Meet the Team
Valarie Bader - Personal Trainer
Valarie Bader blends mindful movement, mobility, and strength training with a genuine passion for helping people feel strong, confident, and capable at every stage of life. With a warm, supportive approach, she works with clients of all ages—specializing in postpartum support, injury recovery, and sustainable movement through aging.
Valarie holds certifications in Personal Training, Pilates, Barre, Yoga, and Nutrition, and draws from a diverse movement background that includes dance, breathwork, and restorative practices. Her sessions are designed to meet clients where they are, whether they are returning to exercise after pregnancy, recovering from injury or surgery, or seeking mindful ways to stay active and mobile long-term.
Outside of the studio, Valarie is a wife, mom of two teens, trained chef, master gardener, and self-proclaimed plant junkie. When she’s not coaching, you’ll likely find her tending to her greenhouse, spending time with her two French Bulldogs, or creating art in clay at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts.
Valarie’s mission is to create fun, functional, and restorative movement experiences that support both physical recovery and overall well-being—helping clients move better, feel better, and enjoy the process along the way.
Julie Dieterman - Certified Yoga Therapist
Julie Dieterman is a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) and RYT 500 with a passion for making yoga accessible, functional, and supportive for people of all backgrounds. Since beginning her practice in 2010, she has experienced firsthand how yoga can improve physical health, mental well-being, and self-acceptance, which inspired her to begin teaching in 2016.
Julie holds certifications in Yin Yoga, Chair Yoga, Reiki, and Y12SR (Yoga of 12-Step Recovery), in addition to her advanced yoga therapy training. Her work has included supporting high-risk obstetric patients at Corewell Health in Grand Rapids, cancer patients at Bronson Cancer Center in Kalamazoo, Memory Care chair yoga groups, and women’s addiction recovery retreats. She specializes in therapeutic approaches that emphasize grounding, mobility, and relaxation techniques to relieve tension, stress, and anxiety.
Today, Julie focuses on guiding both groups and individuals through yoga and mobility practices that complement their lifestyle, training, and overall health. Her mission is to create safe, inclusive, and sustainable practices that help people move more freely, reduce pain, and experience the physical and emotional benefits of yoga in a way that meets them where they are.
Garrett McLaughlin - Owner, Athletic Trainer
Garrett McLaughlin is a licensed athletic trainer, running coach, personal trainer, and certified Active Release Techniques (ART) provider with a passion for helping people move better, recover faster, and train smarter. He is the owner of Pure Movement, a space he created to bridge the gap between rehab and performance by offering personalized, science-based coaching for those who want more than just a generic workout plan.
Garrett earned his B.S. in Athletic Training/Sports Medicine from Quinnipiac University and an M.S. in Physical Education: Sport and Fitness from Florida International University. His knowledge has been shaped by working alongside leading professionals in the field—completing internships at the University of Maryland, NC State, and the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, and providing sports medicine coverage at elite events like the Boston Marathon and USTA Dunlop Orange Bowl.
Since 2011, Garrett has used his sports medicine background to create safe, effective programs for runners, athletes, and active adults—especially those with a history of injury. His services blend strength training, mobility work, and movement retraining to help clients overcome pain, restore function, and achieve long-term success. He places a strong emphasis on quality of movement to promote resilience and longevity.
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