TESTIMONIALS

“Sue has peeled open my brain and completely changed how I think about moving and relating to my body. She has taught me how to apply it in my daily activities: mountain biking, skiing, gardening, walking and even driving. It has been fundamental to my overall health, fitness, injury recovery and prevention and I can’t imagine being able to sustain my active lifestyle without Moving Spirit.” Tara Walsh – Owner; Walsh & Co. Gardens and Design Ltd, North Vancouver

“Susannah is a joy to work with! She has a thorough understanding of anatomy that is coupled with an intimate knowledge of movement. She is interested in learning and creatively applies new information into existing programs. A class is a combination of movement practice (some might say “exercises”) and her unfaltering intuition about how to address the movement impairments she sees. This allows her clients the very best result – fluid movement, with ease and support. I recommend her to my own clients without hesitation and I would secretly love to learn from her!” Gillian McCormick – Physiotherapist, North Vancouver

“I feel so fortunate to have found Sue. Our relationship began in 2005 when I shattered two vertebrae in an accident. She worked diligently to get my spine moving again. I was able to go back and paddle with my Dragon Boat crew the next season. My two or three times a week with Sue keeps my body functioning well and keeps me strong. She is so knowledgeable of the human form, and it’s remarkable that when my body “doth protest” she always has some technique to help my body feel well again. It’s inspiring to see someone so excited by what she does. Sue has been a huge part of me reaching my goal this year.” Rosemary Shandler – 2014 Club Crew Dragon Boat World Championship Gold Medallist

“Liberating. Spirit-moving. Joyful. A new way to look at movement. An opportunity to get grounded … and to find a way to stay there.  I would recommend this workshop to anyone who is curious about the body and its movement, regardless of profession. I would also recommend it to yoga teachers, particularly yoga teachers in training, as your knowledge of the anatomy of breath is so much more useful than the rudimentary concepts we learned in training. It has changed my yoga practice — as well as the simple task of walking to the bus — exponentially.” Linda Rumleski – Yoga Teacher/Policy Analyst, Ottawa

“Over my life, I’ve pursued various outdoor activities, many at a fairly high level of intensity. As I have gotten older, I found that ‘getting out there and doing stuff’ was starting to result in injuries and frustrating recovery periods.  Discovering the Thriving Body program gave me an opportunity to change this – to increase my understanding of how to move effectively, create good function and performance, and avoid injury. Working through the program has not only expanded my knowledge of anatomy and physiology, its also expanded my knowledge of my body – how it moves, where it moves well and not-so-well, and what happens as a result of all of that.  The exercises in the program have become my new ‘secret weapons’ in building good function. I am so excited to see my posture changing, my ‘chronic troublespots’ begin to ‘quieten down’, and to feel myself begin to move more effectively. I’ve definitely moved from surviving to thriving!” Mary Gillespie – RN, Nurse Educator & Integral (Life) Coach, North Vancouver, BC 

“As an orthopaedic physiotherapist with 36 years of experience, I hugely value Susannah’s knowledge and expertise. She has a rare gift: she has the skills to be able to align the science of anatomy with the art of movement, way, way beyond basic exercise.” Siobhan O’Connell – Physiotherapist, North Vancouver, BC

“I came to see Sue as I had a lower back pain issue. I would wake up in the mornings and it would take me a couple of hours to get moving. Sue taught me how to “let go” of old patterning and create new connections in my body. Sue’s very gentle, present and hands-on techniques helped me learn how to reconnect my core. I am in awe of how precise she is. My back is now back to 90% functionality in 6 months. Sue really knows her stuff, and what is different is I learned that relaxation and letting go can be just as, or even more effective than, pushing through – which has been my standard way of operating. I highly recommend anything Sue is offering, she is a true expert!” Sharlene Shah – North Vancouver, BC

“Moving Spirit changed my life. When I met Susannah, I was recovering from a severe debilitating back injury. I had tried many types of healthcare providers with limited relief. Working with Susannah has helped me re-discover my body and the capacity to heal myself and strengthen my body. I’ve learned a whole new way to relate to my body, accessing muscles I’ve never said hello to before. I learned how visualization assists in loosening muscles and opening spaces in my body. 

I’m glad I discovered Moving Spirit. I’ve become more active, I’ve increased my conditioning and flexibility, instead of waiting for the medical profession to “cure” me. Since the body and mind are not separate, I’ve noticed emotional as well as physical changes. Susannah has been sensitive to my multi-dimensional needs. Her analysis and technical approach and empathic guidance moved me from disability to mobility. Susannah’s enthusiasm for her work rubs off and motivates.”  Marianne Pengelly – Vancouver, BC

Despite years of professional dance training, I had begun to feel a complete disconnect from my body after coming back from an injury. My movements felt uncoordinated and i could not regain the fine control that elite dancing required. I was frustrated and discouraged after having seen an array of health practitioners who could not seem to help me regain a fluid control of movement.

From the get go I could tell that Sue understood what my difficulties and challenges were. Her ability to analyze my movement and identify subtle but deleterious movement patterns that had gone unnoticed by many other practitioners has made all the difference.

Together we are working on whole body integration and undoing years of faulty movement patterns, but it has been well worth the effort. For the first time in a long while I am able to participate in the activities that I used to enjoy. I feel I have gained a deeper understanding of my body and its movement than I had even before my injury. It is a gift to be able to work with someone who is so knowledgeable and who is also a lovely person. Sue is encouraging, motivating, and a pleasure to work with. ” Hana Rutka – Vancouver, BC

“Susannah’s forte is in helping her students have a sensory experience of movement; both through more formal movement styles as well as through improvisational movement. She brings the weaving of her varied movement background to her classes in a way that blends science with the art of creativity.  She is flexible in her teaching style, facilitating personal development by encouraging a self-paced process for each individual.

Susannah’s movement classes are about guiding her students to connect to their body experience. Aikido master and author Wendy Palmer says: “If we can connect to ourselves, then we can make genuine connections to others.” Susannah’s teaching invites connection to self and to others. She creates a class atmosphere that supports her students’ process of discovery of the richness of their own embodied experience and delight in movement.” Amy Kiara Ruth, BSc (Kin, Ed) – Registered Kinesiologist, Vancouver, BC

“A much-overdue moving experience for my body. A great workshop that uses Pilates as a spring-board for movement to connect the mind-body-spirit connection. It could have been longer – I felt that we just touched the tip of your knowledge!” Heather Pugh – Pilates Teacher, Ottawa, ON

“Her background as a highly trained bodyworker, dancer, dance teacher and mother weaves seamlessly into her skill as a workshop leader, with grace, insight and a natural ability to guide people in a positive, heart based and effective manner. She uses a light touch to inspire profound depth of change, whether working on a client’s pain problem, teaching professionals about movement or setting a dance floor on fire.” Philip Clement – Dance & Gestalt Therapist, Holistic Bodywork, Vancouver. BC

“My experience with Sue Steers and her style of teaching at Moving Spirit has been life altering in so many ways. Sue and I have been working together for 10 years, and during this time she has completely transformed my body. What started out with a myriad of problems, such as misalignments, muscle imbalances and pain with every movement, is now a healthy, functioning body. I went from not being able to enjoy any physical activity, or the day to day activities such as driving a car without pain. I am now playing golf, waterskiing, hiking, biking and more!

Sue’s style of teaching is far superior to any other I have had. It is not simply a set of exercises, but is a program customized to deal with your individual issues. In the process, Sue emphasizes educating how the various aspects of the body work, such as breathing properly, and the correct movement of the muscles and spine. It is not about muscles in isolation, but an integrated body in motion.

Sue is an exceptional teacher. She is kind, patient, intuitive and inspirational. My sessions with Sue are always the highlight of my day. She makes learning fun an has provided me with invaluable information about how my body works. It has been an amazing and empowering experience!” S. Marini – Vancouver, BC

“Susannah is like no other movement expert out there! She is a healer in the true sense of the word. Every time I work with her, she personalizes my program to meets the demands of my week. She listens and translates it into action for my body. I always feel 110% better after a session with Susannah – in body, mind and soul. Her work nourishes my soul!” Bev Maya – Owner; Maya Natural Health, North Vancouver, BC

“I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your work this year.  I have been to the studio for about 10 months now and the change in my body is amazing.  I can feel it and people around me notice it as well.  But it is not just the physical appearance, I am loving the flexibility and ease of movement that this “new” body is bringing me.  I love it!  Thank you.” L.T. – Homemaker, West Vancouver, BC