I was very, very resistant to trying Pilates. I saw it as quackery, something akin to laying on of hands, and despite having had back issues for over two decades, which included herniations at L4-5 and L5-S1, both of which had protrusions and one with an extruded fragment, I resisted. I had undergone a discectomy in 2005, and when I blew the second disc in December of 2016 and was told that it could not be resolved surgically, believed that my life ahead would consist of pain management. Not ideal. Several people had sworn by Pilates for their back issues, but I believed my issues to be unique (which was of course ridiculous). I told my partner that I was considering trying it, and she immediately got us a package of private sessions. Kelly turned out to be the teacher we spent the most time with over the past year plus. She listened to my prattling on, she was patient and very involved with helping me with positioning, breathing, and what to look for regarding feel and technique. She was patient, knowledgeable, supportive and very kind. The workouts were much more challenging than I would have ever expected, and I felt muscles working that I had never used before, despite being a lifelong athlete and fitness buff. The morning after our first class, I woke up pain free for the first time in decades. Seriously. I was an immediate convert. I have continued with Pilates, and have had Kelly as a teacher many times, always with good results and always, always impressed with Kelly's abilities and approach as a teacher. I will miss her at Optimum Pilates, but I guarantee that we will find her and take classes from her in the future. I trust and respect her skills and knowledge as a teacher that much. I recommend her without hesitation or qualification. She is great. read more

Kelly is truly the very best of the best. I have been seeing her for over a year now for support in my postpartum experience as well as in my second pregnancy. Her office is serene and the minute you walk in, you are instantly at ease. I initially booked a private Pilates session and in our talk prior to getting started, we pivoted and did an acupuncture session to address my underlying concerns. Kelly took the time to hear what I needed in that moment and, without hesitation, made the change. Kelly has supported me in my hardest moments of postpartum and pregnancy and I truly cannot imagine life without her anymore. read more

Kelly is truly a beautiful soul. I can attest to her skills both for acupuncture/cupping and Pilates. I begin seeing Kelly years ago to help recover from abdominal surgery. She's slowly and safely helped me regain, full, abdominal strength and confidence in the movement of my body through Pilates. And she used acupuncture and cupping to help with blood flow as I healed. If anything, I am now more aligned in my body and strong in my core than pre-surgery. More than that though, every visit to Kelly is like a visit to a wellness spa. She exudes peace and empathy with her every move and instruction. You will leave feeling better than when you arrived, both on a day to day basis and a year to year basis. It's that simple! read more

I've been seeing Kelly for the past 4 years and she has truly changed my life. Since I started regular acupuncture sessions with her, my anxiety has significantly decreased, and I find it much easier to manage work-related stress. I now only see her once a month and I still feel like a different person. Her extensive knowledge of acupuncture, herbs, supplements, and nutrition is invaluable. She always offers insightful recommendations tailored to my needs, from the right foods to support my body to simple tips for maintaining overall health. I can't recommend her highly enough for anyone seeking a holistic approach to well-being. read more

I have been going to Kelly's class for over a year. She is very professional, patience and lovely lady. She will tailor made your need and fix your body problem. And she also will keep follow-up with you to make sure your body is feeling ok. Her class is very fun to go and you can feel she has passion on Pilates. Highly recommend her read more

Kelly is a wonderful pilates instructor! She is super knowledgeable and creative when it comes to designing a class or a one on one. I started with an injury and did one on one with Kelly to really learn the basics of pilates and how it can help strengthen everything with what seems like super subtle movement. It's a domino effect and helped everything from my posture for dance to running- it helped take a minute off my mile time! And feeling more grounded. Kelly listens and has a great, comfortable demeanor that is lovely to be around. She knows the body so well and gives micro adjustments that make all the difference. I have learned so much by doing one on one and then transitioning to her classes! Pilates is a great exercise to build a foundation for your body! read more

Yes, Kelly is as good as it gets when it comes to Pilates Reformer training for health and flexibility for those folks young and elder alike. I have direct experience with Kelly's professional and competent approach with myself. Kelly has also provided acupuncture for my wrists and hands which has increased flexibility and minimized discomfort. Much more to say, Kelly is genuine and a thoughtful healer. Thanks Kelly! read more

I had never experienced Acupuncture before I met Kelly, and admittedly I was a bit of a skeptic. I have chronic tension in my neck and shoulders which I've dealt with for 8+ years that ALSO triggers tension migraines. To say I've done it all would be an understatement! Over the counter and prescription medication, massage, yoga; nothing has quite touched the issue... until I met Kelly. She addresses issues within the body as the sum of the WHOLE, not just one part. She takes time to get to know you on more than just the surface level, and has help me identify and transform pain in countless ways. If you get the opportunity to see her for a session, you will undoubtedly leave feeling nourished, grounded, and clear. **Also, if you have high levels of stress or anxiety, I highly recommend asking her to put some acupuncture needles in your feet! read more

I went to Kelly for acupuncture with a specific sudden onset pain issue which after one session improved. As the sessions continued, she was able to eliminate the pain in my problem area. Now I see Kelly regularly for all my various other issues. Her advice is always welcome. I get relief from the bio mat, cupping and traditional acupuncture. Her follow up with you after sessions is much appreciated; she is a truly knowledgable and professional practitioner, and is a pleasure to work with. In addition, I have attended some of her Pilates classes which helped me improve and focus on some areas that definitely needed the help. read more

Kelly is a phenomenal Pilates instructor. One of her many strengths is she customizes her instruction to the individual. Put another way, she provides the right amount of encouragement and guidance for each person in her class. She is very vigilant on her client's technique. For example, I tend to grip in my upper shoulders when focused and she gently reminds me when I'm doing that, so I stop...meanwhile, making sure I'm doing the exercise correctly. It is great looking forward to exercise. Highly recommend Kelly! read more

Kelly has been my acupuncturist for over a year, and I cannot say enough good things about her! She really took the time to get to know me as a person and a patient, and she has such a warm and caring personality. I started acupuncture while going through various treatments for infertility, and seeing Kelly each week was an invaluable break from all the stress and anxiety. She compassionately saw me through all the highs and lows and provided care tailored to my specific, ever-changing needs. Happily, I am now pregnant and I am so grateful to Kelly for being an integral part of my journey. read more

Kelly is awesome! She has been my acupuncturist for over a year and has helped me to relieve my stress headaches which I have had for many years as well helped me heal from foot surgery. Kelly will go above and beyond to help guide and find solutions to help whatever it is I need help with including helping my seven year old daughter. My daughter also sees Kelly for acupuncture to help with her anxiety and stress issues. We have found her to be a great help and my daughter will say how much better she feels after an appointment. read more

Kelly is a gifted and kind pilates instructor. She always notices adjustments that could be made and will share them with you all while managing a class at the same time. Kelly's classes are fun and interesting. I learn something new every time and I love how much positive energy she shares with the class! I feel so grateful to her for her excellent instnruction and very lucky for finding her! read more

Kelly has been my Pilates instructor at Optimum. She is an awesome instructor because: She is good at understanding client's energies and helping them to adapt to do the exercises. Kelly adapts her program to fit the needs of the students. She is patient, so patient with me. I really appreciate that she takes time to make each student feel like their needs are met for each session. She knows her stuff. I like that each month has a unique choreography of the flow of the class. I am challenged by the movements. I walk away strong, taller, and more flexible. In the end, I feel cared for and that my health and well being is important. read more

A friend recommended Kelly's Pilate class to me after I had hip replacement surgery. Initially,I worked with Kelly one on one and she helped me regain my range of motion and increased my strength. I transitioned into group classes feeling confident that I was on my way to full recovery. Kelly's classes have become an essential part of my life. She is so knowledgeable and pays so much attention to each student. Kelly creates a warm and supportive environment for her students. Her classes are fun and she varies the routines each month so that you are learning new ways to strengthen and maintain your flexibility. I always leave Kelly's class feeling better than when I arrived. read more

Kelly listens. Her gentle approach is prescriptive to address your aches and pains or exercise goals. I always walk out of Pilates feeling better than when I walked in. read more

Kelly is a wonderful acupuncturist! She's a true scholar and her kind and gentle nature puts me at ease. The herbs she recommended are helping with GI issues, and I always feel so much more relaxed and centered after working with her. I am so glad that I discovered her. I can't recommend her more! read more

Kelly is amazing, I look forward to every appointment. I drive about 45 minutes to see her for acupuncture and I think it is totally worth every minute. I feel she really listens to me and goes above and beyond to help me feel better. Kelly is very knowledgeable and takes time to find the best solutions to my needs. She has helped me with emotional issues as well and pain. read more

Kelly's calm, gentle, and thorough approach in assessing and treating a range of issues (sinus, back, and digestive issues) with her acupuncture has been a huge relief for me. Her serene office setting matches Kelly's soothing presence. read more

I have been taking pilates classes with Kelly weekly during the past year at Optimum Pilates in Oakland. Her knowledge of the body and attention to detail has been immensely helpful. She has an extensive and diverse background and education in the healing arts. Her gentle energy and soothing presence makes me grateful I have found such a wonderful teacher. read more

Kelly is a very compassionate healer. I love her gentle and spiritual method of both teaching Pilates as well as giving acupuncture treatments. I had major surgery a few years ago and Kelly has helped me make tremendous progress with strengthening and healing. Her classes are relaxed, fun and effective. Everyone is supported equally; she is able to give individual pointers to everyone in the class. I recommend private one-on-one lessons first if you're new to Pilates. read more

I love Kelly! I first saw her a few months ago when I was in a pretty painful place after a long-term bacterial infection. Her acupuncture was spot on, and she was so kind and compassionate that I immediately felt supported. After a long time in pain and not a lot of luck with Western medicine, this meant the world to me. She also made some herbal recommendations that have been hugely helpful to me. Highly recommend. read more

I had been to a couple of "acupunturist to the stars" in Los Angeles. Honestly, Kelly got to the heart of the pain and worked miracles far better. Somehow she got the muscles on the left side of my body to stop going into spasm. I am so grateful. Luckily I spend time in the Bay Area and landed on Kelly. I had wasted astonishing amounts of money on the Hollywood hot shots. Kelly is a real healer. read more

I initially reached out to Kelly to help alleviate some chronic pain I was having in my right upper neck/back area. The pain had persisted for years and it got to the point where I couldn't turn my head all the way and if i tried it was super painful. Over the years I had tried massage and physical therapy and convinced myself this was just going to be something I was going to have to deal with for the rest of my life. In my first session with Kelly - a 15 minute introductory offer - she was able to alleviate some of that pain! Following her direction after our initial consultation, I made weekly appointments. After 3 weeks, the pain was completely gone and I could turn my head all the way to the right again! Kelly is not only a knowledgeable practitioner, but she treats her patients like friends and is very informative. She takes the time to explain what could be happening and why she is taking the method she is to help. I highly recommend her. read more

After several years of deteriorating health and trying different methods to recover (including other pilates instructors) that only seemed to end with new injuries, I am SO glad I finally found Kelly. For the first time in years I have hope, and every time I leave her studio I feel amazing. Her knowledge of the body is both impressively scientific and also amazingly sensitive and intuitive--I can tell by her reactions that she can sense the small nuances in my movements that will mean the difference between doing an exercise correctly and straining the wrong part. Because of my injuries we've had to go slowly but she has been incredibly creative, finding a multitude of ways to exercise around the injured areas while building up strength so that we keep progressing, and even though it's only been a couple of months I can tell that my pain is lessening, and most importantly, I'm finally getting stronger again. On top of all that, she's just a truly lovely person, who clearly really cares about helping her clients feel better. I wish my doctors had as much dedication! read more