Life & Work with Staci Buford of Nashville/Murfreesboro

Today we’d like to introduce you to Staci Buford.

Hi Staci, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am a Nashville native and well-being enthusiast. I’ve always had a passion for health and fitness. I love love, movement, community, freedom, and connection. I’m motivated by love and service.

Growing up, I participated in a variety of organized sports and physical fitness activities – those experiences provided me with a sense of community, connection, and resiliency.

I studied Entrepreneurship at Belmont University, then journeyed into the large, corporate world of HCA via an IT role. My first “big girl job” was transitioning physicians and surgeons from paper medical records charting to using electronic health records. Being a 22 year old, convincing doctors to change their entire workflow was a HARD JOB! My experience at HCA provided me many interpersonal skills, increased resiliency, and gave valuable insight into change management.

While there, I became a Certified Personal Trainer, started a mobile personal training business and brand called LOVEfit Nashville, and began teaching group fitness classes at Climb Nashville. My experience at Climb Nashville recreated what I gained from organized sports – community, connection, and resiliency. I will never forget Renee Aly who gave me my first shot at teaching!

My personal training career taught me that physical fitness is not a sufficient enough approach to health. Addressing the complex challenges that we face in our daily individual and relational experiences requires a more holistic approach- which ultimately led me to pursuing a career in mental health. Mental, physical, spiritual, and relational health/human connection are all crucial components of optimal well-being.

[Insert a lot of life experience, relational teaching moments, and resiliency used during this time period]

In 2020, I completed Lipscomb’s Marriage and Family Therapy program, and have been practicing at Three Cords Therapy on Music Row ever since.
I LOVE BEING A THERAPIST! Each experience allows me the opportunity to help people connect with themselves so they can build fulfilling, lasting relationships with others.

Post COVID, fitness life, as I knew it, was hard. It took a while to figure out how I’d reintegrate it into my career, especially while trying to establish myself in a new therapy career. Returning to my roots of movement has been my goal and I’ve recently gotten the opportunity to do just that! Practicing some level of both physical fitness and mental health is my goal for my forseeable future. I’m looking forward to what my new career endeavors will teach me. So far, they’ve offered me the privilege of facilitating community, walking with individuals as they build resiliency and build the lives that they envision. This is my dream and I’m grateful to live it!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Oh my gosh, NO! Not personally or professionally.
In my story – I wrote a lot about resiliency, community, and connection. I actually didn’t realize how much these things have supported me in tough times and how impactful these aspects have been in my ability to keep going forward.

My main struggles have included, but haven’t been limited to:
– Leaning too much on external resources when I already had what was needed within myself. Essentially, not believing in myself and abilities.
– Limited money, knowledge, and resources.

I can’t express enough how important and pivotal self-connection can be. The awareness and consciousness of my strengths and weaknesses has better directed me to more effective choices of when to reach out vs when to look inward.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist and a certified fitness professional…i.e. a well-being enthusiast.
I practice therapy at Three Cords Therapy in Nashville on Music Row, working with both adolescents and adults regarding relational and social health issues, stress and anxiety management, self-acceptance, family of origin dynamics, attachment challenges, and overall self-development.
I am opening BODYROK Murfreesboro, a Pilates-inspired retail group fitness establishment that provides high-intensity, low-impact, heart-pumping workouts! Fitness is a foundational aspect of my life and has been a great inspiration to a lot of the meaningful communities and experiences that I’ve been a part of.

What are your plans for the future?
I’m in the biggest changes of my life during this current season, and currently embarking on a business venture bigger than anything I’ve done. I’m sure this is not it, but BIG enough for now 🙂

TBD on what God has planned…

Contact Info:

• Website: https://bodyrok.com/studio/murfreesboro/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/bodyrokmurfreesboro
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacibuford
• Other: https://threecordstherapy.com/meet-staci/