The Pilates Process™ was founded by Pilates instructor and studio owner Laura Helsel with the purpose of making current core stability research more accessible to both clients and instructors. Research has made profound discoveries over the past 15 years in connecting back pain and muscle dysfunction yet few really understand how to effectively apply this information.

Like many Pilates instructors, Laura comes from a professional dance background. After completing her full Stott Pilates™ certification in 1998, Laura went on to become an Instructor Trainer. Her experience introduced her to clients with a wide range of chronic conditions and injuries.

In 2001 Laura opened Riverdale Pilates in Toronto, Canada with a strong focus on rehabilitation. In order to address the growing number of clientele turning to Pilates to aid in injury recovery, Riverdale Pilates soon progressed to having a Physiotherapy clinic on-site. Seeking further training, Laura completed her first course with renowned Australian Physiotherapist Greta von Gavel and began adapting her teaching methods to reflect her increased understanding of core function. Impressed by the immediate results she experienced with her clients, Laura began to share her knowledge with the instructors at her studio. This eventually led to the development and refinement of her teaching method, The Pilates Process™, which offers specialized workshops, comprehensive instructor training and continuing education courses.