Coaching Wellness From Personal Experience

BY LYNDSEY D’ARCANGELO

When Maureen Kemeny talks with her clients about overcoming obstacles, she’s speaking from personal experience. In 2004, Kemeny was involved in a major accident when her car was broadsided by a tourist bus. Three different neurosurgeons told her she needed surgery and would probably never run, bike or swim again. But Kemeny was determined to prove them wrong. She rested and took care of her body. Within five years she climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, ran the Boston Marathon and completed a half Ironman – all at age 45+.

“We put limitations on ourselves that don’t need to be there,” said Kemeny, 57. “Some people think, ‘I’m a certain age so I can’t do this’ or ‘I’m physically incapable of doing that.’ But those are merely obstacles, and there are ways to work around them.

That’s where health and wellness coaching comes in. Kemeny says she was always interested in health and fitness. After graduating from the University of Toronto with a degree in psychology and master’s in counseling and assessment, the Canadian native became a school psychologist in Ontario. But the school board cut their budget and got rid of most of their support staff. Kemeny continued working with the district as a contractor, but things had changed.

“My true passion has always been a conglomerate of psychology, sports, health and wellness. And I thought to myself, ‘How do I put all of that together?’” Kemeny said. “I researched a lot of coaching programs and found one that really aligned with my own personal values. I got my certification and started my own business.”

Kemeny committed to running her business with a holistic approach, because everyone’s needs are so different. Some people have poor nutrition and lack of exercise, while others need to work on personal growth.

With each client, Kemeny addresses fitness, nutrition, lifestyle habits and self-care, because to her they are all connected.

Jeannine Brown Miller, 55, had been dabbling in holistic health practices for most of her life. But she says the information she gathered on her own never quite fit together. There was always something missing. That is, until she met Kemeny.

“I developed a serious skin condition that I didn’t want to treat with medicine and was seeking assistance for holistic care,” Brown Miller, a resident of Lewiston, said. “I met Maureen two years ago and frankly she changed my life.”

In addition to skin care treatment, Brown Miller received nutritional guidance and saw an overall boost in her health. She also lost 25 pounds in the process.

“Maureen [helped] me through nutrition and her expert knowledge, all was balanced and in control. Now I am back to my original comfortable weight and more importantly, never felt better physically. I have referred many people to her for a true transformation.”

Says Kemeny: “I truly believe that good health starts from the inside out. Someone needs to be there to ask the right questions, and understand what little changes can implemented to help make a big difference. I love helping people get to a place of inner peace — using fitness, health and nutrition — is so rewarding.”

For more information, go to Maureenkemeny.com.

Lyndsey D’Arcangelo is a local freelance writer.

“We put limitations on ourselves that don’t need to be there.”

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