Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Knight.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Michelle. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started my career journey in health and fitness about 16 years ago. I entered the field as a NASM certified personal trainer. I worked for Lifetime Fitness for about three years then became an independent personal trainer for eight years before I got into corporate wellness.
I have many certifications, but I became a certified Holistic Lifestyle Coach from the Check Institute in California around nine years ago and have been fully on the wellness coaching path ever since. I have been in corporate wellness for eight of those nine years and have worked with companies in a variety of industries. Most recently serving over six years as a wellness coach and program coordinator for employees at Methodist Health System in Dallas. All in all, I’ve completed at least 20,000 coaching sessions thus far in my career.
I really love helping people improve their lives by improving their health. There is a direct correlation.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Certainly not a smooth road, but I’ve been lucky and blessed to have people who believed in me and gave me a chance with little to no experience when I first started in fitness and then again as a wellness coach. I’m not the most educated in my field for sure, but I am open-minded, flexible, passionate to learn and I’m a hard worker. I think people saw those qualities and gave me a chance when I wasn’t the most qualified person at that time for the position.
I believe a lot of luck or success has to do with having great relationships and connections. I believe what you give out is what you get back in a lot of ways in life. It certainly has helped me with overcoming some hurdles and challenges.
Real Solutions Coaching – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am a holistic lifestyle coach. I help people make better lifestyle choices to improve or sustain a quality level of health and well-being. Being holistic in this approach means looking at all aspects of someone’s health – mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual. All of those parts of ourselves make up the whole and if one aspect is off-track or ill it impacts the whole in various ways.
Being healthy doesn’t just happen, especially as we age. Most health issues will show up in our 40’s or 50’s – sometimes earlier. Genetics does have a part in our state of health, but much less a part then we used to believe. Our everyday behaviors, thoughts and beliefs are the real drivers of our health and well-being.
Most true wellness coaches follow the holistic model, but my years of experience in a variety of walks of life and industries adds to my unique perspective and ability to help others.
I specialize in weight management, stress management and mental resiliency but can coach, speak or educate on most wellness or lifestyle behavior topics. I recently completed the “Lifestyle Medicine Coach” course at Wellcoaches which will help me work alongside physicians and practitioners in helping patients manage their care. Also, I’ve created three unique “Get Ready Programs” to help individuals get ready for three key moments in life (dating, wedding and pregnancy).
I work with individuals and corporations. I can also help consult on wellness program design for a company seeking that offering for their employees.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is subjective.
What I look for is that when a person or group leaves a coaching session with me that they feel more educated, empowered and motivated to take control of their own health. The power is theirs to claim and harness. They often need to be reminded of that power and resiliency to advocate for their own well-being.
If I’m working with a company on wellness program design, the success is felt when helping them design and offer solutions that are meaningful and beneficial for all. Good wellness design is a win-win situation in a company. It helps the company with reducing medical spend, absenteeism and disability claims while improving work culture and productivity. The employees win because they feel better, spend less on medical care and believe their company truly cares about their well-being. They are a healthier, happier and more productive employee.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.realsolutionscoaching.com
- Phone: Cell: 972-333-7881
- Email: michelle@realsolutionscoaching.com
Image Credit:
Gwendolyn Meador Photography; The Social Network Agency
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