Movement as Medicine: A Conversation with Chloe on Pilates, Mindfulness, and Finding Your Flow

There's something magical about meeting someone who embodies exactly what they teach. I first connected with Chloe through my Clea and Co brand when she invited me to collaborate at her Self Love Event - a beautiful combination of Pilates, breath-work, stretching, and meditation. It was an absolutely amazing experience that perfectly captured everything Chloe represents: authentic connection, mindful movement, and creating safe spaces for women to truly connect with themselves.

When I witnessed Chloe's unique approach firsthand - the way she seamlessly weaves together movement, mindfulness, and journaling - I knew she had a story that needed to be shared on our The Women's Journal. Here's a woman who's not just teaching exercises; she's creating transformative experiences where women can connect with themselves and each other in the most authentic way possible.

What struck me most about our conversation was Chloe's honesty about her own journey - the ups and downs, the moments of fear before launching something new, and how she's learned that failure is actually success in disguise. Her approach to wellness isn't about perfection; it's about presence, connection, and finding what feels good for your body and soul.

Let's start at the beginning - can you share a bit about your journey? How did Pilates, meditation, and journaling all come together for you?

Meditation and journaling had both been parts of my life since high school, really. I started dabbling with journaling, and when I turned 18, I got into yoga and meditation. But it was never anything consistent -it would come in big waves, and then I just wouldn't do anything for ages. My mental health followed that pattern too. I'd feel really good for a certain amount of time, then I'd be in the biggest spiral ever.

It wasn't until I stopped doing those crazy intense HIIT workouts -absolutely thrashing myself in the gym - that things changed. I found Pilates around COVID time, and that's when I actually started to slow down and realise that movement doesn't have to be this sweaty, intense situation to have benefits.

During lockdown, I was stuck in a house by myself. My partner got stuck away, so it was just me and my dog. All three of those things -Pilates, meditation, and journaling - honestly kept me sane throughout COVID. They even helped me figure out that this was what I wanted to do with my life. I could see myself doing it all day, every day, teaching others, because it had such a positive impact on my mental health and keeping me steady.

You've created such a unique style of teaching - what would you say makes your approach to Pilates different?

Thank you, that's so kind! I've always thought about motor learning skills, and I've always wanted people to leave my classes feeling confident and accomplished, not like they couldn't do the class or failed in some way.

My approach has shifted slightly now. I let everyone know that failure is actually success in a class. It's not about the move looking beautiful; it's about challenging yourself and getting to that point where failure comes into play, because that's where we grow.

I like to plan my classes to have a start and end that feels familiar - moves people know they can do, where their body can go on autopilot. Then the middle of the class can be the learning, the challenge, something they've maybe never done before. But they start and end feeling really familiar, so they keep getting better at those moves. My main goal is always having people leave feeling happier, more accomplished, or more positive than when they arrived.

You're known for blending movement with mindfulness. How did your Pilates-journaling-meditation sessions begin, and what do they offer women that a standard class might not?

My first ever Pilates journaling event was only at the start of this year. I had done a journaling workshop at a previous studio, but when I decided to do my own event - get my own space, do it my way - I was literally shaking. I was absolutely petrified before I posted that event live.

I thought, "If I don't do it now, I'm always going to have it in the back of my mind." You can't get better at something unless you're actually doing it. So I thought, "Let's just do it. If it's a fail, it's a fail, but I can always find out how to do it better next time."

My first event was at the beach with a group of women sat in a circle, themed around rest and reset. It offered a safe space for women to meet other people going through similar things. One lady came completely on her own - she didn't know anyone but felt comfortable because she'd seen me on my stories and Instagram. To this day, she comes to nearly everything I do and has made friends through these events. She had no one in this area, and now she's met people through things I've organised, which just lights my soul on fire.

What role does journaling play in your own life? Do you have prompts or rituals that help you stay grounded?

Journaling is a non-negotiable day-to-day for me, but that doesn't mean I open my journal with pen to paper every single day. I journal in the most random ways possible! I use notes on my phone, pen to paper, a whiteboard on the fridge, sticky notes around the house - I have paper everywhere to constantly get thoughts out of my brain and onto paper. The less that has to sit in your brain, the more space there is for other things.

My go-to is what I love to call a "brain dump" or "word vomit." I draw a bubble and write "my brain right now" inside it, then put dot points of everything I'm thinking about. That can be new business ideas down to booking a dentist appointment, my daughter's things, putting a wash on everything. Then I can filter my thoughts from there to plan my day.

For someone who's never journaled or meditated before or finds it hard to open up to themselves where would you suggest they start?

When I first started, someone told me to put pen to paper and script-write everything coming to my brain as she asked five or six questions. You weren't allowed to let your pen leave the paper -you had to be constantly writing, just seeing what came out.

This could be the crazy thoughts in your brain, or it could literally be that your brain's gone blank and all you can write is "I don't know what to write" over and over. But the act of getting pen to paper and trying to connect the pen with your thoughts - aligning the two - that's the hardest part of journaling. Starting with this one-minute exercise is a great starting point.

Many women are constantly in "go" mode. Why do you think slowing down and tuning in is so powerful right now?

This is a big one for me because I am one of those women in go mode a lot of the time. But doing things like journaling and mindfulness practices that are short and sweet help me keep my cool, stay patient with my family and daughter, and keep things in perspective. Running a business, being a mom, being a partner, being a friend. It can get really overwhelming when everything piles up.

Even something like breathwork - just three rounds - does wonders to calm my energy and help me approach things with a clear head. I think it's so powerful right now because I've never wanted my energy to be more calm than right now. Being a mom, I would hate for my daughter to see me in a really stressed mode or not have time for her. I want to be in the best headspace I can to raise her as best I can.

How do you personally stay connected to your own energy while holding space for others?

This is a big one. I was struggling with this last year, especially in one-on-one spaces. People open up and share what's going on in their minds, which is amazing. I love the trust and conversations. But that can leave me thinking about everyone else's situations all the time, feeling quite tired and drained.

The way I stay connected to my own energy is by having someone to talk to myself. I just finished four months of mindset coaching, a lot of it around my own development but also about energy -reserving my own while holding space for others, using skills to cut ties to others' energy at the end of the day.

There are meditation and visualization practices I've worked on to do exactly that. If I have a serious conversation with someone - something horrible has happened or they're stressed - I can give them space and comfort, but when they leave, I can calm myself down and cut those ties so I can be present with my family when I finish work.

If you could leave women with one takeaway about body connection, it would be...

Movement is medicine. I could probably hear someone talk about literally anything going on in their body, and I'd say they need to do Pilates or really, movement in whatever way feels good for them.

It might mean a squat is only a quarter squat instead of a full squat, but getting your legs moving when they're tired, getting your spine moving when it feels sore. Just seeing the difference that even five minutes of movement can make is incredible.

Like doing roll-downs first thing in the morning. If you've slept funny and your back or neck feels off, doing three or four roll-downs standing on the floor next to your bed can set you up for such a good morning. You don't feel stiff anymore, you don't feel tight, you've already got the blood pumping a little bit. That would be my one suggestion for body connection and staying grounded in your body.

As our conversation came to an end, I couldn't help but admire Chloe's authenticity - her willingness to share the messy, imperfect parts of her journey alongside the victories. She's proof that you don't need to have it all figured out to make a meaningful impact. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is simply show up, create space for others, and trust that movement truly is medicine.

Her approach reminds us that wellness isn't about perfection - it's about connection, presence, and finding what feels good for your unique body and life. Whether you're taking your first tentative steps into journaling, trying Pilates for the first time, or simply learning to slow down in a world that never stops, Chloe's message is clear: start where you are, embrace the messy middle, and remember that failure is just success in disguise.

Ready to explore your own journey of movement and mindfulness? Follow Chloe's work Instagram: @pilates.with.chloe and discover how small moments of connection can create big shifts in your daily life.