A coaching colleague recently asked me what was the most significant change to my life that I could credit to Nia.  I thought about who I was before Nia, the chronic pain, the weight, the drinking, the self loathing and the depression.  I thought of the insomnia, the fear, the lack of confidence and ease with my self.  I thought of the journey I have had with Nia, all the principles and practices that have transformed my experience of myself in the world.  Then I turned to her and I said, I don't usually share this with people, it is really intimate.... but I hated sex before Nia.  Nia taught me to experience and value pleasure as a way of being in the world.  And Nia is the reason I now have a deeply gratifying, satisfying, pleasurable sex life with my partner".  She looked at me and said, "You should tell people that."

Official Bio:  Jeanne currently works as a Nia Trainer, Transformative Coach and Mother while attending the University of New England to earn her Masters in Social Work.  Jeanne’s personal journey has included chronic pain, body image and weight imbalances, as well as self-healing. 

Born and raised in New York City, Jeanne earned her BA in Dance & Theater from Antioch College. Jeanne founded and directed the Yellow Springs Moving Arts Studio Cooperative in Ohio in 1997, studied midwifery with New Moon Midwifery in Ann Arbor, MI and completed her professional massage training at The Ann Arbor Institute of Massage in 2000 and moved to Charlottesville, Virginia in 2002. 

Jeanne sold her well-mother Doula/Massage business and began her career as a Nia teacher in 2003.  After 500 hours of study of Laban Movement Analysis with The Laban Institute of Movement Studies and after completing all the Belts of The Nia Technique, Jeanne is now a Black Belt Teacher and has taught around the world, including New York, California, and Ethiopia!

In December of 2011, Jeanne founded a social business called Divine Play in Charlottesville, VA.  All of Jeanne's income as a trainer goes to support the creation of this community center, designed to increase body literacy in the greater Charlottesville area as well as provide support for Master Somatic Educators.