For starters, I’m a 35-year old mature professional with a family. I’m not going to call you "dude" and shout slogans at you while you lift ridiculously heavy weights for an hour. I take my job as a supportive helper seriously, and that starts with helping you achieve your individual goals in a respectful and effective manner.

I hold two certifications from a nationally respected fitness establishment called the American Council on Exercise (ACE). The first certification, Personal Trainer, was obtained after nine months of study because I wanted to ensure I knew what I was doing when I started assisting clients. The next certification, Lifestyle and Weight Management Consultant, was the result of an additional five months of preparation and is closely related to my educational background in Psychology.

In addition to my fitness certifications, I possess two college degrees in Psychology. My Bachelor’s degree in Psychology was awarded in 1995 from Lake Forest College, a small school north of Chicago. I followed that up with a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology from Boston College in 1998.

Counseling Psychology differs from the more well-known Clinical Psychology in the focus of treatment and client population. My degree prepared me to counsel productive and functional members of society who are finding themselves bogged down with a difficult issue and would benefit from some professional assistance.

In other words, my Psychology background has trained me specifically to work with people like YOU, with jobs, families, relationships and everyday challenges. Perhaps your weight isn’t where you want it to be, or your health isn’t as strong as it could be because of the demands of modern living. Perhaps your weight has been a lifelong battle and it’s time to address the mind, along with the body.

I’ve served as a professional counselor for over seven years before becoming a Personal Trainer and it’s that experience merged in with my fitness knowledge and expertise that’s going to finally make the difference in your life. Four psychiatric hospitals, two home-based counseling firms, a community clinic and a university counseling center have all shaped me into being an attentive and ethical support for people in need of a little direction in their weight loss efforts. The average trainer available for hire has minimal education and ability to address the psychological variables of a serious weight loss effort. They’ll show you what to do in the gym, they might talk about what to do in the kitchen, but the bag of tricks ends there. They won’t know how to really address social support, cognitive distortions, self-efficacy, or emotional eating. I am professionally and academically qualified to complete the package on lasting weight loss and lifestyle change.