I didn’t plan to start over. I just needed to breathe again…

After my divorce, I walked away from everything — my studio, my structure, my identity. I was exhausted. Grieving. Numb. For the first time in years, I had no answers — just a body that felt broken and a nervous system that couldn’t settle.

But the one thing I still had was teaching. So I went back to the reformer, not because I felt strong, but because it’s the only thing that ever made me feel real. I taught what I needed to remember — how to breathe, how to be present, how to come back to myself. It wasn’t glamorous. It was raw. But it saved me.

That’s how Conscious Contact began. It didn’t start as a program or brand. It started as breath. As one woman choosing to lead her class while she rebuilt her own life. Over time, it became a way to help other teachers who had lost their voice or confidence — women like me, who were burned out, doubting themselves, and carrying too much.

Conscious Contact gives instructors a single, unforgettable experience — one that shows them how to lead with calm authority. It’s based on the idea of the alpha mare in a herd — not the loudest, but the most grounded. The one the others trust. I thought: Why can’t we use that same experience to help instructors earn trust and respect in the studio? That’s what I started teaching.

I’ve been in this work for over 20 years. I’ve taught hundreds of instructors. I’ve been told I wasn’t good enough, that I didn’t belong at the front of the room. But I kept going. I kept teaching. Because this is the work I was born to do.

People sometimes call me a Pilates preacher — always talking about breath like it’s sacred. Maybe that’s true. I believe breath is what brings us home to ourselves. It’s what helped me survive. And now, it’s how I help other women find their voice again.

Pilates isn’t just core work. It’s how we reclaim our bodies. It’s how we rise. It’s how we remember we’re still here — wild, strong, and free.

Breathe. And ride.

About the Author:
Melody Morton-Buckleair is a classical Pilates educator with over 20 years of experience. She founded The Good Space Pilates in Houston, TX and Elmwood Place Pilates in Palestine, TX. She ran Peak Pilates® certification programs for years and now teaches her own leadership method, Conscious Contact™, to help instructors regain their confidence, presence, and power. She’s also the creator of The Pilates Cowgirl™ lifestyle brand, blending strength, spirit, and freedom into everything she teaches.

Melody Morton-Buckleair
@thepilatescowgirl | @elmwoodplacetx
ElmwoodPlaceTX.com | TheGoodSpacePilates.com
Instagram: @thepilatescowgirl and @elmwoodplacetx
Website: ElmwoodPlaceTX.com