“To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition… this is to have succeeded.”
I had fun contributing to VoyageHouston…
Today we’d like to introduce you to Melody Morton-Buckleair.
Hi Melody, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I always say: “Know what moves you, and you will move others.” My story is a winding trail of faith, fascia, and finding my way back home — to the body, to God, and to the land I now call Elmwood Place.
I started teaching Pilates over 20 years ago, before core work was trendy and long before Instagram made everything look easy. My interest wasn’t just in movement — it was in healing. I was drawn to how breath, alignment, and awareness could unlock stuck places in the body and spirit. What began as a career quickly became a calling.
But my path wasn’t all smooth riding. I survived a toxic marriage that left deep nervous system damage. I was raising two boys, running a business, and secretly unraveling inside. My healing didn’t begin in a clinic — it began with breath, fascia release, and surrender. I learned to listen to the body’s wisdom. I rebuilt my strength from the inside out. Bone by bone by bone.
Eventually, I took a leap and bought an old crumbling schoolhouse in Palestine, Texas — a property tied to my family legacy — and began restoring it into a movement and retreat space. I now split my time between The Good Space (my Houston studio) and Elmwood Place, where I host Conscious Contact® retreats for women, teens, and anyone needing to regulate, realign, and remember who they are.
The Pilates Cowgirl™ was born from that journey. It’s not just a brand — it’s my alter ego and my mission. I teach fascia-focused, faith-filled Pilates with a little yeehaw and a lot of nervous system science. My work blends movement, scripture, somatic healing, and humor. You’ll hear cues like “head to heel like steel” or “scoop that boot” — because science sticks better with a little rhythm and joy.
Today, I’m still riding — not just horses, but waves of growth, creativity, and redemption. I teach what I had to live. And I believe God designed our bodies with divine intelligence. When we tune in, we don’t just feel better — we remember who we are.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Has it been a smooth road? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not even close. It’s been a beautiful road — but definitely a bumpy one.
One of the biggest challenges was trying to run a business while living in different cities and even other countries. I’ve built this work while raising two boys, commuting between Houston and East Texas, and restoring a historic schoolhouse on family land. There were seasons I was holding it all together with duct tape, prayer, and a lot of deep breathing.
Hurricane Harvey was tough. But COVID? COVID nearly broke us. We flatlined overnight — all our business disappeared. No clients, no classes, no cash flow. And at the same time, I was going through a divorce. It was one of the darkest seasons of my life — personally and professionally.
What saved us was the team that stayed. Most people left and never came back, but the good ones — the ones with grit and heart — they stood beside me. And together, we rebuilt. Slowly, humbly, and with so much love.
Now, we’ve created something even stronger. What we lost forced us to grow deeper roots. That’s why the work means so much. It’s not just Pilates — it’s healing in motion.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
We’d love to learn more about your work. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc.? What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I’m a movement teacher, studio owner, retreat leader, and creator of The Pilates Cowgirl™. What I do — at the simplest level — is help people reconnect with their powerhouse. That deep core place where breath, strength, stability, and self-trust begin.
My teaching is rooted in classical Pilates, but it’s layered with years of somatic study, nervous system education, scripture, and life experience. I focus on how well you’re connected to your center — your powerhouse — and how that relationship impacts not just posture, but how you show up in life.
I talk a lot about fascia because it’s the fabric that holds us together, but it’s not my main focus. My work is about getting people to feel safe and strong in their own bodies again. I use playful, rhythmic cues — “scoop that boot,” “lift the root,” “head to heel like steel” — because when you laugh, you learn. Science sticks better when it’s joyful.
I’m known for creating spaces where people heal without having to talk about their trauma. They move through it. They breathe through it. They rewire themselves through consistent, conscious contact with their core.
What sets me apart is that I’ve lived the recovery. I’m not teaching theory — I’m teaching what saved me. My work is about reclaiming the body, restoring coherence, and rebuilding strength from the inside out.
I’m most proud of the community we’ve built — both at The Good Space in Houston and at Elmwood Place in Palestine. And I’m proud that my sons are growing up watching their mom lead with resilience, faith, and a whole lot of yeehaw.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is seeing life thrive — especially when I’ve helped nurture it. Watching horses graze on land I’ve tended. Seeing flowers bloom and trees grow that I planted with my own hands. My kids, healthy and laughing. Rescue animals that once flinched now curled up and at peace.
But one of the deepest joys comes from watching people rise through movement.
Over the years, I’ve certified so many students in Pilates — and I’ve watched it change their lives. They come in uncertain, sometimes hurting, and they leave empowered. They fall in love with the system because it works. It heals. It reconnects them to their center — their powerhouse. And when that connection clicks? It’s like they turn the electricity back on inside themselves.
I’ve seen self-esteem rise, purpose awaken, and whole lives shift because someone got certified in a movement system that heals on every level — physical, emotional, spiritual. That’s what lights me up. That’s what keeps me going.
Creating. Planting. Empowering. I guess what makes me happy is watching something grow — a tree, a child, a horse, a business, a woman rebuilding herself from the inside out.
There’s a quote I love by Emerson:
“To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition… this is to have succeeded.”
That’s what happiness feels like to me — leaving something better than I found it, and knowing I helped light the way.
Right now, we’re running a Summer Passport Giveaway on Instagram — and it’s a fun way to try Pilates without spending a dime. Win two months of unlimited classes — completely free. To enter, just: Follow us on Instagram Like three posts Tag three friends That’s it! One winner will be drawn to receive a two-month unlimited class package — a perfect way to kickstart your core, connect to your powerhouse, and ride the reformer all summer long. Join the giveaway on Instagram: @thepilatescowgirl @elmwoodplacepilates We also offer private sessions, group classes, retreats, and teacher training — just DM us for pricing or a free intro consult.
Contact Info:
Website: https://www.thegoodspace.com
Instagram: @thepilatescowgirl
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melody-morton-1470629b/
