Frequently Asked Questions

Are you a physical therapist?
No, I’m not. I work only with people whose physical symptoms are sub-clinical (not requiring medical attention.) If you have severe symptoms, see your doctor. After you complete your medical treatment and/or medically supervised physical therapy and have your doctor’s permission to exercise, I will create an individualized program to help you continue your rehabilitation and growth.

Why wouldn’t I simply go to the gym?
Many people do just that, and are satisfied with the results. I specialize in working with people who say “I hate going to the gym!!!” Maybe they feel bored by the repetitive nature of gym work-outs, or are put off by the lack of privacy and close supervision. Often, they are simply too busy to go to the gym on a regular basis, or haven’t gotten enough results from prior work-outs. Most of my students appreciate the customized attention they receive during our sessions, because it enables them to progress more quickly toward their goals.

Can I get a good work-out doing Exercise/movement therapy?
You bet! Here’s the difference: you will learn to work smart, not just hard. Exercising in an unconscious, habitual way, without learning to interpret and respond to your individual movement tendencies, rarely brings good or lasting results. Learning how to exercise with awareness and intelligence will transform your out-look as well as your muscles!

How soon will I get results?
That depends on the results you are seeking. It is possible to learn how to reduce stress in the time it takes to draw 8 deep, slow breaths. In about 5 minutes I can teach you a simple technique to make standing up from a low chair easier. Changing habits you have held for 40, 50, or 60 years, such as slouching, takes longer. Exactly how much longer will depend on how consistently you work at building new awareness and movement patterns. Most of my students feel a difference after just one session, and continue to improve for the duration of our time together.

Why do you choose to work with older students?
In truth, it was a case of serendipity. All of my students come to me word-of-mouth: my first few over 50 year olds referred me to their spouses, aunts, uncles, and friends. Within a year or two I realized I had become a specialist. My dance background, with its emphasis on alignment, balance, breathing and flexibility has applied almost seamlessly to my work with older people, who are dealing with similar issues.

I enjoy working with this age group, and am continually gratified to see the changes that exercise/movement therapy brings to their health, mobility, and self-esteem. We all must face the fact that, given the medical advances of our century, we will live much longer than our predecessors. Research points in a compelling and unarguable way toward incorporating exercise into our daily lives as one of the most powerful tools we possess for enabling ourselves to live the next few decades in comfort and independence.

Is there ever a time when it’s too late to begin working with you on exercise/movement therapy? .
Absolutely not; this is the subject of my book Strength Training Over 50: Stay Fit and Fabulous. We humans have amazing powers of regeneration and self-healing. This process slows as we age, but doesn’t end until we die. In fact, some fascinating studies have recently proved that even men and women in their 90’s can build muscular strength in as few as 8 weeks. We are meant to move. Many of the physical problems older people suffer are the direct result of inactivity. You can continue to grow and change no matter how old you are, once you understand how to do it.