who I am and what I offer
My name is Joanna or Jo (they/them), and I am a white, trans nonbinary personal trainer, performer, and Therapeutic Breathwork practitioner living on unceded Lenapehoking territory.
Movement and breath both have been life-saving practices that continually expand my capacity to trust myself, sit with discomfort and move through the world as my full self. Movement helps me locate myself and affirm my gender in a world that makes that very tricky for folks who don’t see ourselves represented in the binary. Getting stronger and finding embodiment practices has given me a sense of autonomy, freedom and agency when my body hasn’t always felt like my own. Breathwork has allowed me to release stored trauma from my body, and allows me greater freedom in my day-to-day life. Breath is an essential tool for self regulation and helps move me out of unhelpful thought patterns and into my body and the present moment. Because these practices have given me so much freedom, it is my pleasure and life’s work to share them with others.
who my work is for
trans, nonbinary and gender expansive clients
We have a special awareness of our bodies as queer people - one that is heightened and sometimes hyper-vigilant. We often experience some level of dissonance around how we are seen and interacted with in the world and therefore create strategies of leaving our bodies as a way of coping.
In my work with queer and trans individuals, I hope to offer gender-affirming body practices that feel in alignment with your understanding of yourself and that allow for play, curiosity and empowerment. We will also cultivate strategies together for dropping back into your body - even in the most dysphoric and difficult moments.
folks with chronic pain and/or chronic illness
I understand the fluctuating nature of chronic pain and the unpredictability of flare-ups. We will begin each session by assessing where you are in your body and what kind of movement would serve you - if movement is even appropriate or available. We will build a toolbox of breathing techniques, somatic drop-ins and self-massage for flare ups and necessary moments of pause. I will never shame, judge or “should” you around your movement practice; rather, we will create systems and languages to better understand your needs and how to best care for your body.
“After being mostly bedridden with Long Covid (ME/CFS + POTS) for a year, I started working in a small zoom group with Jo to integrate some gentle movement that didn't exacerbate my symptoms.
Jo's approach was accessible and communicative and their gentle energy always put me at ease. They took all the feedback about our group's limits and needs and curated personalized exercises that balanced breathwork with gentle strength training. They also made time to check in before and after sessions and modify anything based on our individual needs for that day. The exercises were amazing, I learned so much in a short time!
I've tried dozens of breathwork and yoga videos, but never found anything that combined grounding practices with strength training in such an accessible way. I have relied on our recorded practices weekly to help guide me through healing.”
- Jenna
anyone who feels alienated, exhausted or frustrated by fitness and wellness culture but wants to get in touch with their body
Having worked in (and worked out in) gyms for years, I know how unwelcoming and even violating gym environments can be - especially for folks with body-image struggles, trauma and those who are living in marginalized identities. I hope for my work to be a refuge from these spaces; somewhere that feels like a safe place to explore and remember a sense of play and joy in our bodies.
This goes for healing spaces as well! Wellness culture is exhausting and steeped in appropriation and privilege. It can be just as (if not more!) harmful as explicit fitness and diet culture because it is so sneaky and insidious. My work is not about optimization or “self-improvement.” It’s not about shaming yourself into being better or changing yourself at all. My work is oriented toward dropping into our bodies, which I believe creates a more joyful and empowered lived experience.
The institutions that embodiment practices exist are full of gatekeeping, high prices among many barriers to access. I hope to offer an accessible and safe alternative for folks who feel left out of these spaces.