Meet Melissa Matecki, 2016 Leadership in Health Coaching Award Winner!

Congratulations to our November 2016 Leadership in Health Coaching recipient - Melissa Matecki!

A death of a dear friend forced Melissa to realize that she couldn't waste any more time not following her heart and living the life of her dreams. She'd always had a passion for nutrition and health and kept seeing Integrative Nutrition pop up everywhere! She didn't know if IIN would be the right fit for her but she knew she had to jump in and enroll. Needless to say, she fell in love with the program and the rest was history! Learn more about this amazing graduate below!

What were you doing prior to enrolling at Integrative Nutrition?
Prior to enrolling at IIN my family had just made an impromptu move back to Alaska, the home of our heart. It was totally unplanned & we were utterly unprepared for it! (Crazy story, long!) We had to scramble & to get very inventive & entrepreneurial to stay afloat. We had two small children to support, one of whom faces special challenges. It was a crazy risk but we survived & thrived. Then my best friend passed away. I realized that I could not waste a minute more. It was time to study health & to follow my heart & my dreams.   

How did your life change after enrolling? (This may be a small change or a large change, in any way)
Even though my life was so busy - as a working & stay-at-home & therapy mom living on a water accessible, off-the-grid remote Alaskan island - the program was so enjoyable & enriching that it enhanced my life the minute I started! Over the year the course became a personal development journey. Every module was transformative, opening up new parts of my mind, heart & life. Just prior to the course I was at a bit of a low ebb; wondering if I was too old to follow my big dreams. Now I realize that the sky is no limit and there is nothing to be gained in playing small, in fact you owe it to the world to live your best life. There is nothing to be afraid of, you were made to live your dreams! Every door has opened for me now!

Which topics and modules were most beneficial for you? Please list any teachers or ideas that had a major impact on you.
Goodness, really all of them! Every module was such a joy and a delight! It was a perfect program; so well balanced & inspiring! I loved nearly every lecturer. It was such a treat to have the experts in each field teach - a difference from my  university days where some lecturers were great, & others boring. In this course, every lecturer was incredible! I also really loved all the transformational coaches, & the extra business, coaching & financial information - every important element to starting a successful business was covered. The course covered everything & was far more comprehensive than I had expected.

What are you doing now? If you have a product or are a practicing Health Coach, briefly describe your focus area/clientele.
Now that I have finished studying, getting my business up & running will be the next step! I plan to launch it in the next few months. My focus will be on making life easier for parents, especially those with children with special needs, as well as focusing on women with hormone, adrenal & thyroid issues. As I gain experience & training I plan to focus on chronic illness & autoimmune disease. As someone who suffered from undiagnosed chronic illness most of my life, my heart goes out to all of those people who don't have quality of life, & who don’t know that there are answers out there! I plan to work closely with doctors helping chronically ill people discover what health & a vibrant life feels like.

What makes you and your practice or product unique?
Having been on the inside of chronic illness - undiagnosed for too long - I truly & deeply understand how it feels to know that something is wrong, but to have this ignored. I have deep compassion for the millions who suffer, trying to get through their day, alone, with no recognition of why things are so much harder for them. A few years ago I thought I was going to die; I was in constant pain & crippled by symptoms & yet told by doctors that I was perfectly healthy. I had 2 young children, death was not an option! I had to find answers & I did. I believe one’s health & quality of life can always be improved, there is hope, you decide your fate! I offer clients a personal journey into finding what they need to thrive & live their best life. 

How do you help your clients be successful? Can you provide a specific example of someone who had great success or one of your favorite Coach-Client relationships?
We can't diagnose, but as coaches we spend so much time with clients that we can play detective. One of my clients was feeling terrible, overtired, irritable & he could not loose weight. It became apparent to me that there was likely some underlying causes, so I recommended some labs & gave him some questions for his doctor. He was indeed diagnosed, & now with the correct medical treatment plus diet & lifestyle changes he is feeling fantastic! The weight is melting off effortlessly, he is ecstatic & his partner is delighted too! Changes in one parent affect & improve the wellbeing of the whole family.

What do you love about your work?
To see someone who was miserable, who felt terrible, who was just barely getting through the day become able to thrive - this is job satisfaction! No, it's more than that, this is life satisfaction! It is such a joy to see someone who was struggling be able to blossom & live their best life. Then they start sharing happiness in the world, because now they have it! The world needs millions more people to be happy & healthy - this is how we can save our future & our planet! In this field of work I feel like part of the solution & this gives me so much hope & joy! It is the magical gift that keeps giving!

Is there a need for Health Coaches where you live?
There is! Which surprises me, I live in a remote, conservative, & low income area. A friend & I run a free monthly program & people come from far & wide even in terrible winter weather to attend. People want to be healthier, they are desperate for a solution. A couple of doctors have also talked with me about working with them; opportunities have been knocking! Health coaches really are the answer today: both doctors and clients want & need the extra help, attention, diet & lifestyle support that a coach can provide to really get genuine, long-lasting results.