the fit-ology approach

You know how being “smart but scattered” can create feelings of shame, guilt, anxiety and low self-esteem? 

How fast does your heart drop at these words: “You have so much potential, if you’d just apply yourself.”  

Me too.  That last phrase describes my whole childhood; then I had two kids who kept hearing the same.    It breaks my heart every time, so…

I use a holistic approach to help you:

• understand your patterns, and reinforce or restructure them if needed
• get a grip on your real strengths and build on them so that you feel competent, confident and proud of your differently-wired mind
• take a break from the constant shame cycle, to enjoy life’s perfect imperfection
• declare your space, your style and your way of thinking as valid and worthy even in the face of challenge.  

 

meet the team

Also called my inspiration, my greatest teachers, and the reasons I’ve barely slept since the early 2000’s.

(They’re teens now and don’t even look like this anymore, but I still love the photo.)

My son, the first among us to discover he has a supercharged brain, has been on the move since day one. He calls ADHD and dyslexia his “learning goodies” because he has learned how to harness their power.

My daughter, who hates being the last at anything, was the last among us to discover her supercharged brain.  Despite her distraction, she catches everything — she’s a born negotiator who remembers mostly the details you wish she’d forget, and will debate your socks off.

Jessica Covington

And this is me:  mom, wife, coach to some seriously spectacular Busy Brains(sm), and caretaker of my own ADHD mind–which sometimes takes on a life of its own.  Dance saved my sanity and helped me create my own coping strategies when “ADHD” was barely even a thing (and certainly wasn’t suspected in girls).

photo credit:  Bonnie J Heath Photography

my bio

Hey, I’m Jessica!  I’m a mom, wife and realistic optimist at heart.

I’m also a dancer, lifelong learner, meditator, athlete, teacher, connector, organizer, science nerd, guide, and voracious reader (but not one page of fiction).  I have a very busy brain of my own and even on my most distracted days, I wouldn’t change it for the world.

I’m happiest when I’m in the dance studio, on the beach or deep in the woods with my family, ….or when I’m changing the worldview on ADHD to one of strength and creativity.

I’ve been teaching others dance and fitness since the first time headbands and leg warmers were cool, and took a tour through the workaday world via human resources.  Recruitment and development were my HR specialties because I love making the perfect match between people and the work they love, and helping them do it really well.

My coaching blends all my previous experience and training (I’m an ACE Certified Health Coach too):  recruitment, development, dance, health coaching and parenting.  Together, we work with four key elements:

Exercise (the right kind for ADHD!)

Nutrition (also, special for ADHD)

Metacognition & Mindfulness (you guessed it…different!)

Systems, Habits & Tools (in a cute acronym: “SHT”)

Helping you find the brilliance in the chaos of ADHD is what I’m all about.  In a typical session, I’m usually equal parts coach, guide, teacher and consultant.  One of my favorite things is funneling the flood of conflicting ADHD information out there into a small, manageable, smart stream.

Stuff you might notice about me:  

• • I overuse the word “awesome” — not because I don’t understand its meaning, but because I do. I find joy and wonder in big and small things all the time.

• • My bookshelf is full of self-improvement, brain science, child development, nutrition, anatomy, exercise science and more….but not one page of fiction. Who’s got time when there’s so much to learn?

• • If I could do it all over again without repeating anything, I’d want to be a stunt car driver.  Or maybe a psychologist. Or a professional rock-star drummer.  Translator or linguist, perhaps?  Possibly a fighter-jet pilot, but without the weapons.

• • I’m usually the shortest person in the room — even a room full of kids.

• • Music speaks to me in a way I can’t quite explain; I just wish I had an instant video record of what I see in my mind when hearing certain songs.  

If you’re still here, you must be looking for the nitty-gritty.  Here goes:

• • Certified Master Life Coach

• • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance Performance, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

• • Dance experience over 40+ years (ballet, modern and most other styles)

• • ACE-Certified Health Coach

• • ACE-Certified Group Fitness Instructor 

• Other certificates:  
  • Certified Life Purpose Coach
  • Certified Goal Success Coach
  • Certified Neurolinguistic Programming Coach
  • ACE-Certified Youth Fitness Specialist
  • Certified Junior Fitness Instructor
  • Certified Holistic Fitness Specialist
  • ABT Certified Barre Instructor
  • Golf Conditioning Specialist
  • Muscle Management Specialist
  • Certified Perinatal Fitness Instructor
  • Certified Aqua Fitness Instructor
  • Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Treatment & Prevention Specialist
  • Certified YogaFit for Kids Instructor
  • High Performance Nutrition Specialist
  • Weight Management Specialist
  • Longevity Wellness Specialist
  • Strength Training Specialist

our story

When my son was diagnosed at age 7, I dove head-first into all the research I could find on ADHD and dyslexia.  Having been a dancer, and later a health and fitness coach, I saw all this information through the lens of physical health and its connection to the mind.  When my son first told me he was embarrassed  about being behind in class and feeling different from his friends…well, that’s what woke up the warrior mama in me.  I knew I had to wage war on shame and guilt in order to show him how powerful he really is.

That began our strengths-based approach — and it made such a difference that others began to notice his happy smile, his progression at school and more.  I couldn’t resist sharing all the good stuff we learned (and continue to learn!).

Quickly, I started to realize three things:

• ADHD traits sounded really familiar to me (which led to my own diagnosis about a year later)
• Everyone else in the field is targeting ADHD brain-first, to get the body cooperating
• I knew there was another way, and that I could help people body-first to get the brain online

Many years and even more clients later, I am not about to allow feeling “less than” wreck things for anyone I can reach.  Coaching is where I’m meant to be, and right here is where you belong, too.

next steps…

What’s to lose?  Let’s talk for 15 minutes to see if fit-ology is a good match for you.  No strings, no BS, just real talk about the possibilities and a decision that’s left up to you.