If you aren’t from Pittsburgh that means, “How are you?”
Hello friends, both real and virtual! I wanted to take a few minutes to check back in and update you on how this crazy thing called life has been going and my plans for the future. 2020 was a dumpster fire, but one of the things it brought me was the clarity to realize what I want to do when I grow up. I joined a collective of wellness professionals about a year ago that Zoomed together on a group coaching call once or twice a month during this time. With their love and guidance I was able to see that I LOVE helping people and inspiring people, but I need to do it in a way that is authentic to myself. I’ve always been the type who only saw one path to being successful, and that was to keep stacking degrees and certifications while I put a lot of things about Caitlin on the shelf. I’ve toyed with the idea of getting a Master’s in Clinical Nutrition more than once, adding on personal training certifications, even exploring a path towards med school some years ago! Alas, those things are incredibly expensive, and I want to be out of debt. And at the end of them, I suspect I’d still be exactly where I am today anyways. Which is figuring out the best way to help you make healthy lifestyle changes that last in a way that is fun and speaks to my inner artist. Shout out to my friend Sarah for being my biggest inspiration the past year in learning this!
So, here I am, over halfway through my health and wellness certification program where I am learning exactly how to help you realize your goals, dreams, hurdles, and deepest desires. It has been an incredible journey in allowing me to make connections in my own life, and I know I can help you to discover the deeper meaning behind your goal of “I want to lose 20 pounds.” Follow me closely, because later this summer I will be offering free coaching packages to a handful of participants!
What exactly is health coaching?
Here is what the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching says: “Health & wellness coaches partner with clients seeking to enhance their well-being through self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values. In the course of their work, health & wellness coaches display an unconditional positive regard for their clients and a belief in their capacity for change, honoring the fact that each client is an expert on their own life, while ensuring that all interactions are respectful and non-judgmental.”
Coaching isn’t therapy, and it isn’t being told what to do either. It is a collaborative, but client led discovery process that focuses on future goals. The coach is there to help you peel back the layers and find your big “a-ha!” moments. Discoveries that over time help you shift the story you’ve always believed about yourself to one of deeper understanding, awareness and motivation. These in turn help you create new habits around living your healthiest life in body, mind, and spirit.
How I plan to coach:
I’d love to help people who are struggling with making healthy lifestyle adjustments, especially in the areas of reducing processed foods and eating more health boosting, plant heavy meals. I do not follow, or promote any singular dogmatic approach to nutrition or lifestyle. I have been trained in the pros/cons and implementation of a variety of popular and therapeutic diets and the science behind them in the event you want to explore them, but coaching is not prescriptive or diagnostic. It is about your goals and digging out what you don’t realize you already know that will help you be successful in making healthy changes. I am happy to talk about movement, stress, and sleep as well because they are equally important, all influence each other, and I’ve been loaded up with resources to share in all of these areas. However after using dietary changes to address my own health issues, I pour my heart into foods that help me instead of hurt me, so working with people who want to start in the food zone is probably my best client fit. If you are interested in working with me, shoot me an email at caitlin@graterhealth.com.
What about the recipes?
In addition to launching my coaching services, I also plan to revitalize this blog space. In the areas of wellness that health coaching predominantly addresses (food, sleep, stress, exercise), you all know food is probably my favorite area to talk about. I’m also a creative and a performer at heart with a science geeky brain, and I am working on getting over my fear of being on camera (talking to myself just feels strange, but I know once I get used to it, I will have fun!) In the future I will be adding recipes and hopefully cooking videos to this space and others!
How can you help?
Follow and share! Here, and on Instagram, Facebook and hopefully YouTube in the future. I’m @caitlin.grater on the gram, and currently Caitlin’s Cupboard on Facebook, which will be changing this summer. I am most active on IG.
I invite you to get to know me better through these spaces, ask me questions, and share with your friends! I want to be your friend and cheerleader as you navigate your upward march (and occasional slips) towards a rewarding healthy and happy life!
What else, Beta?
(That is what my mother-in-law says in every catch up conversation we have. It refers to “child”)
What else in my life these days has been a bit of a reprieve of Covid hiding. My entire family has now been vaccinated, and we’re inching our way out into socializing and public spaces. I also just celebrated my FORTIETH BIRTHDAY. Say what. I know, I was 25 like 3 years ago, I swear. Throughout the summer we plan to put some effort into our old house and making it closer to our dream house vision it has the potential to be. And our little Bodhi will be starting preschool this fall! I am hoping within the year to have a little more freedom to devote more time and energy to my coaching and blogging endeavors.
Tell me what you want.
So now I throw it to you friends. If there are things you want to know about me, my food, cooking, lifestyle, favorite things, etc…ask! I want to know what you want to know so I can make our time together fun and educational for both of us. Reach out on instagram or send me an email or comment on this post. Can’t wait to see how it all grows!
With love,
Caitlin