From Nursing to Coaching: How NHFA Graduate Kim Hey Is Helping Women Build Strength and Confidence

For many people entering the fitness industry, becoming a coach is about more than changing careers.

It is about creating impact.

That was exactly the case for NHFA graduate Kim Hey.

Based in Perth and graduating through NHFA’s Mt Lawley campus, Kim completed both her Certificate III & IV in Fitness alongside the NHFA Certified Nutrition Coach program before launching her business, Kim Hey Health – Personal Training & Wellness, in Waroona, WA.

And while fitness is now her profession, her coaching philosophy was shaped long before entering the industry.

Bringing 35 Years of Nursing Experience Into Coaching

Before becoming a Personal Trainer, Kim spent more than 35 years working in nursing.

That experience now heavily influences the way she coaches.

Her approach focuses strongly on:

• Safety
• Client screening
• Technique-led programming
• Supportive communication
• Building confidence gradually

For Kim, coaching is not about intimidating workouts or unrealistic expectations.

It is about helping people feel capable again.

Particularly women who may be completely new to strength training or returning to exercise after years away from it.

This is an area of coaching she has become deeply passionate about.

Supporting Women Through Strength Training and Menopause

One of the biggest areas Kim now focuses on is helping women over 40 build strength, confidence, and consistency during stages of life where many feel disconnected from exercise.

This includes women navigating:

• Menopause
• Hormonal changes
• Confidence challenges
• Low energy
• Long breaks away from fitness
• Fear around strength training environments

Rather than creating overwhelming experiences, Kim focuses on making coaching approachable, structured, and supportive.

Her goal is not simply helping clients exercise more.

It is helping them feel stronger physically and mentally.

Creating a Supportive Coaching Environment

Since launching her business, Kim has worked with clients through structured coaching systems, including her 6-week Strong Foundations program.

The program focuses on helping women build confidence alongside movement quality and strength.

And according to Kim, some of the most rewarding moments have been seeing improvements beyond physical results alone.

She has watched clients improve:

• Confidence
• Movement quality
• Strength
• Overall wellbeing
• Consistency with exercise

Especially for women who once felt intimidated by gyms or unsure where to start, these changes can be life-changing.

Combining Strength Coaching and Wellness

Alongside Personal Training, Kim also delivers pole fitness instruction within a private studio environment and provides general nutrition guidance within scope as a Certified Nutrition Coach.

This combination allows her to support clients more holistically through:

• Strength development
• Movement confidence
• Lifestyle habits
• Nutrition awareness
• Accountability and support

It reflects the direction modern coaching continues moving toward – helping people improve not only physically, but across confidence, wellbeing, and long-term lifestyle habits.

Building a Coaching Career With Purpose

Kim’s journey is a strong reminder that there is no single path into the fitness industry.

Some coaches enter straight from school.

Others transition from entirely different careers and bring decades of life and professional experience into coaching.

For Kim, her nursing background became a strength, allowing her to create a coaching environment grounded in professionalism, empathy, communication, and client care.

And that is exactly what many clients are searching for today.

Not just workouts.

But guidance from coaches who genuinely understand people.

The Fitness Industry Needs More Coaches Like This

The modern fitness industry is evolving rapidly.

Clients are increasingly looking for coaches who can:

• Build trust
• Create safe environments
• Communicate effectively
• Support behaviour change
• Understand real-world challenges
• Deliver sustainable coaching experiences

Kim’s journey reflects what modern coaching can look like when practical education, life experience, and genuine care for people come together.

Final Thoughts

Stories like Kim’s reflect what NHFA is truly about – helping people develop the confidence, practical skills, and industry readiness to build meaningful careers within fitness.

Through the nationally recognised SIS30321 Certificate III in Fitness and SIS40221 Certificate IV in Fitness pathways, students develop real-world coaching skills designed for modern coaching environments — not just theory-based learning.

For students wanting to expand their ability to support client outcomes further, programs like the NHFA Certified Nutrition Coach course help coaches build practical nutrition knowledge, communication skills, and behaviour-change strategies that complement Personal Training in real coaching settings.

Kim’s journey also highlights something important about the fitness industry:

Great coaches are not defined by age, background, or where they started.

They are defined by their ability to guide people with professionalism, empathy, structure, and care.

And that is exactly the type of coach NHFA aims to develop.