Meet Danelle Bowles | Health Coach & Peer Support Specialist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danelle Bowles and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danelle, how do you think about risk?

I imagine most people who know me would consider me a risk-taker, considering the outdoor activities and sports that I enjoy.

IIn June 2021, I was hospitalized after I had a speedflying accident. I broke my pelvis, back, sternum, a bunch of ribs (four got plated), and destroyed my right ankle. Since I was at the top of a 12,000+ ft mountain, I needed a helicopter rescue that day, and a number of surgeries over the next 14 months.

I’m lucky to be alive, not paralyzed, and still have my right foot.

I’m sure there’s some who can’t comprehend why I would return to the sport and choose to take that risk again, but I’m truly grateful that I crashed that day. It was my wake-up call. I was deeply depressed before my accident. I had suicidal ideations often and didn’t care about my life or well-being. I had substance use and addiction issues, and was destroying the important relationships in my life.

My accident woke me up to the fact that I needed more help. That what I had been doing wasn’t working. I needed to take responsibility for my actions and choices, but also let go of the shame and guilt that I was holding onto.

For me, risk has a whole new meaning. The risk I took that day saved my life.

I have found it interesting that in the past I’ve been more willing to risk my life and my physical well-being than take a risk in my professional career – until the past year or two.

I used to have a tremendous fear of failure. Even though I studied small business management in college, and had thoughts of starting my own business, I wasn’t sure how well I would rebound from having a business fail. Most of it had to do with my mindset and how I viewed failure. I was diagnosed with major depressive and anxiety disorders in my twenties, and being hard on myself about even little things, I was worried that I’d have a difficult time just viewing it as a learning experience.

The last few years of working with several mentors and professionals (a therapist, a life coach, and a health coach), has given me a completely different mindset about failure and risk-taking. I see challenges as learning and growth opportunities, not failures. I’m more willing to say yes to things that I would have been hesitant about a few years ago.

So I believe the mindset shift and reframing about business failures, is why I view risk differently in a professional setting as well.

This is why I decided to start health coaching.

My life was drastically changed when I started working with a health coach and prioritized my physical and mental well-being. I believe others can benefit as well, and I’m willing to take this risk of my plans not working the way I originally thought they would since it’s not about me. As I help others improve their lives and health as well, it is worth the risk and growing pains.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

I am a health coach. I help busy people change their lives by building healthy, sustainable habits. I also work at a community mental health center as a peer support specialist and community outreach manager.

What differentiates me as a health coach is:

• I’ve been through similar challenges. I can empathize and truly meet clients where they’re at. I don’t judge if someone is using food, alcohol, drugs, or other behaviors as a coping tool.

• I will assist with renewing emotional and mental health in addition to physical health. Mindset makes the difference. People can lose weight with a diet or exercise plan, but will they keep it off if they haven’t changed the behaviors and habits that got them to where they’re at?

• As a peer support specialist, I have knowledge of a number of recovery group resources if someone is interested. And my experience leading wellness groups and working with members at the mental health agency has equipped me to help those who struggle with motivation and willpower.

After my speedflying accident in 2021, I chose to get help and be patient. My life didn’t change overnight. But I got help from a lot of people over the past few years. I quit drinking and smoking to ‘cope’ with my stress, anxiety, and depression. I worked on improving my health by taking small steps, practicing consistency, and recognizing that it isn’t a linear journey. That I don’t need to be perfect to continue to progress.

I had gained quite a bit of weight since it was difficult and painful to be as physically active as before. I could no longer ‘outwork’ my poor habits with high-impact, high-intensity workouts. A friend had positive results working with a health coach around the same time as my fourth ankle surgery was scheduled (14 months after my original injury). So, I decided to try it as well. I worked with a coach, joined a health community, and learned more about breathwork, sleep, dealing with addictive foods, tools for reframing my thoughts and managing my emotions and building a healthy mindset, among other practical concepts. My original goal was just to lose weight, which I did, but in the process, I fully embraced the tools, techniques, and habits of living a healthier lifestyle.

And by doing so, I became a different person. I had a completely new mindset. I enjoyed life again. I was grateful to be alive, and had a new sense of hope and purpose that I hadn’t felt before. I’m tempted to say “hadn’t felt in years” since that would be more believable, but it wouldn’t be true.

I know there’s many people struggling with their health, both physically and mentally. I use my lived experience, as well as the tools I’ve learned over the past few years, to assist others in their health journey and transformation. I have the empathy to listen to others’ struggles, not judge them, and believe in them even if/when they don’t believe in themselves. That, combined with my training and background as a peer support specialist, I help motivate and encourage them to keep going, and focus on one habit at a time.

Most people can benefit from a structure and process for building healthy habits that are realistic and sustainable. So that’s what I do – provide the framework, tools, and accountability.

There’s still a lot of stigma in our society around mental health, substance use, and addictions, and there’s a number of people who feel ashamed or alone if they are dealing with these challenges. They don’t feel like they can talk to anyone about it, at least not anyone close to them. I want them to know they aren’t alone. I’ve been there. The shame that can accompany addiction isn’t helpful in recovery, and by talking about some things more openly, it can be a useful step in the healing process. If it’s similar to my health and recovery journey, it won’t necessarily be easy. It will take time, practice, and a willingness to learn new things. But it’s possible, and they don’t have to do it alone.

[I’m a health coach and peer support specialist, but I’m not a therapist. If you or someone you know is looking for treatment options for mental health or substance use conditions, view the link found under my Linktree.]

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I live in Conifer, and what I love about this area is that I feel outside the city but I’m not far from Denver.

I would plan a week for my friend that combines rest and relaxation in the beautiful mountain scenery, with some outdoors activities such as hiking or biking, and a day in Denver. If a cirque du soleil show was in town, that would be my go-to, but if not, I’d probably recommend Meow Wolf Denver. And I would swing by The Corner Beet in the Capitol Hill area for lunch if my friend was up for it.

I would plan a day trip to the Breckenridge and Frisco area for brunch, walk the main streets to check out the shops, and enjoy the beautiful mountain views. Maybe visit the troll if we have time, or enjoy a bike ride or a hike in that area as well. Also, I would try to time it so we could watch some of my friends speedflying and paragliding in Summit County or off Loveland Pass if my friend was interested in checking it out

On the days we planned to stay near my home, I’d suggest either hiking in Staunton State Park or one of the trails in Evergreen, and then we could stop by Muddy Buck Coffee Cafe for some avocado toast. If my friend didn’t want a long hike, we could walk around Evergreen Lake instead.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who deserve credit and recognition in my story. My close friends and family who took care of me in the hospital and after my speedflying accident. And in the past few years since my accident, my health coach, Tori Dumitru, RN (@toridumitru on IG), and the impact she made in my life is one of the main reasons I decided to become a health coach myself.

In addition to Tori, I have worked with the following professionals who have been instrumental in my story. I’m grateful to them for the part they played in my recovery and my wellness journey:
– Alexandra Espinoza (@alexandra0320 on IG), life & mindset coach
– Jay Brandenburg-Nau, MA, LPC, (jbncounseling.com), therapist
– Sarah Peck, PT, DPT, Cert, DN, (trifectadpt.com), physical therapist
– Deb Gulbrandson, DPT, (mountaindancerpt.com), physical therapist

I’m also grateful for several groups who have motivated and inspired me, given me a sense of community, as well as offered tools and techniques that I’ve incorporated into my life to enhance my physical, emotional, and mental well-being:
– a women’s entrepreneurship group through my life/mindset coach,
– a health and wellness group through my health program,
– Colorado free flight community, and
– SMART Recovery groups.

Website: https://linktr.ee/healthwithdanelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthwithdanelle

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danelle-bowles/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/healthwithdanelle

Other: https://form.jotform.com/danellebowles/health-assessment

Image Credits
Summit County Rescue Group (for rescue photo).