brianna houston

I’ve always been intrigued by human movement and the body’s response to mechanical forces. in fact, I can see the physics taking place, the many formulas, and divine design in which each individual was made to move - freely.

now I know how that might sound, but if you can recall the movie the hangover, and zach galifianakis’s character, alan, at the blackjack table counting cards, and all the mathematical calculations and symbols circling his head, then you’ll know it’s exactly like that when I watch people move.

I can remember as early as my elementary years watching my dance teacher choreograph eight counts across the floor, and I noting angles, effort, and timing. from dance and sports, to aerial arts and musical theatre, the body is my chosen instrument.

after graduating from hofstra university in 2016 with a bachelor of science in exercise science, like many of my peers, I became a physical therapy assistant with dreams of becoming a doctor of physical therapy. I had the drive, the experience, the instinct, what could hold me back?

*intuition?!

I knew pt school would be a smart choice, but that wasn’t my dream. I didn’t know what my dream was, but I knew in my heart that I needed to figure out where my instincts would thrive and where I could professionally establish my skills.

3 years as pta, and I had taken every opportunity to work with bay area pts, medical professionals, and physicians whom were enabling the fastest return to optimal health and function, utilizing the latest medical technology and treatment techniques…

…only by this time I had outgrown my role and was looking forward to my next step - next opportunity to learn more.

encouraged pt patients, my pt mentor mike, and dearest colleague tim, I leaned into what I had become great at - coaching.

*right in front of me the whole time.

it became so clear, coaching was both my passion & my purpose. rehab includes some of the most vulnerable stages of athleticism - challenge with simple tasks, modifications, moving at a slower pace, setbacks, anxiety, depression, even weight gain. through these vulnerable stages however, I never saw the end, I saw the beginning and opportunities of growth. through my experiences, it became more clear that how you perceive the circumstance had more to with how you relieve pain, prevent injury, optimize the foundation, and transcend limitations than the modalities or prescribed movement.

so as it turned out, my cheerleading personality, keen eye for movement efficiency and meticulous cuing was the perfect fit for persons returning to movement.

*but before I could get too comfortable…

while pursuing my yoga teacher training in 2019, the brief closing section on prenatal modifications overwhelmingly sparked my interest.

this was not a special population covered in my degree, nor was it mentioned in my post academic study by any of my colleagues, and shamefully, I had not once, as a woman or as an exercise scientist, considered the impact that pregnancy and postpartum would have on anatomy and physiology, let alone movement.

I naively thought I had seen it all - aqua, concussion, neurological, orthopedic physical therapies to sports rehabilitative medicine. this unknown territory was like following the rabbit down the hole - the beginning of a great adventure.

*there goes my intuition again!

it wasn’t long after I completed my ytt, that I was offered an opportunity to become a prenatal and postpartum exercise specialist. I immediately quit my job as assistant director of fitness and wellness programs at hewlett packard enterprise and accepted the offer.

*life was sweet.

I completed my onboarding and was going to begin my new job in march 2020. however on friday the 13th, the official covid-shutdown was announced in the bay area.

*cue the music that gives “the worst has happened.”

under the circumstances, I could have declined my new offer and collected unemployment, but I felt too deeply that this is what I had been waiting for. at this point, nothing was going to get in the way of that.

*intuition strikes again!

I went from 5 to 55 virtual clients per week in less than 5 months. I LOVED coaching pregnant and postpartum strength, and even more so, birth and labor preparation. my instincts brought my clients to experience less pain, intervention, and faster recovery. less than one year in, and I was teaching my team the techniques I was implementing in my practice. I was thriving on the virtual platform and my skills as a coach only more refined.

*but in no way I am the hero.

I had the honor of witnessing my clients juggle hormone changes, iui/ivf, pregnancy, work, doctors appointments, a new baby, postpartum recovery, return to work, sleepless nights, then add joint pains and pelvic floor dysfunction - my clients resilience became my motivation. it became apparent that I was surrounded by an elite group that goes above &beyond for themselves and their families.

*my heroes!

now with over 40,000 hours of experience training the trying to conceive, prenatal and postpartum populations, and over ten years coaching athletes, coaches, individual, and corporate clients, I confidently deliver, elite programming, the best fitness, cardiovascular disease and injury prevention, orthopedic and pelvic floor rehabilitation management services to persons returning to movement, sport, play &beyond (est. 2024)…

…because you deserve to move freely every season of life.

*it all makes sense.

youth sports coach - 2014

b.s. exercise science - 2016

physical therapy assistant - 2016

certified personal trainer - 2016

orthopedic exercise specialist - 2018

certified yoga instructor - 2019

prentatal & postpartum strength expert - 2020

pelvic organ prolapse professional - 2022

pregnant postpartum athlete coach - 2023

vedic meditation - 2024