Kathleen Cleary
NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Nutrition Coach in Asheville, NC

Hello, Welcome! I'm Kathleen, owner and trainer of KC Fitness Therapy. Health and Fitness have been a long time passion of mine. Owning my own business and doing what I love everyday is a dream come true. Growing up I played competitive sports and ran long-distance. I was fascinated by the body and its mechanics. I found myself constantly learning about nutrition or spending time practicing and training for various sports. I achieved many of my goals, but was unfortunately also held back by injury. My body was not conditioned properly for the demands I placed on it. Shin splints, lower back pain, and a pulled hamstring all wrecked havoc on my athletic pursuits in my early twenties. Additionally, I struggled with depression and the lack of motivation and weight fluctuations that accompanied it.

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These obstacles forced me to re-build my body at the foundational level. By incorporating therapeutic exercises and yoga I gained mobility and strength. Adding stabilization and strength training exercises helped to keep my body in proper alignment and prepare it for heavy loads. With patience, hard work, and professional direction, my injuries began to dissipate. My mental and emotional health also improved through my new styles of training.

Wanting to further my interests, I studied Health and Wellness Promotion at UNC-Asheville. While in school I assisted the Women's Division-I Swimming Team. This was training at a whole new level. Being a part of three hour practices and training in the weight room provided me with hands on experience of athletic performance coaching.

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Upon graduating, I explored various health fields. I spent two years working as a Physical Therapy Aide teaching patient's therapeutic and strengthening exercises. This inspired a love for fitness coaching and post-rehabilitation health. I knew at that point I wanted to be a trainer. I obtained a certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine for Personal Training and Group Fitness. I also acquired a certification in teaching Yoga for Athletes and most recently, have become a Certified Nutrition Coach.  

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My expertise in health and movement science involves using a holistic and wellness centered approach to teach others to connect to their bodies and learn to strengthen them. Through our work together, my clients feel happier, healthier, and more confident in their own body and able to do more of the things they love. My hope is that YOU too will experience the life saving benefits of exercise that I have.