My Journey
Fitness has always been a big part of my life. As a former competitive Gymnast, Gymnastics Coach, and Collegiate Diver, I loved flipping across the floor, being part of a team, and meeting my own individual goals. However, there was also a lot of frustration that seemed to come along with my joy... No matter how hard I worked, injuries seemed destined to follow me; broken bones, tendonitis, and lots of joint pain. My body wasn’t recovering and I was in constant pain. I decided with guidance from a physical therapist and my parents to end my journey as a competitive gymnast. This decision came with devastation but also a desire to move forward, to change, to pivot.
Pivot is what I did, I was selected for a mentorship program to learn to coach gymnastics. I was thrilled! The transition from Gymnast to Coach was pretty seamless, I enjoyed every aspect of coaching, from guiding students through new skills, encouraging them to keep trying, and watching them perfect their skills. I have coached all ages and many different levels of gymnastics over 25+ years. During my time at Salem State University, I discovered a new sport that I could do despite my history of injuries, collegiate diving. It was such a great experience, it gave me the opportunity to be part of a team again, to create long lasting friendships, and even meet my husband along the way.
I graduated from Salem State University with a degree in Communications. After graduation I made the tough decision to leave coaching, to start my communication career as an office manager. Soon came marriage, children, and the decision to stop working and be home with my children. Life was extremely hard at this point, our family discovered that both of our children were on the Autism Spectrum and had significant learning disabilities that required a tremendous amount of support. I began to struggle with my own physical and mental health. During this time an old diagnosis of an autoimmune disease, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis was flaring. Exercise was challenging due to injuries in my spine, shoulder and hip, along with debilitating migraines. I was exhausted from being in pain and stressed from trying to manage care. I had visited countless doctors, physical therapists, pain specialists, and dietitians. I left feeling confused, overwhelmed, frustrated and still in pain. I asked myself the question.. What's next… What can I learn… Who can I talk to...
A close friend suggested I become a Personal Trainer, which is exactly what I did. I then reached out to an old friend who worked in the fitness industry. He became my mentor, guiding me through my new profession and supporting me on my own fitness journey. Our knowledge as personal trainers together created the perfect team, working together we started to physically put me back together one puzzle piece at a time. Physically, I was making good progress but there was more work to do. I reached out to a myofascial therapist to address tissue restrictions, this choice had a profound impact on my journey. My myofascial therapist helped me discover that I needed to take care of the physical and emotional pieces of myself first. If I didn't stop, slow down, and let myself heal. I wouldn’t be able to support my family or my clients, and the pain would continue. I am happy to report that I am healing!
I have learned, it is possible to exercise without pain. I realized seeking help from others is a good thing, and knowledge is empowering! I share my personal journey in hopes that individuals with all different life struggles will feel less alone and seek out help. I want my story to empower you to ask questions, gain knowledge and think about fitness and nutrition in a different way.