My name is Gaia Forlani, a neuroscientist specialized in sensorimotor, clinical, and movement neuroscience, a former professional ballerina, NSCA Certified Trainer and the creator of the Parkinson Power Protocol.

People call me the 'Parkinson Coach.' And here is why: movement has been the foundation of my life since I was four years old. I trained as a professional ballet dancer with the world's best, from La Scala in Milan to the Royal Ballet in London. Dance wasn't just my passion, it was my identity. But when I suffered a career-threatening injury, I faced the reality of losing the very thing that defined me: movement.

Rehabilitation was intense, but it taught me something profound. I not only regained control over my body, but I came back stronger, with a deep understanding of how to push through physical limits. That experience sparked a desire to understand movement on a deeper level, beyond the art of dance. That's why I chose to pursue a master's in neuroscience, focusing on movement and sensorimotor functions.

During my studies, I discovered the science behind movement, how the brain and body communicate, and how that communication can break down, especially in diseases like Parkinson's. I also discovered something even more personal: the devastating reality of people losing their ability to move. For me, it wasn't just a scientific problem; it was a human one. Movement had always been my gift, and seeing others lose it was deeply painful. I knew I had to help.

I witnessed first-hand what it means to live with Parkinson's. I also saw the limitations of current therapies. While movement is widely acknowledged as medicine, I realized something crucial: just like medicine needs to be administered in the right doses, with the correct intensity and frequency, so does movement. Simply moving is not enough. For it to be truly therapeutic, it must be structured, progressive, personalized, and monitored. That's the real medicine.

My mastery over movement and having the neuroscientific background to apply it to people with Parkinson's has made me the Parkinson's Coach. It has allowed me to approach Parkinson's care in a way few others can.

This is why I founded the Parkinson's Performance Centre and created the Parkinson Power Protocol. Movement isn't just medicine, it's a powerful tool for fighting back against Parkinson's, but only when it's structured, progressive, personalized and monitored.