Daily Inspiration: Meet Sara Campbell

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Campbell.

Hi Sara, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Yes! My journey started with my own health battles. I have dysautonomia, endometriosis that has spread throughout my body, a GI disorder, chronic infections, a breathing disorder, cyclic neutropenia, mast cell activation syndrome, and Ehlor’s Danlos syndrome.

The worst of my health issues started when I was only 13 years old and have continued into adulthood. Growing up, my dad also had significant health issues. He had a left ventricular assist device that pumped his heart, multiple strokes, heart attacks, and other health struggles. I have spent a lot of my life in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and navigating all that comes along with having health problems.

Throughout those years, I realized that I wanted to help people that were facing difficult times. As I got older, my own health issues became more and more debilitating until a traditional health career became too physically demanding. God used this for good, though.

At first, I didn’t understand how the inability to work on my feet in a medical setting could ever be anything but discouraging, but then I discovered health and mental health coaching. It was the perfect fit for me and an area of work that is really needed today. It was a perfect way to help others holistically, as I get the opportunity to work in healthcare, the mental health field, and in sharing about God’s love and truths.

I now get to meet people from all over the world and hear their stories. I’ve seen God move in the struggles that they have faced and have supported them as they overcame obstacles that they initially thought were impossible. I love what I do and feel so fortunate to be able to walk alongside so many wonderful people during their most difficult times in life.

Even though we all have unique situations, I am able to empathize with and understand a lot of what they are going through because of my own difficult journey. I love the way God hasn’t wasted my suffering but instead has used it to help others through their challenges.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It hasn’t been the most difficult road I’ve walked, but it also hasn’t been without bumps and detours! I’ve had to go through the education and certification processes slowly while pausing a few times when my health has hit rough patches.

Thankfully, I was blessed with great programs and instructors who were willing to work with me. It did take some time and research to find programs that were the right fit and a lot of independent studying, but it was worth it!

A big part of why I love my job is because I get to overcome obstacles and find creative ways to get through difficulties. Having this mindset made the bumps in the road more of a challenge than a full hardship.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Through the years, I learned about the impact of mental health and trauma on overall health and realized there was a huge gap in care within our healthcare system. It was extremely challenging (if not impossible, depending on the location) for patients to receive the type of mental health support that is needed for those with chronic illnesses.

Health issues can lead to trauma, anxiety, depression, and even panic attacks. Many times, people get stuck in a downward spiral. The health issues lead to mental health struggles, then the mental health struggles put stress on the body, eventually causing the body to be even more sick than it was to start with.

Most of the time, these individuals are not experiencing a full mental health crisis nor do they have a major mental health disorder, but they still need support, education, coping skills, and to process their trauma, fears, and grief in a healthy way. This motivated me to expand on my health and wellness certification to become a board-certified mental health coach.

In combining health with mental health, I am able to work with children, teens, and adult women that need support with a range of topics from health issues, anxiety, general stress, goal setting, health improvement, lifestyle changes, and other unique challenges. I primarily work virtually, so I am able to meet with people no matter where they live. Each session is tailored to the person’s individual needs.

Although I specialize in chronic illnesses and trauma, many of the people I work with have different struggles that are unrelated to these. Since the sessions are so individualized, it can be challenging to briefly describe what I do, but my website has a lot more details!

I also run an Instagram account where I share Bible verses, encouragement, inspiration, coping skills, tips, and fun little pieces of my life- mostly consisting of animals and family adventures!

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: sarahealthandwellness.com
• Instagram: @sara.healthandwellness

Image Credits
Allie Chambers Photography