“My name is Heather Hardy and I am a professional violinist , singer , songwriter based out of Tucson, AZ . 
I am a 54 year old woman that has been playing violin ... and piano as well, since I was 9 years old . 
Having fallen in love with my instruments and music at such a young age .... I have at this time ...played pretty much everyday for 46 years . 
I have a band and so along with the playing practice is required ... I am loading amplifiers and heavy equipment for every show I play . 
I’m telling you all this about me, so that you will understand the depth of the repetitive strain that my body has endured and continues to endure nightly ... as music is and has always been ...  my sole source of income.  When I began working with Arlene at the belly studio about 2 years ago , I was in a lot of pain , all the time.  Specifically my left wrist .... but also my left neck and shoulder.  Sleeping was interrupted nightly and I was scared to death of not being able to play my violin at some point in the near future . I had seen an Orthopedic specialist and she (having no compassion at all) told me that I had significant arthritis in my wrist and should start thinking about a new way of supporting myself. 
It was horrifying ..... I  have no other skills!!!!! .  And  much deeper was the fact that music is not what I do but ... who i am . And I can’t imagine a life without it.  I was truly scared. 
I walked into The Belly Studio and was greeted with Hope. 
Arlene started to study how I played and what a violinist goes through physically.  She assured me from the beginning that we could find ways to reset bad patterns and and stresses that had developed because of the way I live my life and use my body.  She did not ever say I needed to stop living my life the way I wanted, to or stop playing music.  We worked with the violin at times, she taught me many great self-care techniques.  Tools that I could take on tour. The Body Flossing  techniques are a priceless skill to keep all the aches that come with aging at bay and of course, for me, they have helped with the aches that come from playing the violin.  Arlene introduced me to myofascial release and great correctives to help my body reset. I had been trying every kind of body work for years.  They all helped in ways, but never got to the core of what I needed.  Arlene’s technique for working with the Fascia ..... was the missing piece to pain relief for me. .  I continue to play and practice ......as much or more than before .  Even while we were working to heal issues from playing.  I had to keep playing too because it is my livelihood.  She understood this,  and her treatment plan was unique to me, in order to support that . That’s how she works . So sometimes there have been large steps forward, that had to be repeated because I had played so many shows a particular week, but Arlene found ways to work around that.  She is a miracle worker.  I have experienced improvement in every part of my body.  I have been sleeping without pain, playing without pain.  And my fear that I would ever have to quit playing has been removed.   I now know that my body can be supported in ways to heal itself, correct bad habits and prevent injury from becoming chronic. Do I have aches at times, yes.  Shoot, I’m 54.  But I listen to them and have tools to heal them at my disposal.  It may be self-care I learned from Arlene ... or I have her wisdom at my disposal at our private sessions.  I cannot say enough good about The Belly Studio and the work they are doing .  It truly has saved my life.  And specifically Arlene.  I am a joyous violinist ... looking forward to many more years doing what I love to do, and Arlene Corcoran and The Belly Studio gave that gift to me.  ”

“Arlene is totally responsible for helping me achieve a state if health I never dreamed I would have again (after 2 very difficult surgeries in less than 6 months). I know I would not be able to do the types of activities I live to do without her help and encouragement.”

“I came to the Belly Studio 3 years ago for chronic shoulder pain. I had seen a bunch of doctors. They gave me pills, sent me to physical therapy and wanted me to have surgery. The physical therapy did not work, the pills made me ill and I refused to have surgery. I thought I was destined to live in chronic pain. I was willing to try ANYTHING but it still took me 3 months to get to the studio after I was given the recommendation. I kept thinking, “How can Pilates help me get out of pain?” I did not realize that Pilates originally started as physical therapy. It took Arlene 18 months to get me out of 5 years of pain. Now, we focus on Pilates and I am healthy and as strong as I ever have been. I recommend Arlene and the Belly Studio to all of my friends and anybody who is in pain and discouraged by the medical profession. Arlene is a master at what she does! To this day, I cannot believe that it took me so long to find the Belly Studio.”

“Before going to the Belly Studio I was in constant pain, and as a nineteen year old woman, this was troublesome. I had come to accept that I was constantly going to be in pain and attributed it to the fact that I am a competitive equestrian. Arlene proved this to be wrong and after only a few weeks of going to the Belly studio I was pain free. The Belly Studio has given me the skills I need to continue doing what I am doing, and still be pain free.”

“I’m a 22 year old male who was suffering from scoliosis, chronic back pain, tendinitis, anxiety, sleeplessness, and had a hard time reaching my fitness goals. Through working with Arlene my self confidence, peace of mind, focus, happiness, and energy have increased. Studying Pilates and Body Flossing with Arlene is an intimate experience. You feel like you’re her only client when in session with her. She pours over the details of your progress and shares in your recovery to an eased, neutral body.”

““I came to the Belly Studio to improve my posture and core strength. Not only is that happening, but my hip and back alignment are improving and my upper back pain is all but gone! I feel confident that I am going to get many more years of use out of the hip and probably avoid hip replacement surgery altogether. I am moving better in my everyday life.”

““I’m a semi-professional hand drummer. I’m also 54 so this has been challenging for my body, particularly my shoulders. Arlene is the only person out of a myriad of practitioners I have seen that has been able to get to the root cause of my 4+ year old shoulder problem and chronic pain. In addressing the whole body structure and movement patterns, she has helped me discover ways of using my body to actually protect my shoulders instead of injuring them every time I play. Now my ongoing workouts with her are focused on building an incredibly strong body.”