I started Pilates in 2005 or 2006.

I was in extreme pain and with little mobility in my upper body diagnosed as both a frozen shoulder and a pinched nerve. My stress level was high as I wasn't able to lie down to sleep for many months.

Although I had completed two full rounds of physical therapy at a local clinic (with no progress and no pain relief), I was desperate for a change in my condition. A local specialist had recommended surgery; he referred me to another  specialist in Chicago who advised against the surgery. This doctor was open to alternative pathways to traditional medicine and surgery. He recommended regular, physical work with a good teacher who would work knowledgeably and sensibly with my body "as it was." I chose to work with Janice Dulak because the Pilates method had always intrigued me and because she seemed to understand a constellation of factors that influence a muscle movement. Her dance training was especially important to me since I teach and practice theatrical performance. After several months, the  pain subsided and muscles were lengthened and strengthened. I continue my work with Janice because she understands both the "art" and the "science" of movement; she uses a variety of images, metaphors, and techniques in encouraging me to "find" connections within my body. We may do Pilates together, but we do so much more to achieve strength, length and flexibility-all so necessary for my middle-aged body.