Today we’d like to introduce you to Jaye Turner
Hi Jaye, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was a troubled teen-young adult. Drugs and alcohol, very very lost. Through recovery from alcohol I have allowed myself to dream big and take chances on myself I never thought imaginable. I got a degree in mental health and social work to start. I feel that a lot of people who go through situations around drugs and alcohol often feel that this is their calling once they begin to come out of that darkness, and a lot of times, it is! That is great! But for myself in particular, mental health and wellness needed to run together instead of one and then the other, parallel.
Through crisis work through Common Ground, Pontiac and supervising the 988 text/chat feature for our team, I was able to get so much exposure and fulfillment from assisting others in their wellness, but I also found myself constantly wanting to add in this fitness aspect to it as well. In the midst of attaining my social work degree and learning a lot about myself, I had been participating in a community called Turn Up Dance Fitness. In this community you can be a participant and also become an instructor for the dance fitness format, should you want to have classes in your own area. I chose to do all of the above and started classes in my area.
I felt this tug as though everything was so separate from one another, I was doing THIS or THAT. Never both. I ended up acquiring a personal training certification so that I could further explore the drive I was feeling towards the fitness side of wellness.
For a while, I was teaching Turn Up Dance Fitness, had my personal training cert, but wasn’t using it, and continuing to do crisis work, but without getting too much into this part, we had lost funding for the program I was managing and moved around in our association and I just wasn’t in love with the program I had landed in. Through all of this my mom had a stroke and we spent a lot of our days in the hospital with her while her body declined and eventually after about 9 months of fighting to find the cause, she passed. My mom had a lot left that she wanted to do for herself, things she sat on and did not explore, although she wanted to. There were too many signs for me to chase what I wanted FOR ME and to stop doing what I felt I was supposed to do for fear of failing, or what others might think of my choices.
Shortly after her passing, I chose to dive into my career as a personal trainer and completely mesh mental health and wellness together as opposed to continuing to run it parallel.
I continue to do crisis work contingently through an amazing program called the RCH at Common Ground, Pontiac. But my full time gig is at Life Time, Rochester Hills where I lead group fitness (Turn Up Dance Fitness, strength training classes, and work with our older population called ARORA), I am full time with personal training, as well as an assisted stretch program that we offer. I feel what sets me apart is what led me to this. My mental health background, the training I have had in that specifically when it comes to people all being so different and their need to be met where they are at. NOT where YOU want them to be, and the death of my ma and all that came, and continues to come to light for me through that heartbreaking experience.
I have recently begun my own business virtually as well. This is called “THE DRIPPY EFFECT”. The Drippy Effect stems around action based planning calls where the discussion is based on what you want for yourself, what has stopped you from taking action on that, and frankly, what you are going to do about it RIGHT NOW. Eliminating the barriers to working toward the goals and self-exploration on living your life FOR YOU. We only get this one. I know that all too well.
My dream is to eventually be able to work extremely remote and anything that I do as “in person work”, be simply because I love it and want to continue to do it. Not because I financially NEED it. Not that I don’t love all that I do, I surely do – I just want MORE and I WILL attain it.
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?
NO, the road has been anything but SMOOTH. I have had constant road blocks, things that easily could have shut me down and caused me to quit and choose something “easier”. There was a time where I dabbled back in alcohol to see where I was at with my control there (disclaimer: I don’t have any control when it comes to alcohol). Failing classes around math, specifically statistics, back to back to back through the pandemic and having to learn virtually. My mother’s stroke, living in St. Joe’s, Pontiac for 8+ months. Choosing ME, time and time again, even when it felt like I was being selfish. We cannot think that way though. There is a different between living YOUR life and being the person in this world you NEED to be versus being selfish and neglectful to your loved ones.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Personal Training, Group Fitness, specifically Turn Up Dance Fitness, assisted stretch/recovery and contingent employment as a crisis worker (takes crisis calls for the Oakland County area and a back-up center for 988/National Suicide Prevention Line).
I specialize in strength training and empowering MYSELF and those around me through the power of Turn Up Dance Fitness, so that in turn, they can do the same for THEMSELVES and others.
I am known for my ENERGY. The way I cause others to feel by simply being around me. That is not to sound cocky, that is the feedback I get often, the vibes are vibin’ and you can’t help but want to be yourself and love on that version of you, in being connected with me.
What sets me apart from others is my ability to see you. I see you for who you are, your differences, your likeness, what you want more of and being a support to you in getting there. While also not pushing anyone to something they are not yet ready for. It’s like a therapist never telling someone they are an addict or alcoholic, that is FOR YOU to come to the conclusion of and decide what you are going to do about it. We meet people where they are at, while still being able to challenge mindsets and ask the hard questions that might make others uncomfortable.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
Virtual work. Travel. Giving. Empowerment all over the place. Taking my love for mental health and wellness to beautiful cultures around the world and constant education on said cultures, anything I can learn more about, I want more of, always.
Pricing:
- 49.98
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bio.site/jayeleighofficial
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jaye_leighofficial/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jaye_leighofficial?lang=en
