About me.
I am a certified PREKURE Mental Health Coach, specialising in mental health and wellbeing. I have navigated through my own physical and mental health challenges and I know firsthand the value of having someone in your corner when life gets tough.
Taking small, consistent steps is the trick to building wellbeing and I'm here to meet you right where you are in your journey. I provide guidance on lifestyle medicine, coping strategies, and resilience-building techniques. I'm here to help you discover your strengths, all while being your biggest cheerleader. The goal? To guide you on your path to better mental fitness.
My philosophy is straightforward: "Keep it simple, make it fun, and do what works for you."
My life journey includes 18 years of dairy farming with my husband, Lance, as we raised our three children while actively engaging in our rural community. Today, our kids have grown into wonderful young adults, and we've also gained a lovely daughter-in-law.
I have a passion for education, facilitation and group learning. There is energy when we connect to share our stories and learn together. As we cultivate knowledge, we sow the seeds of understanding, and with this comes the power to guide our own journey towards strength and wellbeing.
If you're seeking support on your mental health journey, know that I am walking my own path, and I'm here to walk alongside you. Let's make being well, a lifestyle, together. 😊
Katherine Gillespie
Manawatu Guardian Article – By Judith Lacy • 31 Jan, 2024
Grow strong: Mental health coach shares insights
Registered nurse. Dairy farmer. Farmstay host. Mother of three. These are just some of the roles Katherine Gillespie has fulfilled. Her children are adults now and Gillespie and her husband Lance have moved from the Āpiti dairy farm to just outside Palmerston North.
Gillespie is a PreKure certified mental health coach. PreKure is a social enterprise designed to inspire the medical profession to focus more on disease prevention. It was founded by Aucklanders Grant and Louise Schofield in 2018 and provides training in the latest science and practice in lifestyle medicine.
Gillespie’s business is GrowForte. Forte is Italian for strong and it is also a musical term. She used to play the piano, clarinet and flute, plus sing.
Most people know what makes a difference to our wellbeing but can’t always put it into practice, she says. There are many tools that can make a difference to a person’s wellbeing and a mental health coach will help you find the ones that work for you. They can introduce ideas, educate and support you with behavioural changes.
Gillespie says living so far from town led to a lot of personal growth through the situations she found herself in. She stepped into roles she would never have if she had been close to a big pool of people. She has navigated her own physical and mental health challenges. She knows the difference her everyday choices make for her wellbeing and the value of connection with others when life is feeling hard.
Gillespie helps people ditch the busy mentality, slow down, and listen to their bodies. She helps people recognise the chemical changes in their bodies when they connect with others or move their bodies differently. She wants people to know it is not scary to seek support and talk to someone. GrowForte provides a safe space to explore issues, she says.
For four years, Gillespie facilitated St John’s mental health first aid courses.
Next month, she is running a teen connection workshop for parents and guardians. It will cover how the adolescent brain works and how to recognise signs of mental health issues. She also runs courses on how to monitor your wellbeing.
Gillespie loves helping people and passing on her knowledge. She often feels energised after talking with someone as she has connected on a deep level.
She is a facilitator and coach for Agri-Women’s Development Trust’s Know Your Mindset Lead the Recovery Programme and the You Matter Programme. These programmes were developed in response to the adverse weather events of 2023.
Gillespie grew up in Palmerston North. She did her nursing degree in the city and has also nursed in England and the United States. Her father, John Ayers, is a retired organic chemistry lecturer and her mother, Lesley Ayers, a writer and counsellor.
