Cultivating Courage.
Empower Clients with Chronic Pain to Achieve their Movement Potential
Hip and knee replacement
Disc degeneration, spinal fusion
Spondylolisthesis, Stenosis
Pelvic pain syndromes
Autoimmune conditions
Neurological disorders
Osteoarthritis
Systemic inflammation
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Long COVID, POTS
Nonspecific chronic pain
Connective tissue disorders
A half-day course for Pilates teachers that will give you the confidence to design safe and effective movement programs for clients with a wide range of persistent pain issues, such as:
Research studies put the prevalence of chronic pain at 20 to 30 percent of the world’s adult population. Anywhere from 70 to 90 percent of people will have chronic low back pain at some point in their lives.
Chronic pain is defined as pain that persists 3 months or more after an acute injury. It can also occur without an initial offending injury. Pain is a prominent symptom in neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis or central sensitization syndromes like Fibromyalgia.
As research in these areas grows, the evidence is mounting that movement is the most potent tool for decreasing pain intensity and interference with daily life.
The good news is that as a Pilates teacher, you are uniquely poised to ease discomfort while also improving strength and mobility for people with recurring pain.
This course will equip you to handle any pain-related client condition with confidence, so that you can plan and lead movement sessions that give them the courage to embrace physical activity.
Getting started with movement is hard.
When a client with chronic pain walks into your next session, here’s what you’ll know:
How to assess quickly
Clients with extended clinical histories may come with a lot of detail and you will know exactly what to focus on so you can right to the movement part.
How to incorporate pain science
Understanding the science of pain is an essential part of healing and gaining confidence. We will get into the core concepts and when to use them.
How to address movement phobia
Fear of movement due to pain—kinesiophobia—is a huge part of the reason getting active with chronic pain is so hard. You’ll learn strategies to address it.
How Pilates equipment can be used for specific, common challenges
We will talk through the primary fear-based movement challenges and how to use the Pilates equipment to help your clients “re-learn” movements they fear due to pain.
How to program for progression with chronic pain
Within You’re Meant to Move is a framework for designing movement programming that is both goal-centered and adaptable. You’ll learn how to apply that framework to each client’s needs.
How to handle flare-ups when they happen (and they will)
Pain symptoms ebb and flow and knowing how to help clients through moments of flare-up is essential to building movement confidence. Spoiler alert: skipping that day’s session isn’t usual the right call.
This work is personal.
My journey with chronic back pain began when I was 13. After bouncing from specialist to specialist for decades, I finally found relief when I made peace with my body and my mind. And I tackled my fear.
I wrote You’re Meant to Move in order to share my story—as well as those of my clients—with other people facing chronic pain, so that they might find reclaim an active faster than I did.
Pain, by definition, is a physical sensation triggered by the brain resulting from any perception of danger. It is influenced by a number of factors both within and outside of us. We need to take inventory of and address all of these in order to have an impact.
With the right tools you can help clients in pain find a way to incorporate movement into their daily lives so they can stay mobile and independent as long as possible.
Cultivating Courage is coming to a city near you!
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January 3, 2026
1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
35 Lincoln St, Newton Highlands, MA 02461
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28 February 2026
1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
4th Floor, 37 Otago St, Glasgow G12 8JJ
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Date TBD
Coppice Ln, Middleton, Tamworth B78 2BU
Frequently asked Questions
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Absolutely! In my first year of teaching, I worked with my first CRPS client as well as clients with vertigo, joint replacement surgeries, and traumatic brain injury.
After this course you will know all the things I wish I had known then.
Additionally, the portions of this course where we are practicing on the equipment will be outlined in detail and does not require knowledge of advanced repertoire.
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Because there is a lot of science-based and non-movement content in this course, we will spend a large portion of the day in discussion.
However, to keep things lively, we will have breakout groups and role-playing activities to help practice these new skills.
At least an hour will be spent working directly with Pilates equipment to practice common functional movements that provoke fear in chronic pain clients.
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The majority of the course will be related to exercise and pain science concepts that are applicable to teaching a wide range of movement modalities.
While we will spend at least an hour working through specific functional movement challenges using the Pilates equipment, I would be happy to brainstorm accessible movement equivalents in your area of expertise.
Feel free to reach out by email to discuss further.
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Each client is different, and I expect that many class participants will realize they would benefit from a brainstorming session on specific issues.
While there will be some limited time for Q&A during the course itself, I do want to make sure you have the support you need to move forward with confidence.
ALL course participants will be given a discount code for Pilates Teacher Coaching sessions with me after the workshop.