We recently connected with Brandi Anderson and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Brandi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How’d you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?
In many ways, the coaching industry found me. Let’s call it the law of attraction! As I went into college I thought I would end up doing marketing and PR for the music industry, specifically music festivals. I’ve always loved the idea of working with music but something in my gut told me it wasn’t in alignment with who I truly am. Think of the whole “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” vibe never really sat well with me and truly could not be further from who I am.
So, while keeping this in my mind, I got a job in college at the recreation center doing marketing and PR and through that journey coaching found me and became my career. Starting off in group fitness, then going to personal training, I slowly realized more and more, I loved the impact of education and behavior change in what my students were doing outside the one hour I met with them to workout. I would take them grocery shopping and teach them about label reading. Set movement and water challenges. I was coaching without truly knowing it! Fast forward ten years into the industry- from corporate coaching to private coaching, I’ve impacted the lives of thousands and that to me is beyond humbling and empowering.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
About me: I’m Brandi Anderson. Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, Certified Transformational Nutrition Coach, & Digestive Health Coach. I have 10+ years of experience in the coaching field from ranging from Corporate to private coaching. I fell into coaching by needing to heal myself and truly take control of my gut health for good.
My Business, Joia Vida Wellness, is all about coaching others to embrace a life of Joia Vida (a joyful life) transforming their gut health and healthy habits with joy.
By practicing Transformational Nutrition pillars, I believe that nutrition is anything that feeds you physically, spiritually, or mentally. When I begin the coaching sessions, I am simply a guide. I know what you have the answers within you to heal and embrace your health in a way that works for you. There is not a one size fits all approach to heath & I take that very seriously when it comes to supporting my clients.
My ideal client is anyone looking to improve their gut health or tune up on their healthy habits. I am proud of how I approach health and wellness because I keep it simple. Sometimes science can be overwhelming and I am here to be the middle person to make it easy for you to understand. I truly help take you from where you are with your health to where you want to be with small attainable steps. All while making sure you are embracing Joia Vida while doing so!
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
Very early in my coaching career I did a lot of “telling”. Telling clients how to move, what to eat, and ultimately this back fired on me because those clients did not ever reach their goal. If they did, once they accomplished the goal they relapsed.
In recognizing this, I had to find a better way to make an impact with my clients. This is when I learn the power of listening more than I speak and becoming a really good question asker. For newer coaches, I highly recommend you learning as much as you can about motivational interviewing. This was a game changer for the impact I had on my clients achieving their health and wellness related goals.
If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?
If I could go back, I would most certainly still be a Health and Wellness Coach. The Health and Wellness Coaching field is still very much in it’s infancy and has a ton of room to grow! As of now there are less than 7,000 Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches worldwide. That number will grow as they continue to test and certify coaches bi-annually. However, being able to support others with their health related goals is truly an honor and a blessing. I genuinely cannot see myself being happy doing something else. I love it so much!
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Image Credits
Lefkowitz Photography