A journey – on substack
From Ashes to Wholeness—A Story of Betrayal, Survival, and Reclamation
amber
I have come to understand that people only heal when they are ready to. That what heals me may not heal you, and that healing is never one-size-fits-all.
What I offer is a movement and meditation method — born from the transformative nature of dance and breath, and propelled by the magic of art, music, and energy.
This method has been my life’s devotion.
For 47 years, it has been my one and only work— built intuitively, organically, and patiently. And yet, here I am, beginning again. A wiser woman. A mother. A wife. Shaped by loss, by resilience, by the lessons of the past.
My greatest hope is that this methodology reminds people how to get out of their head, how to step out of their own way, how to forget what any of these shapes look like— and to remember how they feel.
Because this is the empowerment of the somatic experience: the healing that happens when movement becomes medicine.
My intention is simple, but it is everything: to empower others to see their own light. To remember that we are all inherently spiritual, each in our own unique way.
And perhaps what we are all seeking, beneath the striving, the searching, the struggle, is the same thing.
Love.
And the truth is this: you are the only one who can change the way you feel.
Amber Joliat is the founder of misfitmethod, a unique movement methodology that blends the strength and precision of Pilates, the fluidity and expression of dance, and the grounding presence of yoga—infused with the artistry of her fine arts background. A graduate of the Florence program at OCAD University (Ontario College of Art & Design), Amber has always merged movement and art into a singular, transformative experience.
She began dancing at age three, teaching by twelve, and went on to become the Creative Jazz teacher at the Canadian Children’s Dance Theatre from 1995–2002. Between 2002 and 2010, she trained and then taught extensively across North America, sharing her distinctive fusion of dance, yoga, and Pilates with studios and communities nationwide.
In 2010, Amber opened the first of several MISFITSTUDIO locations, building them into beloved wellness hubs over the next decade before all locations closed in 2020. Along the way, she created her signature misfitmethod teacher training in 2013, which she continues to offer today.
Amber has taught globally at festivals and conferences—including GOOP, Wanderlust, and lululemon events—and has hosted international retreats for over a decade, bringing her work to communities around the world. She has been featured in Vogue, Elle, and Toronto Life. Her work has been celebrated for its originality, artistry, and ability to connect body, mind, and spirit. She served as a lululemon ambassador for a decade, collaborated and partnered with countless creative companies, and built a video library of over 400 classes that continues to inspire a worldwide community.