We recently connected with Reba Shapiro and have shared our conversation below.
Reba , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.
I am honest in the fact that I never planned to be a holistic health and wellness coach. Originally, I planned to continue what had been to a point, my life’s work, supporting schools, families and child development. Growing up, I was comfortable in the caretaker role. In high school, I volunteered at a nearby early education center where I continued for a number of years when I was home from college. In college, I mentored local public school students and eventually came to run the mentoring program. I ultimately even got my masters degree in Family and Human Development with the aim to assist families in raising their children and creating a happy home.
Shortly after finishing my Master’s, my life’s trajectory shifted dramatically. Since childhood, I had been managing chronic pain and exhaustion but suddenly, my health took a turn when my condition became unmanageable and my list of symptoms began growing. I began losing feeling in my feet, which impacted my balance and stability. I had migraines, suffered with swelling and stiffness throughout my body, watched my strength diminish and was constantly exhausted, which as you can imagine, restricted my activities immensely making my work incredibly difficult and any semblance of playful or social activities nearly impossible.
Ultimately, my symptoms became so debilitating I had to leave my job and was confined to my bed. For so long, I had been focused on helping others, but now my body was forcing me to slow down and reflect on the fact that I needed to take care of myself, no matter how much I wished otherwise.
I was determined to get well and so I leaned into one of what I consider my most constructive traits, my love of learning, and I assembled a team of compassionate, attentive providers I trusted. It was hard work and there were days I thought I would never see improvement, but I trusted my team and committed myself to building a resilient foundation with the habits and skills they taught me.
I saw first hand, just how transformative a health coach could be for someone who was struggling as much as I was. I began to realize how much I wanted to use my own experience to better support someone else who felt trapped and unsure what to do next like I once did. So, when I was able to begin working again, I made the pivot to become a health coach. Now, I can not only say that I am blessed to be successful in regaining my health and living a life that at one time I could only dream of, but also that I am honored to be able to support others in finding their own success and creating tomorrows they dream of today.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a health and wellness coach, I strive to assist my clients in making the lifestyle changes and creating the habits that will enable them to accomplish their unique, individual goals. I primarily work with people dealing with a couple experiences.
A number of my clients are navigating chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and autoimmunity, battling pain and exhaustion daily and looking for support from someone who understands their pain, both literally and figuratively. These clients echo my own thoughts and feelings from the hardest days of my journey. Many of these clients don’t trust their bodies or even their own thoughts and feelings about their experience, having been told by so many that “it’s all in their head”. Many of these clients are isolated, traversing the treacherous unknown and unpredictable days with a minimal or nonexistent support system. They feel different from others around them and misunderstood. They are grieving experiences they have already missed out on and are anxious about what the future holds, doubting if a fulfilling, bright future of health and happiness is even possible for them.
When these clients come to me, the first thing I do is let them know that they are not alone, I see them, their pain, their grief, their hopes and their fears. Then, I walk with them at their pace, step by step, as they learn how to interpret their body’s needs, rebuild their foundation and make their journey back to feeling more like themselves again. Along the way, I provide science backed education to help them make informed decisions so that they retain their autonomy and feel like an active part of their care plan. Together, we find ways to navigate the obstacles they face every day while moving closer towards their dreams of the future- whatever that looks like for them as a unique individual.
Another large group of my clients report stress as a huge obstacle that weighs them down and causes them to feel as if they are not acting in ways that truly represent the person they want to be. These people are parents, students, successful business people, to name a few of their roles. They find themselves irritable, snapping at their loved ones with the slightest inconvenience, despite their deepest desire not to. They often feel like they are surrounded by chaos and they have so many plates in the air that are about to drop and shatter at any moment. Everything feels like a priority, their time feels like it is not their own. Their motivation to take care of themselves physically has dwindled away to almost nothing leaving them feeling sluggish, out of shape, lazy and guilty. When they find themselves easily distracted or forgetful, they often berate themselves for not being able to “do it all”. So often, I hear from these clients, “I want to be better, this person isn’t me”. For some of them, stress serves as a motivator and has helped them to be successful, but they are starting to see the toll chronic stress is taking on them, their health, their work and their families. They want to reduce their stress, find better ways of managing pressure and building resilience and want to model a healthier relationship with stress for their teams, their children and those around them.
For all of my clients, I strive to be an unwavering support, holding the faith for them when they can’t. I strive to not just be a believer, but to back up that belief with powerful tools and approaches that help them to find their way. Through the use of modalities like mindfulness, we bring attention to the patterns that are no longer working, fill gaps with more supportive habits and learn to navigate heavy emotions and a running mind full of chatter that seemingly never goes quiet. We utilize tools like the Circle of Life and the Dimensions of Wellness to strategize the best course forward for their unique circumstances. When necessary, we develop a plan to implement recommendations made by the client’s other providers. If there is one thing I want anyone who is thinking about working with me to know, it is that I understand everyone I work with is a unique person and so each of my clients’ plans are customized to fit their unique lifestyle, needs and goals. In fact, seeing the whole person and laying out the right combination of stepping stones to help them get to where they want to be, is one of my favorite parts of what I do.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
People have told me they are comforted by the fact that I have personally experienced struggles with my own health and wellness and they are inspired by my story of healing enough to not only get out of bed and into my life but to also do physically demanding activities like hiking in the mountains again as well. They take comfort in knowing that I have faced and overcome significant struggles by putting into practice what I coach. Similarly, many of my clients have found comfort in the fact that I have had to, and continue to, live the process of acknowledging the circumstances of the present while looking to the future in order to make choices today that will help me to reach what I am looking for in my tomorrows. In fact, I share with my clients this sentiment, “today, for tomorrow, with love” which acknowledges that in everything we do today, we have the opportunity to influence our tomorrow and we are much more likely to be successful when we approach our choices with love and compassion.
Another thing that folks have expressed appreciation for is my emphasis on the values I demonstrate within my practice. Fostering a growth mindset and being dedicated to a life of learning are two values that I hold both personally and professionally, allowing me to continue expanding my skill set and growing as both a human being and a coach. I make it a point to share science-backed information with my clients so that they can make informed decisions about what is right for them, adapting the information to fit their unique lifestyles and personalities.
Additionally, I emphasize collaboration and customization, respecting my clients’ individuality and autonomy. This provides opportunities to explore what works best for them to reach a goal and increases their likelihood of sustainable success. Many of my clients have only ever been dictated to and feel as though they have been stripped of their personhood, reduced to just a number in a wider system. My dedication to seeing them as a whole person with a face, a name and a life helps my clients to feel comfortable and safe and enables us to build a relationship that is truly focused on them and their success.
My clients’ innumerable successes speak for themselves. Clients have reported having more clarity about what helps them feel their best and what triggers their symptoms, allowing them to build trust in themselves again. They feel empowered, knowing they are equipped with the information that helps them to make healthful choices and the tools to follow through. They have less pain, more energy, and more overall life satisfaction as they get to do what they love. They express joy for having better relationships with their loved ones and improved performance at work. It is also not uncommon for them to experience surprise benefits that they weren’t prioritizing but are thrilled with nonetheless. One that sticks out is a report of a client’s delight that her periods are now arriving symptom free, a welcome change from the months when painful cramping, headaches and exhaustion would force her to spend a few days in bed. Others have shared their appreciation for feeling prepared for and able to travel again, teaching new resilient behaviors to their loved ones by modeling the skills themselves, and creating a home that supports the whole family’s health and happiness.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I meet people today, they are often shocked to know that I was bedridden for a good period of time during my early 20s when the symptoms of my chronic conditions spiraled out of control and my life came to a grinding halt, but it is true. There were countless days I dreamed of what my life would be like on the other side and plenty of those days were filled with worry, if not doubt, that I would ever get to experience the adventures and events of which I dreamed. I’m often asked, “How can that be the case? I mean, look at you now!”
It took time and consistency, but eventually, the hard work and dedication I invested into my health and wellness paid off. I began to regain feeling in my legs and feet, helping me to feel more surefooted. My energy slowly increased, allowing me to be awake and active for 14-16 hours a day instead of needing to sleep for that same amount of time. I slowly regained my strength, allowing me more self sufficiency and my pain levels slowly decreased, allowing me to feel more present in my daily activities instead of being preoccupied by the overwhelming sensations in my body.
One experience that really solidified for me just how far I had come from those days in bed came on a hike up a mountain and taking in the views at the overlook. The hike was difficult, similar to a challenging hike I had done years prior, before my symptoms forced me to put my adventuring on hold. The whole way up the mountain, I climbed the steep trail, knees to chest, feeling the burn in my legs, out of practice with the rigor they were experiencing. I felt my heart racing, both from the workout and the excitement of being out in the forest again, climbing to see some unknown magnificent view. When I got to the overlook, I found myself crying tears of joy and disbelief. Joy for the accomplishment and the views and disbelief that I had actually made it.
Whenever I get discouraged now, I remind myself that I overcame the obstacles that prevented me from doing one of my favorite things, hiking in the mountains to see the expansive views below. I recall not just the views or the feelings of the challenge testing me but all of this, mixed with the feelings of pride and immense satisfaction I felt in those moments on that mountain.
We think resilience is something we feel in the moment. In my experience, resilience is something I recognize when I look back and see just how all my dedication and hard work paid off, culminating in a moment of growth that is so starkly different from the way things were before, there is simply no denying it- that is resilience.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fortomorrowwellness.com
- Instagram: @fortomorrowwithlove
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reba-shapiro-b184b8199/
Image Credits
Carrie Rengert
Aaron Newland
Kelly Ketchersid
Reba Shapiro