09/18/2026
The Refinery Fitness Studio was forged in a passion for total wellness, human performance, and sustainable recovery. We are a mother-daughter duo dedicated to helping athletes, competitors, and busy professionals break through performance plateaus and overcome the physical toll of daily stress.
Our Story:
When I turned 40, years of balancing a demanding career and motherhood alongside the effects of long-term CPTSD took a heavy physical toll. Chronic stress began to make an appearance in my health and manifested as shingles, rashes, and high cortisol levels. Realizing my body was in survival mode, I turned to a holistic approach to workout recovery and began practicing yoga. In the quiet early mornings, I mastered the art of breath control, mobility, and intentional movement—dramatically reducing my stress responses, restoring my physical capacity. I later earned my and certification to help others optimize their health through intentional breathwork and yoga as a recovery practice.
At the same time, my daughter Karlie—a Division 1 track athlete—was battling bone fractures brought on by overtraining and inadequate nutrition. Unable to compete, she turned to Pilates to maintain structural strength and low-impact conditioning. By pairing a dedicated Pilates regimen with functional nutrition, Karlie fully rehabilitated her body, returning stronger than ever competing with excellence in marathons, Spartan Races, and Hyrox competition.
Today, The Refinery provides targeted Pilates and yoga programming in Grand Rapids, MI. Whether you are recovering from an injury, managing high cortisol, or looking to build functional strength and mobility to complement your endurance or strength training, we are here to refine your mind and body.
