Motivation

Good coaching for the game of life

Kathleen O'Meara takes advantage of the Wellcoaching program at Galter LifeCenter to keep her engery level up.

Kathleen O’Meara was an active, happily retired librarian when she experienced a series of events that would knock anyone on their heels: Her mom passed away, her husband got sick, her cat and dog died, and to top it off, she had surgery.

The energetic wife, mother and grandmother with a “snap out of it” attitude found she simply couldn’t snap out of it.

“I just felt so de-energized,” says O’Meara, 59, of Lincoln Square, looking back at that period that started in 2008 and dragged into 2009. “I kept trying to get my ‘oomph’ back and couldn’t.”

She decided to try a 12-week Wellcoaching program, one-on-one sessions designed specifically to help her cope with changes and make and sustain life improvements. “It sounded like what I needed. It seemed action-oriented and I wanted to take action.”

Today, she is back on a regular exercise routine, spends quality time with her children and grandchildren, and works toward her long-term dream of moving to a home near the ocean.

“Well coaching’s helped me to approach things in a very positive and concrete way,” says O’Meara. “In the past I’d get really gung-ho on work or exercise or family and everything would go by the wayside. Now I feel like I’m making progress on a broad range of things.”

Joe Stewart, 50, of Albany Park, found his life out of balance too. An attorney who worked 70 to 80 hours a week, he wasn’t getting enough sleep, wasn’t eating right, exercise was just as intense as work, and he wasn’t dealing positively with stress.

“There was a lack of balance in my life,” says Stewart, who like O’Meara participated in the 12-week Wellcoaching program at Galter LifeCenter over the summer.

Today, he says, “I feel tremendously better. I feel different and a lot more relaxed about things.”

Both were coached by Caitlin McGrath, a personal trainer and wellness coach (one of two at Galter LifeCenter) who’s certified through the American College of Sports Medicine.

Like a personal trainer, a wellness coach helps clients set and reach goals, but wellness goals cover every area of life, not just fitness. Goals range from losing weight to improving relationships with family and friends, to being more energetic and making time for hobbies and other things that have been neglected.

At each weekly session, the coach motivates, guides, brainstorms with and encourages clients. An initial questionnaire helps clients focus on seven categories:

• Life Satisfaction — work, happiness, relationships 
• Health
• Weight management
• Mental/emotional fitness
• Nutrition
• Fitness
• Energy/Sleep

Clients then set weekly short-term goals and three-month long-term goals within each category.

“We create a vision,” explains McGrath. “It’s where people want to be and it usually incorporates all seven categories. They picture how they’re living life when they’ve reached their best self.”

The first session lasts 90 minutes and weekly follow-ups (over the phone or in-person) take 30 to 45 minutes to review how the week went. Coach and client discuss what the goal will be, how it will be achieved and what might get in the way. 

Stewart’s goals included exercising regularly, eating better and not overworking. Among his strategies, he’s getting to sleep earlier, eating lunch at a set time, being more aware of his moods, and taking the Polar heart rate class at Galter LifeCenter, which has made exercise enjoyable. He’s cut his workweek from 70-plus hours to a more manageable 40-45 hours.

The results: Stewart lost a few pounds, his blood pressure is back in the healthy range and he is more focused and efficient at work. “I have more time to visit with friends and family, more time to read, but part of it’s having more time to do nothing at all — that’s important too,” he says.

O’Meara couldn’t agree more.

“I don’t feel like I’m letting life happen to me,” she said. “I’m moving forward and making progress on a lot of fronts in my life. It was absolutely what I needed and better than I expected.”

For more information on Wellcoaching, visit http://galterlifecenter.org or contact Caitlin McGrath at (773) 878-9936, ext. 7322 or wellcoaching@swedishcovenant.org.

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