Our bodies are intelligent
Pain is how we discover dis-ease and misalignments.
Our bodies are powerful healers on their own. Our job is to create the space for it.
Hi, I’m Danielle
Pilates Teacher and certified ELDOA Trainer
I believe our bodies can heal themselves if we create the space for it.
For as long as I can remember, I have been interested in health, fitness and movement, science, nature, anatomy, how we move and what makes us stay healthy and well.
Throughout my life I’ve always been searching for solutions and ways to feel good in my body. From nutrition, to essential oils and now fully focusing on physical exercises, I’ve been carefully studying throughout the years what makes our bodies thrive.
And I knew early on that I wanted to help people feel better and heal.
I then went on to earn a degree in Health and Exercise Physiology and move to NYC. I started working in cardiac rehab, and then finally became a fitness trainer.
After a few years of training I had started doing marathons and triathlons, and also got into rock climbing and hiking. I biked everywhere, all over the city. I had some aches and pains that various forms of bodywork would temporarily relieve, and at that point I thought that was as good as it was going to get.
I had heard of Pilates and decided to give it a try out of curiosity. I really knew nothing about it, since back then it wasn’t popular or easy to find.
Pilates was super hard work at first but eventually the work became easier and I no longer had chronic back pain.
I was balanced and invigorated after each Pilates session.
It changed my whole perspective about exercise and movement
I finally understood how positions and movements that looked so easy could require so much core strength. It undid all the stress I was putting on my body, improved my awareness of my posture and stretched places I didn’t even know were tight.
That’s when I knew I wanted to teach Pilates and help other people feel the same amazing benefits I was getting.
I completed a 600 hour apprenticeship certification over the course of a year with some renowned teachers, including Romana Kryzanowska and Bob Leikens.
But that was really just the beginning.
During my Pilates training I had also developed a consistent yoga practice.
I completed several teacher trainings around the city and found that that background greatly enhanced my understanding of the body/mind connection.
I dove deep into alternative practices like ayurveda, aromatherapy and herbs and started to understand how to think of the body as one whole system.
After making so many changes to my lifestyle I experienced such a turnaround healthwise that I became a health coach myself.
As I combined all my passions around health and wellness Urbanwellness was born.
What is Urbanwellness?
Urbanwellness is where you’ll find the balance to live in heatlh and wealness in a busy – sometimes crowded – urbane life.
Here at Urbanwellness you will find the support you need to stay + be well in your body.
I combined all my years of experience and experimentation to optimize my own and my client’s wellness throughout the site.
From Essential Oils, to articles on Pilates + ELDOA, to online trainings and private sessions, here at Urbanwellness you will find the support you’ve been looking for to live a happy, balance and well rounded lifestyle.
As I continued to teach Pilates, my practice evolved.
I noticed myself changing the way I taught, customizing for every client and studying more detailed anatomy about fascia and different pathologies so that I could help my clients.
I was noticing that just doing Pilates wasn’t getting people results.
It was how the person was doing Pilates that mattered.
I began to emphasize more awareness in my sessions. Awareness about where movements are coming from, how the body feels after, special attention to details of actions in the body that may not be visible but can certainly be felt.
My clients began to really respond to this and make great progress.
It was at this time that I learned about the ELDOA method.
I was blown away at how detailed and effective it was and how immediately I felt a difference in my own body but also…
How much it complemented the Pilates method.
ELDOA helped take the guesswork out of how to safely address different pathologies during exercise sessions.
I realized that I could help my Pilates clients address and prevent injuries on a whole different level with ELDOA.
In 2020 I became a certified ELDOA trainer and I’ve continue to study with Dr. Guy Voyer (creator of the method) and various master teachers.
ELDOA was the final link that has brought me full circle with its holistic approach to the connections throughout the body and the positive impact on our overall wellness.
How I can help you
I currently offer packages for private online sessions as well as digital courses.
Find more information on each below:
Private Sessions
Customized 1:1 Sessions
Online training
Intro to Pilates and ELDOA
The Basic Intro to Pilates and ELDOA is a workout bundle for anyone who wants a short go-to guided set of exercises to restore the spine, strengthen the core and mobilize and stretch the muscles and joints safely.
A quick, easy to access video bundle of 3 short workouts that includes the fundamental basics of Pilates and ELDOA. You can do them safely at home and on-the-go any time you need.