I Switched From Finance Into This Health-Centric Career & I'm So Glad I Did

Like many women, I found the postpartum period very stressful. I was busy taking care of my new daughter, and I started to feel a lot of mysterious aches. It got to the point where joint pain in my hand kept me from being able to hold my baby.

Then, I started to get concerning results from the doctor. It turns out my pregnancy activated certain health issues that I didn't even know I had. After many visits with specialists, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder.

It was around this time that I started following functional nutritionist Kelly Leveque. Reading her books and listening to her podcast were "aha" moments for me—they showed me how I could better support my body using food and sent me down a path of learning more about holistic well-being.

Slowly but surely, I started to feel a lot better. I lost weight and felt like I was ready to come off my medications. And thank goodness, once I did, my symptoms never came back: I was able to reverse my autoimmune disorder through lifestyle changes.

After a successful 10-year career in finance, I took the plunge and pursued a path I was more passionate about.

One big draw of mindbodygreen's Health Coaching Certification (HCC) program was that it came with complimentary access to Functional Nutrition Training. Functional nutrition was what got me interested in health in the first place, and the class was taught by incredibly impressive leaders in the space—including Kelly Leveque! I already followed 80% of the teachers of the course; it felt like all my idols were in one place.

The training gave a great overview of functional nutrition principles, and it was packed with the most up-to-date information and research. Learning from the best of the best definitely helped differentiate me from other health coaches. I ended up loving other aspects of HCC as well. The variety of teachers showed me how many ways you can be a health coach, and the emphasis on practice sessions and one-on-one time with faculty was invaluable.

Prior to HCC, I was always sharing nutrition and health knowledge with friends and family. I definitely took on the "expert" role and tried to tell people what to do. After taking this class, I realized how much that approach—though well-meaning—doesn't actually work.

Since learning about the fundamentals of positive psychology and behavior change, I've seen how much more effective it is to partner with people on their health journeys. This means meeting them where they are and allowing them to make their own way.

Looking ahead, I'm excited to take the health coaching board exam this summer and start to grow my business. Given my background, I think it would be rewarding to help people who are prediabetic or suffering from autoimmune disorders. Lifestyle and nutritional changes can make a big difference for both of these groups—I'm a living example of it.

In addition to one-on-one coaching, I also hope to offer group coaching for those who could use support at a more affordable price point. I'm going to use social media to share my knowledge further too. One big intention of mine is to help people who can't access personal coaching. After all, I didn't have a health coach. I benefited from a nutritionist who was kind enough to share her wisdom through books, podcasts, and other forms of media. I want to give back what I received, in a way.

After years of health struggles, I'm grateful to be entering a career where I can help other people dealing with something similar. When you're going through a challenge in life, it's powerful to know that you have more control than you think. I've realized through mindbodygreen's Health Coaching Certification that partnering with people in a kind, gentle, nonjudgmental way is the best way to spread health knowledge—and there's real magic that can happen in that process.