THE PARKISON"S EMPOWERMENT PLACE

Our Mission

The Parkinson’s Empowerment Place is a 501(c)(3) organization aiming to provide a fun, safe, and supportive environment to empower people living with Parkinson’s disease to maximize their healthspan, improve their quality of life, and build community by participating in PD specific group exercise classes, educational opportunities, support groups, functional skills training, and therapeutic activities, including those provided in one-on-one physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy sessions.

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PD Specific Group Fitness Classes

Support Groups and Community Events

Skilled Therapy & Wellness Sessions

The Parkinson's Empowerment Place is
more than just a gym or therapy clinic--it is a place for community!

"Finding this community and being able to do these classes has been the best thing to happen to me since my PD diagnosis."

-- Jim C.

Our Story

The Parkinson's Empowerment Place has its roots in Rock Steady Boxing MAPS @ Charm City, the boxing class started by Patty Wessels, PT and Coach Pilar Benassi in 2017. Special thanks to Wendy Quitasol of Mind Body Physical Therapy for helping us launch and to Maryland Association for Parkinson Support for subsidizing our program since 2019 and making our boxing classes absolutely free for people with PD.

Within our boxing gym a real community has developed and it has been an amazing journey. In the fall of 2025 one of our boxers, Monica Casimiro and a friend, Larry Fishel was encouraging us to do more with our program. The Parkinson's Empowerment Place is how we move forward with a broader mission that goes beyond boxing to includes a larger variety of PD specific exercise offerings, more community activities, wellness services, and much needed multi-discipline therapies. We hope that skills developed in one-on-one therapy sessions will connect back to the community fitness programs to allow for a better continuum of care over one's lifespan. Likewise, we'll build a resource hub for people with PD and their families by partnering with local businesses to link our members to the goods and services they may need to maximize their healthspan. We are striving to be A POWER PLACE for our community members!

About Parkinson's Disease

PD is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that impacts movement due to the dopamine producing part of the brain not making enough neurotransmitter. Typically symptoms develop slowly and by the time of diagnosis, it is estimated that up to 70% of the dopamine producing cells in the substantia nigra are compromised.
There are both motor and non-motor symptoms that can be present, but not everyone with PD will have the same issues; there is great diversity in how PD presents and progresses.

While the cause is still not fully understood, treatments include medication and sometimes surgery.
Exercise is important as it improves one's movement quality and can slow the progression of the disease.

>6000

Baltimore City and County residents live with PD

372K

Studies about the beneficial effects of exercise and PD

100%

Of our members participate in regular exercise programming to help manage their PD symptoms

Functional HIIT

Functional fitness meets high intensity interval training in this group fitness circuit class meant to build both cardiovascular endurance and muscular strength.

Better Balance

Training balance strategies and reactions is important and this class is all about getting better at staying safe and being comfortable moving through your world.

PWR!Moves

Parkinsons Wellness Recovery or PWR!Moves classes are exercises for brain change and tailored to help improve functional movement quality and amplitude.

Rock Steady Boxing

Our non-contact boxing fitness class has been running since 2017 and now offers three levels of multimodal exercise programming to fight PD symptoms.

Group Fitness Classes

Even more...

Tai Chi, Yoga, Dance, and exercise classes for care partners will be added as we grow.

Brain Body Games

A mixed level class that will challenge both your brain and your body while having fun!

Pilates & Posture

Pilates mat work as presented in this class will focus on helping you find and sustain better postural awareness while building your core strength and endurance.

Fighting FOG

Freezing of Gait is one of the hardest PD motor symptoms to manage and this class is designed to help you practice weight shifting and big amplitude stepping.

Support Groups

Peer-to-Peer

This unmoderated support group is for anyone living with PD.

YOPD

Young onset PD comes with its own challenges and this group is for you to connect and share with folks also diagnosed before the age of 50 yo.

Newly Diagnosed

Being newly diagnosed with PD comes with many questions and emotions and this group is meant to help you navigate your early journey and to have a safe place to ask questions and find resources.

Care Partners

Loving someone with PD and taking care of someone with PD can be challenging--this moderated support group is for spouses and care partners to be able to connect with each other.

Skilled Therapies

One-on-one sessions with a licenced health care professional that may be billed to your health insurance provider while working on specific goals to address functional limitations and if ordered by your physician. Therapists certified in protocols including LSVT BIG and PWR!Moves are available.

Physical Therapy

Coming in September 2026

Occupational Therapy

Coming soon--NOW HIRING

Speech Therapy