My Pilates journey started over two decades ago when I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia after the birth of my first child.  Determined to have more children, I looked for ways to manage my symptoms without prescription medications, using diet and exercise. 

About 6 years later, a neighbor loaned me their set of Mari Winsor Pilates DVD's to try and I was hooked!  Pilates was that perfect combo of movement and mind-body connection that I needed to help me feel stronger with less pain, have more stamina, sleep better, and stay positive mentally while raising three young children. 

While my routine of Pilates mat workouts 3-5x/week waned on and off through the following years, I always came back to it in times of desperation - like recovery from the birth of my fourth child, perimenopause hormone fluctuations, and the diagnosis of a couple more autoimmune conditions.  I found Pilates was able to help me find balance, physically and mentally, so that I was able to have more resilience to deal with whatever life threw my way.  

… And then along came pandemic! 

My Pilates workouts were very consistent at this point, and with all the extra time available, I began to consider the idea of becoming a Pilates Instructor.  I found Hilary Opheim, a wonderful master teacher in Los Angeles, and officially began teacher training program in April of 2021.  

Six weeks after I started the program, my 22 yr old son was diagnosed with leukemia (only a month after graduating from college).  I immediately became my son's full-time caretaker during his many hospitalizations, chemo treatments, & a successful stem cell transplant.  It was an incredibly stressful time but with much grace and support, especially from Hilary and my amazing family, I was able to complete ALL of the comprehensive training sessions. 

Fifteen months after starting my Pilates teacher training journey, I finally began working with clients in my home studio!