Explore Movement

I originally connected with Kirsten via an auction for Maine Needs. I bid on her auction item, a session of Pilates and Gyrotonics, and lost. I reached out directly to ask if she would consider working with me and my elder parent, who has cognitive and memory issues associated with Alzheimer’s, to build core strength, increase mobility, and improve balance. Kirsten developed a warmup and cool down routine that helped build trust and confidence with my Mom. She worked with each of us, meeting us where we were, with exercises and guidance that gave each of us a productive experience. When Covid-19 cases in Maine were very high last winter she continued to support our goals, quickly adapting to provide a virtual program so the gains we’d made would not be lost. When leaving our sessions and in the days following my body felt aligned and strong. The personal, while still professional, support she provided my Mom warmed my heart. We both experienced positive physical changes and gained information about how to continue to care for ourselves beyond the sessions. I highly recommend working with Kirsten, the Portland ME area is lucky to have her.

After a month of weekly one on one sessions with Kirsten - my body felt the best it had in months. Recovering from localized pain and misalignment from years of dental hygiene, Kirsten's awareness of the itty bitty movements allowed me to become aware of the small BIG things. While challenged, I never left feeling exhausted, sore or overworked. Her depth of knowledge is apparent and I loved being around her calm, non judgment energy.

I have a "non traditional" pilates body but love pilates - sometimes finding a teacher is a challenge. Kirsten approaches each client individually and meets you where you are at. One of my favorite things is how she gives the ability to be playful and exploratory despite some mobility issues. Her approach is the most inclusive and joyful experience I have had with movement.

Working one-on-one with Kirsten has been such an incredible boon, helping me not only to strengthen my core and improve flexibility in my back and torso after childbirth but also to address longstanding issues with my posture and various asymmetries that have plagued me for years.

Kristen is a wonderful teacher. I have done several of her Zoom classes over the last few months. I am overweight and self conscious, but I love her classes. Kirsten is great at providing options for people at all fitness levels. I am stronger, more flexible, and feel better in my own skin. This week I did my first ever in person pilates session. Kirsten really helped me with positioning. I have to admit that it was extremely helpful to use pilates equipment I had only seen on TV. Kirsten is encouraging, patient, and understanding, but will help push you to do your best. I highly recommend Explore Movement.

I highly recommend Kirsten. From the first in person session to our continued work on zoom she has been incredibly intuitive to what my body needs. I feel like I get a great workout as well as a healing session. After the first visit, I felt like a new person. My long time hip imbalance had finally been addressed in one session and my body felt better for days. I am a dancer and her experience as a dancer as well as her training in Gyrotonics, which I love, have been so helpful in my training. Kirsten is also a great listener. She remembers my long term goals but she also is very skillful in addressing any new issues that arise. I love the way she uses gyrotonics, pilates and yoga to balance each session. She is a very talented practitioner both in-person and virtually and I always look forward to our sessions!

Kirsten is a gifted healer - a keen observer of the human body and movement. After one fabulous in person session I spent 18 months online, constantly impressed by her attunement to my needs through a screen. Working with Kirsten is the definition of self-care. She helped me with back and hip pain, and overall balance and well-being.

I cannot say enough about how working with Kirsten has helped me, as a pregnant/postpartum mom but also just as a human with a body.I spent around 3 months of my second pregnancy working with Kirsten, both in person and then virtually b/c of COVID. She helped me to feel strong, relaxed and in control during the end of my pregnancy through both types of sessions. She'd be so responsive to whatever challenges I was feeling each time we met, and the pelvic floor/breathing/glute strengthening work we did made my second birthing and recovery experience feel SO much more manageable than my first!! (...I SWEAR I almost just typed easy...) During labor, her voice was in my ear, and my body remembered the lessons she'd helped it to learn, and then I was up and about almost immediately, not fearing the toilet at all!! It made a HUGE difference. I also took postpartum classes with Kirsten, which helped me feel strong, centered and in control of my own body in those first hard weeks/months.Aside from pregnancy, the tweaks and subtle movements she had me work on have radically shifted the way my body moves. I cannot recommend her enough... even just our first few sessions would've made such a big change in my body. But I was totally hooked; she is the BEST.

I've tried a lot of things for my bad back and neck, but it really changed when I started working with Kirsten. She is very observant and was able to spot things I didn't even realize I was doing wrong. Not only do I get a workout from her sessions, but I've become more aware of how I use my body all the time. This has really saved me during my year of working from home. Can't recommend her enough. Thanks, Kirsten!

Went for 10 duet sessions and loved all of them. She tailored each session to our individual needs and gave expert instruction for each of our conditions (a herniated disc for my partner, a slightly twisted pelvis for me). I loved using all of the machines she had which made the exercises feel gentle yet extremely targeted and effective. She also checked in after each session and sent us videos so we could continue our progress at home – which we considered was above and beyond.