Sarah is a highly experienced and qualified physiotherapist and clinical Pilates clinician with over 20 years’ hospital and private clinic experience both in New Zealand and overseas. She graduated from the Auckland University of Technology School of Physiotherapy in 1996 and later completed her Pilates training with the highly-regarded Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute (APPI) in London. She is also a certified Polestar Pilates Clinician, with international renowned Polestar Pilates.

Sarah has worked as a traveling course presenter with APPI throughout the UK and Ireland and founded and established the Pilates department at one of London’s top private orthopedic hospitals; King Edward VII in Central London; where she was Superintendent and Deputy Superintendent of Physiotherapy.

From new graduate experience in an acute hospital setting, her career has maintained a predominantly rehabilitation focus. Over the last 15 years Sarah has worked in musculoskeletal practice. During this time, she has attended many courses, returned to University and developed a passion for assessment and correct diagnosis of musculoskeletal injuries. Correct diagnosis of the spine, hip and shoulder coupled with effective and progressive rehabilitation has proven to accelerate recovery and improve patient outcomes and self-management long-term.

She also has a special interest in Real Time Ultrasound Imaging to facilitate correct muscle recruitment to optimize rehabilitation, reducing clients’ pain and improve functional recovery. Sarah has also treated many pregnant women and find pregnancy physiotherapy and pregnancy Pilates of the up-most importance during pregnancy and pelvic management.

Sarah returned from London in 2003, founded Bodyreform and has been the Director since August 2005.

BHSc (Physiotherapy)1996
Australian Physiotherapy & Pilates Certified Instructor (2002)
Polestar Pilates Certified Instructor (2004)
Post Graduate Certificate in Rehabilitation (2015) AUT, Auckland (Ultrasound Imaging, Pain, Health Ergonomics, Measuring Health and Wellbeing).
Current candidate Post graduate diploma Musculoskeletal AUT
MAPPI, NZSP, NZRP

Kolbi is a motivated physiotherapist who trained for her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota followed by getting her Master of Science in Physiotherapy at Robert Gordon University in Scotland. After moving to New Zealand, she completed her Pilates training with Peak Pilates. She is currently studying for a second master’s degree focusing on Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy. 

Kolbi started her career as a personal trainer and then as an exercise specialist. She worked extensively with patients with stroke and spinal cord injuries in an exercise and rehabilitation setting. This experience allowed her to gain experience and knowledge of what people are taught in a personal training environment, as well as adapting exercises for those who require it.  

Following this work, she has predominantly worked in musculoskeletal practice with a special interest in treating injuries of the upper body and head including shoulder injuries, whiplash, concussion, and TMJ pain. Kolbi has also treated many patients for prehab and post-operative physiotherapy for a variety of surgeries and joint replacements.  She has continued to attend courses throughout her career to build on her knowledge and currently serves on the Physiotherapy New Zealand Auckland Branch as Secretary. 

She is a keen sports person herself with a focus on rock climbing, ultra-trail running, and surfing. Kolbi also has extensive experience with dance and is well suited to treating athletes in both return to sport and injury prevention. 

Current candidate, Post-Grad Diploma Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy 

MSc Physiotherapy (2017)

BSc Kinesiology – Clinical Movement Science (2013)

 

Peak Pilates Certified Instructor (2017)

Secretary of Physiotherapy New Zealand – Auckland Branch (2022)

Lead Physiotherapist for Climb NZ Youth team

Pia D’Ambros is Polestar Pilates New Zealand Mat & Reformer trained and has been practising Pilates for 8 years.

Pia is a passionate, experienced Pilates coach that loves making every class different and new. Her energy is infectious in a class setting due to her love of Pilates’ core principals.

Pia works alongside physiotherapists to ensure rehabilitation from injury or surgery is safe and successful with the goal of getting your body back to functional movement.

She believes Pilates gives you the confidence that your body can do what you want it to do, when you want to do it.

Her effective and efficient exercises will have you leaving her classes feeling refreshed, energised and stronger than yesterday

Cassandra grew up in Orange County, California where she began her ballet training at the age of 5 years old. She studied ballet at The Academy of Dance, Southland Ballet Academy, Ballet Pacifica, Maple Conservatory, Houston Ballet, Boston Ballet, and American Ballet theater with instructors from all over the world. Cassandra first discovered her love for Pilates when she was 12 years old after her mother had decided to enroll her in regular Pilates classes as a way of cross training and strengthening.

After graduating high school. Cassandra attended the University of California, Irvine to receive her bachelors of the arts degree in Dance. While at University she decided to pursue her passion for Pilates and began her teaching training under Diane Diefenderfer and Barbara Bean at Studio du Corps in Orange County. Cassandra received her Pilates teaching certificate in the Ron Fletcher Method focusing on movement in classical Pilates.

Cassandra loves sharing her passion for Pilates with her clients and enjoys watching her clients find freedom and mobility in their bodies.

Bel has a background in dance and gymnastics and has been teaching for over 25 years. In addition to Pilates, she teaches yoga and dance and works as a certified Personal Trainer. Bel was a competitive rhythmic gymnast, representing NZ at the Commonwealth Games and World Champs. She then went on to a 20-year career as a professional dancer and performer. She is extremely passionate and curious about movement in all forms and is especially interested in injury mitigation and rehab. She combines her experience and knowledge of Pilates with her love for teaching, to help others find joy, freedom, strength and confidence through movement.