I used to judge people by how they looked (myself included), HARD.

As a former professional dancer (and as your prototypical Virgo moon) my problematic shadow lies in my perfectionistic tendencies. I developed disordered eating and exercise habits that made me really f-ing miserable. Working out and dieting with the intention of “sculpting” my body to the cultural ideal made me hate myself for who I was- yet the dance and wellness industries praised this rigidity as virtuous “discipline”.

In a sick twist of fate, my poor nutrition and overexercising habits that looked so much like “health” to the outside world, led to an injury that forced me to take a break from performing and seek help. I realized that those behaviors were clearly harming me, but also everyone my energy came into contact with. While moving through my own recovery, I began to pick up on the not so subtle ways in which trendy boutique fitness encouraged or triggered disordered habits. I saw the domino effect it could potentially have on my own students if I perpetuated them. The responsibility I felt for my students’ health as a practitioner was ultimately the most therapeutic aspect of my own healing. I shifted my teaching to focus on appreciating movement for how it can make use feel, instead of how it can make us look.

My method is anti diet culture and designed to elicit strong sensation to encourage improved body awareness and mindfulness while leaving you feeling just that, strong. Still a performing artist at heart, my classes are creative and engaging without feeling overwhelming or complicated. As a trauma informed and Health At Every Size aligned pilates instructor, intuitive eating coach, and Reiki practitioner, I work with all types of people through private and semi-private movement, energy healing, and coaching sessions, virtual workshops, corporate wellness events, and my on demand virtual studio to heal their body image and find joy and empowerment in movement and food.

I started Helen Phelan Studio and the Phelan Well Journal because I believe the healing impact of body neutral movement on mental health is the most important result exercise could give you. Body shaming has no place here- and you’ll never see a transformation pic because the life changing results you’ll feel can’t be fully seen in an IG pic (and they’re hella fatphobic- no thanks!!). I also believe that it should be accessible any time, any where, for any body. If you can’t afford a membership to HPS, please reach out so we can figure out an energetic exchange that feels right to us both- everyone deserves to feel good in their body.

I utilize conscious breathing techniques to enhance your bodily intuition, and bridge the disconnection modern society causes us from our bodies to feel better on and off the mat. Sequences use high repetition to improve physical and mental endurance for a truly holistic workout where all body sizes and shapes are welcome.

When I’m not calling out the BS of the old school fitness industry, I’m teaching my rescue pittie new tricks, learning French, or hiking in the Catskills.

My Training:

Institute for Integrative Nutrition: Integrative Health Coach

Maha Rose: Reiki 1 + 2 + Reiki Mentorship

Core Exercise Solutions/Dr. Sarah Duvall: Prenatal + Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist

Kinected/Mt. Sinai Hospital: Functional Anatomy for Movement and Injuries

Erika Bloom Pilates Plus: Prenatal/Postpartum Pilates + Diastasis Correction | Pilates for the Elderly; Protocols for Osteoporosis | Pilates for Scoliosis

East River Pilates: Prenatal Pilates | Postpartum Pilates | Low Back Pain

TRX: Suspension Training | Functional Fitness

The Lab Pilates: Contemporary Comprehensive Mat + Apparatus

Elon University: BFA Dance Performance + Choreography | BA Psychology | Independent Study Focus on Classical Pilates | Somatic Theory TA | Classical Pilates Mat 1-3