Our Team
Shellie Sakash, MS, PT, NCPT
Founder, Licensed Physical Therapist, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, Mentor
Shellie Sakash, Founder and Director of Sakash Health and Wellness, LLC, received her Masters of Science in Physical Therapy from Springfield College in the year 2000. She completed her comprehensive Pilates certification in 2002 and has since mastered additional specialized and advanced training in multiple manual therapy and treatment techniques. From 2000-2007, Shellie designed and implemented Pilates-based physical therapy programs for physical therapy businesses, serving as a consultant and mentor throughout the development process. She was also a Master trainer for Phipilates, a global Pilates teacher training and certification company out of Pittsburgh, PA.
In 2012, Shellie began Sakash Health and Wellness (SHW) traveling to patients homes to provide services as a mobile health and wellness business. In 2018, the first SHW brick and mortar studio opened in North Conway, NH. Shellie has been integrating her knowledge of physical therapy, manual therapy, Pilates, dance instruction and conditioning, breathwork, meditation, nutrition, self inquiry, and health coaching for over 24 years to create a holistic and unique approach that helps her patients eliminate pain, optimize their physical health, and stay active. Shellie’s mission is to help her patients, whether through rehabilitation or wellness-based physical therapy, to achieve a long and vibrant healthspan. We all want to live to 100 but only if we can maintain the physical health to do the things we love while getting there! Shellie’s physical therapy approach prioritizes patient education and self efficacy. She teaches a practical and accessible way for her patients to understand their body, to achieve a healthier mind/body relationship, and to then apply it to their daily practices. This education goes beyond just a list of exercises and multiple reps of 10. It allows clients to cultivate their own health by making better choices, to become intelligent movers, and to be resilient in life.
Shellie lives just outside of North Conway, NH with her husband, 2 daughters, and 2 cats. When she isn’t working to develop the business and help her team Shellie enjoys traveling, sailing, hiking, gardening, eating out, and of course doing Pilates.
Cheryl Bedan, MA, LCPC, LCMHC, NCC Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, Yoga Therapy Teacher, Pilates Teacher
Cheryl Bedan has worked in the field of mental health since 1999 in various settings and has helped patients across the lifespan. She uses Person-Centered and Cognitive Behavioral Therapeutic methods of counseling, as well as others, to support her patient’s. Cheryl believes that our emotions are manifested in our mind, body, and spirit. Her counseling approach is holistic and based on self-compassion accessing one’s inner wisdom to reach desired growth and healing.
Cheryl first discovered Pilates in1996 when looking for an exercise program. Having trained as a gymnast since an early age and becoming a competitive team coach, with body awareness and an understanding of anatomy, this form of movement education presented a clear path to health and well being for herself as well as her students and patients.
Cheryl earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Quinnipiac University and master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Fairfield university. Since then she has completed additional certifications in Craniosacral Therapy, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, and Pilates. Her Pilates training is with Polestar Pilates. Cheryl values the importance of ongoing education to meet her patients and client’s needs. When not working she enjoys time spent with family and friends, hiking, and being by the water.
Thais Charbonnet Lovering, MFA, LMT, NCPT
Licensed Massage Therapist, Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher
As a practicing Massage Therapist with a background in multiple therapeutic treatments, I have found that most pain comes from imbalances in our musculature, patterns in our movement, and a lack of internal body awareness. As I have experienced life in an aging body that carried and delivered two large babies, I have found the work of Joseph Pilates to be incredibly insightful and core changing.
Moving, as Pilates teaches, in a very focused way, while using the breath and sensing the small internal muscles, is fascinating. After a lifetime of sports, dance, yoga, and big body movement, I realized that I moved from my extremities, not my center. The opportunity to take my experience to the next level by learning to teach the Pilates method was a natural and joyful new step. My Pilates training was through PHIPilates. Teaching facilitates my own learning, since I benefit from all that a student brings to the table; in this way, we co-create health. Healing through movement reeducation is the best route to graceful aging and staying pain-free. I hope to help instill in clients new body knowledge that assists them to find their own way forward.
My life is full in beautiful Brownfield Maine! Our boys have grown and moved into their young adult lives in Colorado and Europe. I am a founding employee at Stone Mountain Arts Center, so I get to hear ALL the music. I was born and raised in New Orleans so having access to live music has really enriched my existence here. Healthy eating, long walks, socializing, soaking in my clawfoot tub, Kundalini Yoga, reading, Qigong, and Pilates are all pieces of my life as I practice living in the moment and extending my spine!
Alexandra Hansma
Pilates Teacher
Alexandra Hansma has been dancing since the age of three, with a focus on classical ballet. Her early dedication to the art form laid the foundation for a deep understanding of movement and the body. At the dance conservatory where she trained during her teens, Alexandra took extensive courses in anatomy, further fueling her passion for understanding the body’s artistry.
During her intensive dance training at the conservatory, Alexandra encountered challenges with spinal mobility, which led her to discover Pilates at the age of 17. This discovery became a turning point, allowing her to overcome physical limitations and continue to push the boundaries of her performance. She fell in love with how Pilates not only enhanced her own mobility and strength but also provided a comprehensive approach to physical well-being.
Alexandra’s Pilates training is with Polestar Pilates. She is committed to mastering the practice and sharing its benefits with others, including helping her clients improve their mobility, build strength, and explore the full potential of their bodies through mindful movement.
When not working or practicing Pilates, Alexandra enjoys traveling, hiking, skiing, playing board games, and eating good food.