Martha Carter, Founder & Director, RYT 200, BA Music, MFA Dance

Martha Carter is the founder and director of Twisted Outreach Project for Back Care and Scoliosis (TOPS), a Canadian-based non-profit that provides a range of holistic and creative approaches to working with back care and scoliosis. TOPS runs workshops, connects specialists, empowers individuals, builds community, and raises awareness. In 2012, TOPS created and continues to expand and maintain this resource-filled website and ongoing blog for people living with scoliosis.

As a therapeutic movement specialist for scoliosis and spinal fusions, Martha teaches Gentle Somatic Yoga for Scoliosis and Fusions for all ages and abilities online and in-person across Canada, the US, and internationally.

In 2013, Martha completed her Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, and in 2016 she travelled to attend medical classes at the Iyengar Institute (RIMYI) in Pune, India. She is a certified teacher of both Yoga for Scoliosis and Essential Somatics. She has also studied (and continues to enjoy explorations in) Pilates for Scoliosis, Energy Medicine, and Trauma Release techniques, which she weaves into all her classes to help participants with pain relief while enhancing their movement potential. She is forever grateful for the many insights she has gained by working with brilliant movement artists over the years.

In addition to extensive training and study, Martha’s expertise also comes from her own journey of balancing a love for dance with the realities of living with a surgically ‘corrected’ spine due to scoliosis. During her 30+ years of teaching, choreographing, and directing professional dancers, Martha was exposed to many bodywork and somatic disciplines that helped her find optimum mobility, while also teaching the importance of ‘ease’. Applying her life-long knowledge of dance with her understanding of scoliosis-specific exercises has allowed her to discover a new level of mindfulness that she brings to all her teaching.

Martha works with clients of all ages who struggle to understand their scoliosis (and other back conditions) as it shifts during different times of life - specifically in adolescence, middle age, and senior years. She teaches clients how to decipher their curves and twists, helping them to regain confidence and freedom of movement in the best way for them. Martha also conducts private consultations online, leaving students feeling rejuvenated - in body, mind, and spirit.

Martha lives on Vancouver Island with a beautiful ocean view, close to her large family including step-kids and grandkids. There, she strives to stay active and move every day - even on the hard days - because she understands all too well that if you don’t use it, you lose it.

To find out information about the Twisted Outreach Project Board Members, click here.

Our Team

We have a wide network of associates who are experts in their field and have a training and focus on scoliosis, and a relationship with TOPS whether large or small that has developed over the years. While a number of our associates offer workshops through TOPS, if you are interested in a private consultation with any of our associates, please book with them directly through the links below.