I Used to Work for Breathe Education. Here's What I'd Recommend You Do Next.

A personal note from Naomi Di Fabio, for anyone who was enrolled with Breathe Education in Mat, Reformer, apparatus (Barrels, Chair, Cadillac), the Diploma of Clinical Pilates, or as a Mentor Affiliate at the time of liquidation.

If you were one of BE's students, or a Mentor Affiliate at the time they sent out the notification of liquidation, I feel for you... You put your trust in people who let you down, and the whole situation sucks.

Now that you've had a chance for the news to sink in, and you've (hopefully) vented your frustrations, I wanted to write something useful around what can happen next, rather than simply being sympathetic.

I used to work for Breathe Education - in fact you may have seen me in your online learning content depending on which course you were studying - so I know their course content well, and it's part of why I do what I do now: I share their commitment to teaching current, evidence-based Pilates rather than sticking to out-dated ways of teaching.

Phoebe Heyhoe based in New Zealand, and another former Breathe Education teacher, is also on the team here at Fearless Fitness Training Academy.

One thing I do differently is to encourage each student to develop their own teaching style infused with their own personality - part of the appeal of different instructors and classes is the individual instructor. Knowledge, tools and frameworks give a solid foundation, but teaching and building connections as your own individual person is vital to make teaching Pilates - or any other movement modality - a long-term reality for you. I do not give you scripts or expect you to be copies of me, Phoebe or anyone else.

---

Breathe Education Pty Ltd, trading as Pilates Elephants & Breathe Education, passed a resolution to wind up the company on 20 August 2026. A liquidator has been formally appointed. The details from the ASIC are below.

Everything else, what happens to your training now, what you're owed, where you go from here, is still unfolding. I do not have all the answers, but what I'd suggest right now is slow down, protect yourself financially, and make your next decision from a clear head rather than a panicked one (especially with everyone now jumping on the bandwagon to 'help').

Who this is for

This is written for anyone who was enrolled with Breathe Education when they went into liquidation, wherever you are in the world and wherever you are in your course. That includes you whether you're doing Mat, Reformer, or apparatus training (Barrels, Chair, Cadillac/Trapeze Table), and whether you've completed everything and you're just waiting on a certificate, you're part-way through training, or you paid and haven't started yet.

One honest note before you read any further: if you're working toward the Diploma of Clinical Pilates, I want to be upfront that this is outside what I can help you with directly in terms of completing training, it's a different, clinical pathway to the training I teach. If you're doing Mat, Reformer, or apparatus training, that's exactly the territory I know well, and I may be able to help you get to the finish line. More on that below.

For Breathe Mentor Affiliates who had trainee teachers enrolled with Breathe Education, this information is also for you. If you'd like to discuss ongoing training needs for your studio, please reach out to me.

Liquidation and your money: what to actually do

"In liquidation" means a liquidator now controls the company's assets and is working through what it owes and what it can pay. It doesn't mean your money vanished into thin air, but it does mean you're now in a queue, and students who paid course fees upfront are typically unsecured creditors, which I understand is not a strong position to be in.

A few practical steps, in order:

Talk to your bank or card provider about a chargeback, sooner rather than later. If you paid by credit or debit card, most card schemes let you dispute a payment for services that were paid for but not delivered. There's usually a window for this, often measured in months from the transaction date rather than weeks, but it varies by country, by bank, and by how you paid. Call your bank, tell them the company that took payment has gone into liquidation, and ask what your options are and how long you've got. If you paid through PayPal or a similar service, check their buyer protection terms too, they often run on a separate timeline to your bank's.

Don't assume liquidation cancels your case for a refund. Even if a chargeback window has technically passed, or your bank says no, you may still be able to register as a creditor with the liquidator for the unused portion of your fees. It's a slower, less certain route than a chargeback, but it's not nothing.

Keep every record you have. Enrolment confirmation(s), payment receipts, emails, portal screenshots showing your progress. You'll want these for a chargeback claim, for a creditor claim, and, just as importantly, for the RPL section below.

I'm not a lawyer or a financial adviser, and none of this is a substitute for advice specific to your situation. It's worth a short call with your bank and, if you're not confident, a consumer advice service in your own country.

Before you choose a new provider: don't jump straight into it

I understand the instinct, you don't want the momentum, and there's probably no shortage of providers sliding into your inbox or your feed right now offering to take you on, but...

Take a breath before you sign-up for a new course.

Ask yourself why you chose Breathe Education in the first place. Was it the live online format, because you needed to train around a job, a family, a time zone that ruled out anything in-person? Was it their evidence-based, up-to-date approach specifically? A particular teacher, or the way they taught? Or, honestly, was it something that didn't actually suit you all that well, and this is a genuine chance to choose differently?

That answer should shape where you look next, and it also affects how straightforward RPL is likely to be, the closer a new provider's course matches what you already studied, the more of your prior work is likely to count for something.

A couple of things worth knowing as you look around: most providers don't actually offer a combined Mat and Reformer pathway the way Breathe Education did. It's usually one or the other as a standalone course, or a fully comprehensive classical apparatus programme covering Mat, Reformer, Chair, Cadillac, and Barrels from the outset. Neither of those is a straight like-for-like replacement for a combined Mat and Reformer course, so it's worth knowing that going in rather than assuming you'll find an identical structure elsewhere.

The second is that Breathe Education were not offering an accredited training course (they did in the past but moved away from it) which means that accredited courses will likely have other content not included in the BE course which you would need to complete. In addition to a Fearless Fitness Training Academy certification, I offer YMCA Awards Level 3 qualifications for Mat and Reformer (groups and one-to-one) which are Ofqual regulated courses in the UK. Some of the course content and assessments are dictated by the Awarding Organisation and therefore cannot be skipped to obtain the qualification - if that's the path you choose. You may of course opt for a provider certification rather than the regulated Level 3 qualifications.

Either way, resist any pressure to decide immediately. Make a choice that you are sure of, rather than rushing to get the cheapest and quickest option that's presented to you.

How much you've already done changes the calculation

Where you are in the course changes what your priority should be right now.

I'd put most students into one of four groups:

Paid but not commenced. You have the most freedom here, and potentially the least sunk cost (unless you paid up front) holding you back from choosing well for your goals rather than choosing fast. Your priority is likely the liquidation/refund process, not rushing into a new provider.

Commenced learning but no or limited assessment. You've done some of the learning but little has actually been formally assessed yet. Worth gathering your learning record regardless (see below), but don't expect much of this to translate into credit on its own, assessment evidence is what carries the most weight for RPL. It will likely mean you'll need to complete another course fully.

Partially assessed. You've had some assessments marked and passed. This is where properly collating your evidence matters most, it's the difference between starting again from scratch and picking up somewhere in the middle.

Completed all assessment but certificate not issued. You did the work, you were assessed on all of it, and you're just waiting on the paperwork. This is the group where it's most worth pushing to get formal confirmation of what you completed, in as much detail as possible, before that information gets harder to access. If you have completed the course, passed all the assessments and you have confirmation of that officially from Breathe Education, even without the formal certificate in the post, I would keep hold of the official confirmation and present it to official bodies (e.g. EMD in the UK), studio managers and insurance providers without necessarily feeling the need to obtain a certificate from another education company.

Don't lose the love for Pilates over this

None of this is a reflection on you, on whether you'd make a good instructor, or on Pilates itself. The course content was top notch and the trainers were always fantastic. Breathe Education closing down is a business failure. It isn't yours or the industry as a whole.

If you've spent the last few days in the What's App, Instagram and Facebook groups, venting, comparing notes, trying to work out what's actually true, that's completely understandable, and it's probably been useful, other students going through the same thing are often the fastest way to get real information and moral support right now.

But at some point it's worth stepping away from the thread for an evening. Go to a class. Do a home Mat or Reformer session if you have access to one. Remind yourself why you wanted to teach this in the first place, before you make any decisions about what comes next.

Gather your evidence now: exactly what to collate for RPL

Whatever you decide, and whoever you eventually train with, the single most useful thing you can do is build a complete, organised record of what you've studied and been assessed on as soon as possible. This is the paperwork that protects you and gives any new provider (including me, if you're doing Mat, Reformer, or apparatus work) something real to assess.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) done properly takes time and it's what any respectable Pilates education provider will do to ensure you have a complete training experience and meet all of their learning and assessment criteria. Unfortunately we cannot RPL simply on what you say you've completed without evidence, and "I've got to unit 10" won't mean anything to any other training provider.

There are three parts to RPL:

1. Your enrolment details

• Course or programme title, exactly as it appeared on your enrolment

• The date you enrolled

• The date you commenced learning

• The amount you paid

• Any enrolment confirmation or contract document

• Your expected completion date

2. A full record of the learning you've completed

Take a screenshot or download of your Breathe learner dashboard showing:

• Modules or units completed

• Lessons or topics completed

• Dates of completion, where available

• Any quizzes or tests completed

• Practical learning or workshops attended

• Live sessions attended

• Recorded sessions viewed

3. Assessment evidence

Pull together information for every assessment you've undertaken, not just the ones you believe you passed. Include written assessments, practical or video assessments, and anything with a formal outcome or grade attached, even a referral or a resit. A new provider assessing your paperwork needs the full picture.

Do this as soon as possible, while the portal and any admin contacts might still be reachable, rather than waiting until you've picked a new provider and need it urgently.

You may not have all of the information or meet requirements that another provider might have. For example, my course - along with many others - requires a certain number of logged hours for personal practice, teaching practice and session observations. Breathe Education did not require these logs so you likely don't have them. But you did do personal practice - so start logging the hours you did. You also practiced teaching friends, family members and peers throughout the course, so log those times too. If you've done any session observations, log those.

I prepared these documents for you to use to prepare your RPL applications to me and potentially other training providers. From the folder, double click on a file to open it. Then in the menu select file -> make a copy -> rename the file removing 'copy of' and adding your name. Then select your own Google Drive and save it. Adding in as much information as you can. Collect evidence for the learning and assessments you have completed, ready to share with me, or other training providers.

If you were in the process of Mat, Reformer, or apparatus training with Breathe Education

and you'd like to know what your options are to complete your training and assessment with me please complete this form. For other providers you will need to apply to them directly.

Because I know Breathe Education's course content and share their ethos around current, evidence-based teaching, I'm someone who actually understands what you've already learned and will be able to map much of the content across to my course.

I can't promise credit before I've seen your evidence, but I can tell you plainly what your options would be with me whether that might be working with your Breathe Mentor Affiliate to complete a small amount of work before assessments, or attending some online tutorials with me or Phoebe, or whether completing the whole course would be required for you to prepare for assessment and obtain a certificate.

If you're on the Diploma of Clinical Pilates pathway, I'd still suggest you gather your evidence using the framework above, it'll serve you well with whoever you do end up speaking to, I just won't be the right person to take that conversation further.

I would strongly advise you to be wary of providers offering a one-size-fits all approach to all former BE students with no actual training from a teacher, rather just access to recorded online content and an assessment. You are all individuals with individual circumstances and needs, so RPL will need to be tailored to you as an individual for you to have a successful outcome.

Quick answers

Is Breathe Education definitely closing down? The company has passed a resolution to wind up and a liquidator has been formally appointed, confirmed via an official notice with ASIC (Australia's corporate regulator) on 20 August 2026.

Can I get a refund from my bank if Breathe Education has gone into liquidation? You might be able to obtain a refund through a chargeback if you paid by card, though the exact rules and time-frame depend on your bank, your country, and how you paid. Contact your card provider directly and ask about disputing payment for undelivered services.

Will a new provider accept my previous Pilates training as credit (RPL)? It depends on your evidence and how closely your prior study matches the new course. Enrolment details, a full learning record, and assessment evidence for everything you attempted, not just what you passed, all help. No provider can promise credit before reviewing your actual paperwork, so gather it now rather than waiting.

I was doing Mat and Reformer together with Breathe Education, will I find that combination elsewhere? Many providers don't offer a combined Mat and Reformer pathway. Mat, and Reformer are usually one as a standalone course, or a fully comprehensive classical programme spanning Mat, Reformer, Chairs, Cadillac, and Barrels. Worth knowing before you go looking, so you're not expecting an identical structure.

I was working with a Breathe Mentor Affiliate to complete my Mat and Reformer training. Can you help me? Yes, the RPL process is the same. Complete the form providing the necessary details and I will review your circumstances and send you and the Breathe Mentor Affiliate some options.

Can you help me finish my training if I was doing apparatus work like Barrels, Chair, or Cadillac with Breathe Education? Potentially, yes. I know their course content and share their approach to evidence-based teaching, so get in touch and I can look at what you've completed.

Can you help me finish my training if I was in the process of completing the Diploma of Clinical Pilates?

Unfortunately this is outside what I can help with directly.

How much will it cost to complete my course with you? This depends on your individual circumstances and what pathway you choose (certification or Level 3 qualification).

The fee will start from GBP400 where very little input is needed outside of assessment and provider certificate is chosen. The more training and assessments that need to be completed, the greater the fee to cover costs.

I am not in the UK, can I still train with you?

Absolutely! We are set-up to run courses live online as well, although we cannot offer anywhere near the number of workshops that Breathe Education were able to offer across the week. So if you want to complete with us, you may need to make time in your schedule.

RPL Documents

RPL application form

Email Naomi

---

Fearless Fitness Training Academy delivers YMCA Level 3 accredited Pilates instructor training across the UK, in both in-person and live online formats, led by Naomi Di Fabio