Patricia
Corrigan Culotti
Patricia Corrigan Culotti, BSA, CTI, ACTF is co-founder of Enhancing
Balance and consults with local hospitals and health care organizations
to introduce and integrate ancient healing arts into mainstream
medicine. Pat has been teaching and studying traditional Yang style
tai chi and qigong since 1977. She has taught tai chi to diverse
special populations, including Parkinson’s patients and the
frail elderly, through Aurora Health Care Systems, Covenant Health
Care, ProHealth, and Adaptive Community Approach Program in the
southeastern Wisconsin area. Her understanding of architectural
design, structure and anthropometrics, gives her a unique ability
to work with human body mechanics.
Pat has received certifications to teach from recognized Tai Chi
Masters. She is also a certified Range of Motion (ROM) Dance instructor.
Her ability to train and certify health care professionals in Tai
Chi Fundamentals (TCF) comes from her Advanced Instructor Certification
in this discipline. Pat also models Tai Chi postures for Tai Chi
Mind and Body by Tricia Yu (DK Publishing, London).
Pat and Tricia Yu have collaborated to develop the TCF professional
certification training program. Pat has conducted professional training
seminars for PT’s, OT’s and other health care professionals
in the Milwaukee area since 2002. These seminars have been sponsored
by Aurora Health Care and Commonwealth Medical group. She has also
co-taught with Tricia Yu at numerous TCF professional training retreats.
In 2004, she assisted with the TCF pre-conference training at the
American Physical Therapy Association’s Annual meeting in
Chicago, IL. Pat conducts professional training seminars for TCF
certification every spring and fall in the Milwaukee, WI area.
Pat teaches the Tai Chi Fundamentals program at a variety of locations,
including as an adjunct instructor for health professionals at the
Wisconsin Institute of Wellness and the Wisconsin Athletic Club
University. Most recently, Pat has presented the Tai Chi Fundamentals
program at the first annual Integrated Medicine Conference hosted
by Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee and repeatedly at the Waukesha
Senior Lifestyles Conferences. Other organizations which have requested
her presentations, include: the Association for Integrative and
Complementary Medicine at the Medical College of Wisconsin, Aurora
Stroke Survivor Group, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Arthritis
Foundation, United Health Care, Institute of Beauty and Wellness,
Aurora University, Friendship Village, Alexian Village and Luther
Haven Senior Living Centers. She is frequently asked to participate
in health and wellness fairs.
Culotti’s expertise is in teaching students, of differing
skill levels, how to integrate mind-body practices into everyday
life.
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Current
research shows that the practice of T’ai Chi can improve balance
and reduce falls, lower blood pressure, reduce stress and enhance
immune function. It is a non-impact, moderate intensity cardiovascular
exercise for people of all ages and abilities. T’ai Chi programs
have been used for balance dysfunction, orthopedic problems, pain
management, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, arthritis, post-surgical
patients, stress-related conditions, the frail elderly, and for
chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia and other auto immune disorders. It
is one of the few exercise systems that can be done by almost anyone
with a multitude of benefits— including improving posture
and teaching proper body mechanics for many practical uses and sports
applications. T’ai Chi Ch’uan is also the “supreme”
martial art for conflict resolution and true self defense —teaching
the ability to “know” oneself first.