burning pain in my, like, what I would consider my ovary, like ovarian pain, like almost like, you know, sometimes you get a little crampy when you're ovulating or something like that. I had that burning pain for four years.
(8:47 - 8:52) Oh, my gosh. Oh, yeah. I thought I had I thought I had ovarian cancer.
(8:52 - 8:59) I thought I was dying. Actually. And I was just like, what is going on? But they couldn't find anything wrong with me.
(8:59 - 9:06) I worked in physical therapy. I was working in a women's health clinic. You know what I mean? I was like, can somebody please check me out? They're like, you need to make an appointment.
(9:06 - 9:21) And you have to know I'm not doing that. Somebody was like, why don't you just go sit on a tennis ball? And I was like, seriously? Like, a whole lot happened within that system. And I ended up looking for a different job.
(9:21 - 9:43) I moved to Florida and I was working for a husband wife duo in women's health. Now, this is going on four years, right? And so now my hip is really bothering me like, like, for four years, and I'm doing everything that I know how to do. And I'm pretty good at what I do.
(9:43 - 9:51) Right for the hip pain, and it would get better. And then it would get worse. Right? So I understand the whole like, it felt better after she worked on it.
(9:51 - 9:54) But then it got worse. And I was like, I'm missing something. I'm missing something.
(9:54 - 9:58) I'm missing something. Yeah. So I moved to Florida. (9:58 - 10:08) I'm working for this husband wife duo. And I'm throwing everything at it. All the I'm exercising nine hours a day with all of my clients.
(10:08 - 10:14) I'm on the traction thing, which made it so much worse. Oh, my God. Right.
(10:14 - 10:29) And like all of these things. And so finally, I went to Gina, who is a pelvic floor specialist. And I was like, can you please just like, go up in there and just tell me if I'm dying? Like, I just want to know if I'm dying.
(10:31 - 10:44) So she did a pelvic exam for me. And I lit up like a damn Christmas tree when she hit. Oh, I don't have my pelvis.
(10:45 - 11:03) Let me grab my pelvis really quick. So he did my pelvic floor exam and went up in there and started like feeling these muscles in here. They were like, right going.
(11:03 - 11:12) Oh, my gosh. So she just was just like, this is your problem. You have so much tightness inside of these muscles.
(11:12 - 11:20) And she probably treated me like maybe three times in two minutes between clients. Like I'd run in there, take my panties off and have. Right.
(11:20 - 11:29) And then run back out. And then I would do all of the external work, working my adductors, my hips and all of that. Three little five minute thingies with her.
(11:31 - 11:41) Every single symptom I had went away. And I what I forgot to mention is not only was I having the hip pain in the back pain, then I started to become incontinent. Right.
(11:41 - 11:50) So I'd be going to the I went to the bathroom. Right. And then I would think I was doing and I'd stand up and I dribble all in my panties.
(11:51 - 11:59) Very common. For people, it's not. And so that and I was like, oh, no.
(11:59 - 12:05) I mean, I was 36 years old at the time. And I was like, I am 36 years old. I cannot be peeing myself.
(12:05 - 12:09) I'm not going to be. And what did they tell you? Oh, just get the pens. Just wear a pen.
(12:10 - 12:17) That's not the problem. Yeah. And then I had another symptom called dysuria.
(12:18 - 12:36) So what that means is that I always go to the bathroom and before I lay down to go to bed, I go to the bathroom, I'd lay down to go to bed immediately feel like I had to pee. I like do I have a urinary tract infection? Like what is going on? So I'm having all this testing done. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing.
(12:36 - 12:40) And I feel like I'm insane. Right. Everybody's telling me there's nothing wrong with me.
(12:40 - 12:51) And there's a very real problem. So after she released those muscles. I was like, literally like a week after four years.
(12:51 - 13:08) So I was just like, you know, like, how can I do this myself? And she ended up giving me a pelvic floor wand. And anytime I feel like as I can feel it, like if I'm running, something like that. Now I have that propensity, right? Like this is like patterning in my body.
(13:08 - 13:25) And so I know that I can use my pelvic floor wand and I can go in there and I can release those muscles all by myself. I don't need anyone else to do it for me. And, and like, I have zero symptoms, zero pain.
(13:25 - 13:42) I am 46 years old. And because of all of this work that I've done on myself over the years, and I know how much of it is muscular and posture wise, and I've fixed my posture and I'm working on my body all of the time. I have zero pain in my body, zero.
(13:42 - 14:02) And so isn't this the time that I'm supposed to be feeling worse? Isn't this the time that all these things are supposed to be coming up? I was worse when I was in my twenties and thirties. I was too. I, I was worse then because I didn't know anything like I would, I know now.
(14:02 - 14:29) And because I, I take massive action, right. And because I'm working on my body every day, because I prioritize my personal health in what I eat in my movement, in my self-care, in my therapeutic role, and in the fact that I will take a pelvic floor one and go up and release my own muscles. You know what I mean? That I, more than that, that I understand.
(14:29 - 14:35) And I think that that's one of the things that a lot of people miss. They take their diagnosis. They don't even know what it is.
(14:35 - 15:18) Yeah. So that was that, like the pelvic floor thing, when that happened, it just came crashing through my mind that like, I don't need the medical system. And if I, and that any time something comes up that it is for me likely muscular or something that is, and I'm going to treat every single thing that I know how to do for it with, with intention and consistency before I go to see anybody else, because that whole four years of like, dying and like, that my insides were falling out my vagina.
(15:19 - 15:24) Like, absolutely. Crazy. And people live like that.
(15:24 - 15:29) Yeah. Yeah. I will say side note, if you're on the audio version of this, go to my YouTube channel.
(15:29 - 15:44) So you can actually see what Samantha just did. I'm a little ridiculous, you know what I mean? But I mean, like, we can't laugh at ourselves. Yeah.
(15:44 - 16:00) Yeah. But no, but I mean, that's, that's super, super powerful. Because I mean, I say it, I say it so many times in my episodes, talking to clients, I mean, everything, and it's like, you know, your body. (16:02 - 16:20) And yes, that's where the breakdown in the medical system can happen too, because they just look at these, you know, your labs, you know, do an assessment, everything's normal. You know, if it gets worse, let me know, or take this pill to cover up whatever it is for a little while. So, you know, your body.
(16:20 - 16:59) And so there might be something deeper going on there. I mean, I used to even tell my ER patients, you know, when they leave with certain things, I'm like, you know, you know, yourself, even though now looking back, I didn't even know my body. But I feel like you kind of know if deep down, if there's something, something more serious going on that is not, you know, being found by traditional medicine, then you actually have to go out there and do some more research, do the research for yourself, you know, or find somebody like, you know, Samantha or me, or, you know, somebody in that, that realm that can help you with whatever it is.
(16:59 - 17:12) So, yeah, 100%. Yeah, piggyback on what you just said, I told you, I went to school for physical therapy, because of my shoulder. I remember they did all the MRIs and stuff.
(17:12 - 17:35) I remember talking to the orthopedic surgeon who wanted to open me up and do an exploratory surgery on my shoulder. And I look at him, I was like, I just feel like my shoulder is dislocated. And this man, man says to me, your shoulders not dislocated, if it was dislocated, you would know.
(17:39 - 18:05) That's what I just said. I remember when I finally found somebody to help the person who ended up helping me with my shoulder that I ended up studying with and learning all of this trigger point myofascial release with, right? After I got out of PT school, I never like I didn't go to I went to her courses, right? Because I was just like, everything that they taught me is stupid. I remember going to her.
(18:06 - 18:26) And I was like, and you can see like, from the side that my shoulder is like way like this somehow, because I think that I do with my clients is I actually look at them. Right? And I was like, I just feel like my shoulder is dislocated. And she was like, well, yeah, it totally is.
(18:26 - 18:33) And I told her like what the doctor said. She's like, there's degrees of dislocation. Yeah, yeah.
(18:33 - 18:51) But like, all of my muscles were so tight and pulling everything forward. It was literally pulling my shoulder forward in a second. So when we went in and opened up my packet, open up my subscapularis, literally, again, a year and a half, I couldn't lift my arm up in a week and a half.
(18:51 - 19:02) I had full range and no pain. Yeah, just like what was like, Wow, for me, I was like, I want to know everything she knows. Right? Yeah.
(19:03 - 19:17) Yeah, they happen with the whole pelvic floor as a massage therapist, you're not allowed to go do internal work. You're not allowed to go inside. So once Gina kind of work, you know, did her little magic in there.
(19:17 - 19:25) I was like, you know, and I'm inspired by these things. I'm inspired by the things that happened to me. So I was like, yeah, I need to know how to do this.
(19:25 - 19:40) Right? So I used my PT. Like, this is probably the if anything else, this is the reason why I had a medical license is because I couldn't take those classes without one. You can't take pelvic floor classes as a massage therapist.
(19:40 - 20:00) Could you imagine? Like I was saying about abuse of power. So but anyway, I couldn't take those medical level classes without a medical license. So it was really fortunate that I was able to take those classes.
(20:00 - 20:04) And I talked to people all the time. And I'm like, I think you have this good. I think you have this going.
(20:04 - 20:13) I think you have this going on. And unfortunately, some of them are like, well, yeah, but it costs money. And I'm like, you won't spend it anyway.
(20:14 - 20:31) Yeah, yeah, like, nice, nice fingernails. Nice streaks of color in your hair. Or if it was your car, and it needed new brakes, chances are you wouldn't have a problem, you know, doing something like that.
(20:31 - 20:48) But it's so fascinating. Because with our bodies, and it's like, we don't have an investment in ourself and in our life and in our happiness and in everything. And women primarily feel guilty.
(20:50 - 20:55) That's so true. Yeah, I see that a lot. I talked to Yeah, a lot of women.
(20:56 - 21:06) One of my recent Yeah, somebody I recently talked to, you know, same thing. And she was like, so busy and all this thing going on. And but she needed my help.
(21:06 - 21:26) But she wasn't willing to make that sacrifice for herself, like, you know, to give up some of these other things to be able to make that sacrifice for herself. So yeah, I know. And a piggyback on that for just a second, because I just finished my pain free living experience, right? And I do a week long thing.
(21:27 - 21:44) And I had a woman who came to this. She has been sleeping on ice packs for two years. On ice packs, on ice packs, because she has such radiating pain in her body, right at like where her bones meet the chair.
(21:44 - 22:15) But when she lays down to go to sleep at night, it is unbearable. Oh, my gosh, on ice packs for two years. And she has been to everybody, don't you know? Like, I can I and I asked her last night, how much money she feels like she's probably spent on this so far, right? It's like, way up in the thousands, like way thousands, right? Yeah, pain been to PT been to the doctor has had dry needling, going to chiropractors, all of it.
(22:15 - 22:26) She's been sleeping on ice packs for two years. She was with me for five days. I taught her like, two things, right? Well, first of all, I was looking at her and did the posture assessment and the whole thing.
(22:26 - 22:33) And I was like, Well, this is what I think it is. And this is what I think is going on. And this is why I think this is happening when you go to sleep at night.
(22:33 - 22:49) So I taught her a strategy, literally just how to release her hamstrings, right? Because that's where, you know, whatever it is. Yeah. The first night she she was like, I didn't get up in the middle of the night to change out my ice packs.
(22:50 - 23:23) So my gosh, that's better than she has slept, right? All of these things. So we get down to the nitty gritty, like, you know, are you going to come into this program and see how much better I can get because I have a 90 day program, right? And then through this time, she has a dog that has like some esophageal sphincter issue and like can't drink water and like all of these things, going to the vet, all this testing on adult, you have to know that that shit is more expensive than my program. Right? Yeah.
(23:24 - 23:34) So we get into it and she was just like, and we'll see what happens. But she was just like, oh, that's a lot more than I thought it was going to be. I just don't know if I could do that.
(23:35 - 23:46) But if it was the dog. Yeah. You know what I mean? And I was just like, yeah, you've been sleeping on ice packs for two years.
(23:46 - 24:04) Touching something in one day, like how much better do you think this could get for you? Like, and like, still, it's just like, that guilt and shame of like, that's the like, never. Investing in yourself. Like, yeah.
(24:05 - 24:12) All of it. You know, actually being the one taken care of instead of being the caregiver all the time. Like, I think that's just in us.
(24:12 - 24:38) You know, I'm not, I'm a stepmom. I'm not a mom, but I mean, I, it's still in me, you know? And I think that that's why I got into nursing to begin with, because I still just had this passion to help people. So yeah, so it is, it's very hard and you have to, at what point do you realize you shouldn't feel guilty about that? You would think that'd be a breaking point for somebody in that situation.
(24:39 - 24:43) One would imagine. Yeah. You know, I see it all the time and you probably see it too.
(24:43 - 24:56) Because if somebody took your car to the mechanic and they told them that they needed new drums and brakes and some new tires, and it was five grand, they just pull out the credit card and pay for it. Car is way more important than we are. Exactly.
(24:58 - 25:08) You're taking your car and getting that regularly scheduled maintenance. You're getting weekly, you're getting like the oil change exactly on the time. There's a little stamp that says, got to get your oil changed.
(25:08 - 25:13) You do it. But we are not doing that for ourselves. Yeah.
(25:13 - 25:21) Yeah. And just like the car, you have to keep everything running smoothly. So you don't get all the check engine lights and all that stuff.
(25:22 - 25:25) Everybody's are the same way. Yeah. They want to run smoothly too.
(25:26 - 25:54) And so you don't get the pain or the check engine light, you know, whatever it is. Super premium unleaded in the car and then going through Starbucks, poisoning ourselves. You know what I mean? Like what? If this conversation with Samantha would have fire in you, if you're thinking, wait a minute, maybe this isn't my forever, then know this, you are not broken and you don't have to settle for survival mode.
(25:55 - 26:14) Healing starts when we question the labels, the limitations and the lies. And it deepens when we tap into the tools that support our body's natural rhythm, like the lymphatic system that's been overlooked for far too long. I will put the links in the show notes so you can connect with Samantha and learn more about her work at Knot Now Therapeutics.
(26:14 - 26:24) Her session, her philosophy and her heart for women's healing are truly one of a kind. Until next time, keep nourishing, keep healing and thriving.