My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Kimberly Irlbeck

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

After 20 years working as a personal trainer and health coach, I knew my clients’ challenges with food and body image were much deeper and more complex than what they were eating and how much they exercised. I often had clients talking to me about their relationships, sex life, job stress, and the family dynamics they grew up in. Diving into the psychology of eating was a natural fit for me to take clients to a deeper level of healing and health.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Diving deeper into the emotional, spiritual, and relational aspects of a person’s relationship with food and body has always been my passion. I have seen so many people break free from crazy “food rules” and negative body image, and transform from body hate to body appreciation and love. I could never go back to just wellness or health coaching without the eating psychology aspect of my work. This model combines the best of sound nutritional principles, eating rhythm, and healthy ways to move with principles of changing the mind and emotions, not just the physical body. As a personal trainer, I now work with the whole person, not just the physical body.

What does your practice look like?

Most of my clients are between 40 and 80 years old. I see both men and women. Many of my clients have a Christian faith, so I combine using their faith and Biblical beliefs with moving forward in healing issues of weight, body image, health, and their relationship with food. I also offer life coaching and personal training and have a Masters in Christian counseling for those wanting to really get healing in the emotional and spiritual realms. I see clients face-to-face, do phone coaching, and offer email support to all clients.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

Where do I begin? My education at IPE catapulted my ability to analyze a client’s macronutrient balance, and it gave me lots of fun and creative ideas for homework and assignments to help clients uncover hidden truths and realizations. I found a “tribe” that “got me” and the work I had been doing with clients for years, something I did not know existed until I was a student at IPE. Other health coaches around me would wonder where I came up with the ideas to work with clients on a deeper level. Marc verbalized the things I instinctively knew in my heart about how to effectively work with people to see lasting change.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

I found the initial interview questions and creative ideas for homework assignments most valuable. I appreciated the extra reading list and the ability to do the work at home on my own time. I also loved meeting up with other coaches who share my passion from around the world in Boulder at our graduation.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

It has given me more confidence in working with body image and long term weight loss, and has given me many tools I can use in working with the variety of clients who walk through my door. I have the skills and knowledge to charge more per hour and to select which clients I want to work with.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

I have never looked like a traditional personal trainer and was always self-conscious of my body shape and size until this Training. I now see my extra weight as stored potential energy for what God is calling me to do. I enjoy food more and can allow myself sensual eating pleasure without having to hide while eating. Before this Training, I would eat treats in my car, a closet, the bathroom, or anywhere people could not see me, due to the guilt I felt if I ate anything that was not considered a perfect health food. Now I have freedom to enjoy a piece of pizza or a bowl of ice cream around friends without hating myself later. I can look in the mirror and appreciate my curves and voluptuous body.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

I want to spread the message and truths I learned in this Training and plan on doing group speaking engagements, group coaching, and weekly “weight release” meetings, as well as continuing to learn and share with others.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This program is well rounded, goes after the deep and meaningful issues in life, and is perfect for working on your own issues while also learning new skills and tools to help others. The case studies Marc shares are a wonderful addition to the book learning and PowerPoints.

Anything else you’d like to share?

This Training has set me apart from other health and wellness coaches. It has filled my tool bag with lots of new things to try and ideas to use when I have a client who is stuck or has been unable to move forward in healing issues around body image, weight, and who they are as human beings.

NAME: Kimberly Irlbeck
BUSINESS: Whole Heart Counseling and Coaching
WEBSITE: wholeheartcounselor.com

BIO:  My passion centers around helping clients get set free from lies they have believed about themselves and patterns of behavior that do not serve them in becoming their best selves. Combining techniques of dynamic eating psychology, counseling, coaching and education, I can help you get set free so you can move forward. I help you assess your relationship with nutrition, stress, finances, healthy movement, personal relationships, spirituality, personal growth, career, recreation, thought life and help you create a vision of where you want to go. We will set focused intentions and practices along the way to help you achieve success.

With 25 years experience in the field of transforming lives, I am comfortable working with 10 years olds up to 90 year olds.

MA Christian Counseling, Christian Leadership University
BS Exercise Sciences/Nutrition, University of Colorado, Boulder
Certified Wellness Coach
ACSM Certified Personal Trainer