We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brandi Stoessel a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Brandi , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

My goal is to help people feel strong, confident, and free in their bodies. But even more than that, I want people to break free from the cycles of frustration and self-doubt that often come with fitness.

At Bodysense, we are here to change the conversation around exercise. It’s not about extremes—it’s about creating a sustainable, lasting relationship with movement that feels empowering, not exhausting. We’re here to stop the negative feedback loops and rewrite the narrative around fitness from something you “have to do” into something that supports you in becoming the best version of yourself.

I believe fitness is one of the greatest tools for self-discovery. It’s not just about what your body looks like—it’s about what your body can do. It’s about showing up for yourself in ways you never thought possible, proving to yourself that you are stronger than your past, more capable than your doubts, and more powerful than the limiting beliefs you’ve been conditioned to accept.

Strength training and movement are acts of self-love—not just another task on your to-do list. At Bodysense, we’re here to help you break through whatever has been holding you back—whether it’s fear, self-doubt, or old narratives about what fitness “should” look like.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, lost, or like you just couldn’t stay consistent—you’re not alone.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

For those unfamiliar with me, I’m Brandi Stoessel, the founder of Bodysense Personal Training. My journey into fitness coaching started with my own struggles, and that’s what truly sets me apart—my deep understanding of self-sabotage through personal experience.

In my teenage years and early twenties, I struggled with addiction. If you’ve ever experienced that—or know someone who has—you understand how deeply destructive patterns can take hold. After getting sober, I carried a lot of shame for years, unsure of how to rebuild my relationship with myself. Fitness became my gateway to self-respect, self-love, and showing up for myself in ways I never had before.

I had to work hard to confront my own limiting beliefs about what I was capable of. Reaching any goal requires change, and change requires a mindset shift. That personal journey gave me a unique lens to recognize similar struggles in others and help them break through the narratives that have held them back.

If you find yourself stuck in a repetitive cycle—starting and stopping, staying in the same place—ask yourself why. Is it really because you “don’t know how” or because you’re “lazy”? That’s another one I hear often. Or is it the narrative you’ve been conditioned to believe about fitness and exercise? At Bodysense, I help people reframe those narratives and build a fitness practice that is rooted in self-care rather than self-punishment.

At Bodysense, I offer:
✅ Strength training that works for real life—no extreme, unsustainable routines
✅ Mindset coaching—to break free from limiting beliefs around fitness
✅ A holistic approach—connecting movement, habits, and self-respect

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to learn boundaries—with myself and others. I had to confront my people-pleasing tendencies and the stories I had internalized about what it means to be a business owner.

I also had to face imposter syndrome—that nagging feeling of “Who am I to be doing this?” But the more I leaned into leading with my heart and focusing on real human connections, the clearer it became that my impact wasn’t about having all the answers—it was about creating a space where others could find their own strength.

I had to learn how to inspire others—not just by telling them what to do, but by creating an environment where they could inspire themselves. That was a game-changer.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The pandemic wasn’t just a challenge—it was the very moment I stepped into coaching. Fun fact: I became a certified personal trainer the same week the world shut down. Instead of waiting for the “perfect time,” I took action and launched my own training business.

With gyms closed, I started by leading outdoor workouts in parks, training clients at their homes, and adapting to unconventional spaces. These early experiences shaped my coaching style and ultimately led me to Pasadena, where I established roots and began training at Matador Performance Center. This pivot was one of the best things that could have happened—it taught me resilience, adaptability, and the power of creating opportunities even in uncertain times.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.bodysensetraining.com
• Instagram: @bodysensetraining
• Facebook: Bodysense Personal Training
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/body-sense-pasadena

Image Credits

Sami Hobbs- @yourinnerwisdom
Raina Virginia -@rainavirginia