January 28, 2025
While those of us who frequent the gym know all about the benefits of sets, reps, and protein shakes, we don't often talk much about what we're doing to maintain a positive mindset amidst all the daily challenges, and sometimes setbacks, that take us off our game. I think we would all agree, the greatest asset we bring to our daily workouts is not our gear or our diet, it's our mindset.
In the same way we count on our coaches at the gym to lead the way by demonstrating proper techniques and encouraging us every step of the way, so to, fitness-focused, "mindset counselors" help us develop and practice healthy mindsets. Just like you wouldn't attempt a heavy deadlift without proper form, you shouldn't navigate life's heavier emotional challenges without the proper mindset. Counselors, like coaches, help us identify and develop the best approach to the psychological challenges and "lifts" we all perform every day.
Motivational interviewing is just one of the many techniques counselors use to help us identify the "Why" behind what we're doing, and "How" we can better anticipate and overcome the barriers that so often get in the way of making progress.
And sometimes, life just feels overwhelming - maybe it's a rough project at work or family drama. At times like this, it helps to just sit down, relax and settle into a soft chair across from someone really skilled at listening. In taking a minute to unpack all that's been keeping us down, and learning how to breathe through it while paying attention to where in our body we're experiencing distress, we develop a holistic, mind-body approach to fitness. It's as active a process as any one of the myriads of reps we perform in the gym daily.
The results speak for themselves. Gym members who combine mental health counseling and coaching with their fitness routines achieve more consistency and better outcomes in the gym.
This holistic approach recognizes that physical and mental health aren't separate tracks - they're intertwined paths leading to the same destination. By addressing both, gym members don't just build stronger bodies; they develop the mental fortitude to maintain their healthy habits through life's ups and downs.
Historic Counseling Center
7791 Byron Center Ave SW
Byron Center, MI 49315
616-499-4711
South Counseling Center
2465 Byron Station Dr SW
Byron Center, MI 49315
616-499-4711