“During this time of physical distancing and absence of touch, we have all experienced and learned so much!
May we continue to take time to rest and deepen our emotional and our social connections. Now is the time to fully commit to your movement practice!
Stay Safe, Sound, and Spontaneous...and, as always, Do Your Homework!”
Sessions now available:
Please see Descriptions below.
Intro & Private Sessions Onsite & Online (via Zoom)
with Carole Amend by Appointment
Onsite Mat Classes - coming soon!
“Contrology is complete coordination of body, mind and spirit.”
Carole Amend
Owner/Operator Bodies Mind Studio, Blog Author
Somatic Movement Educator & Pilates Specialist,
Bodies Mind Academy Director & Curriculum Innovator
Read about my Pilates Journey. . .
Hi! I’m Carole.
Thanks for checking out my studio services! My wish for you is that you may experience and enjoy life to its fullest extent, through trying times, through joyful times. To me - ~Life is a dance~ - and I am here to assist as you keep moving through change!
Our bodies are meant to feel strong, flexible, and coordinated, as we efficiently move with energy to spare. Our minds are meant to be clear, present, and hopeful. Often, the healthful habits we adopt focus on either our physical or our mental functions. Practicing pilates is meant to be a “habit” of movement that brings our focus back to sensing how our bodies and minds operate simultaneously, and, in the process, we sense our internal “spirit” — what has been named the “soma”. To begin to include an awareness of your unique body and its tension patterns is the first step in meeting and recognizing its utterly miraculousness nature. And you might, at times, be moved to “happy” tears, as well as other emotions — in all the ways that finally allow an opening to your full human potential.
As Joseph Hubertus Pilates wrote in his book, Return to Life through Contrology (1945), “Mental and Physical Balance” is a birthright! Learning about the human body’s ability to self-organize — by way of its innate movement mechanisms — is, to me as a longtime “practicer”, the main benefit of “pilates”. The movements on the mat, and the subsequent specialized apparatus, allow the body to access spontaneous physical “resets” which include restoring the natural curves of the spine and a balanced nervous system. Joe Pilates (b. 1883, d. 1967) was a true kinesthetic genius — and I’d love to assist you in experiencing deep relaxation and rest with this amazing body-oriented method. And with consistent practice, you will find out why the term “pilates” has become such a diverse and far-reaching phenomenon, known for its ability to build the body and give rise to “spontaneous zest and pleasure”!
Creating a new relationship with your physicality and your health is what the practice at Bodies Mind® is all about. The original work of J. H. Pilates develops a uniform physical foundation that supports balanced movement patterns and habits, both in and out of the studio. Our signature moves, Bodies Mind® Somatic Movement Correctives and the Pilates by AIM Pre-pilates Practice, integrate awareness, movement, exercise, and expression, initiating a continual process of self-discovery. As you explore this process, I will teach, guide, and assist you in evolving a personal, engaging, and expansive movement practice that produces lasting effects, as well as inspires you to breathe and move, well and often, for life!
I am committed to ~respectfully and warmly~ holding the space for you to find your way towards renewed health, well-being, and happiness through pilates and conscious somatic movement. I invite you to join me at the studio -or online- to discover what it truly means to be “in control”, physically, mentally, and emotionally, in a way that lifts and frees your spirit!
I’m looking forward to meeting you!
Stay Safe, Sound, and Spontaneous!
- Carole
Intro Session
This is the Bodies Mind® signature orientation to defining, developing, and deepening your personal movement practice. More of a conversation than an assessment, in this Introductory Session, you’ll introduce yourself, your movement history, and your interests, and learn about the services offered at Bodies Mind®. You will experience the mat and/or the apparatus to support and enhance your unique movement and exercise practice and you’ll begin to understand and feel what distinguishes pilates from other disciplines.
You will discuss the options for sessions/classes that will meet your needs, goals, and desires. Whatever path you choose for your body-mind practice, at our studio or elsewhere, this session will definitely shift your perspective on what pilates and somatic movement practice is all about, how it interfaces with fitness, bodywork, and physical therapy practices, and what it can do for your health and happiness.
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Intro options:
Intro Session: $50 fee
Private Sessions - Onsite
One-on-one sessions in our signature Pilates & Somatic Movement Education, utilizing the Mat & Apparatus. The focus is on body-mind balance, uniform physical development and correction, and training for general conditioning. Privates are appropriate for addressing therapeutic issues as well as specific high-performance goals. You will experience top quality Pilates & Somatic Movement Education to develop body-mind awareness towards achieving your full physical and mental potential.
Experience feeling Safe, Sound, and Spontaneous in body and mind, and Lift your Spirit!
Private Sessions - Online
During the pandemic, Bodies Mind® clients recognized the value of online sessions. They were amazed at how well they could focus. They deepened and developed their practices, as they learned how to sense how to shift their tension patterns in ways that only come from a deeper understanding and consistent practice.
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Private options:
Please inquire about the Fee Schedule. Sliding scale and Packages available.
Mat Classes
Onsite & Online
- coming soon!
Pilates by AIM Mat Classes include our signature Bodies Mind® Pre-Pilates Practice as well as Bodies Mind® Somatic Correctives to progress your Pilates Mat practice.
This is the ultimate practice for building a sound mind in a sound body, towards the goal of increased spontaneous zest and pleasure in all your daily activities. This class is intended for novice and experienced movers alike. An Online or On-site Intro session is recommended prior to participation.
Pilates exercises are designed to build your body uniformly no matter what your present condition. You will move at your own pace and experience level, and be encouraged to advance your physical and mental skill sets. You will learn the essential repertoire for building your practice and be guided towards the physical dynamic appropriate for your body, in an encouraging, supportive, and motivating environment.
The best part is that these are explorations and exercises that you can do on your own at home: “Homework”!
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What Bodies Mind® Services can do for you:
“I’m grateful to have found Carole. After over 25 years of various traumas and 15 of shoulder issues, I feel painless and balanced. She has taught me how to move my body and think differently so I am stronger and generally feel great! I recently had a bad boogie boarding wipe out in Hawaii. I healed remarkably quickly because I had learned highly effective tools from Carole. She is patient and intuitive. I highly recommend her!”
“Just as I know that love and respect are the cornerstones of a fulfilling personal relationship, thanks to Carole, I know they are at the heart of a healthy relationship with my body. I know that loving and respecting the body means developing the connection between it, and the mind, and the spirit. It means filling it with good fuel, and moving it often, with purpose, and with grace. Just as I would never expect perfection in myself or my mate, I no longer find my body a source of dissatisfaction. It is what it is. I can make it better, more pain-free, more attractive. I can expect it to do things I love doing for decades to come: hiking in the hills, dancing, finding my ‘anchors and endpoints.’ I can grow old gracefully with it. Thank you, Carole, for teaching me these things.”
“After 1.5 years of practicing this work (I was fortunate to live down the street from her and immerse myself in her training), I was a bit in shock about the significant changes Carole had helped to take place in my body; some of which were: release of lower back and neck pain, way more flexibility, actual, real stomach muscles, a much deeper awareness of my body and how it works…& much more! In addition, we implemented breath, relaxation, the mind-body connection, and (again) much, much more!
I live halfway around the world from Carole now. I know that if I weren’t utilizing the tools I learned from her, that I would be more apt to be in pain and have limited movement. I’m talking about generic back pain, inflexibility; really your average-Joe issues with living life and being active. And I must say, I’m rarely doing an hour of pilates. I am doing about 10 minutes most days. Utilizing and integrating the tools I have learned have given me a much greater allowance for movement and the ability to actively play. And, I only expect to be able to use these tolls even into my 90s and 100s!
This is not a “surface” pilates experience. This is the real deal with, by far, one of the most gifted bodyworkers I’ve ever worked with (which is not a short list!). What makes her so incredibly unique is not only her wealth of knowledge & experience but an intuitive sense that feels like x-ray vision of your bones. I am forever grateful to have Carole in my life.”