COURSE REVIEWS
Praise for Pilates for Neurological Conditions
“Such a great course! Everyone who works in the movement profession should take it. I learned so much from Mariska. This course not only increases your understanding of neurological conditions, it will help you train any type of client.”
“This course was well worth every penny. The manual is filled with so many nuggets of wisdom, but the true benefit was listening to and learning from Mariska. She makes a very complicated topic digestible and relatable to everyone and I love the fact that her delivery is through humor. Thanks to this course, I had many “a-ha” moments and I have been able to confident tailor my teaching. I can’t wait to take the advanced course.”
“I loved Mariska’s candid and knowledgeable approach. The course was logical, thorough, organized, and presented with the importance the subject demanded along with moments of appropriate and appreciated lightheartedness. A truly wonderful learning experience. Thank you for bringing this course to a virtual format!”
“Mariska does a great job of making Pilates for Neurological Conditions accessible and engaging for all levels. I came into the course with a pretty decent background in biopsychology and I still found this course extremely helpful in building my skills in working with clients with neurological conditions. Her manual is phenomenal and I refer to it frequently. Mariska also goes above and beyond to support the instructors she has trained. If she sees an opportunity to refer a student to you, she will.”
“I am only halfway through the course, but I can tell you clearly it is worth every single penny. My dad has Parkinson’s and this is giving me such a great understanding. I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so excited about finishing the rest of the course and then putting it into practice.”
“I have already seen benefits of the course when working with my MS client and I am on a high after an amazing breakthrough session this afternoon. Her gait has improved and she left my studio feeling so much more confident.”
“My new MS client said her first lesson with me last week was the best experience she has had with a fitness instructor or physical therapist — ever. ”
“I’m so grateful for your course and for the exponential increase in knowledge it gave me. It’s making a difference in the lives of my dear clients — all of whom have been thrown a serious curve ball in life.”
“Pilates for Neurological Conditions is such a truly amazing course that’s full of comprehensive information as well as practical exercises for use in the field. I’ve been teaching Pilates for 15 years and am very excited to learn such a helpful and life-changing methodology.”
“I’ve had the pleasure of taking Pilates for Neurological Conditions with Mariska Breland three times now. Each time, I’ve found the course profoundly interesting and have gathered more knowledge. Mariska also has a knack for making this very dense and complex material easily digestible for students without them feeling as if she is “dumbing it down.” In addition, Mariska is witty and fun with an endless supply of creative exercises for special populations as well as the average student. I would recommend this course to any movement professionals who are looking to expand their knowledge. I use the very comprehensive manual time and time again as a valuable resource.”
“This course was fantastic! Mariska does a wonderful job of explaining conditions and breaking down the exercises in order to apply them in a working session. I left feeling as if I was armed with a wealth of knowledge and the creativity and inspiration to teach any type of client. I highly recommend his course to anyone wanting to expand their repertoire.”
“Such incredible insight, practical ideas and knowledge around specific neurological conditions (and for anyone who has a brain!). I have found many ideas and exercises to help my athletes with injuries, and am very excited to apply this learning. Hands down the best continuing education course I’ve done.”
“By far the best Pilates training I have taken. Being able to confidently teach Pilates to people with neurological conditions has made me a better instructor for everyone I teach not just clients with neuro conditions. It’s also given me a skill that is desperately needed. People with neurological conditions are sorely under served when it comes to exercise options. Being able to share what I learned with my clients who live with neurological conditions has been extremely useful for them. Also Mariska is a wonderful trainer, allows the right amount of time for discussion and practice. I can not recommend this training enough.”
“This course was everything that I have been looking for and more! I felt like it reignited my passion for movement again but in a different way. Mariska is such a wonderful teacher and really explained things in a way I understood. I don’t have a physical therapy background and I don’t work with people that have MS or Parkinson’s, but the general population I work with are elderly. In the past few days, I started applying some gait and balance work along with some stretches that you showed us and they have felt a huge difference and said they felt like some parts of their body are waking up! It’s really wonderful to witness.”
“It is obvious that Mariska’s main goal is to help others regain a sense of ‘normal’ back in their lives. Sharing her work through this course is her passion and generous gift to others. This course provides easy to use tools for instructors and hope for our clients. I have enjoyed using her material to see drastic improvements in my clients physical and mental wellbeing. My clients have quickly gained strength, positive changes in gait and balance stabilization, less fatigue and more cheerful disposition. Just one example of many, is my client who walked in with a cane after struggling to do other exercise. After one session with Mariska’s method, she was able to walk out without her cane giggling and so encouraged, feeling so much more ‘normal’.””
“Such a rich workshop! I love to learn new ways to move the body and I’ll be absorbing this new material for a while. With a younger brother with PD and an older brother with LBD, I feel an urgency in understanding how these maladies affect the body. I also have a client with MS who boldly takes classes when she is having a good day. I now understand her condition much better. An important aspect of the course is that it helps normalize neurological conditions. At age 72 I am becoming aware of how many of my fellow septuagenarians haven’t been moving.”
“Written as a supplement to Breland’s multiple sclerosis workshop, this spiral-bound book stands on its own as a valuable source of information. Along with 250-plus exercises accompanied by instructions and color photographs, it provides in-depth coverage on symptoms, treatments, medications and more. Whether you’re teaching students with MS or personally dealing with it, this exceptional guide enlightens in a way many medical professionals can’t or don’t.”
“I had a patient that took your book home to her hotel room last week for two nights, because she used to LOVE Pilates and has since quit due to MS. She read the book cover to cover in two nights. I specifically had her practice four different exercises and included them on her home rehabilitation program. Thanks for the resource!”
“The Pilates for MS Textbook is amazing! Thank you so much for all the work that went into this amazing resource! I am beyond excited to have purchased my copy and already it is helping me to better direct the work with my clients that have neurological struggles. Thank you!”
Praise for Advanced Pilates for Neurological Conditions
“Meghann is very clear with her teachings and takes time to answer every question. I was able to chat with other participants using the chat feature too, and actually learned quite a bit from hearing other people’s experiences, ah-ha moments, and the perspectives that they shared. The Neuro Studio always gives you more than you anticipate, like free movement classes, downloads of the lectures, and a free trial to the Neuro Studio. Immediately after the first day of the course I was able to start implementing things I’d learned with clients and they started making more progress. I feel more confident and competent after taking this course. Meghann was right when she said that continuing education should always augment your income. I realize now that past CEC’s did not do that for me, but I definitely got my money’s worth with this course. Most of my clients are typical clients —injured or in pain students without a neuro diagnosis — yet the course has helped me to help them. Everyone with a brain is a neuro student!”
“I’m really impressed with The Neuro Studio online courses! I was a little nervous at first because I am such a hands-on learner and really get a lot from group dynamics. I have actually found the Neuro Studio virtual courses to have this element — between the ongoing Zoom chat, the ways that Meghann handles questions and the clients, the very organized and comprehensive paperwork provided prior to each workshop, AND the homework assignments that keep me engaged between sessions — I’m getting all the interaction I crave! I am not only enjoying the learning, but also getting the same kind of rich and rewarding experience I would in an in-person workshop. The Neuro Studio’s online teaching experience is well tuned and thought provoking.
”
“I just wanted to reach out and say thank you for sharing your passion, wisdom, and research with us during the Advanced Neuro Course. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have already started to go through the content again using the recording. It reminds me of a good cookbook — great resource to refer back to for ideas and inspiration. My biggest take away was the empowerment in trusting my gut and to be open to what happens in a session versus married to a plan. Thank you again for sharing your gifts!”
“This was a wonderful course. Meghann is extremely knowledgeable, and her adept presentation of the material provided tools for our teachers to feel comfortable and secure when teaching clients with neurological conditions that range in severity. We have clients with progressive ataxias and multiple sclerosis. Each of my clients are profoundly grateful for the work we share with them. It empowers them and gives them strength to feel better on a daily basis. This course gave me the tools to feel confident to work with these very challenging issues.”
“The course surpasses any other in the Pilates community in terms of content and applicability. What stood out for me the most was the passion and delivery from Meghann. Her authenticity and kindness brings such integrity to her work it’s impossible to not feel empowered by her knowledge.
”
“Nothing is better than learning from someone passionate and driven about the work they do to help people succeed in their lives. This course is jam packed with useful information without a cookie cutter to-do list. Meghann challenges your thought process while teaching concepts and encourages you to use them with your own flavor. She is an inspiring and knowledgeable teacher who is willing to use mistakes as a learning tool and never makes you feel like you know less. I highly recommend this course!”
“I absolutely recommend this course for any teacher serious about helping and elevating clients into a more fluid movement session. This course is light years ahead of any other regular continuing education course no matter what your school of training!”
“
”I absolutely recommend this course for any teacher serious about helping and elevating clients into a more fluid movement session. This course is light years ahead of any other regular continuing education course no matter what your school of training!””
““Nothing is better than learning from someone passionate and driven about the work they do to help people succeed in their lives. This course is jam packed with useful information without a cookie cutter to-do list. Meghann challenges your thought process while teaching concepts and encourages you to use them with your own flavor. She is an inspiring and knowledgeable teacher who is willing to use mistakes as a learning tool and never makes you feel like you know less. I highly recommend this course!””
““Initially, I took Meghann’s Advanced Neuro Techniques course as a way to improve outcomes for my client who had suffered a stroke. I cannot overstate how powerful these techniques are — they deepened my understanding of movement and transformed my teaching, bringing it to a whole new level. This course is transformative because Meghann focuses on WHY these techniques work, which gets rid of the guesswork about how to help clients. I use these techniques on all of my clients and get fantastic results.””
““I keep asking myself, ‘why did I never learn these techniques in school?!’ They are game-chargers for getting patients back to their lives better and faster than any continuing education course I’ve taken in 21 years. Meghann’s knowledge and passion makes learning fail proof! I wish I had done this course sooner.””
““I signed up for the Advanced Neuro Techniques Course because I was intrigued with Meghann’s work with the tongue and the eyes. What I did not expect was that the course would be a game-changer in everything I do. Meghann’s work has affected how I move and teach and has even made my Ironman triathlete hubby pay attention and become one of my best clients! This stuff works!!! I work with athletes, neuro-affected clients and mentor other teachers and these techniques make a difference in the quality of movement for ALL of them. The other thing I love about the course is that it is spread out, which gives you the opportunity to practice, digest and ask questions. This course is different from anything you have experienced before. Take it and your body and brain will be so glad you did!””
““I never run out of things to do with patients because I have a full tool box now. For the first time I have made real changes in older patients with hip drop! Mapping the feet has helped me get more stability at the hips and better sensory awareness with my patients with dementia and CVA. For myself, my neck pain and foot pain has reduced at least 50%.””
““Advanced Pilates for Neurological Conditions gave me a much-welcomed toolbox of information and interventions to use when working with my clients. Meghann was engaging, incredibly knowledgeable, and a joy to have as an instructor. She follows up on questions and concerns promptly, and continues to be available to her students when the course is completed. I would highly recommend this course to other occupational therapists and any professional who works with clients who have neurological conditions or injuries.””
““I’ve been teaching Pilates for 22 years so I am a “why” person. This course helped me a lot to connect missing dots and figure out WHY some things work when others don’t. On top of the excellent information you get in this course, it also teaches you a new way to think about movement! One regret — I wish I knew about it earlier! I love the way Meghann teaches. It was fast paced with a great sense of humor and a lot of WOW!”
““This is one of the most valuable and eye opening courses I have ever attended. Despite it being in the wee hours of my time zone, I never wanted to miss the live sessions because it was not only interesting, but also presented with detail, clarity, and enthusiasm, and was chock full of eye opening information that helped me think around and outside the box. Meghann is an excellent presenter and educator whose information is founded in science and research. The valuable course bonuses are a cherry on top!””
““Meghann is an incredible instructor, and her wealth of knowledge and refreshing character makes the course not only amazingly interesting, but fun and lively. I have taken so many different courses in person and online but this course has been a game changer for me and how I will work with my clients. I was able to apply newly learned concepts directly into my training while taking the class and get immediate results. I would HIGHLY recommend this course to anyone truly interested in making long term functional changes with their clients. Seriously one of the best courses I have ever taken!””
““I came into this course hoping to learn more about how to help my clients with neurological conditions and the course delivered. It helped me find the answers that I have been looking for. I 10/10 would recommend this course to anyone, not just those working with the neuro population.””
““This course really helped bridge the gap between theory and application in finding new neural pathways and movement patterns for people navigating neurological challenges. I loved the focus on seeing the person in front of you and problem-solving how to help them while respecting their brain’s compensation strategies. Rather than merely seeing a diagnosis or settling for a sub-optimal outcome, this course teaches how to optimize any individual’s movement without expecting that a one-size-fits-all approach will suffice. It is solidly based in science, yet allows for creativity and individualization when applying the techniques.””
More PRops FOR OUR PROGRAMS
“Mariska and Meghann are incredibly inspiring and empowering teachers. Both courses are extremely complimentary and build upon each other, and they are not only helpful for the teachers, but also people who are directly affected by neurological conditions. The information is supported by scientific research as well as proven practices, and it gives students and practitioners a comprehensive overview of anatomy and kinesiology to deepen their understanding of neurological pathologies and ways to address them to maximize recovery. I would absolutely recommend these courses to everyone who strives towards deepening knowledge and gaining new insight on how to work with not only neuro clients, but any client. Mariska and Meghann don’t just teach, they passionately share knowledge and it’s both elevating and everlasting.”
“I’m an OT who uses Pilates as a rehab tool and discovering the Neuro Studio was like finding the best team of people to learn from and get ideas from. The courses are fantastic — such knowledge and passion for good movement. Their online library of Pilates exercises designed specifically for the neuro community is something you can’t find anywhere else. Understanding the WHY behind movements & compensations and learning how to break them down to build them back up again into functional movements is an empowering tool. The Neuro Studio includes a huge toolkit of ideas, exercises, and strategies to use for whatever symptoms my clients are having that day. Being able to pass on this learning to my clients — to empower them to take back control in their own movement — is extremely rewarding. Thank you to Meghann & Mariska – you’re fantastic!”
“I loved The Neuro Lab and the virtual format works even better in many aspects as it gave me the opportunity to be present and also go back and analyze the recording in detail. Let’s face it, our brains can only retain so much at one time even with in-person courses, so having the recordings to go over again and again is a treasure!”
“I’m a believer in virtual learning! That said, The Neuro Lab with Meghann was the first fully virtual course I’ve taken, and it exceeded my expectations. I’d even go as far as to say that it’s a better format than in-person because Meghann was able to cover a ton of content without some of the distractions that come with being in-person, and even better, I have access to the recordings indefinitely. Win-win!”
““Hyper-engaged” are the words that come to mind when I think of Mariska & Meg. Having kept closely in touch with Mariska since attending her workshop, it is clear how attentive she is to recent therapeutic advances and discoveries. As someone working through my own neuro rehab process, I respect the daily grind of self-motivated recovery exercise Mariska embodies.
In my concentrated session time with Meg – several two-hour sessions over just two weeks – I quickly realized her rare intuitive sense. Not only did I feel that she understood where my disconnects were, but she was entirely unintimidated to provide the hands-on support I needed for the correct movements. For someone who has paralysis in all four limbs, that is no small feat!”