Your Mental Health: Where Does Your Personal Trainer Fit In?
Personal Trainers wear many hats…should “therapist” be one of them?

Good Morning.
I hope you had a great weekend.
Personal Trainers are wearers of many hats — they are masters in the Applied Sciences, they know Exercise Science, some are nutritionally-focused and even habits-based. The good ones know a bit of sociology and psychology, too.
One thing Personal Trainers aren’t, however, are licensed mental health counselors (LMHC). That might seem obvious, but I wanted to spend today’s newsletter discussing the importance of actual therapy versus an hour of exercise.
If you watched White Lotus Season 2 (you did watch it, didnt you?), you remember Daphne’s conversation with Harper about “getting a trainer.” That had some promiscuous undertones, but the mental health angle of it there is troubling. Is getting a Personal Trainer really a way for some people to escape problems? That’s what Daphne implied, and popular media often reflects popular culture.
What Personal Trainers ARE
Now that we’ve started to draw the line for what Personal Trainers can do, let’s understand something. Personal Trainers can help improve the mental health of their clients. There’s some science out there that says regular exercise is just as effective as traditional medication in treating depression. So we can’t discount the fact that Personal Trainers can positively effect mental health.
It’s extremely like that, as a Personal Trainer, you’ll encounter a client dealing with some sort of mental health challenge. Bearing this in mind, it’s important not to diagnose and stay within your scope. You can certainly understand someone’s challenge and meet them where they’re at by being flexible (not like the muscular kind).
Trainers can give clients the “keys” to the workout and empower clients to choose the movement that suits them best. To exercise on your own terms, after all, is the Longer-Term Fitness goal. So trainers who allow clients to set the pace have a unique superpower that will open a lot of doors for your business.
Trainers are also good conversationalists. Sure, they won’t talk to you the way a LMHC will, but getting thoughts out is a proven way to alleviate anxiety and depression. And, so long as you’re also sharing these things with other people you trust, I think it’s healthy to be able to get different perspectives on your challenges. Having another voice to offer advice — where it’s warranted and allowed — is an invaluable benefit of having a trainer if you’ve worked up to a certain level of trust with them.
How Better Fitness Can Improve Other Aspects of Life
Training can positively influence a lot of things once you get into a groove. More bloodflow to the brain = more productivity. Seeing positive results in the mirror or on the scale can drive you to improve other areas of your life — career, relationships, and emotional health, too.
While Personal Trainers aren’t LMHCs, I think the two career paths have a very symbiotic relationship. I’ve seen smart Personal Trainers refer mentally distraught clients out to licensed professionals and change their lives. I’ve also heard stories of LMHCs recommending exercise as a means of therapeutic homework.
When these two things sync up, it’s a beautiful thing. And neither relationship needs to be temporary. It’s actually very common for happy people to continue therapy. And you certainly wouldn’t stop exercising after just a little in-shape, would you?
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