Body Literacy™
At Inner Soulstice Wellness, We Build Body Literacy™ for Life. When you know your body, you move with confidence.
Get more out of every Pilates class you take.
Build the foundation to get more out of every Pilates class—and every movement experience that follows.
Get more out of every Pilates class you take. Build the foundation to get more out of every Pilates class—and every movement experience that follows.
Start Your Pilates Journey with Confidence
Before you learn the exercises, learn the language of movement.
If you've ever considered taking Pilates classes but weren't sure where to begin, The Inner Foundation™ was created for you.
Unlike a traditional beginner class, this educational movement program introduces the principles that make Pilates so effective. Through the philosophy of Body Literacy™, you'll develop an understanding of breath, alignment, body awareness, movement patterns, and Pilates principles—giving you a foundation that extends far beyond memorizing exercises.
Whether your goal is to join group Pilates classes, improve your movement, recover after injury, or simply feel more confident in your body, you'll gain the knowledge to participate with greater understanding and intention.
Why Start Here?
The Inner Foundation™ helps you:
Understand the why behind Pilates, not just the how.
Build confidence before joining a group class.
Develop body awareness that supports safe, thoughtful movement.
Learn to adapt movement to your body's unique needs.
Become an active participant in your own well-being rather than simply following instruction.
A Foundation for Lifelong Movement
Our goal isn't simply to prepare you for your next Pilates class. It's to help you build a relationship with your body that supports you throughout every season of life.
When you understand how your body is designed to move, you can make informed choices, participate more confidently in any movement practice, and become a lifelong steward of your own health and well-being.
The Inner Foundation™ is where Body Literacy™ begins—and where confident, informed movement starts.
Ready to Begin?
Every movement journey starts with a foundation. If you're ready to approach Pilates with greater understanding, confidence, and intention, I'd love to help you take that first step.
Whether you're new to Pilates or looking to deepen your understanding before joining group classes, The Inner Foundation™ offers a supportive, small-group learning experience designed to help you build skills that will serve you for years to come.
Reserve your place in an upcoming course or reach out to learn if The Inner Foundation™ is the right fit for you.
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I believe that understanding your body is the foundation for confident movement, informed choices, and lifelong health, resilience, and independence. It isn’t about becoming a “good Pilates student.” It’s about becoming an informed steward of your own body.
Body Literacy™ is the enduring practice of learning to observe, understand, and respond to your body’s signals with knowledge, awareness, and agency. It is the foundation for moving well, aging well, and living well.
I want to help people understand and care for their bodies throughout life. That's why I created Body Literacy™ and The Inner Foundation™—where Pilates and evidence-informed movement practices become a pathway to greater self-understanding and well-being.
Our bodies are constantly communicating with us. When we learn to listen, movement becomes more than exercise—it becomes an opportunity for self-study, self-observation, and self-awareness. Through Body Literacy™, we explore the interconnected dimensions of ourselves, cultivating greater understanding, resilience, and the capacity to care for our bodies with intention. Through breath and posture we tune into our:
Inner Support: These are the intrinsic caretakers of our frames. The core, diaphragm, pelvic floor, and deep stabilizers support efficient movement.
Inner Awareness: Allows us to understand our own bodies.
Inner Confidence: Comes from knowing how to move safely and effectively.
Most studios teach Pilates. I help people become fluent in the language of their own bodies. When I earned my M.S. in Human Nutrition, I wasn’t interested in calories, I was interested in helping people understand health. When I earned my social work degree, I wasn’t interested only in treatment, I was interested in understanding the whole person. When I discovered Pilates, it wasn’t because it was trendy. It gave me a way to teach people about themselves through movement.
Through my studio, Inner Soulstice Wellness, I was able to transform movement from something people were told to do into something they learned to understand. It became a place of care. Now, The Inner Foundation™ shares the educational pathway I am passionate about, and Body Literacy™ is the guiding framework that shapes every lesson, conversation, and decision.
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Movement is one of the first languages we learn, yet few of us are ever taught to understand it. We learn how to move, but rarely why movement matters or what our bodies are communicating along the way.
As a result, many people spend a lifetime following instructions rather than developing a relationship with their own bodies. They learn to imitate movement instead of interpret it, gradually losing touch with the signals that guide health, adaptation, and resilience.
Body Literacy™ is the practice of learning to observe, understand, and respond to your body's unique design with curiosity, knowledge, and confidence. It is an educational framework that helps transform movement from something you simply do into something you genuinely understand.
It is more than fitness.
More than flexibility.
More than strength.It is the ability to recognize how your body is designed to move and what healthy movement feels like. It is the capability to adapt movement to your individual needs, and make informed choices that support lifelong function and well-being.
At Inner Soulstice Wellness, movement is not viewed as a performance but as an ongoing conversation between the body, mind, and environment. My role is not simply to teach exercises—it is to help people learn the language of their own bodies so they can care for themselves with greater understanding throughout life.
Body Literacy™ is grounded in evidence-informed movement science, educational theory, and lived experience. It is not a trend or a technique, but a lifelong practice of learning, adapting, and caring for the body with intention.
The Body Literacy™ Framework
Pillar One: Discover
“I am aware.”
Before we can change the way we move, we must first learn to notice how we move.
Observe:
Posture
Breath
Alignment
Movement Patterns
Tension
Pillar Two: Understand
“I comprehend.”
Understanding transforms awareness into meaningful action.
Learn:
Anatomy
Biomechanics
Pilates Principles
Movement Variability
Purposeful Movement
Pillar Three: Develop
“I am capable.”
Skill is built through purposeful repetition, refinement and acquisition.
Practice
Stability
Mobility
Strength
Coordination
Precision
Pillar Four: Integrate
“I am fluent.”
Movement fluency develops through integration, helping you respond with greater self-trust.
Embody:
Ease
Fluidity
Control
Adaptability
Resilience
Pillar Five: Thrive
“I am wise.”
When you can respond to your body's changing needs with curiosity and confidence, one question begins to guide your movement choices:
“What does my body need today?”
That is Body Literacy™
The goal isn't simply that you can perform a flowing reformer class. It's that you can walk into a larger group setting, understand the instructor's cues, make appropriate modifications, and move with confidence because you understand the principles behind the method. Rather than simply following exercises, you'll learn to interpret movement, apply Pilates principles and make informed decisions that support your body's unique needs. By the end of these courses, you'll move with greater agency and adaptability, —equipped not only to participate in Pilates classes, but to carry a deeper understanding of movement into every stage of life.
The Body Literacy™ Courses
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Learn the language before learning the choreography.
Every movement practice has a language. Before learning exercises, it's essential to understand the principles that make movement safe, efficient, and meaningful.
This eight-week introductory course develops the foundation of Body Literacy™ by helping you understand how your body moves before introducing more complex Pilates apparatus. Using the mat and Springboard as primary teaching tools, you'll explore the principles that support efficient movement while building the awareness and confidence to continue your Pilates journey.
Ideal For
Individuals new to Pilates
Anyone feeling intimidated by reformer classes
Those seeking a thoughtful introduction before joining larger group classes
Individuals who value personalized instruction and movement education
Body Literacy™ Competencies
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
✔ Explain the foundational principles of Pilates and how they support healthy movement.
✔ Understand the relationship between breath, alignment, and core support.
✔ Recognize common Pilates terminology and instructor cueing.
✔ Develop greater awareness of posture, alignment, and personal movement patterns.
✔ Safely and confidently use the mat and Springboard as learning tools.
✔ Identify the purpose of the major Pilates apparatus and understand how each contributes to movement education.
✔ Have the confidence to continue your Pilates journey with understanding rather than uncertainty.
Understanding comes before movement. You will leave not only knowing what to do- but understanding why you’re doing it.
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Build confidence on the apparatus.
With a foundation in Body Literacy™ on the mat and Springboard established, you're ready to explore one of the most recognizable pieces of Pilates equipment—the Reformer. Throughout this course, you'll learn to use the Reformer not simply as a piece of exercise equipment, but as a tool for developing Body Literacy™. Each movement builds on the principles introduced in Module One, helping you understand how resistance, support, alignment, and movement quality work together to create confident, efficient movement.
This eight-week course builds practical skills while deepening your understanding of how the Reformer supports strength, stability, mobility, and coordinated movement. Through personalized instruction and progressive practice, you'll learn to use the Reformer with confidence, purpose, and greater independence.
Rather than simply following exercises, you'll discover how the Reformer can provide feedback, challenge movement patterns, and reinforce the principles introduced in Body Literacy™ for Pilates.
Ideal For
Graduates of The Inner Foundation™ – Module 1 (Body Literacy™ for Pilates)
Individuals seeking greater confidence on the Reformer
Those preparing for ongoing Pilates classes
Anyone wanting to develop sound movement habits before progressing to more complex repertoire
Body Literacy™ Competencies
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
✔ Confidently set up and adjust the Reformer for foundational exercises.
✔ Understand how spring resistance influences movement, support, and challenge.
✔ Demonstrate safe body mechanics while entering, exiting, and transitioning on the apparatus.
✔ Recognize and perform foundational Reformer exercises with control and understanding.
✔ Interpret common instructor cueing and respond with greater confidence.
✔ Apply appropriate modifications based on your body's needs and movement goals.
✔ Integrate breath, alignment, and core support while moving through foundational sequences.
✔ Develop greater confidence navigating the Reformer with competence, curiosity, and body awareness.
Confidence grows through competence. Competence grows through understanding.
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Move with understanding. Apply the principles with confidence.
In this final eight-week module, the principles you've learned and the skills you've developed begin to work together as a natural, coordinated movement practice. Rather than simply following exercises, you'll learn to recognize movement patterns, make thoughtful adjustments, and apply Pilates principles with greater agency, confidence, and adaptability using a variety of Pilates apparatus.
As understanding becomes embodied, you'll move with intention rather than imitation—developing the confidence to respond to your body's needs while navigating new exercises, varied teaching styles, and increasingly dynamic movement experiences.
Ideal For
Graduates of The Inner Foundation™ – Module 2 (Reformer Essentials)
Individuals ready to transition from learning exercises to understanding movement
Those preparing to participate confidently in ongoing Pilates classes
Anyone seeking greater movement confidence, adaptability, and independence
Body Literacy™ Competencies
By the end of this course, you'll be able to:
✔ Integrate Pilates principles into coordinated, flowing movement.
✔ Recognize common movement compensations and make thoughtful adjustments.
✔ Apply breath, alignment, and core support across increasingly dynamic movement sequences.
✔ Transition smoothly and confidently between exercises and apparatus.
✔ Progress or modify exercises based on your individual needs and movement goals.
✔ Adapt to a variety of instructor cueing styles while maintaining sound movement principles.
✔ Apply Body Literacy™ beyond the studio by making informed movement decisions in everyday life.
✔ Participate in group Pilates classes with greater confidence, understanding, and self-awareness.
Understanding becomes embodiment. Embodiment creates confidence.
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Body Literacy ™ isn't something you finish. It's something you continue to cultivate throughout your life.
Deepen your understanding. Refine your movement. Continue to thrive.
Body Literacy™ is a lifelong practice.
As your understanding grows, new questions emerge, new goals take shape, and your body's needs continue to evolve. Thrive offers a series of specialty workshops that explore movement through the lens of Body Literacy™, helping you deepen your understanding, refine your skills, and apply intentional movement to the activities and seasons of life that matter most to you.
Whether you're looking to improve balance, strengthen your bones, move more comfortably through menopause, better understand scoliosis, or simply continue learning, each workshop offers focused exploration grounded in the same educational philosophy that began with The Inner Foundation™.
Ideal For
Graduates of The Inner Foundation™
Lifelong learners who enjoy understanding how the body works
Individuals with specific movement goals or areas of interest
Anyone wishing to continue developing Body Literacy through focused study
Workshop Topics
Body Literacy™: Breathing Better — The Breath & Core
Body Literacy™: Shoulder Freedom
Body Literacy™: The Moving Spine
Body Literacy™: Healthy, Strong Hips
Body Literacy™: Strong Feet
Body Literacy™: Balance & Longevity
Body Literacy™: Walking Well
Body Literacy™: Bone Health
Body Literacy™: Strength Foundations
Body Literacy™: Movement for Menopause
Body Literacy™: Understanding Scoliosis
Body Literacy™: Aging Well
Learning never ends. Body Literacy™ evolves throughout life.
The Curriculum
The Inner Foundation™ is a progressive three-course educational journey that builds Body Literacy™ through Pilates and intentional movement. Each course builds upon the previous one, creating a strong foundation for confident, lifelong movement.
In every lesson I aim to answer three questions:
What will I understand? (Body Literacy)
What will I practice? (Movement Skills)
How will this improve my everyday life? (Carryover)
For example, a lesson on footwork isn't just about footwork.
Understand: How the feet, knees, hips, and pelvis work together to support efficient movement.
Practice: Foundational reformer footwork patterns.
Carryover: Better balance, walking mechanics, stair climbing, and lower-body awareness.
Integrated Movement is where Body Literacy™ comes to life. Rather than simply following exercises, you'll learn to interpret movement, apply Pilates principles with understanding, and make informed choices that reflect your body's unique needs.
Students won't simply leave saying, "I learned some exercises." They'll leave saying, "Now I understand why those exercises matter." More importantly, they'll understand how to apply those principles wherever life takes them—whether in a Pilates studio, at home, while walking, lifting groceries, gardening, or navigating the everyday demands of life.
The goal is not lifelong dependence on an instructor, but growing confidence in your own ability to observe, understand, and respond to your body with wisdom and intention. These lessons are a journey of learning, practicing, and ultimately becoming fluent in the language of your own body. That is the heart of Body Literacy™: becoming an active participant in your own movement and a steward of your body's well-being.
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Build the foundation of Body Literacy™ by learning to observe, understand, and connect with your body in an entirely new way.
Course One – Discover
Welcome to Body Literacy™
Breath & Alignment
Posture & Balance
Anatomy in Motion
Pilates Principles
Movement Patterns
Putting It Together
Reflection & Next Steps
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Deepen your understanding through guided practice as movement becomes more natural, intentional, and responsive to your body's unique needs.
Course Two – Develop
From Understanding to Movement
Stability Before Mobility
Building Strength with Precision
Moving with Mobility
Coordination & Rhythm
Balance & Dynamic Control
Refining Movement Efficiency
Confidence in Motion
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Carry Body Literacy™ beyond the studio, applying its principles with greater independence, adaptability, and confidence in everyday life.
Course Three – Integrate
What Is Movement Fluency?
Moving Beyond the Studio
Responding to Your Body
Adapting to Life's Demands
Building Resilience
Movement for Healthy Aging
Living Body Literacy
Your Movement Journey
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Rather than teaching you what exercises to perform, The Inner Foundation™ teaches you how to understand your body so you can move with greater confidence, efficiency, and lifelong independence.
A Boutique Learning Experience
Enrollment is intentionally limited to four participants to preserve the personalized learning experience at the heart of The Inner Foundation™.
The Inner Foundation™ Enrollment
Tuition: $750
Your tuition includes:
One private 60-minute Body Literacy™ Coaching session on the Reformer
An eight-week progressive educational course
Eight 75-minute guided learning sessions
Small-group instruction (maximum of four participants)
Educational course materials
Certificate of Completion upon successful completion
Want to Continue Your Learning?
Additional individual coaching sessions provide an opportunity to explore personal movement goals, receive individualized guidance, and deepen your understanding of the concepts introduced throughout The Inner Foundation™.
The Inner Foundation™ Premium Enrollment
Tuition: $975
Includes everything in The Inner Foundation™ Enrollment, plus:
Three private 60-minute Body Literacy™ Coaching session on the Reformer
Personalized movement assessment
Individualized movement strategy and guided practice
Continued support throughout the course as you integrate Body Literacy™ into everyday life
Body Literacy™ Coaching Package
Tuition: $1,080
Includes:
Four private 60-minute Body Literacy™ Coaching sessions on the Reformer
Personalized movement assessment and feedback
Individualized movement strategies
Not just Pilates.
Not just movement.
Not just healthy aging.
It’s agency through understanding.
Body Literacy™ is the lifelong practice of understanding your body’s changing needs and responding with curiosity and intention in everyday life.
FAQs
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Body Literacy™ is the ability to observe, understand, and respond to your body's changing needs with confidence, curiosity, and intention. It is the foundation for moving with greater awareness, resilience, and independence throughout life.
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The Inner Foundation™ is a structured educational program that teaches the principles of Body Literacy™ through Pilates and intentional movement. Rather than simply learning exercises, you'll learn how your body moves, why movement matters, and how to make confident movement decisions that support lifelong wellness.
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Not in the traditional sense.
While Pilates is the primary teaching method, The Inner Foundation™ is first and foremost an educational program. Each course combines movement practice with evidence-informed instruction in anatomy, biomechanics, movement principles, and Body Literacy™ to help you understand—not just perform—movement.
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No.
Although it provides an excellent foundation for those new to Pilates, the program is equally valuable for experienced practitioners who want a deeper understanding of movement and refine the way they move.
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The Inner Foundation™ is ideal for adults who want to:
Begin Pilates with confidence
Build a strong movement foundation
Improve balance, mobility, and strength
Better understand their body
Return to movement after injury or inactivity (when medically appropriate)
Support healthy aging and long-term independence
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Exercise tells you what to do.
Movement education helps you understand why you're doing it.
When you understand how your body moves, you're better equipped to adapt, make informed choices, and move with confidence throughout your life.
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Traditional introductory sessions often focus on learning the equipment and a selection of exercises.
The Inner Foundation™ is a progressive educational program built around the Body Literacy™ Framework. You'll learn not only how to perform movements, but why they matter and how to adapt them to your own body. The goal is lasting understanding, not just completing a workout.
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Course One: Discover & Learn
This is where the biggest transformation happens. Students are learning an entirely new language—breathing, alignment, body awareness, Pilates principles, anatomy, and movement observation on the mat using the Springboard by Ellie Herman.Course Two: Practice & Develop
Skill acquisition on the Reformer to instill genuine competence. Through guided practice, thoughtful repetition, and individualized feedback, movement becomes more coordinated, confident, and intentional.Course Three: Integrate & Embody
Apply what you've learned on the various Pilates apparatus to develop greater ease, fluency, and independence, that extends beyond the studio. This is where movement begins to feel natural, adaptable, and transferable to everyday life. -
The Inner Foundation™ is a three-course educational pathway. Participants who complete all three courses may choose to receive a Certificate of Completion in Body Literacy™ for Pilates recognizing their commitment to the full learning journey.
Many people begin Pilates feeling unsure about the equipment, terminology, or pace of a class. The Inner Foundation™ is designed to build the knowledge, movement skills, and confidence needed to participate comfortably in group Pilates classes, whether at Inner Soulstice Wellness or another studio.
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The Inner Foundation™ is intentionally designed as a cumulative learning experience. While Course One may be taken as a standalone course, Courses Two and Three build upon the knowledge and movement skills developed in each preceding module. Participants who complete all three courses may choose to receive a Certificate of Completion in Body Literacy™ for Pilates. Course One serves as the foundation of The Inner Foundation™ and is open to everyone. Participants who wish to continue into Courses Two and Three complete the program in sequence, as each course builds on the concepts, movement skills, and Body Literacy™ developed in the previous one. Completion of all three courses is recognized with a Certificate of Completion, although earning the certificate is entirely optional.
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After completing The Inner Foundation™, you can continue your movement journey through private instruction, group classes, or specialty Body Literacy workshops focused on topics such as balance, bone health, scoliosis, breathing, healthy aging, and movement for everyday life.
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Absolutely.
One of the goals of Body Literacy™ is to help you become an informed, confident mover—not to make you dependent on a particular instructor or studio. The principles you learn can support your movement practice wherever you choose to continue.