Self-Care Through the Lens of Pilates

Pilates was designed as a form of exercise, for sure, but did you know it’s also incredibly versatile as a form of self-care? We know Pilates can be used for rehab or maintenance if we have an injury or are training for athletic pursuits. But because of the mindful nature of how you perform the exercises, and the connection of the breath to everything in the method, Pilates can be used for general self-care, which is attention to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Several of our upcoming workshops address this side-effect of Pilates in various ways. Hillary and Rachel teach us to use the small props and tools in the studio to hydrate and mobilize our tissues, Benjamin teaches us to use our Pilates for everything else we do in life, and Rachel helps us foster mindfulness in the way we instruct our clients. Join us for any or all of these upcoming workshops to deepen your Pilates practice and give your body and soul a little treat.

In Hillary’s Roll & Release workshop you will learn self myofascial release and self massage techniques using therapy balls and other tools to help improve body awareness, alleviate pain, increase mobility, optimize performance, and regulate your nervous system. “Rolling” with these tools will hydrate and restore stuck tissue, leaving you and your body grounded, renewed, and relaxed, with an instant increase in flexibility and range of motion. In this workshop you will develop a customized tool-kit of self-massage techniques to keep your body tuned up and feeling great from head to toe.

With Benjamin, you will ask: Why do we practice Pilates? Is it for athletic perfection, injury prevention, to become a ninja, rehabilitation, joy of movement - or just to not get run over by a car whilst crossing the street? Pilates can be all of these things and more, but often we miss the forest for the trees. In this workshop we will look through the lenses of Developmental Technique, BodyMind Centering, and complimentary kinesiological modalities to take a different view of Pilates. We will redevelop fundamental movement principles that apply directly to our daily lives: getting up, getting down, pushing, pulling, walking, encountering the unexpected, and finding somatic agency.

In Rachel’s Oov workshop, you’ll roll, wiggle, wobble, and explore together as we get to know the Oov’s unique support and challenge. You’ll experience foundational sequences, experiment with how your body responds, and walk away with ideas you can use in your own movement practice. Whether the Oov is brand new to you or you’re looking to reconnect with it, this is a chance to learn, move, and play in community.

Then, in a two-hour experiential workshop, Rachel and other movement professionals will explore how language, tone, touch, and presence shape how clients learn and embody movement. Through guided discussion, reflection, and mindful movement practices, participants will consider how attitudes and specific language can elicit awareness of the present moment or encourage overthinking. Come away with an increased understanding of how intentional cueing can deepen our connection to sensory experiences and what environments disrupt movement learning. Master how to cue with clarity, presence, and intention to create an environment where movement feels safe, integrated, and embodied.

See our schedule to enroll in any or all of these workshops.