Meet Holly Fowler | Health Coach for Crohn’s and Colitis

We had the good fortune of connecting with Holly Fowler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Holly, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The idea of supporting the Crohn’s and Colitis community came from being diagnosed in 2008 with Ulcerative Colitis and not knowing what to eat, how to exercise, or how to even live my life with an autoimmune disease. It took me years to even begin to figure it all out for myself. Then in 2016, I started a blog to share my journey with Ulcerative Colitis with others for the first time. I had begun getting tons of questions about how I was managing my health and ultimately decided to start the blog to consolidate my responses all in one place.

Flash forward to 2020, I was in a UC flare of my own–one of my worst to date, actually–and really wanted to connect with the Crohn’s and Colitis community on a deeper level. I just knew that if I was feeling frustrated and isolated, that others may be feeling this way too. So I built a health coaching company and began offering 1:1 coaching offerings, a tangible way to support fellow Crohn’s and Colitis warriors.

What should our readers know about your business?
It definitely hasn’t been easy! I realized really early on that my business had to operate differently than most entrepreneurs, due to having Ulcerative Colitis.

The greatest obstacle is syncing my desire to constantly build more and do more (I’m an Aries sun and moon!) with my need to insert rest into my schedule for the sake of my health.

I’ve had a few colitis flares pop up when my stress gets too high. Now I know that I need to prioritize stress management and mental health, in addition to my nutrition.

I also recognize now that my health issues are my strength and set me apart. I have the level of empathy that comes only from experiencing IBD on a personal level and that shows through in the way I work with my clients.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love Little Havana! I would take them to Cafe La Trova for dinner and music and Terras Rooftop for drinks.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I have so many shoutouts! Living well with an autoimmune disease requires a village. My husband and parents have been incredible and supportive throughout my 14 years with Ulcerative Colitis. I also want to shout out my amazing business mentors, Leah Gervais and Kate Jaramillo, for helping me making my business a success.

Website: www.colitiscopenutrition.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hollsfowler

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/holly-fowler

Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/crohnscolitiscommunity