ABOUT
ME

I am fascinated by movement and the body’s capacity to heal. Always a mover, I grew up studying dance, playing sports, and backpacking as much as possible. While in college, in the mid-1970s, I started teaching dance and fitness classes (remember leg warmers and shiny leotards?) In the early 1990s, I discovered Pilates, and went on to complete internationally acclaimed Madeline Black’s teacher training. Madeline first introduced me to therapeutically oriented Pilates, and I have never looked back. Continuing my education in a therapeutic orientation, I have a diverse range of training with world renowned instructors/researchers (see education below).

In 2005 I was hired by the U.S. Men’s and Women’s U.S. Ski Teams to develop a custom Pilates program. Today my clients are primarily people in chronic pain and athletes who are stymied by injuries. I offer both private appointments, as well as a series of self-care courses for pain alleviation and prevention.

A person hiking on a rocky trail surrounded by trees and bushes in a forested area under a blue sky.
A person hiking on a rocky trail surrounded by trees and bushes in a forested area under a blue sky.

The focus of my practice is knowledge and awareness, achieved through biomechanics education and movement exploration. This focus empowers my clients to practice self-care and be informed consumers of healthcare. In short, I enable my clients to take ownership of and actively participate in, their own healing process.

The primary influence on my practice is Anatomy in Motion. I have studied extensively with AiM founder Gary Ward, author of “What the Foot”, and as of 2021 I am an official AiM Instructor. AiM is based on the premise that gait (AKA walking) uses every joint in the body in all three dimensions. By analyzing gait and its component motions, we can address non-optimal movement at both a global (full body) and focal (individual joints) level. I have also been focusing my studies on pelvic floor and breathing dysfunctions (hint: they are not unrelated!). My clients get individualized corrective exercise programs, which provide lasting results, rather than simply providing symptomatic relief.

A human skeleton standing on a pedestal, with a spotlight casting its shadow on the wall behind it.

Education

1996: Pilates Teacher Training w/ Carol Appel

1999: Pilates Teach Training w/ Madeline Black (repeated in 2001)

2002: Trager Bodywork w/ Deanne Juhan

2004: Pelvis and Lumbar Spine w/ Jean-Claude West

2004: Shoulder Girdle: Structure & Function w/ Jean-Claude West

2005: Lumbopelvic & Lower Extremity w/ Jean-Claude West

2006: Advanced Pelvis & Lumbar Spine w/ Jean-Claude West

2006: Upper Quarter w/ Jean-Claude West

2007: Essential Role of the Thorax w/ Linda Joy-Lee

2008: The Pelvis to the Arms w/ Jean-Claude West

2008: Shoulder Intensive w/ Lise Stolze

2008: Pathokinesiology of the Lower Quadrant w/ Lise Stolze

2009: T/L Juncture to the First Ray w/ Jean-Claude West

2009: Shoulder Therapy w/ Deanne Juhan

2010: TheraPilates for Osteoporosis w/ Sherri Betz

2010: Adaptive Responses – Who Is the Driver w/ Jean-Claude West

2012: Back Care w/ Brent Anderson

2013: Fascial Fitness w/ Robert Schleip

2013: NeuroKinetic Therapy Level 1 w/ David Weinstock

2014: NeuroKinetic Therapy Level 2 w/ David Weinstock

2014: Restorative Breathing w/ Lois Laynee

2014: Anatomy in Motion – Finding Centre w/ Gary Ward

2014: Massage Therapy Institute 250 Hour Program

2014: Active Release Technique – Lower Extremity w/ P. Michael Leahy

2014: Primal Movement Chains w/ Perry Nicholson

2014: Piston Science Module 1 w/ Julie Wiebe

2015: The Pelvic Floor Piston: Foundation for Fitness w/ Julie Wiebe

2015: Anatomy in Motion – Finding Centre w/ Gary Ward

2015: How to See the Spine – Finding Asymmetry and Providing Correction w/ Jean-Claude West

2015: NeuroKinetic Therapy Level 3 w/ David Weinstock

2015: Female Athlete — Ready for Impact w/ Julie Wiebe

2015: Yoga, Breath and the Pelvic Floor w/ Leslie Howard

2015: Myth and Science of Breath w/ Brent Anderson

2015: Understand Lumbo-Pelvic Pain w/ Brent Anderson

2015: Roll Model w/ Jill Miller

2016: Fascial Fitness Trainer Course w/ Robert Schleip

2016: Piston Science Modules 2-7 w/ Julie Wiebe

2016: Anatomy in Motion – Finding Centre w/ Gary Ward

2016: Immaculate Dissection w/ Kathy Dooley

2017: Anatomy in Motion – Finding Centre w/ Gary Ward

2017: From the Glottis to the Pelvic Floor: Making Clinical Connections w/ Julie Wiebe and Susan Clinton

2018: Anatomy in Motion – Finding Centre w/ Gary Ward

2018: Piston Science Part Two: Bridging the Gap Between Rehab and Fitness w/ Julie Wiebe

2018: Exploring Dynamic Equilibrium w/ Jean-Claude West and Irene Dowd

2019: Cervical Spine and Diaphragm to the Pelvic Floor w/ Susan C. Clinton

2019: Breath Mechanics for Pelvic Health and Fitness w/ Julie Wiebe

2021: Closed Chain Biomechanics of the Lower Limb w/ Gary Ward

Additionally, I have done private mentoring under Jean-Claude West, Dr. Kathy Dooley, Chris Sritharan, Gary Ward and Julie Wiebe.

“Margy has a vast working knowledge of the body, movement, and anatomy. She knows how to look at dysfunction and pain from all angles and is able to create exercise programs that will most benefit her students. She is exactly the type of instructor you need.”

Alana Levin, Certified Personal Trainer, National Academy of Sports Medicine USA Triathlon Coach Sports Specialist, National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Pilates Instructor

An elderly woman smiling with outstretched arms standing in front of a waterfall flowing over rocks and greenery on a mountain trail.

I believe that movement is your natural state of being, and pain shouldn't be the price you pay for getting older or staying active.

My work is rooted in a simple but powerful idea: that your body is a brilliant system of interconnections.

When I look at your foot, I’m also looking at your hip, your back, and the way you breathe.

My goal isn’t to give you a temporary fix; it’s to empower you with a scientific understanding of your own biomechanics so you can actively participate in your own healing.

Whether we’re working on chronic joint issues or simply helping you get back out to the wilderness I love so much, I am here to help you rediscover the ease of motion you were always meant to have.

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