When Things Are Meant To Be…

We all have a story. Today I feel open to sharing mine.

I have always had a passion for physical activity and sport from a very early age. I remember my mother enrolled me into basketball at the age of 6. I felt at home when I was on the basketball court. I was a natural and freely able to express myself through my sporting skills and abilities. Sport was a big part of my life whether I was playing it or watching it.

At the end of high school my career path was obvious to me. Either a Physical Education Teacher where I get to wear tracksuit pants and runners everyday to work (my life long dream) or learn about the human body and how it functions through a Human Movement degree. I applied for both!

As fate had it, I fell just short of the Enter score required and was accepted into my ‘just in case’ course – Computer Technology. Yes – you read right! It was the other thing I was good at but less passionate about. I distinctly remember sitting behind my computer screen stuck in an office with minimal windows and barely talking to anyone. I knew I had so much more to offer. 6 years into my IT career, I was no longer comfortable ignoring my true calling and what I knew I needed to do. I returned to University and completed my Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science where I qualified as a ‘Glorified Personal Trainer’. This was too general for me.

My story doesn’t end there. I wasn’t satisfied. I needed more.

Having been involved in two car accidents, I suffered substantial whiplash injuries. I was referred to a Chiropractor – which I became very reliant on and it never looked like I was going to be discharged, then onto an Osteopath where things improved slightly but NO ONE could tell me what I needed to do to treat my injuries through exercise. I was so confused. I needed someone to provide me with some guidance around what to do before integrating back into the gym. I quickly realised that there was a gap in the system and knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue. I completed my Masters of Applied Science (Exercise Rehabilitation) and have not looked back since.

I now have people coming to see me for exercise programs to rehabilitate their injuries. Nothing is a coincidence. We create our reality. I created mine.

I am a passionate Accredited Exercise Physiologist working in private practice. I treat people with chronic disease and illness including diabetes, osteoporosis, cardiac issues, obesity, chronic pain, falls and balance prevention and manage these conditions through evidence-based exercise prescription. I take into consideration lifestyle factors and barriers to exercise, as no two people are the same. My assessments will always include a discussion around diet, sleep quality, stress levels and so forth. I believe in treating people holistically. I have learned that to achieve desired outcomes, it’s about investigating the reasons WHY people are overweight and can’t lose weight, WHY they are living with chronic pain, WHY they are insulin resistant and so forth. It’s about LISTENING but more importantly HEARING and from there, identifying the right type of treatment at that moment. I get pleasure out of empowering people to take back control of their health and wellness. This is my mission. This is my purpose.

I don’t regret anything that has happened in my life for it has led me to where I am today. I love my job and guess what? I get to wear tracksuit pants and runners to work everyday!

I am exactly where I need to be…