Recently I was fortunate enough to spend some time talking with SHOUTOUT LA to explain more about my practice and some of the approaches that have helped me in life and with my overall health.

Below, find a recap of the key points from the interview and check out the original article here:

How do you approach risk and risk-taking?

I believe in taking risks for myself and my career. Whenever something feels like a big risk, I ask myself, “Will I regret it if I don’t take this risk? Will I think about it for a long time and wish I had just tried?” That helps me decide if the possibility of failure is worth it, because even though every risk comes with the possibility of failure, there is no way to succeed with out taking them! Risk has played a huge role in my life. I moved to New York to pursue a career in dance right out of school and I was happy living there and performing for many years. Dance is very important to my well-being and my artistic career enriched my life and often saved me in more ways than one. Ten years after my first year in New York, I moved myself, and my young son, to Los Angeles to continue the evolution of my movement career as a Pilates instructor and Reiki practitioner. Both of these risks came with good times and hard times. I also learned many lessons but both moves have been crucial to my growth as a person and in my career.

More than just exercise, you see movement as healing. What’s that mean?

I work with people in multiple ways. In my Pilates practice, I focus on healthy, pain-free, movement. I have an extensive background in anatomy, especially the anatomy of movement, so I use that knowledge to help people discover where their movement patterns could be causing tension or pain in their body. In my reiki practice, I help people uncover where they are holding trauma in the body. This could be from past physical injuries or emotional pain, but it always corresponds with their chakras as well as the surrounding muscles and tissues. I then help my clients find tools that will aid in their healing process. I also connect people to their emotional, physical, and energetic bodies so they can use movement has a method of healing trauma. I work in conjunction with their doctors, psychologists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, and any other practitioner they use. I work hard to meet people where they are physically and help them find harmonious movement again. Over the years, I have worked with people with physical disabilities, people who have chronic pain, illnesses, injuries, and trauma responses. I was drawn to this work as a dancer, learning how my own traumatic experiences were affecting my body. I also credit dance and pilates for saving my life as they taught me how to physically release my experiences and set me on a path of healing. All challenges I have faced in the past twenty years, I have worked through by practicing what I preach. It hasn’t always been quick, or easy, but it has all been worth it. I have learned to have patience and compassion for my body and I’ve learned how to trust myself and my daily practice. Most importantly, I’ve learned there is always more to discover about my work and that every challenge is an opportunity for growth. I want people to know that movement is healing. There are so many possibilities for the human body, it is an amazing work of art. We are capable of healthy movement no matter what our experience, we might just need to learn what type will work best for us. When we do, movement can bring us so much joy.

If you’re looking for a healthier pain free life, get moving! Contact me today for a one-on-one evaluation and recommendation or sign up for my online video subscriptions and dive into Pilates from wherever you are, at any time that works best for you.