My Story
On Paper…
BSc in Health & Performance Science (University College Dublin)
MSc in Business Management (UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School)
Diploma in Mat & Reformer Pilates
EQF Level 3 Personal Trainer & Fitness Instructor
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (Institute for Integrative Nutrition)
QQI Level 6 Life Coach (Irish Lifecoach Institute)
But There’s More To My Story…
From Love to Fascination
Growing up in Ireland, I feel very lucky to have spent my childhood and adolescent years hopping from sport to sport, from hockey to football, basketball and cross country.
Despite the fact that I grew up in an era characterised by detox teas and fad diets, which certainly warped my perception of what it meant to be ‘healthy’, I felt lucky to have sport as my anchor for maintaining a somewhat healthy relationship with my body, food and exercise.
Studying Health & Performance Science at University evolved my relationship with exercise from simply a love of sport to a fascination with its inner workings. While I enjoyed learning about anatomy, physiology and nutrition, my favourite subject by far was Sport Psychology.
I was (and still am) fascinated by what drives high performance in sport. In fact, most of my favourite books (Open by Andre Agassi), films (Remember the Titans) and documentaries (The Last Dance) have this in common.
Lessons From The Corporate World
On top of science, I always had an interest in business. After completing a Masters in Business Management, I spent 8+ years working my way up the corporate tech ladder. It was during this time when I realised that many of the ingredients for high performance in business and in the workplace were the same as for sport.
In fact, after using my spare time to qualify as a Life Coach and, shortly after, an Integrative Health & Nutrition Coach, I realised that the same could be said for high performance in most other areas of life, from physical, mental and emotional health to relationships, career, finances, environment and more.
It was also during this time that I discovered my love for trail running, completing my first Ultra Marathon along Loch Ness in Scotland. Shortly after, I qualified as a Personal Trainer and Pilates Instructor.
Contemplating A Career Change
After all of my studies and part time work with clients in the health & wellness world, it became very clear to me that those who experienced the highest performance and, crucially, the most happiness in multiple areas of their lives all had two things in common. You can read about what these things are and how this informed my creation of my coaching programme here.
What I didn’t expect to discover from all of my studies was that I was in the wrong career. To be clear, I loved my 8+ years in the corporate tech world. They taught me many valuable lessons and skills, from sales & marketing to time management and relationship building. But the most valuable lesson I took from my time climbing the corporate ladder was just how much of a toll it can take on our health & wellness.
I feel fortunate to have worked for companies that prioritise the mental health of employees, but that didn’t stop me from experiencing periods of extreme stress, little sleep, poor food choices and limited exercise.
Taking The Leap
Following my Health & Wellness studies and qualifications, I could clearly see the positive impact that my new knowledge was having on my work and personal life. I was equipped with the skills and the toolkit in order to better manage the ups and downs of the corporate world.
But deep down I always felt that my true calling was in health & wellness. I wanted to share my learnings and experiences with others, so I took the leap to enter the health & wellness world full time, and here I am!
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.”
— Henry Ford