212:Breathe Team
Tara Gordon
Manhattan, New York
212 Pilates, Owner Founder
212:Breathe, Project Creator
Over the past couple of weeks I have had inquiries where I have been asked to help those struggling with Covid-19 symptoms. I am not a medical professional but I started to ask myself is this within my scope as a Pilates instructor and movement specialist to help those in need during this time?
On a more personal note I have people I care about fighting this virus, recovering from it, and on the front lines helping sick individuals. I have no doubt you too have people in your life that have been impacted by this virus. With those people in mind I have found a driving force to be an active participant in fight against this devastating virus.
This brings me back to the cornerstone of pilates. Breath. People suffering from this virus need mindful breath, and so do people experiencing anxiety. The simple act of deep breathing has been shown to decrease stress, depression, and lower heart rates.
As a Comprehensive Pilates Instructor Breath is a main principle of movement and of our practice. I am bringing my experience as a practitioner of movement and breath to create project 212:Breathe.
Sonja Brigham
Boston, MA
Sonja B Pilates, Founder
212:Breathe, Founding Partner
Sonja has studied pilates since 2002 and has taught dance and movement for over a decade. She is a comprehensively certified pilates teacher with over 650 hours of pilates-specific training. Sonja maintains certifications to work with back injuries, scoliosis, chronic pain issues, injury rehabilitation, pre and postnatal populations, and those with osteoporosis/osteopenia. She has additional studies in gait training, myofascial imbalance assessment and correction, and has completed several courses through Tom Myers' KMI Institute.
After a back injury in 2014, Sonja's career focus switched from dance performance to rehabilitative and therapeutic modalities. She believes that integrative somatic experiences facilitate healing, and there is nothing more powerful and healing than breath. This is why she jumped at the opportunity to work with Tara Gordon developing the 212:Breathe project. Like so many of us, Sonja has been searching for a way to offer support to loved ones and strangers effected by the COVID-19 pandemic. During times of stress and uncertainty, we sometimes cope by leaving our bodies to become more cerebral. Instead, through 212:Breathe she invites you to enter your body, and she asks you to allow your breath and your inward experience be your focus and your guide.
Jessica Pichardo
New York, NY
Yes For Mama, Founder
212:Breathe, Founding Partner
Jessica Pichardo is a postpartum doula and wellness management expert. She believes in holding space for people to feel grounded, nourished, and seen. Jessica is committed to guiding individuals through all stages of life so they may feel balanced and confident.
Katie Lovell
New York City
212:Breathe, Core Partner
Katie, founder of Wellness Artistry, is a Pilates Teacher, Vaginal Steam Facilitator, and Birth Doula. Her mission is to help people harness their own power, strength and alignment through integrative movement and holistic menstrual cycle balancing. Breath is a key element in everything she teaches. Guiding those who are recovering from the virus through gentle breath & movement is a way she can be of service. She believes it’s important to share her knowledge and gifts with those who need it most right now. Katie is honored to participate in the 212:Breathe cause for COVID-19.
Ashley Yehoda
NJ/NY
212 Pilates Instructor
212:Breathe, Core Partner
Ashley Yehoda (they/ them) is a NYC/NJ based Pilates instructor, certified through Polestar Pilates. Their instructional philosophy is centered around inclusivity, accessibility, and emphasizing movement as a body-affirming practice. Biomechanic and movement concepts are presented in neutral, easy to digest language so the focus remains on the movement.
“I’m beyond excited to be contributing to 212 Presents Breathe! The mission of the series resonated with me as an instructor because I see a great deal of wellness resources designed to temporarily distract from the COVID-19 pandemic but far fewer aimed at helping people cope with the anxiety and uncertainty of the current climate. I’m happy to be involved in a tangible and accessible way.”
As part of 212: Breathe, Ashley will be offering a 15 minute guided breathing practice. This breath based meditation will focus on directional breathing as a means of grounding the body and mind.
Corrie Farbstein
New York City
212:Breathe
CorrieJoanne.com
FST Practitioner
Corrie is passionate about reframing movement from something that happens “out there”, on a yoga mat or on a run, to something that is always accessible in its most root form: breath. Breath is movement of the insides, and Corrie is so happy to facilitate this movement for people who feel like “movement” is far from their reality. She is looking forward to spending time with those feeling paralyzed by the effects of COVID-19. Whether recovering from symptoms or needing to detox from their body’s fear and stress responses, Corrie hopes this time reminds them that their bodies are on their side and are incredibly capable of healing.
Rachel Aylward
Seattle, WA
Yoga Instructor
212:Breathe, Core Partner
Rachel Aylward is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher. She completed her 200-hour training with Brahmani Liebman and Jashoda Edmunds in 2012 and has taught yoga in various capacities ever since—private sessions at a luxury hotel, group classes at gyms across Manhattan and Brooklyn, in pajamas for a bridal party, at Central Park to groups of friends, to her little brother in her family's front yard, and to her Grandpa in his living room. Her classes and meditations, in true Kripalu style, invite compassionate self-acceptance. You are welcome to join and go at your own pace. Whatever feels good.
Rachel is also the creator of the Hand on Heart Project. This simple effort aims to initiate a domino effect of heart connection. She is grateful to be a part of the 212: Breathe team and to offer gentle support.
Julia Udine
NY/NJ
212:Breathe Core Partner
Pilates Instructor
Performer
Julia is a certified Pilates instructor and performer. She is honored to be a part of the 212:Breathe team and is passionate about helping others by introducing them to the many benefits of proper breathwork. After applying these concepts she has seen firsthand a consistent improvement in her own breathing, after struggling with asthma for years. Julia hopes to use her knowledge of proper breath work to help others recover from symptoms from the inside out, cope with anxiety and stress, and feel grounded overall in their bodies. Julia is so excited to help people connect to their bodies and turn inward through gentle and mindful exercises
Eliza Nimon
Integrated Pilates & Empowered Movement, Founder
212:Breathe, Core Partner
Eliza, founder of Integrated Pilates & Empowered Movement and co-founder of VOL: Venture Outside the Lines, is a pilates teacher, BeatBarre instructor, yoga and dance enthusiast and student of Ayurveda and Transformational Breath. Having traveled the globe the past few years for teaching, Eliza has learned the power of adaptability and finding home and healing within herself, no matter where she happens to be living in the world. As a Core Partner of 212: Breathe project, Eliza is honored to work with those affected by COVID-19 to share the grounding, nourishing and uplifting breathwork, meditation and gentle movement practices she uses and loves herself. Despite the dramatic changes COVID has brought to daily life, Eliza remains positive and inspired by all the goodness she’s witnessed during these times and feels grateful to be able to offer support and encouragement.
Megan Wise PT
NYC
Founder and Co-Owner Move Wise Health Studio
212:Breathe, Core Partner
Megan Wise is a Physical Therapist, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Health Coach, and Pilates Teacher. She has worked with the Broadway and dance community for 5 years and believes that humans are strong, resilient, and always adapting. Her philosophy has always been to blend the science and the art of movement to help people heal themselves. Participating in 212:Breathe feels natural to her; breath is the foundation of movement and of life, and it is a powerful tool for change whether physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. Megan hopes to empower anyone she works with to trust and love their body again.
Shimon/Simeon Darwick Birnbaum
New York
Joyful Fitness
212:Breathe, Partner
Shimon/Simeon Darwick Birnbaum has been teaching Laughter Yoga since 2006. In his business, Joyful fitness, he does body work and coaching, leads laughter yoga playshops and certified laughter yoga leader trainings both in-person and virtually that enliven, revilitalize, and inspire joy in the world. He has taught laughter yoga on the spectrum of autism and Alzheimers, to hospitals, schools, and retreat centers such as the Omega Institute, NY, and Blue spirit, Costa rica, as well as corporate settings. He currently lives in Ithaca with his wife, Sarah, and his guru, (his daughter, Davida).
His why for teaching laugher yoga during this time of COVID-19, is that it’s essential to breathe and laugh for daily physical, mental, emotionally, and spiritual maintenance. Laughter is incredibly supportive to move through grief, process depression, and experience inherent joyfulness.
What participants can expect from working with me, is we will do light movement, self massage and tapping to move the lymphatic system, breath and laughter exercises to boost the immune system and respiratory systems, ends with guided relaxation, and meditation.
PLEASE READ
We are NOT a coalition of medical professionals. We are not set up to treat, cure or diagnose. What we can do is help with gentle breathing mobility and gently stretching for multiple mobility levels. We are not licensed to give medical advice or opinion. We are a network of holistic and movement practitioners offering support but not replacing medical care.
Please also refer to our studio Liability Waiver and note that by choosing to use the virtual platform you are assuming responsibility and liability for yourself and your surroundings - you will be asked to attest to the same before entering a virtual session.
