Today we’d like to introduce you to Jo WeHunt.
Hi Jo, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I’ve always known I wanted to be on the preventative side of healthcare—I just wasn’t sure where I fit.
Growing up, I experienced a lot of health challenges, and by my teenage years I had already begun learning about holistic health. I went to school for microbiology with my heart set on becoming a physician, making it all the way to medical school interviews before realizing that path wasn’t meant for me.
A few years later, I was working as a prosthetic device sales representative, where I saw firsthand the consequences of a lack of preventative healthcare. By the time many people reached me, it was often too late. That experience sparked something in me. I knew I wanted to help people before they got to that point.
In 2020, I left my job and traveled the West Coast with my partner at the time while building my virtual personal training and yoga business.
Fast forward five years, and I now help people both in person and online reconnect with their bodies through Pilates, yoga, strength training, and mindful movement. Along the way, I created my own movement system, Merlates, which has its roots in water-based movement and pool training.
My mission is to help people reconnect with their bodies from the ground up—building awareness, strength, mobility, and resilience so they can move through life with less pain, more freedom, and a deeper connection to themselves.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road—laughs.
In the beginning, it was hard to get anyone to listen to what I had to say. I made countless posts, reached out to friends and family, and worked with anyone willing to give me a chance because I was hungry to learn, grow, and become better at what I do.
One of the biggest challenges I still face is changing people’s perceptions of movement. Many of us are taught that joint pain, stiffness, and the effects of aging are things we simply have to accept. I couldn’t disagree more. The human body is incredibly adaptable. We all have the capacity to evolve, improve, and reconnect with ourselves. You’re never truly stuck.
Like any entrepreneur can probably relate to, building a business takes an incredible amount of discipline, resilience, and belief in your mission. There were many moments when I couldn’t see the finish line, but I kept showing up anyway because I believed in what I was building.
To make the journey even more challenging, I was navigating my own spinal injury while growing my business. There were days when I was in significant pain with limited mobility, yet I still showed up for my clients while working to heal myself. That experience ultimately became one of my greatest teachers.
Today, I specialize in helping people with spinal injuries, hypermobility, chronic tension, and nerve pain reconnect with their bodies. My goal is to help them find freedom in movement, build resilience, and trust that their bodies are capable of healing, adapting, and becoming stronger than they thought possible.
We’ve been impressed with Jo du Jour and Merlates (TM), but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own a movement studio in North Austin, where I work with clients both in person and virtually through private and partner sessions. My goal is to help people reach their fitness and movement goals while building a deeper connection with their bodies from the ground up.
I’m also the creator of Merlates (Mermaid + Pilates—yes, that’s really where the name came from!), a movement system rooted in the water that can be practiced both in the pool and on land.
What sets my approach apart is that movement becomes more than just exercise. As you practice, you develop greater body awareness, release unnecessary tension, build strength, and learn to move more efficiently and confidently. My focus isn’t just on helping people work harder—it’s on helping them move better.
I work with clients of all ages, from children to older adults, and believe that everyone deserves movement that meets them where they are. No matter your starting point, my commitment is to help you build a lasting relationship with your body—one rooted in trust, confidence, and the freedom to move well for life.
What matters most to you?
My mission is to guide people back to themselves by helping them reconnect with their bodies from the ground up.
This work has completely changed my life. It has given me freedom in my body, confidence in my movement, and a deeper sense of peace and trust in myself. I truly believe that as within, so without. When we cultivate a stronger relationship with ourselves, it naturally transforms the way we experience the world around us.
The connection we build with our bodies is priceless because it’s something no one can ever take away from us. It becomes an anchor that carries us through every season of life.
As we move forward in an increasingly disconnected world, I believe reconnecting with ourselves is one of the most important things we can do. Through movement, we can deepen our connection not only to our own bodies, but also to each other, our communities, and the earth we call home.
I believe many of us are longing to return to something we’ve always known—a way of living that is more present, more connected, and more human. If I can help people rediscover even a small piece of that through movement, then I’m living my purpose.
Pricing:
- 1 hr for 1 person is $130 in person
- 1 hr for 2 people is $150 in person
- 1 hr for 1 person virtually is $100
- 30 min for 1 person in person is $75
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jodujour.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jo.du.jour?igsh=MWZ5ZW1lbms4NXd1ZQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1DRA2hzpu5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jo-jourdain-wehunt-4a1078b9?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@jodujour34?si=YVqfz7ux4GllrUXA
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/BPm8k5L6W8LUJod87?g_st=ic
