Wellbeing Coaching

Adriana has always had a passion for health and fitness. However, her mission is to help others develop the strategies needed to reach the best versions of themselves. She wants to create a safe space for others to process their emotions and discover what they need to feel balanced, healthy, and fulfilled.

Adriana did her undergraduate studies at Duke University where she graduated with a B.A. degree in Psychology and a Markets and Management Certificate. Following her graduation, she decided to pursue her M.S degree in Sports Psychology from Florida State University, graduating with a published thesis in the spring of 2013.

Adriana has worked with athletes of all abilities, from youth athletes to Division 1 collegiate athletes, helping them achieve peak performance. Additionally, she works in the Office of Personal Career and Development where she works 1-on-1 with students, helping them edit and revise their resumes/cover letters to help them navigate the transition from college to career.

In her personal life, she experienced a multitude of obstacles and setbacks in the 4 years she spent training for her goal to qualify for the 2020 USA Olympic Trials in the marathon. These struggles provided her with a unique perspective of the difficulties that we all face in the pursuit of our dreams. Ultimately, when she did qualify and got to compete at the Olympic Trials, she realized that the journey is just as important as the destination.

While she is still training, her primary focus is to give back to the community and to help others achieve their hopes and dreams. She believes in the notion that each one of us has a unique potential and purpose, and with the use of strength-based inquiry, positive psychology, and smart-goal setting, she wants to help you discover what that purpose is.

Adriana’s first language is Spanish and she is comfortable conducting sessions in Spanish, if preferred by the client.

Karen Richardson Dunn is a certified health coach through Duke Integrative Medicine.  She loves working with her clients to help them define their vision of a healthier, more joyful and fulfilling life, and achieving this vision through evidence-based behavioral-change models and compassionate presence. Whether you are simply looking to make lifestyle changes to improve your well-being, or struggling with loneliness, academic stress, conflict, substance use, social anxiety, or other challenges, Karen will meet you where you are to help find a path forward, or simply to listen.

Karen became fascinated with the question What is wellness, and wholeness? as she served as both a hospital and hospice chaplain.  This journey deepened in her role as planning coordinator for WFU’s Food, Health and Ecological Well-Being program, as she worked with cohorts of young leaders in attempting to define the intersections among these three categories to promote human and environmental thriving. From there, Karen served as associate director for a statewide nonprofit Health and Wholeness initiative to create more positive health outcomes in communities across North Carolina. While Karen, an ordained minister with the Congregational Church, believes that spirituality is an important aspect of wellness, she welcomes working with people of diverse or no formal faith backgrounds.

Karen is the mom of two fine sons, students at UNC-Chapel Hill and USC, and understands well the challenges faced by college students. She is also a proud Double Deacon, an environmental activist, an editor, writer, and journalist. Although a native of North Carolina, she has lived in New York City, Edisto Island and Charleston, SC,  and Northumberland, England. Karen loves running, hiking, yoga, mindfulness meditation, reading, and Wordle! She looks forward to working alongside you in achieving your vision of wholeness.

Michelle seeks to be an ally and partner to clients who want to make a change and improve their quality of life.  She enjoys working with clients on a variety of topics and seeing them take steps to make sustainable lifestyle changes.  She loves working with clients to seek progress over perfection in all aspects of their lives.

Michelle has always been interested in health and wellness and graduated from Wake Forest with a degree in Health & Exercise Science.  After graduating, she worked in physical therapy and then in sales for a few years until she needed a lifestyle change.  After returning to Wake on staff, Michelle found her niche working in the Office of Wellbeing.  Through her work supporting the Wellbeing Coaching program, she discovered a passion for health and wellness coaching.  She is excited to work with clients at the university and help them make progress on achieving their goals, managing stress, and finding fulfillment.

In her personal life, Michelle is a mother to young children and is passionate about supporting parents who are constantly juggling responsibilities.  To support her own wellbeing, Michelle enjoys reading, taking walks, and traveling with her husband.