Our Health Coach Feature series shares the inspiring stories of Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches who are cultivating positive health choices and educating others to live more wholesome lifestyles. Join us twice per month on the IIN Blog to read more about what brought our grads to IIN and what they’re up to now!
Sarah Casden is an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and cofounder of HelloWellness, a nationwide company that hosts events to create an inclusive space for people to meet, connect, and discover wellness in real life. After years of bloating, chronic joint pain, misdiagnosed arthritis, and two knee surgeries, Sarah was diagnosed with celiac, the root cause for all these issues. After changing her diet and lifestyle, she became symptom-free, started to look and feel better, and even ran a marathon! This sparked her passion for health and wellness and her quest to help others realize the same. Throughout this journey, Sarah found so much pleasure connecting with like-minded people and continuing her education on various wellness topics and trends that she created HelloWellness to bring the online community offline and meet with people who share similar passions.
Q: What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
A: I was working at a tech company in ad sales.
Q: What led you to explore the Health Coach Training Program?
A: Truth be told, I worked in ad sales because I had majored in marketing during college, thinking at the time that it sounded interesting and didn’t have class on Fridays…probably not the best way to make future career decisions, but I was so young. Needless to say, I didn’t see a future in my career.
Meanwhile, I was passionate about health and wellness and had become somewhat of an accidental “coach” among my friends and family. They would ask me for recommendations on how to lose weight, what to eat, where to workout, etc., simply because I genuinely enjoyed researching the wellness space in my spare time and, most important, had seen a dramatic change in my physical and emotional self when I made certain changes to my diet and overall wellness.
What I had in passion, I lacked in education and credentials. I was drawn to IIN because I wanted to find a career that was better suited for me and continue pursuing my love for wellness.
Q: How has your life changed since becoming a Health Coach?
A: First and foremost, I am no longer working in ad sales, and I have since left to pursue my own business…in yep, you guessed it…wellness! What has also been so life-changing, and one of the more unexpected perks, is the countless incredible people with whom I have since connected. I love meeting fellow Health Coaches and connecting with like-minded individuals.
In fact, I loved connecting with people so much, it led me to founding my business, HelloWellness, which has been the most life-changing part of it all! I founded HelloWellness, which hosts nationwide events, to create an inclusive space for people to meet, connect, and discover wellness IRL. I was inspired by the people I met and the relationships that prospered when people made in-person connections. My hope is that these events will give many more people that experience!
Q: Which topics and modules were most beneficial for you?
A: I actually think it was the diversity and variety in the topics and modules, rather than just one or two, that was most beneficial. Having such an array of knowledge and the ability to understand a plethora of areas within wellness (not just food or one specific diet type) has afforded me the ability to connect with so many different people, brands, clients, etc.
Q: What does a typical day look like for you now?
A: HelloWellness hosts 3–4 events per month, so my schedule now consists of helping to organize our calendar of events, ensuring a diversity of wellness topics are covered, a variety of brands are available for people to sample and explore, and consistently thinking about how our attendees will have the best experience!
Q: What makes you and your practice unique?
A: I founded HelloWellness because I wanted to help more people than I could with one-on-one consultations. My business is so unique from what I had planned to do with a practice because rather than seeing one client per hour, I can host 100 attendees at an event and provide an experience in which they will learn about a wellness topic, connect with like-minded people, and discover great, healthy brands they’ll love!
Q: How do you help your clients be successful? Is there a recent example that stands out for you?
A: The HelloWellness community is so successful because of the power of human connectivity. Realizing you’re not alone and that there are so many people just like you who share your passions, challenges, interests, and experiences is deeply powerful. There are infinite possibilities when you establish these connections. In fact, two women met at one of our HelloWellness events and have now started their own fitness business together!
Q: What do you love about your work?
A: No more Sunday Scaries! I get to wake up and do what I love, which no matter stress there may be one day makes it all worth it!
Q: How have you seen the need for Health Coaches change over the years?
A: It is definitely becoming a more recognizable and respected profession. We have hosted so many events led by Health Coaches!
Q: What’s your tip for balancing your family, work, and personal wellness?
A: Admittedly, I’m a major work in progress when it comes to balance. Owning your own business comes with a tremendous amount of responsibility, stress, and work and less sleep than I care to admit. My tip is the same thing I tell myself: Be patient with yourself, accept and respect that it is a process, and don’t be afraid to prioritize the things that make you a better person to your friends, family, or your job.
Q: Tell us your favorite way to wake up each day!
A: With the blinds up, natural light peeking in, and a great workout waiting for me. Working out is the first thing I do every day because it’s my “me” time, my therapy, and the thing I prioritize above all else because it makes me a better person.