From Scalpels to Springs: My Journey of Bridging Movement and Medicine
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Hi there! Welcome to my little corner of the internet.
My name is Ondi. If you had told me twenty years ago that I’d be trading my surgical scrubs for grip socks and a Pilates reformer, I might have laughed—and then headed right back into the OR. But life has a funny way of coming full circle.
The Girl Who Refused to Quit
My movement journey started at age three. I was determined to be a ballerina, despite having a physical structure that was… let’s just say, not exactly "engineered" for the art form. I danced through high school, eventually choosing college over the stage, but the love for movement never left.
At 19, a happy accident changed everything. I showed up late for an adult ballet class and, too embarrassed to walk in tardy, I slipped into a "Pilates" class across the hall instead.
I had no idea what I was doing, but I fell head over heels. I signed up for teacher training after just two sessions. For the next two and a half years, I lived a double life: college student by day, and Pilates apprentice by night, doing my homework in the corner of my mentor’s basement studio.
The Surgical Detour
In 2004, I became comprehensively certified, but life pulled me toward medicine. I headed off to Physician Assistant (PA) school—why I chose PA over Physical Therapy, I’ll never truly know!—and Pilates took a back seat to anatomy exams and clinical rotations.
My career as a PA was intense, to say the least:
- Atlanta: Plastic and reconstructive surgery (focusing on post-mastectomy breast reconstruction).
- Idaho: Cardiothoracic surgery (talk about high stakes!).
- Denver: Vein specialties followed by obesity and functional medicine.
The "Chance" That Changed Everything
After my second daughter was born and COVID-19 hit, I planned to take some time off. But the universe had other plans. It started with a simple "Sure!" to teaching kids' yoga so my girls could join me. That led to a yoga certification, which led to a Pilates opening at Club Greenwood.
Then came the "pinch-me" moment: Lolita San Miguel. As a first-generation Master Teacher and one of only two people ever certified by Joseph Pilates himself, Lolita is a legend. She invited me to join her final Master Mentorship Program. I spent a year learning with my baby, Harlow, by my side and a reformer cramped into our bedroom (my poor husband!).
Under Lolita’s wing, I became an educator and began training other teachers Lolita’s Legacy at Club Greenwood. Today, I run my own business, Pulse Pilates, and teach out of my home studio.
Why I’m Here
I often tell Lolita that she gave me the dream I never knew I had. My mission now is to bridge the gap between the clinical world of medicine and the restorative world of movement.
I’ve seen the body from the inside out on an operating table, and I’ve seen it find healing on a Pilates carriage. I firmly believe that movement is medicine—not just for the body, but for the mind and soul, too.
I’m so excited to have you here as I break down the health and wellness topics that fascinate me.
Let’s move together!
