My surviving to thriving journey started in my late 20’s, at beautiful Doe Bay, on Orcas Island. I was working in the aerospace industry in the US as an engineer and I loved my job. However the demands of my job had meant that myself and my team had been working really long hours for months. Despite sleeping well, I was starting to feel tired all the time and a bit frazzled! Regular headaches, mild digestive symptoms, weight gain, PMS and irritability were becoming more and more frequent. Without realizing it, I was on a hamster wheel and while I was functioning, I was starting to become worn out. I remember needing my first coffee of the day before I could even communicate with anyone. And I loved junk food.
A Natural Break
After a long stint of long hours, my boyfriend and I booked a long overdue weekend away, in the stunning Straits of Juan de Fuca. We spent the weekend on a simple natural adventure, camping and kayaking. I remember feeling so relaxed and also being intensely aware of how peaceful it felt there.
That night, we sat having dinner, a simple but delicious grilled salmon with an amazing mango salsa. I felt so nurtured by this meal. It embodied all that was good about our weekend – delicious, nourishing and a feast for my senses.
The following day whilst kayaking, it struck me. Everyone I knew was in a continuous state of stress, not getting enough sleep, working long hours, depending on caffeine and sugar to keep them going. At that moment I realized that everyone needed to experience the feeling I enjoyed that weekend – one of wellbeing and feeling good. The first seed was sown and that was really the first step on my journey.
My Food Adventure
I took a year out, travelling to Australia and New Zealand – both countries where wellness in the form of good food, nature and lots of movement are natural parts of daily life. By the time I returned to Ireland, I was so focused on the impact that food, our emotional state, nature and stress has, on our health.
Walking down the street one day, feeling hungry. I remember thinking ‘would I like a hamburger or would I like to get a bowl of seafood chowder from an amazing local restaurant’. I realized that I wanted the chowder, not because I thought I ‘should’ eat it, but because the taste appealed to me more. I realized there and then, that to eat well, we need to LOVE the flavors and textures of the foods we eat, so that we are drawn to eat these foods again and again, rather than out of an obligation of them being good for us.
From Surviving to Thriving!
By nature, I am a very compassionate person and naturally interested in peoples’ stories. So when I came across nutritional therapy, I knew it was the perfect combination of the science of nutrition and the human body, aligned with empowering people to take back control of their health and to feel fantastic. All through, eating food that is nourishing and tastes really good, alongside the emotional and energetic aspects of health. After four years of training, I knew that I had discovered my passion. All of my values had come together in one perfect career.
What happened to all of my symptoms? All of the below par energy, IBS, PMS were not just something that was unavoidable - they were easily explained and very easily addressed through easy diet and lifestyle steps. As I learned more, I started to implement small changes and I really did move from just surviving to thriving in my life. Hence my philosophy – to bring all of the people I work with from Surviving to Thriving!!
Having now seen hundreds of clients in my practice, I realize that so many people get through life surviving - feeling tired, overwhelmed and frazzled. I thrive in being the person who can help them. I love nothing more than helping each client get back that pep back in their step! For most, it doesn’t take a long time or a lot of effort. My training in functional nutrition and as a health coach has given me the tools to tailor a program specifically for each client. My passion now is helping people to feel and look good so that they can live life to the fullest. We are living longer and I want us all to live not just a long life, but an energetic, vital and exciting one!
Catherine Kenneally has a B.Sc (Hons) in Microbiology and Biochemistry from University College Cork, Ireland. She has a Dip. Nutritional Therapy from the Institute of Health Sciences and is currently completing her certificate in Health and Wellness Coaching in association with Real Balance.
She has a wealth of experience running a successful practice as a Nutritional Therapist for many years seeing private clients and providing health packages for corporate clients.
She is a Nutritional Consultant for Voluntary Health Insurance (VHI) Ireland and she also lectures at the Institute of Health Sciences.