Shelley Ballestrazze
Founder and Pilates Instructor
BACKGROUND: Growing up in the fitness town of Boulder, Colorado, Shelley's interest in fitness began at an early age. However, as she grew older she struggled with injuries, primarily because she never stretched and was not proactive in injury prevention. Lack of consistent exercise over the years and sitting at a corporate job for 20 years only exacerbated her lower back pain. Trying every means to cure her repeated injuries and chronic back pain, it wasn't until she tried Pilates that her injuries and back pain subsided. After steady practice, she discovered that she was able to live pain-free and became an advocate for the Pilates Method as a way of rehabilitating injuries. An avid runner since childhood, Shelley had been plagued with knee injuries since the mid-1980's, and it is only through Pilates, that Shelley is able to continue to run injury free.
BECOMING AN INSTRUCTOR: In early 2001, Shelley sustained a head injury while out running one day and was unable to work for the next 18 months. While receiving excellent care during her rehabilitation and physical therapy at Kentfield Rehabilitation Hospital, she came to realize that she was no longer interested in returning to the corporate world. She could see that working with individuals to help improve their physical quality of life was much more gratifying and rewarding than sitting behind a desk. She had already been practicing Pilates before her head injury and continued to do so during her physical therapy. Once fully recovered, she enrolled in a Pilates teacher training program and never looked back on her career change.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: Going through one of the most comprehensive training programs in the country, Shelley completed a rigorous 650-hour training program and earned her Pilates certification through Body Kinetics, under the tutelage of Carol Appel. She previously worked at Mill Valley Health Club for 3 years before opening her own studio in 2005. Prior to becoming a Pilates instructor, Shelley worked in the corporate world for 20 years finishing up the last five years as a computer technician and software trainer. Shelley is also a member of the Pilates Method Alliance, a non-profit association dedicated to establishing certification and continuing education standards for Pilates professionals.
FOUNDER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: In early 2004, Shelley’s younger sister Gretchen was diagnosed with breast cancer. After Gretchen’s treatment was completed, she told Shelley that she needed to feel like she was still moving forward so Shelley suggested that she try Pilates. However, there weren’t any Pilates programs for cancer survivors in the Seattle area where Gretchen lived and Shelley discovered that weren’t any programs of this type in the Bay area as well. So motivated by her sister’s saga, she formed Pilates Wellness Institute—an organization that is dedicated to reducing the side effects of cancer treatment by providing subsidized Pilates training to cancer survivors. You may read more about the organization and their goals at www.stretchtorecovery.org.
ADVANCED CERTIFICATIONS: Shelley holds a certification as a Certified Cancer Exercise Specialist from the Cancer Exercise Training Institute. Little did she know when she was obtaining her certification, that soon after she would be diagnosed with breast cancer. After undergoing two operations and radiation treatment, Shelley had experienced firsthand the physical challenges of overcoming the muscle weakness as a result of breast surgery. Her personal experience with breast cancer combined with her Pilates training, has helped her to truly understand the needs of all breast cancer survivors.