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Dana Karen (“DK”) Ciccone
Empowering individuals with chronic pain to find joy & confidence in moving their bodies
From Management Consultant to Pilates Studio Owner
DK Ciccone started her professional life as a journalism and English literature major at Syracuse University, followed by nearly two decades of work in health care administration and population health management. She graduated from the Geneva Graduate Institute in 2010 with a master’s in international affairs, specializing in global health governance and big dreams to improve health and wellbeing around the world.
After a demanding corporate career in management consulting and product strategy, DK left it all behind in search of a more fulfilling path through movement education. She trained with Balanced Body, completing the comprehensive Pilates certification program (500 hours) across 12 months and then completing her written and practical exams in 2018.
In her first year of teaching, DK became a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher through the exams hosted by the National Pilates Certification Program. She has retained this qualification ever since, submitting biannual renewals alongside 16 hours of continuing education credits consistently.
As a new teacher, DK taught at busy boutique Pilates studios in downtown Boston, leading group Reformer, Mat and Chair classes as well as working with private clients on the full suite of Pilates equipment. It was during this time that she began working with people experiencing a wide range of chronic conditions – from osteoarthritis and joint replacements to neurological conditions and systemic pain syndromes.
Eager to help the clients achieve movement goals despite complex physical challenges, DK sought out additional training opportunities in anatomy and biomechanics from a wide range of teachers across various Pilates disciplines and lineages, and she eventually completed the Advanced Movement Studies Certificate Program, taught by Movement Science Made Simple.
Once certified in pain reprocessing therapy in May 2023, DK’s teaching philosophy shifted to incorporate fear-based avoidance and exposure approaches in movement programming. This work is foundational to the framework for getting active with chronic pain that is outlined in her book, You’re Meant to Move. Since January 2026, DK has been training other Pilates teachers to empower clients with chronic pain through an NPCP-accredited workshop called Cultivating Courage.
Continuing with the theme of lifelong learning, DK is currently pursuing a part-time master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology at Edinburgh Napier University. She hopes to bring supportive movement to clinical settings in support of patient health and well-bring as a registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist (CEP) when she completes the program in 2027.
Watch her story
How a chronic pain journey that began at the age of 13 led DK to her life’s purpose.
Learn more about DK.
Press Coverage
Moving Beyond Pain: How Active Rehabilitation Transforms Lives
Revamping Fitness: An Inclusive Approach to Movement and Health Beyond Outdated Standards
The Essential Pillar of Stress Resilience in Chronic Pain Management
Author DK Ciccone Pioneers a New Approach to Pain Self-Management in her Book You’re Meant to Move
Pilates Teacher-Turned-Author DK Ciccone Releases “You’re Meant to Move”
