Cristal Mortensen was certified to teach the Pilates Method through apprenticeship with Anita Jackson, of Body Refinement, Maui, in 2000. A 3rd generation teacher who trained with Pilates elders Kathy Grant, Ron Fletcher, Eve Gentry and Lolita San Miguel, Anita was a rigorous and thorough mentor, who prepared Cristal well for her path as a teacher. Being part of this direct lineage to Joseph Pilates has given Cristal a clear grasp of the Pilates method as developed by the master, himself.
Always learning and growing, Cristal continued her Pilates studies with Marie Jose Lawrence of Long Beach Dance Conditioning’s rigorous and highly acclaimed teacher training program in 2003, which grounded her teaching in a firm foundation of functional anatomy, proprioceptive training, and biomechanics. These fields compliment the original Pilates Method and bring the teachings into the science of the current moment. Cristal has continued studying and training in Pilates through intensives and workshops with highly regarded teachers such as Cathi Murakami, Elizabeth Larkam and Jean Claude West, innovators in the field of Pilates.
Cristal, passionate about working in a truly integrative way, and addressing the full spectrum of challenges her clients are faced with, went on to study and earn professional certifications in both Somatic Experiencing and Organic Intelligence with Steve Hoskinson, as well as study Somatic Practice with Kathy Kain. These body based approaches to facing the stressors of our modern day and thriving, have made her an expert in the specialty of trauma recovery, and the development of stress resilience. Cristal has studied Continuum with progenitor and visionary Emilie Conrad, Visionary Cranial Sacral work with Hugh Milne of the acclaimed Milne Institute, The Franklin Method with its highly esteemed progenitor Eric Franklin, as well as earned certification as a Labor Support Professional through DONA and in Infant Massage Instruction through the International Loving Touch Foundation. Cristal weaves all of these specialized skills into her teaching for a truly holistic approach to working with life’s full spectrum of needs and possibilities. Cristal has been a certified Health and Fitness Instructor through the American College of Sports Medicine since 1998 and holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.