Every so often at Power Pilates, we get a client letter that really makes us smile.  This letter came in to one of our Client Service Representatives this past week.  Elleen, who wrote the letter, was nice enough to let us share with all of you:

Here is the background as to why I love Power Pilates.  My mom needed help 10 years ago with some of the chronic illnesses she was managing.  I searched and searched for what could make her abdominals muscles strong enough so that her back could be what it needed to be.  We both lived in a farm community in CA where the word pilates was a foreign language.  So,  through the process of my search, I found pilates, began learning from a book written by Alycea Ungaro, doing the Introductory level that was in that book 2 times a day.   My goal was to learn it well enough in my body, to translate it to mom to relieve her pain.   What I discovered was that it relieved MY pain, both in my physical and emotional state (nasty divorce happening at that time), and I could adapt enough of it to help mom on the days she was able to physically do this.   It helped her walking, it helped her balance, it helped the stress level, I restructured my body without knowing it as I worked to help mom!!!   2 years later, I moved to Boston, mom was stable, divorce was long done and over, and so I bought a one way ticket, took 3 suitcases, and moved.   I did not want to do career 1 (degree in Chemistry, minor in Math and Physics), did not want to do career 2 (tutu maker for designers, costumes and wardrobe for musical theatre, etc), decided that what I LOVED was pilates, so I began to research what was it that I had learned.   After months of searching, I found Power Pilates – how it embraced and preserved what Joseph Pilates had done, how its mission and purpose lined up with me, and how to my great surprise, there was an affialate here in Boston – Kathy Van Patten!!!  I was still doing the Beg series once or twice a day, and took courage, signing up for a certification workshop.  I went to Kathy’s studio to speak to her.   I watched her and her passion.  I listened, and because our daughters had all 3 been at San Francisco Ballet at the same time in the school, there was a understanding between us.  She accepted my reservation for the workshop and I studied, worked, read, to be ready to absorb EVERYTHING that would be offered. 

Took about 5 min for me to fall in love with her, Power Pilates, its goal and mission, the way we were taught to teach, the emphasis on present moment consciensness, flow, concepts, guidelines, practice….I knew I was home.   I absorbed everything I could determining to be a student during this workshop.   Kathy gave, explained, provided skills, knowledge, everything I would need to take what I loved so dearly to others to improve their lives.
And so I did – I began to teach within 2 months after that, and haven’t looked back yet.  Each class I taught, each individual I saw benefit from this method, each thank you I received, each day, each week, I felt and enjoyed the privilege of being a Power Pilates instructor.  The students thrived on the training system I had been taught, so eventually I became a Power Pilates Intermediate Mat instructor with Leah Chaback Kab.   OMG – did I fall in love all over again, her heart, her passion for what she was training us with, the Power Pilates system, so careful, so logical, so doable for the classes!!!  I recommitted to helping each and every person that walked into my classes and that I do!!!

Power Pilates has helped me personally pull through the death of my father, 3 emergency  chest surgeries of my daughter with a rare disease, now the death of my mother, the upheaval of my life many times over, but what has remained as a foundation to live with and by – are the principles I have been taught, and my commitment to bring that to others.   I have watched 75 year old men, straighten themselves, I have watched young mothers regain control, I have watched twisted bodies slowly unwind, I have watched men and women under stress walk out of  my classes refreshed, renewed, able to take on the difficulties of their lives.   How do I know it will work – well, I live it.

This past October and November making the time and space to recertify, watching Basic Anatomy with Juliet over and over and over, the privilege of taking Bob Liekens workshop on Intermediate Mat, the honor of being able to ask him questions that will specifically make a difference in the students I teach; the heart, sole, purpose, determination, commitment of Power Pilates impacts my life, my career, my emotional state every day.

Do I love Power Pilates?  Yes, every moment of every day.  I am so grateful for the decisions by those I do not even know to keep Joseph’s systematic approach alive and pass it on.  I get to be a part of something so real, so effective, so positive, so life-changing:   Thank You Power Pilates!

Happy Holidays to you and yours -

Elleen