Move. Think. Speak. Rewire.
Rise and Rewire: Parkinson’s Bootcamp
Combining brain-based exercise, music therapy, voice training, and cognitive training to help people with Parkinson’s get stronger, sharper, and louder — all while having fun.
A collaboration of:
Our Next Offering Coming:
March 30th to April 10th
Hosted at Nexus Fitness in Homewood, Alabama
Welcome to Rise and Rewire: PD Bootcamp — a 2-week intensive program designed to boost mobility, voice, and thinking skills through:
PWR! Moves® based exercise therapy — functional, adaptable movements targeting Parkinson’s symptoms like rigidity, bradykinesia, and balance.
Neurologic Music Therapy — evidence-based use of rhythm, music, and instruments to improve walking, coordination, cognition, and speech.
Speech Therapy techniques — helping sharpen thinking skills and strengthen voice fluency and volume.
Led by a team of specialists, this program is challenging, fun, and science-driven and grounded in neuroplasticity to help your brain and body work better together.
Meet the team:
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Vanessa Kaczmarek, PT, DPT, NCS
Vanessa Kaczmarek, PT, DPT is the owner of Neuroactive Therapy and Wellness, a Board-Certified Neurological Clinical Specialist, and a PWR! Moves® Certified Physical Therapist with over 12 years of experience working with individuals with neurological conditions, including those with Parkinson’s disease. She is passionate about promoting neuroplasticity through exercise and functional movement, helping people improve mobility, confidence, and quality of life through evidence-based, specialized care.
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Hannah Oakes, MT-BC, NMT™
Hannah Oakes is a board-certified music therapist and the owner of Rooted Music Therapy, specializing in Neurologic Music Therapy® (NMT). She works extensively with individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, using evidence-based, music-driven techniques to improve movement, speech, and overall quality of life. As part of her clinical work, Hannah leads a Parkinson’s Choir in Birmingham, helping participants strengthen their voices, enhance communication, and connect with others through music.
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Jill Canary, M.S., CCC-SLP
Jill Canary, M.S., CCC-SLP, is the owner of Concierge Speech Birmingham and an LSVT LOUD® certified speech-language pathologist who helps people with Parkinson’s strengthen their voices and sharpen their communication skills. She has extensive experience supporting clients in speaking louder, clearer, and with more confidence. Jill is dedicated to providing personalized, in-home therapy that empowers clients to thrive in daily life.
Are you ready to fight back against Parkinson’s symptoms—like stiffness, slowness, or changes in speech—while having fun in a supportive group?
Do you want to feel stronger, sharper, and more confident through movement, rhythm, and voice?
Rise and Rewire: PD Bootcamp is a unique 2-week program designed to challenge both your body and your brain while giving you tools you can carry forward into daily life.
Through high-energy PWR! Moves® exercise, neurologic music therapy, speech and voice training, and dual-task challenges, participants will:
Improve mobility, strength, balance, and coordination
Enhance voice volume, fluency, and communication
Sharpen thinking skills and focus through cognitive-motor training
Learn strategies to promote neuroplasticity and slow symptom progression
Gain confidence to move better and live more fully
In addition to exercise sessions, participants will enjoy educational talks on Parkinson’s wellness topics and receive pre- and post-bootcamp testing to track progress.
With only a short time commitment — 6 group sessions, 6 wellness lectures, and pre/post testing — you’ll walk away with new skills, improved function, and the motivation to keep moving forward.
What past participants say about Rise and Rewire:
“I would recommend this program to anyone else with Parkinson’s who wants to kick-start or reinvigorate their efforts to fight this disease. We all need encouragement as we travel on this journey together. Rise and Rewire provided that along with some tools to continue the fight long after the program was over.”
“My strength, voice, and self-esteem have all improved—I feel more confident joining conversations.”
“The interaction with other Parkinson’s patients helps a great deal. Community is important.”
“After completing the series, I noticed an increase in the loudness of my voice and a decrease in stuttering. In fact, after the first day of applying the deep breathing techniques, I could speak without stuttering for the first time in a long while. My speech is not perfect, but now I am much more confident when I speak. I also saw improvements in physical function. Specifically, I improved on my ability to dual task as well as improvement in balance..”
“[Rise and Rewire was] energetic, organized, and fun”
“What stood out to me the most about Rise and Rewire was the program’s unique approach to seamlessly integrate a series of exercises designed specifically for Parkinson’s patients that made strength and stability exercises, as well as speech and cognition training, fun by using music to further stimulate neurologic activity.”
“The combination of the three made me realize how connected they are to my wellbeing. Music especially helps me find a rhythm.”
Why Rise and Rewire?
Why a bootcamp?
Because the brain learns best with intensity, repetition, and consistency. Instead of waiting weeks to see results, an intensive approach jump-starts progress by challenging your body, voice, and mind every session. That means faster improvements, stronger carryover into daily life, and lasting brain change.
What makes Rise and Rewire unique?
Rise and Rewire: PD Bootcamp brings together a powerhouse team of clinicians with expertise in helping people with Parkinson’s Disease: a Board-Certified Neurological Clinical Specialist & PWR! Moves® Certified Physical Therapist, a Neurological Music Therapist, and a Speech-Language Pathologist certified in LSVT LOUD®. This collaboration targets movement, voice, and cognition all at once — helping you make real, lasting changes through neuroplasticity.
Why PWR! Moves® with a Physical Therapist?
PWR! Moves® is a Parkinson’s-specific exercise framework that targets Parkinson’s symptoms through functional, high-repetition exercises—helping your brain and body rewire for everyday activities. Physical therapists are movement experts who also understand the underlying pathophysiology of conditions such as Parkinson’s. Having your exercise led by a physical therapist means every movement in targeted specifically at PD related deficits and can be modified to keep you safe and help you get the most out of each exercise.
Why incorporate music therapy with exercise?
For people with conditions like Parkinson’s disease, the steady beat in music gives the brain a timing cue, making it easier to start, keep going, and stay steady while moving. Music can also be used to strengthen the voice and improve speech, helping people communicate more clearly and confidently. Over time, practicing movement and speech with music can help the brain build new pathways, which supports better mobility, stronger voices, and an overall improved quality of life.
How will speech therapy be incorporated?
While physical strength and movement are essential in Parkinson’s care, communication and cognition are equally important for maintaining independence and quality of life. By targeting voice, participants will practice speaking louder and clearer, making everyday conversations less frustrating and more successful. Cognitive challenges keep the brain active and adaptable, supporting memory, attention, and problem-solving. Together, these activities ensure participants leave the boot camp not only physically stronger but also more confident in their ability to connect, communicate, and thrive in daily life.
What are the educational wellness sessions?
We want to arm you with knowledge that will help you to live well with Parkinson’s. So not only are we giving you practice and tools to continue to reduce symptoms that cause changes in your movement, voice, and cognition, but we are also providing sessions based on wellness topics such as nutrition, mental health resiliency, and best recommendations for continuing to thrive with PD.
Wellness Topics to be announced soon!
Learn more
Rise and Rewire is designed to jumpstart your ability to manage symptoms and slow disease progression. Learn about the structure of this unique program:
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This program is designed for people living with Parkinson’s disease who are ready to challenge themselves in a safe, supportive, and fun group environment. Participants must be able to:
Walk without an assistive device
Stand up from a chair without help
Get on and off the floor (you may use a chair for support)
Tolerate 1 hour of physical activity
We recommend consulting your physician before registering to ensure the program is right for you.
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While this is a group event, we want every participant to have individualized attention and support. We are capping registration at 12 participants to give everyone the best experience possible.
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March 30th to April 10th
Classes are on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
Time: 1:30pm to 3pm
Each session includes a 1 hour session of exercise, music, cognitive and voice training and 30 minutes of wellness education on a different topic each session.
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Nexus Fitness
187 Oxmoor Road
Homewood, AL 35209Nexus is providing us with an open indoor space to host this program so we have room to move and rewire while it is still cold outside.
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Registration is $500 for the entire program. This includes individual pre/post testing, all 6 expert led sessions, and wellness-based education sessions that will arm you with tools to continue to improve your health well past the end of the program. Less than $85 a session for expert PD care—unmatched value.
Payment is due at time of registration.
If you are interested in the program and this cost would be a financial hardship, the Parkinson’s Association of Alabama has scholarships available. Contact us for information on applying for a scholarship.
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Because spots in the bootcamp are very limited, registration fees are non-refundable. However, if you are unable to attend, you may transfer your registration to another participant. We understand that unexpected life events happen and will refund if there is a documented family or medical emergency.
Have questions?
We can’t wait to tell you more!
Fill this out if you are ready to register or would like us to reach out to you to answer any questions.