Massachusetts fitness instructor takes the pain of her own personal tragedy and uses it to help others. Within his STRIDE Fitness in Burlington, MA, Chris Fabry is a coach who leads by example and finds joy through movement. Outside the studio, she is a mother and a licensed therapist. “I learned a lot when I was a kid about what not to do. I’ve seen a lot,” Fabbri said. Fabbri lost her brother to suicide when she was 11. “It changed her way of thinking about my mental health. ‘It certainly gave me the desire to go out there and help others,'” Fabbri said. . It also paved the way for her athletic journey as a long-distance runner, marathoner, and ultramarathoner. “It took her experience as a runner and with the team,” said Fabbri, sharing her own experience to highlight her prejudices about mental health and the implications of working with it. We want to contribute to a larger movement to reduce shame. We need to normalize the conversation, we need to talk about our own experiences. Ask the hard questions,” she said. As we lead a room full of runners, it’s easy to find inspiration in Fabbri’s energetic and bright personality—pure and purposeful. It’s been researched and proven to help our mental health, but it’s about looking for connections with warm, supportive people,” she said. When that connection includes her exercise too, science has shown it releases endorphins and reduces stress, which can change someone’s entire outlook on life, Fabbri said. . “People say, ‘I feel better when I come here. she said.
A fitness instructor in Massachusetts has taken the pain of her own personal tragedy and used it to help others.
Within STRIDE Fitness in Burlington, MA, Chris Fabry is a coach who leads by example and finds joy in movement.
Outside the studio, she’s a mother and a certified therapist.
“I learned a lot when I was a kid about what not to do. I’ve seen a lot of people who just ignore it, put it off, don’t deal with it, don’t deal with it,” Fabbri said.
Fabbri lost his brother to suicide when he was 11.
“It changed my mindset about mental health, and it certainly sparked my desire to get out there and help others,” Fabbri said.
It has also driven her athletic journey as a long-distance runner, marathoner and ultramarathoner.
“My experience as a runner and in a team has allowed me to feel empowered when I feel completely helpless,” she said.
By sharing her story, Fabbri hopes to contribute to a larger movement to reduce the stigma around mental health and the shame that comes from working with it.
“We have a conversation, but we need to normalize it and we need to talk about our own experiences. Ask the hard questions,” she said.
As she ushers in a room full of runners, it’s easy to feel inspired by Fabbri’s energetic and bright personality—pure and purposeful.
“One of the best things, which have been researched and proven to help our mental health, is to seek connection with warm and supportive people,” she said.
When that connection also includes movement, it’s scientifically proven to release endorphins and reduce stress, which can change a person’s entire outlook for the day, Fabbri said.
“People say, ‘I feel better when I come here. she said.
