Kate’s Journey: Strength, Confidence, and Belonging

A story of perseverance, trust, and the power of individualized strength training.

Kate has been an Inclusive Fitness® athlete for several years, building strong, meaningful relationships with her coaches on a foundation of trust and understanding. Through those relationships, we have come to know Kate not only as an athlete but as an incredible person.

She is thoughtful, determined, and full of knowledge—especially when it comes to the animal kingdom. She brings focus, effort, and engaging conversation to every session, showing up with a willingness to work, even on the difficult days.

Kate has a complex neurological and medical profile, including challenges with balance, stability, and motor control, along with functional seizures and vertigo. Strength and safe movement did not come easily at first, and beginning a strength-training program was met with understandable hesitation.

However, through consistent coaching and her own perseverance, Kate has grown stronger, more confident, and more independent both in the gym and in her daily life.

Finding the Right Fit

Before finding Inclusive Fitness, Kate struggled to find a place where she could train safely.

Throughout her school years, she received occupational, physical, and speech therapy. After graduating from Cotting School and entering an adult day program, she participated in activities like yoga and general fitness. Those programs, unfortunately, often lacked individualized evaluation or structured progression.

Her mom, Laura, remembers how difficult it was to find the right environment. “I kept trying to find a way for her to stay active,” Laura said. “But everywhere we went, they either didn’t assess where she was starting, or they pushed her into things she wasn’t ready for. She got hurt more than once.”

For a time, Kate worked with a private trainer in a one-on-one setting. However, when that studio closed during the pandemic, her physical stability declined, and the frequency of her falls increased.

“That’s when I knew we had to do something different,” Laura said. “She was falling too often. It was scary.”

A Different Kind of Gym

It was through an adult family care program that Laura first heard about Inclusive Fitness.

At first, she hesitated. Distance, cost, and logistics all felt like real barriers. Although once she learned that the gym specializes in strength training for neurodivergent athletes and prioritizes individualized coaching, the decision became clearer. “The whole place is set up for neurodivergent athletes,” Laura said. “Right away, I knew this was different.”

Kate began training in one-on-one sessions, gradually building strength, balance, and movement confidence. Over time, she developed the skills needed to participate in group training as well. Today, she trains both individually and in a women’s group where she enjoys being surrounded by her peers.

“It’s fun to work out with other people,” she says.

Strength That Carries Into Everyday Life

The changes Laura has seen in Kate extend far beyond the gym. Her balance has improved. Her strength has increased. And she is able to carry and lift things that once would have been difficult.

One moment that stood out happened during a hospital sleep study. Kate needed to bring a folding cot for the overnight visit. Instead of struggling with it, she confidently carried the bulky cot down a long hallway using a chest carry.

“I never thought I’d see her do something like that,” Laura said. “That was pure confidence.”

The Impact of Inclusive Fitness

While strength training does not change Kate’s neurological condition, improvements in strength, balance, and movement awareness reinforce strategies that support her safety and independence.

Laura still takes precautions with stairs and slippery surfaces, but her confidence in Kate’s physical abilities has grown significantly.

“I feel safer knowing she understands how to move her body now,” Laura said. “That peace of mind is huge.”

Inclusive Fitness has supported Kate’s physical progress while also creating a space where she and her family feel comfortable, understood, and able to be themselves.

“The fact that the entire space is built for neurodivergent athletes makes all the difference,” Laura said. “And the small things matter too—chairs, a restroom parents can use, water, coffee. That kind of thoughtfulness is rare and very appreciated.”

“We finally found the right place for her.”

-Laura

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Inclusive Fitness® provides individualized strength training for neurodivergent athletes in a supportive, structured environment.