My arms have always been weak, I was getting over a shoulder injury and scared to workout in general, let alone with free weights. I learned how to workout safely and how and when to progress with free weights without injury. I learned it was okay to go slow, to listen to my body and that I could come back after needing a timeout due to life/my body and still progress. I've gone from zero workouts to doing full body workouts with progressive free weights and treadmill consistently. My arms are stronger. My arms/shoulders can do more. Nicole also helped me with my legs and I've gone from climbing up/down my stairs one at a time to going up/down normally without holding on to anything. read more

If you're looking for a strict, regimented Pilates instructor, Nicole is not your person. However, if you're looking for someone who not only knows Pilates and the human body well, but is also compassionate, caring, and an all around amazing human, book with her now! I have hEDS, problems with my neck, bilateral TOS, and apparently, toe problems (Nicole, they miss you). Nicole is very knowledgeable with EDS and hypermobility and will happily adjust movements to work with you, not against you. If you're close to Bellingham and able to go visit Nicole, I encourage you to run, not walk. My weekly class was the highlight of my week. She brought me joy while helping with my awkward body. When I found out she was was moving, I cried. Ha. She's seriously the best and please, please go see her if you are able to! read more

Sheldrake Pilates is the perfect workout! I've been taking Pilates classes from Nicole for almost 3 years, and love that she offers both online and in studio classes. Doing Pilates has improved my muscle tone, flexibility, and balance - I can feel the difference in all my daily activities whether I'm out walking, kayaking or just doing chores around the house. Plus, Nicole offers a collection of recorded video classes to work out to for those days you just can't live without her and Pilates! Nicole is an exceptional instructor with a compassionate, warm and fun personality! She provides clear and helpful guidance through all the movements and breathing techniques, and I like that she incorporates the use of weights, bands or other props to compliment the online mat class. Her classes are suitable for everyone, and she's great at accommodating any limitations you may have or recommending movements to ramp up or down your workout for whatever challenge you prefer. Most of all she makes working out enjoyable and fun! I look forward to each class, and love how I feel afterwards! read more

Nicole is a wonderful Pilates instructor. I have been taking private lessons at her studio in Kirkland since last summer. I am a first timer. She is really fun, caring, and knowledgeable. Very meticulous. She always paid attention to each movement and gave me feedback when needed. I felt really great after each session. I loved working out out with her. I am so sad she is moving. I will truly miss her. If you are looking for a well rounded pilates instructor, this is your person. read more

I was happy to try Nicole's free introductory opportunity and can say that I will definitely be back! I found her to be very informative, very thorough on spotting me, giving me great pointers on watching my positioning and I learned a lot in just the one session. As I had told her, I knew some basics, had taken one actual class before and have a cheapie Pilates reformer at home, but I haven't been feeling completely like I was doing workouts properly and/or affectively! After just this one session, my confirmations were true - little things like over doing my range, curling my shoulders incorrectly, not positioning my legs, etc. were a few of the tips she was able to spot and correct with me! THANK YOU! I actually felt some of the 'burn' (so to speak) or where I had hoped my muscles were getting a workout and where I needed her help. I will definitely be back, because like all GOOD trainers should do - they SHOULD actually spot you, give you good information and help you with your workouts. Thank you again Nicole! read more

December 10, 2014, is a day I will never forget. It was the day of my first serious wreck and the day my body changed forever! I played sports growing up and was extremely active in my day to day life so I thought my body would bounce right back after the wreck - oh, how wrong was I? I spent 10+ months in physical therapy and over a year later, I still deal with my hip being out of alignment and severe neck/back pain. I finally got cleared to start easing back into workouts so I began doing yoga again. I heard that Pilates was great for posture, alignment, and overall strength but I was too scared to go to a studio and take lessons with other people watching. That's when I saw Nicole offering private Pilates lessons and I knew I had to give it a try! January 12, 2016, I fell in love...with Pilates! I was greeted by Nicole with a huge, comforting smile which made me instantly feel comfortable. She explained what Pilates was, how the session would work, and took some measurements. I did not mention to her about my hip being alignment/my wreck - I wanted to see how good she really was (and didn't want her to say I couldn't do Pilates) - and she spotted it right away! I knew she was going to be fantastic! I did my first session and was rather impressed with myself but totally blown away by Nicole! She was so patient while she explained the moves (over and over again) and so encouraging when I would doubt my ability to do a move. When the session was over, I was thrilled she was willing to schedule another. YAY! I didn't scare her off with my seriously beginner moves! I have continued to see Nicole each week for a Pilates session and have improved my skills, my confidence, my posture, and the pain in my back/hip has gotten so much better! Nicole is a fabulous Pilates teacher. She is patient, encouraging, knowledgeable, and has such a charismatic personality that leaves you feeling stronger and happier! If you talk to anyone I know, they will say that I look forward to my Pilates session every week and am no longer afraid to try new things - even an intermediate move. read more

I have been taking private lessons with Nicole at Joyful Fitness Pilates for about 8 months now. When I started I had a little Pilates experience from a dozen years ago but had not been regularly working out due to injury. Nicole was amazing with helping me to build up strength and stamina in a way that felt supportive and tailored to my specific needs. A couple of visits I was in pain and she worked with me to gently do the exercises at a pace that worked for me. I look forward to my workout every week and I can see a great difference in my muscle tone and strength. Nicole is knowledgeable, professional and supportive. I highly recommend her for beginners and experienced students of Pilates looking for thoughtful one on one instruction. read more

After two years of physical therapy for a rib injury brought on by my joint hypermobility, I was still in constant pain with an altered range of motion, and a new "normal" for gauging pain. As many chronic pain sufferers may relate, I was at my wit's end having tried different things for treatment with no significant progress. My aquatic therapist recommended Pilates. Save for home exercise videos here and there, I knew nothing about it... thankfully, I discovered that Pilates fairies lived on Yelp! I now realize how amazing and essential Pilates truly is. I have been doing Pilates with Nicole since November of 2017, and it has made ALL the difference! I went from constant/chronic pain management with temporary relief, to a significant decrease in pain, continued progress through overall strengthening, better mobility, and more pain-free days than not. Nicole is an amazing instructor-- incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about what she does, great attention to detail, and an awesome sense of humor! Her beautiful energy and warmth alone are therapeutic. Pilates with her has become an integral part of my self-care regimen and overall well-being. She is a godsend, and I am so very grateful to have found her :-) read more