The Domains of Wellness

Emotional Wellness provides us with a feeling of inner peace, the confidence we need to achieve our goals, and the ability to exist in a general state of relaxation. Through coaching, you will learn how to address your problems directly instead of avoiding them, how to prioritize and make time for your emotional wellness, the importance of being mindful, and how to stay focused on your goals even in times of stress or conflict. It is important to note the distinction between coaching and in therapy. In therapy, we learn why we are feeling anxious, depressed, or otherwise unwell by working through our past experiences and learning how they shape our thoughts, feelings and behaviors today. In coaching, we focus on the here and now. We learn what is preventing us from achieving wellness today, and create step-by-step plans to make small changes to address our problems and continue moving forward, even when life seems to keep pushing back at us. Coaching is a great next step for people who have already undergone traditional therapy but feel as though they still would benefit from outside support to continue making progress and achieving new goals. It is a great first step for everyone else who is seeking guidance and support to make changes, achieve new goals, improve their focus and concentration, and become the best version of themselves possible!

For some of us, "work is work." And that can work! But for many of us, fulfillment and happiness in our careers is of critical importance. When we consider how much time we spend working, it makes sense that the happier we are with our work, the happier we will be in other areas of our lives. Changing careers, especially in our current climate, is often an anxiety-provoking and difficult process. We may not have many people to talk to about it, or we may not have people who truly understand or appreciate our unique career needs, or why we would consider changing jobs or careers. Too often the people closest to us simply cannot be neutral enough to support us in a problem-solving approach. They may be afraid to say something that may offend us or hurt our feelings, or may be placing their own fears or hesitations about change onto us. Coaching provides us a neutral space to explore options without the pressure of "word getting out at the office" and with someone who understands the unique pressures of moving through career fields in a difficult climate. Coaching is also valuable for those who are not looking to change careers, but are struggling with juggling work-life balance, experiencing difficulty accomplishing work tasks due to disorganization or fatigue, or are experiencing burnout and are unsure what the next step may be.

Physical wellness is more than just eating well and trying to exercise, or an absence of disease. It is also a sense of respect for our bodies, and a deeper understanding of the connection between our physical health and our level of functioning in the other domains of wellness. Coaching can help people find the balance between physical activity, recuperative rest, relaxation, and nutrition. When we are chronically sleep-deprived or malnourished, our emotional wellness suffers. Our interactions with our friends and family become more challenging, and we may experience increased difficulties with attention, concentration and organization. Learning strategies to ensure good sleep hygiene, making time for physical activity, learning how to eat well even when you're super busy, and understanding when it is necessary to rest are critical to improving our physical well-being. As a Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach, I have a wealth of knowledge on ways to incorporate healthy eating and balanced exercise into an increasingly busy life. I specialize in helping my clients learn to prioritize time for meal planning, finding forms of exercise that they enjoy and can fit into their busy schedules, and learn to gradually increase activity for long-term health benefits! I have coached hundreds of clients virtually to help them achieve their body composition and strength goals, and I can't wait to help you!

Social Wellness encompasses our ability and desire to make friends and stay connected with those around us, as well as the maintenance of these relationships. The Covid-19 Pandemic has significantly highlighted the importance of social interaction, and has shown us all how physical isolation from our friends and loved ones can negatively impact our well-being. For our children and teens, socialization difficulties account for many complaints about school, and the added pressures of social media have seriously complicated the issues. Parenting a child or teen in today's climate of social media obsession is extremely difficult, especially when we consider that these are pressures most of us never faced as children. Coaching can help parents and children support positive social interaction by learning social skills, understanding social cues, learning how to balance social media pressures (especially when friends have different rules and privileges), and how to maintain relationships. Coaching can also support teens in an often overlooked social skill that became more necessary as things went virtual: communicating with adults and authority figures via technology. Learning how to send professional e-mails, understanding the nuances of when it is okay to text versus e-mail versus call, and knowing when and how to advocate for oneself are all critical skills that are not typically taught in schools. And while making and maintaining friends isn't always easy for children and teens, it is especially true for us as adults. I cannot count how many people I have worked with who have described the difficulty in making friends as an adult, outside of work, and especially when so many of us were forced to begin working from home! We so often grow apart from our friends as we age, and forget the importance of the social dimension of wellness. Coaching can help you take a closer look at your social circle and support you in adjusting it to improve your wellness. For some of us, this means growing our social circles and finding new places to connect with people. For others, it means taking a difficult look at the people in our lives who contribute negatively to our social well-being, and learning how to set boundaries, advocate for ourselves, and create a social circle that is supportive and positive.

Intellectual Wellness encompasses anything and everything to do with learning. From supporting our children and teens in staying focused, learning good study habits, and accessing outside help and support when necessary, to continuing to learn and challenge ourselves intellectually as adults. Pursuing new interests and learning new things helps us remain engaged and mindful and gives us another sense of purpose and meaning to our lives. Too often we stagnate in the routine of every-day life, filling our free time with mindless scrolling on social media or watching yet another re-run of our favorite TV show. We just don't think we have time for a hobby, or the energy to start something new. But being bored and unchallenged can be detrimental to our well-being, and coaching can help us take a hard look at how we are spending our time, finding pockets of time that can be used more productively on something that is more enjoyable and contributes to our intellectual wellness. For teens and college students, academic coaching can be a valuable tool to success. Coaches are able to support students in planning out study and homework schedules, staying on top of deadlines, finding and utilizing school-based supports such as advisors and tutors, and supporting students in advocating for themselves, taking the burdens and worries away from parents. Coaches can support students in narrowing down their career options and staying organized and focused while applying for internships, jobs, or graduate programs. And of course, coaches will focus on supporting students and life-long learners in ensuring that there is a healthy balance between their intellectual pursuits and the other dimensions of their lives.

Spiritual Wellness encompasses religion and faith, but it is certainly not limited to those concepts. Being "spiritual" means believing in connections, whether it be between people, between ourselves and the environment, world, or universe, or having a belief that doing the right thing and being well will bring positive reward. Personal values and belief systems define who we are as individuals, and our beliefs are often challenged and shaken by outside events or by interactions with other people. Coaching supports individuals in exploring their spiritual belief systems, supporting them when they have an experience that challenges their beliefs, and continuously redefining and growing their definitions of spirituality. Coaching provides a safe space to discuss our experiences with spirituality with no fear of judgment, allowing us to continue to grow and solidify our definitions of who we are as human beings.