Meet Jenny Kell of Movement Therapy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Kell.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jenny. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My yoga journey began through personal experience with a back injury and chronic pain. I was fresh out of occupational therapy school in 2000 & working a challenging job in physical rehabilitation when I herniated 3 discs in my back while transferring a patient who had suffered a spinal cord injury. Around that same time, I was also diagnosed with Lyme Disease & Fibromyalgia. The pain and lack of mobility quickly took its toll on me & I became depressed & physically weaker & weaker over the years.

I tried everything to help get my life back on track from physical therapy to prescription drugs (which only seemed to make me feel worse). Finally, in 2009, a friend urged me to try yoga. My first class was incredibly difficult & I ended up crying on the mat because I struggled to simply get off the floor! There was a voice in my head that told me to keep on trying, however. I went back 3 more times that week & eventually my body started to change. I lost weight, I got stronger, the constant muscle spasms diminished & I felt hopeful again for the first time in many years.

Through yoga, I learned the importance of body awareness, self-pacing and the importance of good nutrition in the healing process. I ultimately got off of all the pain meds & antidepressants & replaced them with a consistent physical practice and meditation. In 2013 I made the decision to make yoga a career. I wanted to share the healing gift of this practice with other people who suffered the way I had. Today I approach teaching with a combination of my knowledge of physical medicine as an OT, and personal experience.

I enjoy working with people who think they can’t do yoga most of all! My primary clientele are people living with chronic pain/illness, such as cancer & Parkinson’s Disease, people managing their weight, and seniors. Today I can look back on my experience with pain and depression & feel grateful for how different my life is today. I can genuinely relate to what many of my clients are going through because I have lived it!

Has it been a smooth road?
Starting a business is never easy & can be pretty nerve-wracking at times. There are many times I questioned myself & wondered why I couldn’t just be satisfied with a “normal job.” Giving up a steady paycheck and benefits is never an easy thing. I transitioned from full-time work as an OT to seeing clients privately in my home or theirs & took per diem work to fill in when business was slow.

Once I achieved my financial goal & had zero debt, I promised myself I would jump into this business with both feet. I’m now teaching Movement Therapy classes & private sessions alongside a dynamic team of like-minded healthcare professionals at The Health Collective. My client base is growing steadily through word of mouth referrals & I’m so excited to see us grow & reach the people who need us most.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Movement Therapy story. Tell us more about the business.
Movement Therapy is all about building strength and stability safely & at the individuals own pace. My students know me by a few phrases that I use frequently in class, like “it doesn’t have to be pretty” and “sound effects welcome!” I feel that I create a comfortable, supportive and non- judgmental environment for my students. I get incredible satisfaction from seeing my students stand straighter and be able to get into yoga poses that they never thought possible. I am passionate about fall prevention & believe that falls and injury can be prevented if balance & strengthening exercises are practiced regularly.

I love hearing my clients say that they are proud of their accomplishments, no matter how minor they may seem. I’ve had students tell me they’re no longer fearful of falling in the shower, that they can stand on one foot to put on pants, and one who said she realized she was getting stronger when she got on the floor to restart her router & she didn’t have to hold onto furniture to get up. I believe that since no two people are alike, everyone’s yoga practice will be unique. Students are encouraged to practice based on how the physical exercises feel versus how they look.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
I definitely believe that we are seeing a trend toward preventative medicine. People are tired of being reactive and are choosing a more proactive role in their health and wellness. People are taking steps to improve and maintain their health before injuries and illnesses take over. Many are turning to alternative medical practices like chiropractic, massage, and acupuncture to treat pain & as a part of their regular self-care.

Many of my clients also are finding relief with natural cures like oils and nutritional supplements, and are making positive changes in their diets. Yoga fits perfectly into this prevention model by teaching people to listen to their bodies, breathe effectively for relaxation & to safely build flexibility, strength and balance.

Contact Info:

• Address: 10830 N. Central Expy. Ste. 400 Dallas, TX 75231
• Website: www.movementtherapydallas.com
• Phone: 214-682-7154
• Email: jennyrenee.kell@gmail.com
• Facebook: fb.me/movementtherapybyjenny/

Image Credit:
Leanne Schulz, Liza Gershman

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