When Jen Hudson approached her 50th birthday, she found herself asking the big question: what is my purpose? She had worn many hats, law graduate, nonprofit worker, office manager and mother, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she wasn’t living her full potential.

“I loved everything I did for others,” Jen recalls, “but I didn’t feel like I was meeting who I was supposed to be.”

That search for purpose led her to the Become a Health and Life Coach program at the Health Coach Institute (HCI). What sealed the deal? The dual certification.

“I’d been considering nutrition training for our chiropractic office,” she says, “but the health and life coach certification felt like something that could truly be mine and let me focus on helping people in a way that’s deeply personal.”

Choosing HCI for the Dual Certification Advantage

Jen had explored other programs, including one from a motivational speaker she admired. But HCI stood out immediately.

“It was the very first program I found when I started researching,” Jen says. “The dual certification really caught my attention. I’d gone through menopause, I’m a little older than most of my friends, and I’ve learned so much about health, mindset, and habits. I wanted to share that through mindset coaching and transformational coaching that could help people create lasting change.”

The program’s structure also appealed to her. “The smaller segments, flexibility, and supportive environment worked perfectly for my learning style,” she says. “As someone returning to formal training later in life, that mattered a lot, especially while balancing family, clients, and our office.”

Coaching in Real Life: Walking, Listening, and Transforming Habits

Jen began her practice with scripts for comfort but quickly shifted to a more intuitive style, letting clients lead while she listened deeply.

One client’s goal was more energy, which led to walking coaching sessions. “With her ADHD, walking while talking actually helped her stay focused,” Jen explains. “It was about creating the space for transformational coaching, helping her identify her own solutions while I guided the process.”

Her first paying client saw dramatic changes, trading fast food breakfasts for oatmeal and fruit, biking daily, and drinking more water. “He trusted that I had his best interest at heart,” Jen says. “Even when he decided to continue on his own, I could see how much he’d grown. That’s the goal, to empower people so they can sustain the changes themselves.”

Personal Transformation Alongside Professional Growth

Like many HCI graduates, Jen found that the program changed her personally as much as it prepared her professionally.

“As I went through Pillar One, I kept thinking, ‘Get out of my head!’” she laughs. “The lessons reinforced what I’d been working toward, mindful eating, better habits and more intentional living. Now, I chew slowly, I pause before meals, and I check in with myself every day. These habits aren’t something I have to think about anymore, they’re just who I am.”

For Jen, the program aligned with her interest in spiritual coaching as well. “It’s about grounding myself before each session, being fully present, and helping people see the possibilities they might not see on their own.”

Looking Ahead with Purpose and Flexibility

Today, Jen continues to see clients, volunteers her coaching for a nonprofit supporting new mothers, and is preparing for doula certification. She’s also building a health coaching section on her chiropractic office’s website, an approach that allows her to work from home while expanding her reach.

“This program tied my whole story together,” she says. “It uses everything I’ve ever done, my law background, my life experiences, my health journey, and channels it into helping people change their lives. It’s been transformational in every way.”

For Jen, becoming a health and life coach wasn’t just about earning a credential. It was about building a career and a life that finally felt like her own.

Tami Nealy is the VP of Communications at the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) the parent company of Health Coach Institute. She oversees brand positioning, media relations, and strategic content across ISSA’s portfolio of health and wellness education brands. With more than 20 years of experience in public relations and brand storytelling, Tami specializes in translating industry trends into clear, actionable insights that support aspiring and ISSA-certified personal trainers, health and life coaches, and nutrition professionals in building successful wellness careers. She is also an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University where she teaches in the College of Business.