What People Say About Working With Joanna

My experience with Joanna, to say the least, has been nothing but productive and supportive from the very start. My week begins and ends with our weekly call. For years, I have made many attempts to include some sort of exercise routine into my schedule. Through her coaching, setting weekly goals, 3-month goals, and evaluating my performance on a weekly basis, I have finally built an exercise routine into my life that comes as second nature. In the past, if I missed a day or two of exercise, I would see that as a failure. That outlook would result in another failed attempt at creating a new habit. Now, if I miss a day or two, it doesn’t impact my routine. I rate my week on its level of success. 

I have battled ADD and untreated anxiety for many years. Joanna introduced me to breathing exercises and meditation that have been so effective in coping with those issues on a daily basis. When I started with Joanna, meditation was always something I wanted to learn more about but never seemed to be something I would do. Meditation has become a part of my daily routine and sets the tone for my day. When Joanna introduced breathing techniques into our weekly call my initial thoughts were overwhelming. The breathing exercises are effective, simple, and can take place anywhere. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I started with Joanna, but this experience has filled a void in my life and has given me the ability to create habits by following a simple program. 

-Glen Massie 

As an HR manager for a multi-state region, my work tempo can often be fast paced and high stress. I consulted with Joanna on breathing and stress management techniques to help improve my everyday performance, both personally and professionally.

Joanna did a great job listening to my needs and putting together an individualized program to specifically address what I wanted to work on. In only one session of work, Joanna gave me tools so I could improve my physical and mental wellbeing. She made the information palatable, interesting, and succinct, which has made applying the techniques during everyday tasks easy. The techniques she showed me have literally been transformational. Not only has my response to stress been significantly reduced, my chronic allergy symptoms have lessened, and my sleep has drastically improved. 

As I seek a deeper look into how to improve my overall health and wellbeing, I look forward to a continued partnership with Joanna to learn more ways to increase my performance and life satisfaction.

-Amber Horton

When I first started wellness coaching with Joanna, I had no idea what it meant to be kind to myself, how to set an achievable goal, what proper meditation and breathing can do, etc.  Through the months that Joanna and I have been working together, I’ve found that if I set a couple small goals weekly, my chances of doing them are a lot higher, and I feel better about myself because I’m achieving my goals.  I’m so grateful I got to do this with Joanna and learn how to improve myself in small reasonable ways.

-Blair Critchell 

I have been working with Joanna for almost six months and am a better person physically, mentally, and spiritually because of Joanna’s health & wellness coaching. Not only has Joanna’s coaching helped, but also her interesting and gentle education on many aspects of exercise, nutrition, relaxation, physiology, and prioritizing within all of these areas are the things from which I have benefitted in our work together.

Joanna and I have put together an exercise plan that includes stretching, yoga, cardio, sports, and weight training. I feel like I understand my body and its fitness needs much better than I ever have in sixty years of exercising and playing sports. Joanna has helped me lose weight and tone-up my muscles and has also helped me learn to take advantage of other healing modalities. Maybe most importantly, Joanna has taught me some easy and proper breathing techniques that have frankly been transformative to my health and mental well-being.

When it comes to nutrition, Joanna and I began with some simple and attainable weekly goals and have worked our way, both by our discussions and by some interesting web research, to a point where healthy eating is now just part of my (and my children's!) lifestyle. It is not a hardship or hassle like a diet can be. I have been able to make adjustments that fit with my needs, which has helped with weight (always a struggle for me), and joint inflammation (my lifetime curse). And, speaking of combating inflammation, one of the most interesting things I have learned in working with Joanna is the importance of the body’s fascia, a much-ignored but key part of your entire human body.

In addition to nutrition and exercise, Joanna has been especially helpful with my sleeping.  For years, I have stayed up too late and had trouble getting to sleep - which, of course, led to many challenging work days. Joanna and I worked on my sleep schedule, coupled with breathing and mental-relaxation techniques that have transformed my sleep habits. This has changed my ability to fall asleep sooner and sleep more soundly through the night. These lifestyle changes - no gimmicks here - have helped me get a much better night's sleep which has led to being more refreshed and more energetic the next day. It’s awesome!

While this may sound a bit over-the-top, it’s not. I can honestly say that, since working with Joanna Starling, every bit of the coaching has been a positive and life(style)-changing experience; my entire well-being has improved. I am smarter, fitter, and healthier in every way thanks to Joanna! 

-Rob Carter