In our clients own words

"I am a classic Type A personality. I am ON from dawn til dusk and beyond. I feared that this drive that I have would take it's toll on me. My mind would race with ideas and projects until the wee hours of the morning. I was exhausted. I met Laura at a mixer. What she had to say about learning breathwork and techniques to help focus (not calm) my mind intrigued me. I was willing to try just about anything. At the end of our first session (she actually taught be all of this PLUS Pilates) I was more relaxed than I remember being. This relaxed feeling stayed with me for the majority of a day, which is HUGE for me. After each lesson, the relaxed feeling would linger longer and longer. I feel that this work has saved my life. I felt like I was on a head on collision with a heart attack, and this work helped me change the course of my life and that is PRICELESS. I now reside in Washington DC and I continue my sessions with Laura over FaceTime. Her work is the greatest gift I can give myself, my wife, and our children. Thank you."

~ Robert M

Washington DC 

"Suffering from back pain for most of my life, I'm always looking for alternative methods to minimize my discomfort. Laura and Steve have made a major contribution to achieving that goal. Their knowledge of anatomy, sense of compassion, level of enthusiasm and personalized approach make every session rewarding. Doesn't matter if it's a class or a private, they seriously yet cheerfully provide you with the opportunity to learn how to re-educate your body to make it work the way it's supposed to. Gyrotonic have been the only workout programs whose hourly routine I look forward to and whose end comes too quickly. My doctors have watched my strength grow and my pain scale decline and fully credit my working with Steve and Laura on a regular basis for these accomplishments. I can't thank them enough for all they've done and continue to do to help me feel healthier, both physically and mentally. Thanks guys!" 

-- Mary Lou S.

"Dear Laura and Steve,

We have discussed the fact that I was diagnosed with osteopenia (at the far end of the mid-zone between normal bone strength and osteoporosis) a little over three years ago.  This condition was not really surprising as it is common, especially in small-boned, petite, and post-menopausal women.   My physician at the time prescribed Actonel, a bone-strengthening prescription medication, increased calcium supplements, and regular physical exercise.  He specifically prescribed walking as a physical exercise and commented that Pilates would not suffice referring to it as a "stretching" exercise.  Obviously, he has never taken Pilates.  For three years I took the medication religiously, the calcium not so religiously, and added an extra day of Pilates so that I was regularly participating in Pilates or GYROKINESIS classes three times a week. 

 A recent comparative bone density scan showed that I have regained bone density within a few percentage points from "normal" and can discontinue the bone medication while maintaining the calcium intake and physical exercise.  Of course, if the bone density again deteriorates, I can resume the medication for a while but it at least gives the physical body a break from the potential side effects of the medication. 

Although I began Pilates to maintain strength and flexibility before the osteopenia diagnosis,  I consider this good news as yet another benefit of Pilates and wanted to relate to you what is essentially a continuing success story.  Thanks for these good years and I look forward to many more."

--Barbara H.

"I have suffered with severe back pain for over 15 years. I have felt as if my life was taken away because of the pain. I have seen chiropractors, pain doctors, surgeons (I've had several surgeries), physical therapists, and massage therapists. All have given some temporary relief. Now I'm learning Pilates. I'm learning to use different muscles to move properly. This is taking the strain off the back muscles, tendons, vertebrae and discs that cause my pain. I have had physical therapy exercises prescribed before, but I never seemed to keep doing them on my own. Now I understand what is actually happening in my body with the Pilates exercises. And I can feel the results. I am doing my Pilates exercises every day. If I practice my Pilates movements daily, I keep my back pain in check. Working with Laura at Kona Pilates has given me my life back." 

-- David E.

"I work in the hospitality industry. Several years ago I hurt my back at work. I saw the doctor, received medication for the pain, and was sent to physical therapy. Yet my back pain still persisted pretty severely. Now I am doing Pilates. In the first month of Pilates lessons with Laura and Steve my back pain decreased to where it was hardly noticeable. I cannot believe the difference this has made in the quality of my life. Thank you!" 

-- Pamela D.

"As a professional athlete, I thought my body was strong and flexible. A friend suggested that I try Pilates because I had broken my ankle and could not train in my regular sport (professional surfing). I began working with Laura and Steve at Kona Pilates. Wow. What a difference this has made in my body...and my performance on my board. Thank you!" 

-- Ayako M.

"I work in a high stress job. The breathing techniques that I learned from Laura in our Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic lessons alone have really helped me. The breathing helps me to stay focused and reduce my stress. And the physical practice of Gyrokinesis has really helped me reduce the physical affects of stress on my body. I am sleeping better, feeling better, and I am more happy than I have been in years! Namaste and Mahalo for everything!"  

-- Jessica L.

"The gift of yoga and body awareness that I have received from Laura is a joy to experience. Thank you for being a true teacher." 

-- Lisa K.

"Laura: You are a beautiful person, strong & wise. You are a great teacher. Thanks for all you have shared with us. Most of all, you are an inspiration. It's incredible to see someone living in dharma and making their dreams coming true. May much more joy come to you in the years to come." 

-- Bethany D.

"Dear Laura, 
I wonder if you can really imagine the full & very powerful impact you have had on me, in spirit, mind and body. Like you've said before, seeds have been planted and my garden is looking very rich and fertile. I'm healthy now! The gifts you have offered me in, in my experience, are nothing short of profound and I feel extremely blessed. I love being around you and you are so beautiful inside & out. I offer you my deepest gratitude and appreciation and my love as your friend always." 

-- Denise D.

"Steve, 
You have the most amazing massage hands. Thank you for your gentle, yet powerful touch. The pain in my shoulder is gone! Thank you again!" 

-- Sandra I.

"Steve, 
I really thought that the pain in my shoulder was going to last my whole lifetime. In two sessions you not only educated me as to what was happening in my shoulder, you relieved the shoulder pain itself. I can now work and not be in pain or on pain medication. Thank you. I will never forget this." 

-- Phyllis S.

“I wanted to write and say thank you for the amazing massages and Yoga class Laura and Steve did for our guests. The massages were some of the best we’ve ever had. But the Yoga class blew our minds. We had tweens/teens in the class who immediately connected with Laura – they loved it! Our grandparents felt honored and respected and enjoyed the modifications Laura gave them to make Yoga accessible to them. For those of us who do Yoga on a regular basis, Laura blew our minds with how she explained each and every pose. What the pose is supposed to be doing for your body, which muscles we were to use, where we should be feeling it, and most importantly where NOT to feel it. She gave very clear instruction to create the proper feel in the body. I never knew which muscles to use before and this has completely transformed my yoga practice. Our favorite part of the class was watching our “meat-head” husbands doing Yoga for the first time. Watching the beads of sweating pouring off their brow, hearing them groan with the work, and having them love every minute of it was worth every penny. Now our husbands are interested in pursuing more Yoga with us wives.

We later found out that the only reason Laura and Steve had the time to work with us (two days of 8 massages per day plus a 1.5 hour sunset yoga class) was because they were getting ready to move away from Hawaii. If you are lucky enough you live near their new studio. Do not hesitate to work with them. They are both the finest of their craft that we’ve experienced and worth every penny they charge. Be prepared to be amazed.

Thank you both so much. We’re now talking of having our next big family vacation in Southern California so we can book the two of you again. And this time, we’ll book more massages and definitely more Yoga.”

-- Christine M
Detroit, MI