Iona Reading
Somerset,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
English
Iona Reading
Health Coach - Nutrition - Lifestyle - Mindset
Health Coaching, Mindset Coaching, Wellbeing Coaching
Interested?I help busy women to find the energy to navigate health and life changes in their 30s and 40s, and feel fantastic.
Often, health and wellbeing are addressed in silos of diet or fitness or stress management or self-care. I believe we need to take a more holistic approach. Health means different things to different people, and this individuality needs to be taken into account.
Often, health and wellbeing are addressed in silos of diet or fitness or stress management or self-care. I believe we need to take a more holistic approach. Health means different things to different people, and this individuality needs to be taken into account.
I provide my clients a safe, non-judgemental space, and listen as they explore what is and isn't working in their lives. Self-awareness is the first step in making positive changes that improve health and wellbeing. Together we work through limiting beliefs, and find solutions that work for them.
I recognise there is no one-size fits all approach to health. Individuality is at the core of my coaching approach! Rather than telling people what to do, I provide a listening environment to help my clients find their own solutions; to discover their strengths and use them to build new habits that drive sustainable lifestyle changes they feel excited about.
I recognise there is no one-size fits all approach to health. Individuality is at the core of my coaching approach! Rather than telling people what to do, I provide a listening environment to help my clients find their own solutions; to discover their strengths and use them to build new habits that drive sustainable lifestyle changes they feel excited about.
I don't believe in diets, that introduce scarcity and restriction and can lead to years of yo-yo dieting, unhappiness and generally more weight gain. I don't believe in restriction, instead how we can create balanced meals (we love) that support our health, energy and emotional wellbeing. I support clients by exploring their eating habits, food choices and offering mentoring and education, as needed to help them make improvements that don't include calorie counting or cutting out food groups!
My particular areas of interest are:
- Women's health, including hormone balance.
- Managing stress and avoiding burnout.
- Metabolic health: supporting healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the likelihood of diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and Alzheimer's.
Coaching Credentials
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Level 5 Diploma in Health & Wellness Coaching, Health Coaches Academy (accredited: UKIHCA, Association for Coaches and Comensa, Personalised Care Institute)
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Addressing Trauma, Adverse Childhood Experiences and Dysregulation in Chronic Illness, The Crysalis Effect (accredited: Federation of Holistic Therapists)
- Full member and Registered Health Coach: UK and International Health Coaching Association (UKIHCA) - I adhere to their professional Scope of Practice.
My Clients
"Before the 4-week Reset Programme I was feeling stuck, I felt very sluggish and tired all the time and unhappy with where my fitness and weight were after having two kids. I was struggling getting back into exercising with small children and postpartum weight gain.
Since the Reset Programme, I have lost 2.5kgs but more excitingly I started running again and did my first parkrun and kept up with the running program improving my time each week. I have more energy and feel much better about myself. I have more energy for my kids and husband and I am less irritable. Working with Iona was a wonderful experience, she taught me so much and always made me feel comfortable and proud of myself. She is a great listener and focuses on ways to help you that suit you." Jess H
Since the Reset Programme, I have lost 2.5kgs but more excitingly I started running again and did my first parkrun and kept up with the running program improving my time each week. I have more energy and feel much better about myself. I have more energy for my kids and husband and I am less irritable. Working with Iona was a wonderful experience, she taught me so much and always made me feel comfortable and proud of myself. She is a great listener and focuses on ways to help you that suit you." Jess H
"Through coaching I have been able to identify the things in life that really matter to me, there is clarity in what I need to feel nourished, I feel empowered and more ready to take on life’s ups and downs...and being kind to myself if I slip up! Thank you, Iona. Your smiling, calm, clear and gentle encouragement has taught me so much. I have learnt more than I imagined and have confronted barriers I hadn’t realised were there." Roisin Y-W
"I have worked with Iona for 4 weekly sessions and it has been revolutionary. I was completely stuck in a rut with bad anxiety ruling my life. Iona has helped me to put tools in place to manage my anxiety and reduce the chances of anxiety attacks occurring. She enabled me to find fun in my life again. She has also helped me address other areas of my life causing me stress like my time management. Iona has advised me on my diet and helped me find ways to vary my diet and strengthen my blood sugar levelling journey.
"I have worked with Iona for 4 weekly sessions and it has been revolutionary. I was completely stuck in a rut with bad anxiety ruling my life. Iona has helped me to put tools in place to manage my anxiety and reduce the chances of anxiety attacks occurring. She enabled me to find fun in my life again. She has also helped me address other areas of my life causing me stress like my time management. Iona has advised me on my diet and helped me find ways to vary my diet and strengthen my blood sugar levelling journey.
I found Iona to be a lovely person to work with, very supportive and without judgement. At the start of the course I really didn’t know what to expect but I’m am so pleased and grateful to have worked with her. I would recommend Iona to anyone wanting to make positive changes to improve their health and happiness." Marianne S.
"Iona is a wonderful Health Coach who I am glad to have worked with. During my first session it was clear that I needed a degree of education in the science behind blood sugar balancing and Iona didn't make me feel stupid for not knowing anything already. She encouraged me to try new things and celebrated my successes with me too.
Iona was a great support, explaining the 'why' behind everything and working all plans to work alongside my personal barriers, including Chronic Pain and Chronic Fatigue so that my goals each week remained achievable whilst also pushing me further. I have continued to feel motivated since the health coaching sessions ended and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Iona to any of my friends or family who wanted to start having health coaching." Jess K.
"I have really found working with Iona inspiring, informative and thought provoking. Over the course of the sessions my goals changed from short term dieting to a shift in my eating patterns for the benefit of my health and wellbeing.
"Iona is a wonderful Health Coach who I am glad to have worked with. During my first session it was clear that I needed a degree of education in the science behind blood sugar balancing and Iona didn't make me feel stupid for not knowing anything already. She encouraged me to try new things and celebrated my successes with me too.
Iona was a great support, explaining the 'why' behind everything and working all plans to work alongside my personal barriers, including Chronic Pain and Chronic Fatigue so that my goals each week remained achievable whilst also pushing me further. I have continued to feel motivated since the health coaching sessions ended and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Iona to any of my friends or family who wanted to start having health coaching." Jess K.
"I have really found working with Iona inspiring, informative and thought provoking. Over the course of the sessions my goals changed from short term dieting to a shift in my eating patterns for the benefit of my health and wellbeing.
Iona was able to help me unpick some of my food issues that have been unhealthy yet part of my childhood habits relating to food. I am now more aware and have started to put this into practise with my own family.
My mum has just been told that she is close to being diabetic and needs to change her diet. I have been able to share some of what I have learnt and recommended Iona to help her on her journey to becoming healthier." Eva G-B.
"I have spent the last 6 weeks working with Iona and truly could not recommend her more. She is kind, insightful, friendly and makes nothing seem insignificant if its significant to me. I feel totally as ease with telling her anything, knowing I won’t be judged or laughed at.
"I have spent the last 6 weeks working with Iona and truly could not recommend her more. She is kind, insightful, friendly and makes nothing seem insignificant if its significant to me. I feel totally as ease with telling her anything, knowing I won’t be judged or laughed at.
I signed up mainly to concentrate on my unhealthy relationship with food and a gain of 5 stone in 3 years due to health changes and low mood. I have never had a health coach before, and it was a revelation.
Iona introduced me to the blood sugar balancing plan; assuring me it was a lifestyle change of plenty, not a diet of cutbacks - I was sceptical and I suppose set out to prove her wrong! (full fat everything on a 'diet'?!) In my first week I lost 4lbs and have since gone on to lose a stone. But more importantly I have, with the insightful and open questions asked by Iona discovered why perhaps I have this relationship with food; why I usually manage to blame myself for all that is wrong in life (and not just mine).
I have now signed up for another 8 weeks having made inroads in to changing my life for the better yet still feeling I don’t have the confidence to go solo yet; I need the changes to be habits and automatic in my life. Habits embedded over a lifetime don’t change quickly but i am really looking forward to the journey shared with Iona.
I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Iona to anyone who has lost their way a little, is looking for a way to help put their life back on track. Its not something she can do for you but to be giving the tools to do for yourself is empowering. To share it with someone who sees your success, understands what it means to you, share smiles and helps you to build upon it week by week is amazing. As a person Iona is bubbly, kind and empathetic but not sympathetic – there is a fine line, and she hits it. " Sara W.
"I found Iona through a perimenopause Facebook group. She spoke so passionately about blood sugar balancing, I wanted to know more. We have done 6 sessions of health coaching and it's been transformative for me. Iona listened well to my tricky life and helped me carve a way through for myself. I've learned a lot to take my journey forward. The big bonus was losing 4lbs without even trying. I highly recommend Iona and blood sugar balancing." Rachel B.
"I found Iona through a perimenopause Facebook group. She spoke so passionately about blood sugar balancing, I wanted to know more. We have done 6 sessions of health coaching and it's been transformative for me. Iona listened well to my tricky life and helped me carve a way through for myself. I've learned a lot to take my journey forward. The big bonus was losing 4lbs without even trying. I highly recommend Iona and blood sugar balancing." Rachel B.
Education
BSc (Hons) Psychology, University of Plymouth (2001)
Professional Experience
Alongside Triskelion Health Coaching, I run an antenatal education business - New Life Classes. I founded New Life in 2016, and have supported more than 8,000 expectant parents as they prepare for labour, birth and parenting. I have worked with a team of health professionals to develop the courses New Life offers, and have a team of dedicated midwives teaching for me.
My passion is providing people with the knowledge, tools, professional and social support to start their new lives with confidence. With a Psychology background, I have a particular interest in mental health and child development.
Since 2021, I have also been running teacher training programmes. To date, collaborating with the my clients, I have designed bespoke antenatal programmes and trained health professionals from 22 maternity units in 6 countries to deliver classes in their communities.
My passion is providing people with the knowledge, tools, professional and social support to start their new lives with confidence. With a Psychology background, I have a particular interest in mental health and child development.
Since 2021, I have also been running teacher training programmes. To date, collaborating with the my clients, I have designed bespoke antenatal programmes and trained health professionals from 22 maternity units in 6 countries to deliver classes in their communities.