You Were Made For More.
And You Know It.
Hi, I’m Karen. And I Know What It’s Like to Not Feel Like Yourself Anymore.
There was a time when, from the outside, my life looked pretty good. I had a successful career, a family I loved, and decades of experience in fitness and wellness field. I was the person who was supposed to know how to be healthy.
And yet, I didn't feel like myself.
I had digestive issues that sometimes made it difficult to even leave the house. Rashes appeared across my body and face. I was living in constant pain that was so bad at times that it literally stopped me in my tracks. I hadn't slept well in years, my energy was disappearing, my body was changing, and my stress felt completely out of control.
Eventually, it began to wear on me emotionally, too. My confidence changed. My outlook changed. And I remember thinking, “I should be happy. I'm so blessed. So why don't I feel happy? Why do I feel awful all the time? Is it all downhill from here? Are my best years behind me?”
It wasn't only that I didn't feel well physically. Somewhere along the way, I had become disconnected from parts of myself — the woman who was confident and adventurous, who wasn't afraid to take chances, try new things, and get excited about what might be possible.
I felt stuck. In my body, yes — but also in my life.
And I knew I didn't want to accept that this was simply what getting older felt like.
Those experiences changed the direction of my life — and eventually the way I understood health, wellbeing, and what it really means to thrive.
I Stopped Looking at the Pieces Separately.
What I began to understand was that none of these things existed in isolation.
That understanding didn't happen all at once. More than a decade ago, while I was still working in education, I began studying, teaching, and coaching in positive psychology. My work expanded beyond exercise and physical health into the science of happiness, mindset, resilience, stress management, mindfulness, mental health, behavior change, purpose, and the many things that influence how well we live.
At the same time, my own health was becoming more complicated.
Over the years, the digestive issues, poor sleep, chronic pain, rashes, stress, hormonal changes, declining energy, and changes in my body continued to build. And as they did, I started asking different questions.
I didn't just want something to quiet each symptom. I wanted to understand why these things were happening in the first place. What were the root causes — or underlying contributors — and what could I do to address them naturally and help my body function better?
That search led me much deeper into integrative health, menopause education, functional wellness, and the interconnected systems of the body. I began to understand more clearly how sleep, stress, hormones, digestion, movement, nutrition, mindset, and lifestyle can influence one another — and how our physical wellbeing affects the way we show up for our lives.
And the reverse is true, too: how we are living our lives affects how we feel.
Eventually, I stopped looking at each problem separately and started asking, “How do all of these pieces fit together?”
That question changed the way I approached my own wellbeing — and it continues to shape the way I help others today.
My Background Is Broad for a Reason.
I've spent more than 30 years working in the health, fitness, and wellness field — but my work has never stayed in just one lane.
I'm a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Integrative Health Practitioner, Certified Personal Trainer, Behavior Change Specialist, Positive Psychology Coach, Menopause Coaching Specialist, group fitness instructor, and meditation and mindfulness teacher.
But the credentials themselves aren't really the point.
What matters is what they allow me to see.
I can look at strength and movement without ignoring sleep and energy. I can explore nutrition and lifestyle while also considering stress, hormones, and what's happening in the body. And I can help someone build healthier habits while paying attention to the way she talks to herself, what she believes is possible, the strengths she already possesses, and the things that create greater happiness, meaning, and positive emotion in her life.
Because feeling better isn't only about getting your body functioning better. It's also about how you think, how you feel, how you connect, what gives your life meaning, and who you're becoming.
That's the idea behind inSPIREd Integrative Health.
The name, and my approach, are rooted in the SPIRE model of whole-person wellbeing, developed by Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD, Maria Sirois, PsyD, and Megan McDonough. I was first introduced to SPIRE through my Positive Psychology training at Wholebeing Institute and later continued my studies with Dr. Ben-Shahar through Happiness Studies Academy, where the SPIRE framework remains central to the study of happiness and whole-person wellbeing.
SPIRE looks at five interconnected dimensions of wellbeing:
S — Spiritual — meaning, purpose, values, and connection to something greater
P — Physical — how we nourish, move, strengthen, rest, and care for our bodies
I — Intellectual — how we think, learn, grow, challenge our minds, and see what's possible
R — Relational — the relationships, connection, belonging, and support that enrich our lives
E — Emotional — understanding and navigating our emotions while cultivating resilience, self-compassion, and greater positive emotion
These areas don't exist separately any more than our symptoms, habits, thoughts, relationships, and life circumstances do.
They influence one another. And together, they help us see the whole picture.
I Didn't Just Want to Feel Better. I Wanted My Life Back.
Little by little, things began to change.
I started sleeping better. My digestion improved. The rashes that had once covered my body and face became a thing of the past. I had more energy. I got my weight back in check. I rebuilt my strength. I learned how to better support my body during times of stress and through hormonal changes, instead of constantly feeling like I was fighting against it.
But something else was changing, too.
I felt more like myself again.
And maybe, in some ways, more myself than I had been in a very long time.
I began paying attention not only to what helped me feel better physically, but to what made me feel alive. What brought me joy. What gave me energy. What mattered to me. What I wanted this next season of my life to look like.
I started challenging some of the fears and beliefs that had quietly made my world smaller. I began taking chances again. Trying new things. Saying yes to opportunities that scared me a little. Trusting myself more. Dreaming bigger.
Not because everything in my life suddenly became perfect. It didn't.
But I stopped believing that getting older meant becoming less.
Less strong. Less healthy. Less adventurous. Less confident. Less relevant. Less excited about what's still possible.
I don't believe that anymore. Quite the opposite! I believe the best is still ahead of us.
But this isn't just about what became possible for me. It's about what I believe is possible for YOU.
I want YOU to feel like yourself again.
I want you to have energy for your life — not just enough to get through the day.
I want you to feel strong in your body and confident in what it's capable of.
I want you to understand what's happening in your body instead of feeling frustrated by it or assuming that feeling lousy is simply part of getting older.
But I want more for you than better health.
I want you to feel excited about your life again.
I want you to remember the parts of yourself that may have gotten buried beneath years of responsibilities, stress, changing roles, health challenges, and taking care of everyone else.
I want you to recognize your strengths. Trust yourself. Be kinder to yourself. Make room for joy. Take the chance. Try the thing. Learn something new. Dream again. Do something that scares you a little.
Because I don't believe midlife is the time to start shrinking your life.
I believe it's a time to become stronger, healthier, bolder, wiser — and more fully alive. It’s the time to realize that every day we are here is full of possibilities.
You don't need to become a completely different person.
Maybe it's about reconnecting with who you've always been, discovering who you've become — and deciding who you still want to be.
That's what I want for you.
And that's why I created inSPIREd Integrative Health.
Whole-person coaching for the way you actually live.
Ready to Feel Like Yourself Again?
You don't have to figure out the whole path before you take the first step.
If you're tired of piecing together advice on your own and you're ready for personalized support, let's talk.
During a complimentary 20–30 minute Clarity Call, we'll talk about where you are now, what's been getting in the way, what you want to feel and experience instead, and whether working together might be the right next step.
No pressure. Just a conversation to see if we're a good fit to work together.
Not Ready for Coaching? There Are Other Ways to Get Started.
There are other ways to connect, learn, and get started.
LaBlast® Dance Fitness
Come move, dance, laugh, and get stronger with me. Local classes are available now, with online options planned for the future.
VIEW LOCAL CLASSES
INTERESTED IN ONLINE CLASSES? - Let me know
Made for More Podcast
Practical conversations about holistic health, strength, mindset, purpose, and creating a life that feels good to live.
Free inSPIREd Reset Guide
Not sure where to begin? Start connecting the pieces of your health and wellbeing with my free guide.