A Moment of Truth
Melanie was wobbling in Tree pose, as if she hadn’t done it thousands of times over the past 20 years. Just lifting her foot off the ground was a struggle, never mind the fear that would have come if she tried to close her eyes.
That’s when her teacher Dina asked, gently but clearly:
“What is stopping you from doing that pose?”
Melanie didn’t answer right away. But she knew.
“It was fear. The fear of falling. Fear of what could happen if I turn my head and I fall over again. When your balance no longer comes naturally to you, you need someone like Dina. They don’t teach people (what she can do) in the medical health care industry.“ - Melanie
For Melanie, that moment on the mat wasn’t about balance. It was about trust. Trust in herself, trust in her body, and trust in her teacher.
Life Before Rouleau
Before Rouleau, Melanie was in recovery.
She had suffered a severe concussion in a motor vehicle accident. She had to go to neuro rehab to learn to walk a straight line and spent time in vision rehab. She used a walker for three months and was unable to drive for nine months.
This was a sharp contrast to the woman she had always been — a devoted yoga student with a strong practice. But now, the simplest activities felt impossible. She didn’t know where her body was in the room. She couldn’t trust it to do the things it used to do.
And when you can’t trust your body, everything narrows. Because in a case like this, the body simply will not tolerate anything it perceives as another risk to its survival.
Melanie didn’t just lose her balance, she lost her identity.
Finding the Work (and the Right Guide)
When Melanie was finally cleared to return to movement, she got away from the high tech machines and lab coated experts. She went back to Dina — someone she trusted, who cared about her well being and would help her see this through.
“I said to her, We’ve got to start from the beginning.” Melanie recalls. “How are we going to do this?”
What followed was a slow, steady rebuild through Rouleau— guided by Dina’s careful eye and supported by the Rouleau methodology. Dina created a container where Melanie could challenge herself in a safe way - microstep by microstep.
Unfortunately the majority of healthcare practitioners don’t have tools that can help extreme cases like Melanie’s. Which means people in dire need of help get shuffled from one practitioner to the next - try physiotherapy, try massage, try osteopathy, etc. All while their quality of life continues to degrade, waiting to see the new specialist with their next test results.
Restoring someone’s life the way Dina has isn’t just about releasing muscles restrictions and relaxing the body. Melanie would have to do her own reps, but Dina could help her make progress and reassure her when she felt down. Melanie had to prove to her body that terror which rose up at the slightest challenge was actually an overreaction.
And in this case, the only way to prove it was extremely simple drills, grounded in safety. Backed up by an understanding that the body is designed to heal and adapt - it just takes more time than most wellness practitioners know how to program for.
“I trust Dina’s guidance, and I know that if I listen to her and I systematically engage and turn on what she’s telling me—if I trust the process without trying to force it—I might not be successful today, but I’m going to see progress.”
For Melanie, that made all the difference.
Turning Points & Big Wins
Melanie reports she made more progress in six months with Rouleau than she had in an entire year of neuro rehab. She’s no longer afraid of falling at home or getting things out of her cabinet.
And the changes weren’t just in her body — they were in her relationship with herself.
“The sense of accomplishment, of not giving up. The days are gone where I’m just going to take whatever I can get and have to learn to be happy with that. I’m doing things that I really was terrified to do and would have been okay maybe not doing. But now I want to do more. Now I’m just like, "Okay, let’s keep this going." I’ve come a long way, and it’s helped me tremendously—just my quality of life."
These aren’t the gains of an elite athlete pushing the limits of human performance. But it is the victory of someone who’s regaining her sovereignty, instead of becoming another statistic in the Movement Crisis.
The Deeper Shift
For Melanie, the shift wasn’t just physical — it was personal.
When she first returned to movement, everything felt like a test. Was she ready? Was she safe? Would her body betray her again?
But somewhere in the slow, steady work of Rouleau, the fear began to soften. She stopped measuring herself against what she used to be, and started meeting herself where she was.
What began as rehab became reclamation. She wasn’t “getting back to normal.” She was discovering a new version of strength — one built on patience and trust in her body.
“I’m probably close to where I was before my injury. But that’s not good enough anymore! I want to keep pushing myself and challenging myself. It has been transformative, as far as being able to accept what’s thrown at me. And knowing that if you really apply yourself and you’re willing to listen, you can really accomplish amazing things. So I’m proud of myself. I’m proud that I stuck with it. And I love Dina for not allowing me to give up.”
That’s what Rouleau gave her. Not just her balance.
Her sovereignty. Her freedom. Her future.
Where She Is Now
Today, Melanie is still practicing. Still learning. Still surprising herself.
She moves with more trust, more steadiness, and more curiosity than she thought possible a year ago. And every week, she adds another layer — a little more reach, a little more ease, a little more belief in what her body can do next.
This isn’t a recovery story with a tidy ending. Walking the path of longevity never ends. But it’s a story about momentum — about what becomes possible when someone finds the right work, the right teacher, and the courage to begin again.And the truth is, Melanie is just getting started.
