Making the gym work for the person.

Today, I work full-time as a teacher alongside working part-time as a Personal Trainer. Over time, I have realised that these two parts of my life are closely connected.

During my first two years of teaching in New Zealand, I worked in specialist education. That experience made me increasingly aware of the barriers neurodiverse young people can face when they want to access a gym, become more active or simply feel comfortable participating in fitness.

Gyms can be busy, noisy and unfamiliar. There can be new equipment, unwritten social rules, sensory challenges and uncertainty around what is expected. For some people, simply walking through the door can be one of the hardest parts. I wanted to help change that.

I now coach neurodiverse adolescents at the gym where I work in Rolleston, using an approach informed by my experience in special education. Sessions can be adapted around communication, sensory needs, confidence, emotional regulation and the individual in front of me.

The goal is not to make someone fit into the gym environment. It is to help make the gym environment work for them.

Support that carries into everyday life.

My work around health and wellbeing also extends into schools. I provide workshops for school staff around supporting their own wellbeing, work with students around regulation and wellbeing, and run staff Bootcamp sessions within school environments.

Being both a teacher and a coach gives me a perspective I really value. Whether I am working with a young person entering a gym for the first time, a teacher trying to prioritise their own health, or someone simply wanting to feel stronger and healthier, my approach is centred around meeting people where they are and helping them move forward from there.

There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Inclusive coaching is an important part of what I do, but it is not the only part. I work with complete beginners, everyday gym-goers and experienced clients who want more structure, accountability or performance-focused training.

• 1:1 personal training, 30, 45 and 60 minutes
• Inclusive personal training for neurodiverse individuals
• Online coaching, programming and accountability
• Body recomposition and lifestyle changes
• Strength training for long-term health
• Running and endurance-focused training
• Nutrition support through Precision Nutrition Level 1
• Practical habits that fit real life

I do not believe everyone needs to train the same way, enjoy the same type of exercise or have the same goal. Success might be lifting heavier than you thought possible, completing your first run, walking into a gym independently, improving your relationship with food and exercise, or simply having more energy for everyday life.

Qualified, current and always learning.

A place to learn, build confidence and get stronger.

My own fitness journey started because I needed to become stronger. It grew into something I loved, and eventually into something I wanted to help other people experience for themselves.

That is what SF Coaching is about: creating a space where you can learn, build confidence, get stronger and work towards your goals without feeling that you need to already be fit enough to begin.

Whether you are completely new to exercise, returning after time away, training towards a specific goal, or looking for an approach that better accommodates the way you experience the world, there is a place for you here.

You do not need to fit a certain mould to belong in fitness. We find an approach that works for you.