Testimonials

Over the years I have had the great honor of working with many different companies and students. Here are a few testimonials I hope you find helpful.

Lisa Smith
Wellness Program Manager - Alliance Data Systems

I have just completed a 12 class Tai Chi course taught by Chris Bouguyon at our company and can truly say that it has changed my life. In such a short time I have been able to notice an increase in the strength in my legs, an improvement in my balance and a peacefulness that I have not achieved during my regular exercise routines. I did not know what to expect from Tai Chi - most of my exercise has been through sports or typical cardio and weight
training workouts. However, since my knee surgery I had not been able to resume many of my regular exercises due to weakness and pain. I now feel that my knee is stabilizing and I'll soon be able to enjoy exercising without pain! I can't wait until our next session begins! Thank you Chris for your knowledge, patience and professionalism.

Follow up: Lisa is now back to a regular teaching schedule which includes Step, Aerobics and Toning classes

Chris McNabb - Intervoice

I wanted to give you some feedback regarding this last 6 weeks and my first
experience with Tai Chi. I had a blast! You are a fantastic teacher and
Tai Chi instructor. Tai Chi was something I had heard of, but I really did
not know what it was all about. I'll have to be honest with you, I was
pretty skeptical in the beginning. The only Martial Arts I have ever
studied prior to this was Judo. That was not what I expected, either. It
was a lot like wrestling. Anyway, I really enjoyed myself this past 6 weeks
under your tutelage. This is the perfect form of exercise for me at this
stage in my life. I like the mental work as well as the physical work.

I greatly enjoyed this class and the
instruction! I enjoyed your teaching style because your demeanor is calm and
soothing. You maintained a healthy balance between verbal instruction and
physical demonstration. You were never condescending and I don't ever
remember you being derogatory. These are excellent qualities of an
instructor. The class was positive and your comments were always
encouraging. I think the material was challenging, but not overwhelming.

Laura Henry - Alliance Data Systems

To treat the osteoarthritis in my shoulder, my doctor prescribed physical therapy and anti inflammatory drugs. While the pain was reduced and range of motion improved somewhat, it wasn’t nearly the improvement I’d expected. Then I heard about Tai Chi for Arthritis and I decided to try it. Not knowing anything about Tai Chi, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but my initial hope was that I could improve my range of motion. At first, I couldn’t do some of the moves very easily due to pain in my shoulder, but after about 6 weeks I began to see real improvements.

It’s now been 6 months since I began practicing TCA, and the results have far exceeded my expectations. I have very little pain in my shoulder and my range of motion has improved dramatically. I am now able to do the normal everyday things that I couldn’t do before. TCA has also improved my balance and strengthened my ankles and knees. Another benefit that I hadn’t expected was that I’ve been able to cut my anti inflammatory dosage in half.

Exercises recommended to open up my shoulder have also been beneficial and have given me much greater mobility. TCA has definitely been a positive experience for me, with an instructor truly interested in helping his students progress. I’d recommend TCA not only to arthritis sufferers, but to anyone interested in improving balance and/or strengthening muscles.

Follow up: Laura has now been trainign with me for over a year and has now regained over 90% of her original range of motion and is looking to become a TCA Instructor for SimplyAware!

Rabbi Peter S. Berg - Temple Emanu-El

Words cannot express our gratitude for helping make our Kallah 2003 a huge success. All of our goals could not have been achieved without your dedication and hard work. Everyone really enjoyed your Tai Chi session. The rabbis, staff at Temple, and the weekend co-chairs are grateful for all your creativity, energy, and enthusiasm.

Renee' Miller - Director of Oak Park Private School

Chris Bouguyon taught a Basic Self-Defense class for the teachers at our school about 2 years ago. Since it was only for one night, the focus was not on the hand-to-hand combating portion of Self-Defense, but rather about being aware of our surroundings at all times and thinking on your feet. Something to always remember is that it could happen to you. I think as a society we tend to think it only happens to other people and Chris helped to remind me that it could happen to me. The information that I took away from the class is information that I use even today. I would highly recommend Chris Bouguyon as an instructor of self-defense. He is very patient and more then willing to answer any and all questions you may have. He is very passionate about self-defense and it shows in the manner in which he teaches.

Craig Haptonstall
Vice President Leadership Development and Learning
University of Staubach - Training and Technology
The Staubach Company

We utilized Simply Aware's Intuitive Defense Program, to elevate our employee awareness of personal safety during the holiday season. A time when we are the busiest, hence the most distracted when it comes to personal safety. Our employees found the sessions interactive, engaging and relevant. The instructor was personable, knowledgeable and approachable. This session can be a wise investment with many positive returns.