Profile of Susan Patricia Sheehan,
As written by Kaye Chipreo… A Client
Sue credits her three children Jodi-Lea, Matthew and Kelsey-Maree, with providing her amazing levels of inspiration, motivation and education about the power of unconditional love and the truth behind the saying “we are what we think.” Her story is a moving and powerful testimony of this statement.
I first met Sue over a cup of coffee and was immediately drawn to her warmth, her smile, the way she laughed in a totally unaffected way and her entire lack of pretension. To be brief and to honor this amazing woman, here is her story as told to me later.
Susan was raped when she was just 15 and again at 22. Jodi-Lea’s young life came to an end when she was tragically run over while they were crossing the road. Matthew was born with a mild intellectual disability, multiple food allergies and focal epilepsy. After the birth of Kelsey-Maree, Susan felt fat and, in her own words, “big boobed” although you would never believe it now. Susan is a petite blonde Kiwi dynamo with seemingly boundless energy. Her outlook on life reflects the attitudes of the Champions of this world.
Susan says she grew into her career in the Fitness Industry, now known as the Wellness Industry, out of the necessity. As you can imagine there was a time when she wanted to “feel better” about herself, to help Matthew, to lose weight and to overcome the fears and limitations of past trauma which threatened to fence her into a life of low expectation.
Matthew’s life has been dominated by the necessity to treat or manage his singular condition. Professional therapists, specific nutrition, medical opinion and constant research have been the “normal” factor in Susan’s household. Susan has studied and received a diploma in health, fitness and nutrition which has enabled her to work with Matthew at home, sometimes taking on board the advice of the medical world, sometimes finding new answers in her own study.
Today Matthew is 22 years old, drug free, works 30 hrs a week, trains with a personal trainer and never allows his disability to be an excuse for fear! I’ve met Matthew and I am totally impressed by this very special, friendly and caring person.
As for Susan, she continues to study, participated in aerobic competitions, developed exercise programs for children, aerobic and aqua classes for mums, trained in Tae Kwondo, the Les Mills Body Systems, became a Personal Trainer and studied Pilates. She has also spent time in the United States both personally and professionally furthering her studies in lifestyle coaching and marketing and is currently studying an advanced diploma in nutrition.
Susan turned 44 when she was living in America. She experienced her first “hot flush”. Early signs of menopause arrived on her doorstep to further challenge her with changes in hormone levels. In her own words she says she was “in shape, did all the right things, ate all the right foods yet still felt terrible.” A trip to the doctor introduced the option of HRT. As usual Susan absorbed this new state of affairs and went in search of answers herself. She came across the Plan 40 program and said a happy goodbye to hot flushes. She began to reconnect with a new set of rules and develop a deeper understanding of balance.
I describe Susan as passionate. She yearns to share her knowledge, experience and story. I would say her purpose is to encourage and teach other women to feel beauty, balance and harmony. She insists that it all starts with how you think and one of her mottos is to never accept anything unless it is for the good of you. As she so eloquently points out “a hot flush is not good for you; going up 2 sizes in jeans is definitely not for the good of you!!” The Healthy Hormones 40+ Program is a unique concept. Along with Lyn, she has developed this model for exceptional living into a practical plan to add value to the lives of other women affected by hormone factors – and all starts with ‘how you think.