My Journey – From DJ and Teacher to Mind & Body Coach

I’m Phillip Shakesby, and I’m in my late 40s. My journey into personal training, life coaching and wellbeing hasn’t followed a conventional path.

For most of my working life, I’ve worked in the bar and nightclub industry as a DJ. I’ve been fortunate enough to spend many years doing something I love, meeting people from all walks of life and understanding the importance of connection, confidence and having fun.

Alongside my career as a DJ, I spent 10 years working as a teacher in secondary schools and colleges, specialising in Computing and IT. Teaching gave me a completely different perspective on people. It taught me the importance of patience, communication, understanding individual needs and, most importantly, recognising that everybody’s journey is different.

The Gym Became Part of My Story

Fitness has always been an important part of my life. I’ve been a regular gym-goer for many years, with a particular passion for strength training.

But for me, the gym has never just been about building muscle or changing how I look.

I’ve experienced some significant trauma and difficult periods in my own life, and during some of my darkest times, the gym became a hugely important coping mechanism for me.

Training gave me somewhere to focus my energy. It gave me structure and something positive to work towards when other parts of life felt difficult. It became a place where I could switch off, challenge myself and feel like I was making progress.

That experience changed the way I think about fitness.

I came to understand that exercise can be about so much more than physical transformation. It can become part of the way we look after our mental wellbeing, confidence, resilience and overall quality of life.

A Natural Desire to Learn

I’ve always been someone who wants to understand more.

Throughout my life, I’ve been driven by learning and developing new skills. During my own struggles, this became particularly important. I began learning more about mental health, mindset, personal development and life coaching, wanting to understand not only what I was experiencing myself, but also how I could use what I was learning to help other people.

The more I learned, the more I realised how closely connected our physical and mental wellbeing can be.

Our body affects our mind, and our mind affects our body. Our habits, environment, relationships, nutrition, movement, thoughts and behaviours can all influence how we feel and how we live.

This is where my passion for mind and body coaching began to develop.

Understanding Neurodiversity

I’m also a neurodiverse person, and this has played an important part in understanding myself and how I relate to the world around me.

For much of my life, I’ve experienced things differently from many people. Understanding my own neurodiversity has helped me look back at parts of my life with a greater sense of understanding and self-awareness.

It has also reinforced something I have learned throughout my career: there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to people.

Everyone has different strengths, challenges, experiences, ways of thinking and ways of learning. What motivates one person might not work for another, and sometimes the traditional approach simply isn’t the right approach for an individual.

My experiences as a neurodiverse person, teacher, DJ and someone who has experienced significant challenges have all shaped the way I work with people today. I believe in meeting people where they are, listening to what they need and finding practical approaches that work for them.

This is one of the reasons I place such importance on creating a non-judgemental and supportive environment. You don’t have to fit a particular mould to work with me.

You simply need to be willing to take the next step.

Helping Others

I’ve always been naturally drawn towards helping people.

My time as a teacher reinforced that, but it has been a part of who I am for much longer. I enjoy listening to people, understanding their experiences and helping them find practical ways to move forward.

I decided to build on that natural desire to help by developing my knowledge across both physical and mental wellbeing.

I’ve undertaken training and qualifications in areas including:

• Gym Instruction
• Personal Training
• Life Coaching
• Nutrition
• Meditation
• Somatic Healing
• Mental Health
• Personal Development

My learning is ongoing. I don’t believe that you ever stop learning, and I continue to develop my knowledge because I want to provide the best support I can to the people I work with.

More Than Just a Personal Trainer

I don’t see myself as someone who simply tells people what exercises to do.

Personal training is one part of the bigger picture.

For some people, the goal might be losing weight or getting stronger. For others, it might be rebuilding confidence, developing healthier habits, finding motivation or simply feeling better about themselves.

Sometimes the biggest barriers aren’t physical at all.

That’s why my approach combines movement, fitness, nutrition, mindset, personal development and wellbeing.

I want to help people understand that looking after themselves isn’t about achieving perfection. It’s about making realistic changes, developing sustainable habits and finding an approach that works for them.

My Approach

My own experiences have taught me that life isn’t always straightforward, and nobody has everything figured out.

I don’t pretend to have all the answers. What I can offer is my experience, my knowledge, my willingness to listen and my continued commitment to learning.

I understand what it feels like to struggle. I understand the value of having something positive to focus on. And I understand that sometimes taking the first step can be the hardest part.

My aim is to create a supportive, non-judgemental environment where people can work towards becoming healthier and happier, both physically and mentally.

Your Journey Is Your Own

I believe there is no single formula for health, fitness or personal development.

What works for one person won’t necessarily work for another.

That’s why I take a personalised and holistic approach, looking at the individual rather than simply following a generic programme.

Whether you’re looking to improve your fitness, lose weight, build strength, improve your mindset, develop confidence or make positive changes to your life, I’m here to help you take those steps.

Train your body. Strengthen your mind. Build a better life.

Phillip Shakesby

Personal Trainer | Life Coach | Mind & Body Coach

Kingston upon Hull