Mental Health & Fitness: Louise Vigneault 

Louise Vigneault 
Brampton, ON

canfitpro PRO TRAINER: PTS, FIS, HWL, FMA, CPR 
 
How has your mental health been challenged in the fitness industry?  

COVID-19 has been a challenge for many people and affected me personally – during that time I couldn’t do what I love to do to help me manage my stress, which is working out. I lost many family members during that time, and it was hard to deal with, so I had to find another way and started to walk in nature which has helped in many ways. 

 
What is the most important thing to consider when assisting a personal training client with their mental health?  

We must meet our clients where they are and be empathetic with their issues and be a good listener when they need to talk. Listening is a skill which I had to develop over my 20 years being a personal trainer, we need to listen more and talk less. 

 
As certified canfitpro Personal Training Specialists, how can we influence our industry to change the stigma around mental health?  

Mental health issues have been around for thousands of years and now doctors are better equipped to diagnose it and provide better help with medication. Having had a few members of my family that had mental health issues, and some did commit suicide, I am very much aware of this. One thing I realized over time is when these family members started to work out, they felt better and were able to have a life full of happiness, goal setting and reaching these goals. 

FB: Louise E Vigneault  
IG: @louysevigno 

Twitter: @tranceyoga 
Website: nutri-fitness.com
Email: Louyse@hotmail,com