Growing up, I spent my childhood wanting to be a physical education teacher. In school, my favourite subject was gym; recesses were spent playing red rover, tag, or four square; and I was an avid athlete who excelled at field hockey, baseball, basketball, volleyball, and soccer.
At a young age (8), I noticed that the less active and athletic kids would rarely participate in games at recess, and during gym class, they would be set back and very reserved. By the time I was in middle school, I encountered individuals who used wheelchairs, had cerebral palsy, and other kinds of physical disabilities who were constantly isolated. It made me curious as to why activities couldn’t be adapted so that everyone could participate.
As a result of my observations, I took Physical Education at Brock University, specializing in movement for people with disabilities and was determined to make movement more inclusive so that it catered to every body, not everybody.
During one placement I became an active participant in a community program for physically disabled children and a lightbulb went on. Seeing a wheelchair user pull themselves across a gym mat and a child with autism reap the repetitive joy of jumping on a trampoline brought tears to my eyes. These were the individuals who needed activity the most, yet they were the ones who were shunned by “integrative” societal norms. I realized at this point that I wanted to help people who actually wanted active guidance and who wanted to learn about their bodies.
Since 2002, I have been creating and adapting exercise programs for hundreds of women. I work with women ranging from complete beginners to experienced exercisers with health conditions. I specialize in pre- and post-joint replacement surgery (knee and hip), frozen shoulders and torn rotator cuffs, abdominal and disc hernia patients, osteoporosis and osteopenia, cancer patients and survivors, and heart attack survivors.
My warm, authentic, gentle, and inclusive approach, makes the experience non-intimidating and wonderfully unique.
When I am not working here are a few fun facts about me:
- I am the proud Auntie to seven beautiful children, including a set of twins — all of whom have the most interesting personalities.
- From the time the ice melts in the spring until the end of October, my partner and I live in a water-access, off-grid, log cabin on the border of beautiful Algonquin Park. Yes…the lake is our “driveway”.
- We have two cats, one of whom was certainly a model in his last life! We call him ManPants. The other is Rupert, who has quite the set of lungs. (If you become a client, you’re sure to hear him in the background!)
I want you to know that there is always a way for you to move your body safely so you can improve your strength, mobility and independence.
