My passion for wellness began at a young age, inspired by my family's health journeys and my own experiences discovering the powerful connection between food and well-being. I came to see wellness as a lifelong practice of listening to our bodies, honoring our natural rhythms, and creating sustainable habits that support every aspect of our lives. When I was ready to deepen my knowledge, I chose IIN because of its holistic approach to wellness and reputation as the world's largest health coaching school. I first enrolled in the Hormone Health Course to better support the women I worked with, then returned to complete the Coaching Intensive Program, where I strengthened my coaching skills and prepared for the National Board exam.
Today, as the founder of KayWiley Coaching, I combine my background in nutrition, hormone health, yoga, and coaching to help women and LGBTQIA+ individuals transform their energy, manage stress, improve their relationship with food, and reconnect with themselves. By helping clients build self-awareness, shift limiting beliefs, and create lasting lifestyle changes, I support them in becoming the most aligned, confident, and joyful version of themselves.
WHAT FIRST DREW YOU TOWARD COACHING, WELLNESS, AND SUPPORTING OTHERS ON THEIR PERSONAL GROWTH JOURNEYS?
A: I was drawn toward wellness from a young age, first through my mom’s health journey and then through my own struggles. As a teenager, I had terrible acne, and my dermatologist gave me a list of foods to eat and avoid that would help improve my skin. This was the first time I really started to understand the impact food has on all areas of our health and well-being.
When I got older, I saw how nutrition played a huge role in helping my grandmother heal after two battles with cancer. I was so inspired by the concept of food as medicine and prevention that I earned my bachelor’s degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Maryland.
Over time, my understanding of wellness expanded beyond food alone. I came to believe that true health is about learning to listen to our bodies, honoring our natural rhythms, and recognizing that growth is a lifelong process.
A deep respect for the healing power of nutrition and a belief in our capacity to transform and evolve are what ultimately led me to health coaching and the work I do today.
WAS THERE A SPECIFIC MOMENT WHEN YOU REALIZED COACHING WAS THE KIND OF WORK YOU WANTED TO PURSUE?
A: Working as a health program manager for a large nonprofit in New York City, I facilitated a group health coaching program for parents and families. Ninety-nine percent of the participants were mothers who were passionate about being healthy role models for their children.
Holding space for their challenges, celebrating their wins, and reflecting back their strengths and successes—qualities they often couldn’t see in themselves—was incredibly meaningful.
Watching their confidence grow and hearing how supported they felt made me realize this was the work I was meant to do. The positive feedback I received from both the women in the program and my colleagues gave me the confidence to pursue coaching more fully.
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO STUDY WITH IIN, AND WHAT WERE YOU HOPING TO DEEPEN OR EXPLORE THROUGH THE PROGRAM?
A: What better place to study than with the largest health coaching school in the world? I loved IIN’s holistic approach to wellness.
The first course I took was the Hormone Health Course, which I enrolled in so I could better support women in my work. I later turned to IIN again to prepare for the National Board Exam for Health & Wellness Coaches and graduated from the Coaching Intensive Program, which helped me become a more skillful coach.
YOUR BACKGROUND COMBINES NUTRITION, YOGA, AND COACHING. HOW DID IIN HELP YOU CONNECT THOSE DIFFERENT AREAS OF WELLNESS?
A: IIN really reinforced that nutrition, movement, environment, and relationships aren't separate pillars of health—they're all deeply interconnected.
One example that stands out was a panel discussion IIN invited me to speak on, where I shared how the way we show up to a meal—whether we're stressed, distracted, or relaxed—can directly impact digestion. That's a perfect example of how nutrition isn't just about what we eat, but how we eat.
To me, that's also where yoga and coaching come in. Yoga teaches us to notice what's happening in our bodies and minds without judgment, while coaching helps us apply that awareness to our everyday lives. Together, they build the self-awareness that allows us to change our habits in a way that feels intentional and sustainable.
WAS THERE A CONCEPT, LESSON, OR PART OF THE IIN EXPERIENCE THAT HAD A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU PERSONALLY OR PROFESSIONALLY?
A: IIN creates opportunities for real coaches to share their knowledge and experiences. Learning from people who are actually doing the work is so inspiring, and I've been grateful to share my own work through IIN as well.
YOUR WORK FOCUSES ON HELPING WOMEN AND LGBTQIA+ INDIVIDUALS CREATE MORE BALANCE THROUGH HORMONE HEALTH, MINDFUL MOVEMENT, AND LIFESTYLE HABITS. WHAT LED YOU TOWARD THIS AREA OF COACHING?
A: There are really two things that led me to this work.
The first is my own experience as a queer person. I know how important it is to have healthcare spaces that are gender-inclusive and affirming. While much of my work centers around people with menstrual cycles, not everyone who menstruates identifies as a woman. It's important to me that my clients know they will be seen, respected, and supported exactly as they are.
The second was my time in the Peace Corps as a nutrition educator. One of the most meaningful parts of that experience was training teenage girls to become peer educators in nutrition, reproductive health, and self-confidence. Watching them grow into leaders showed me just how transformative health education can be.
That experience sparked a passion for helping people build body literacy. When we understand our bodies and trust what they're telling us, we're better equipped to advocate for ourselves. Too often, women and marginalized people are told their symptoms are "normal" or "all in their head." I want my clients to have the knowledge and confidence to ask questions, seek answers, and trust that their experiences matter.
To me, that's what this work is really about—helping people reconnect with their bodies and trust that their experiences matter. That kind of empowerment doesn't just improve health—it can change, and even save, lives.
WHAT DO YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD ABOUT HORMONE HEALTH?
A: That stress is one of the biggest contributing factors to hormone imbalance—and that stress is manageable.
WHEN CLIENTS FIRST COME TO YOU, WHAT ARE THEY OFTEN EXPERIENCING OR HOPING TO CHANGE?
A: Most of my clients come to me feeling stressed, depleted, and disconnected from their bodies. They want to shift their relationship with food from one of confusion or guilt to one that feels informed, nourishing, and sustainable.
At the heart of it, many are also struggling with self-trust. They lack confidence in their bodies or in their ability to make the right decisions for themselves. They're tired of starting over and want to build habits that actually stick—habits that help them feel energized, balanced, and like the best version of themselves.
YOU OFTEN HELP CLIENTS UNCOVER SELF-LIMITING BELIEFS AND SHIFT THEIR MINDSET. WHY IS THAT INNER WORK SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF LASTING CHANGE?
A: When we only focus on the symptom, we often end up treating the same challenge over and over again. That's why the inner work matters.
For example, someone might struggle to stay consistent with exercise not because they lack discipline, but because they carry a belief that prioritizing themselves is selfish or that they have to earn rest before taking care of their body. As long as that belief is running the show, the habit is much harder to sustain.
Lasting change happens when we uncover the beliefs, stories, and patterns beneath our behaviors. From there, we can rebuild self-trust, make choices that align with our values, and create habits that feel supportive instead of forced.
HOW DO YOU HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT WELLNESS DOES NOT HAVE TO MEAN ADDING MORE PRESSURE OR CREATING A “PERFECT” ROUTINE?
A: Wellness doesn’t mean doing more or creating the perfect routine. I believe it begins with small, intentional choices that help you feel more connected to yourself!
WHAT DOES "TRANSFORMATION FROM THE INSIDE OUT" LOOK LIKE IN YOUR COACHING PRACTICE?
A: It sounds like a client saying, "For the first time in my life, I'm focused on how I want to feel rather than how I want to look."
To me, that's transformation from the inside out.
So many of us are motivated by external expectations—how we think we should look, what we think other people expect of us, or chasing someone else's definition of health.
In my coaching, we work toward something much deeper: making choices based on how you want to feel and what truly aligns with your values.
When that shift happens, healthy habits stop feeling like something you have to do and start feeling like an act of self-care. When motivation comes from within, not from external pressure, change becomes deeply rooted and lasting.
FOR SOMEONE FEELING OVERWHELMED OR DISCONNECTED FROM THEMSELVES, WHAT IS ONE SMALL STEP THEY CAN TAKE TO BEGIN RECONNECTING WITH THEIR WELL-BEING?
A: Take a step away from technology and do something that gets you into your body and out of your head—whether that's going for a walk, practicing yoga, taking a deep breath, dancing, sitting in the park, talking to a friend, or spending time in nature.
WHAT ARE A FEW SIMPLE DAILY PRACTICES THAT HELP YOU STAY GROUNDED AND CONNECTED TO YOURSELF?
A: Journaling, mindful eating, and breathing.
I'm so grateful that journaling has become a habit in my life. Writing down my thoughts and processing them on the page has been crucial to fostering a deeper connection with myself.
Being present with my food is huge for me. I gain so much simply by allowing myself to be fully present at mealtime—just me and my plate.
As I say to my yoga students, "You have a home inside of you—the breath will take you there."
When life becomes overwhelming, emotions run high, or things feel out of control, the breath is always there for us.
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF BECOMING A COACH AND WITNESSING OTHERS GROW?
A: The smiles on my clients' faces at the end of a session, knowing they're one step closer to where they want to be—and then seeing them get there.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO FEELS CALLED TO HELP OTHERS BUT ISN'T SURE WHERE TO BEGIN?
A: Follow the pull of your curiosity, especially when you don't know where it will take you. Take action before you're ready, and let yourself live into the answers you seek.
There's also no one way to support others, so I'd encourage you to stay open to that looking different from what you might have expected.
WHAT DOES LIVING IN ALIGNMENT MEAN TO YOU TODAY?
A: It means saying "yes" with my whole body to experiences that are equally joyful and expansive.
WHAT'S ONE WELLNESS HABIT YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?
A: Drinking a glass of water when I first wake up.
A BOOK, PODCAST, OR RESOURCE YOU'D RECOMMEND TO THE IIN COMMUNITY?
A: Hormone Intelligence by Dr. Aviva Romm & Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
IF YOU COULD BE ANY FRUIT OR VEGETABLE, WHICH ONE WOULD YOU BE—AND WHY?
A: A pomegranate. Not only are its seeds beautifully rich in color, and it grows naturally in the Mediterranean, but it's also been studied for its potential role in the prevention and treatment of several types of cancer.