ABOUT KRISTI HUGSTAD
For all of Kristi Hugstad's adult life, she had one clear goal: to provide the highest opportunity for fitness and health to everyone who walks into her studio or gym—a feat she accomplished daily for years until an unimaginable day in October 2012 when in one tragic moment everything changed.
In the wake of epic grief, Kristi's life has found a new trajectory. She discovered a deep desire to inspire and help those in need, not just physically but emotionally, psychologically, and even spiritually. Her mission now is to reach out to those wrestling with grief and offer the opportunity to find a safe place to confront their pain and fears, to address them, change them, and ultimately move through them to a new perspective and new life.
A lifelong athlete and fitness professional, Kristi opened the first spinning studio in Orange County, California in 1995, and has been at the forefront of nearly every major fitness evolution in Southern California ever since. She is without match the quintessential fitness and health trendsetter in OC.
A native of Minnesota, Kristi holds a master's degree in exercise physiology from Augsburg College in Minneapolis. She is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, trained in all forms of loss including loss of career, relationships, death, but with special emphasis on issues related to suicide. In 2014, Kristi began facilitating grief recovery workshops for groups and individual therapy. She has quickly become an in-demand public speaker about suicide prevention and grief for schools and civic groups throughout Southern California.
Kristi's writing has appeared in a number of newspapers and media outlets including The Huffington Post. She has a robust social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where she has more than 50,000 followers.
In the wake of epic grief, Kristi's life has found a new trajectory. She discovered a deep desire to inspire and help those in need, not just physically but emotionally, psychologically, and even spiritually. Her mission now is to reach out to those wrestling with grief and offer the opportunity to find a safe place to confront their pain and fears, to address them, change them, and ultimately move through them to a new perspective and new life.
A lifelong athlete and fitness professional, Kristi opened the first spinning studio in Orange County, California in 1995, and has been at the forefront of nearly every major fitness evolution in Southern California ever since. She is without match the quintessential fitness and health trendsetter in OC.
A native of Minnesota, Kristi holds a master's degree in exercise physiology from Augsburg College in Minneapolis. She is a Certified Grief Recovery Specialist, trained in all forms of loss including loss of career, relationships, death, but with special emphasis on issues related to suicide. In 2014, Kristi began facilitating grief recovery workshops for groups and individual therapy. She has quickly become an in-demand public speaker about suicide prevention and grief for schools and civic groups throughout Southern California.
Kristi's writing has appeared in a number of newspapers and media outlets including The Huffington Post. She has a robust social media presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, where she has more than 50,000 followers.
EDUCATOR
Minneapolis, Minnesota School District
Physical and Health Education Teacher
GRIEF RECOVERY SPECIALIST
As a Grief Recovery Specialist, Kristi works with people and groups dealing with loss of all kinds. Kristi's practice, Healing Hearts, combines both counseling and action plans for moving beyond loss to recovery. Kristi's unique and personalized programs offer working plans for solid and attainable recovery from even the deepest, darkest forms of grief.
PUBLIC SPEAKER
As the owner of Fitness International, a national aerobic certification company, Kristi has traveled nationwide conducting aerobic workshops for fitness professionals.
BUSINESS OWNER
Kristi's latest business enterprise is situated in Dana Point, where she is beloved and admired as a fitness guru and grief recovery expert, working in both areas to help both individual clients and groups.
Her passion for fitness and health continues with her indoor/outdoor Pilates business Rooftop Pilates, where she works with clients in both private and group settings, helping them improve their level of fitness in areas of strength, flexibility, and core stability. She also works with those needing rehabilitating therapy as they heal from injury or medical issues.
Minneapolis, Minnesota School District
Physical and Health Education Teacher
GRIEF RECOVERY SPECIALIST
As a Grief Recovery Specialist, Kristi works with people and groups dealing with loss of all kinds. Kristi's practice, Healing Hearts, combines both counseling and action plans for moving beyond loss to recovery. Kristi's unique and personalized programs offer working plans for solid and attainable recovery from even the deepest, darkest forms of grief.
- Mental Health First Aid Certification by the National Council for Behavioral Health
- The Teen Project-Vera's House Grief Specialist for human trafficking survivors
PUBLIC SPEAKER
As the owner of Fitness International, a national aerobic certification company, Kristi has traveled nationwide conducting aerobic workshops for fitness professionals.
BUSINESS OWNER
Kristi's latest business enterprise is situated in Dana Point, where she is beloved and admired as a fitness guru and grief recovery expert, working in both areas to help both individual clients and groups.
Her passion for fitness and health continues with her indoor/outdoor Pilates business Rooftop Pilates, where she works with clients in both private and group settings, helping them improve their level of fitness in areas of strength, flexibility, and core stability. She also works with those needing rehabilitating therapy as they heal from injury or medical issues.
KRISTI'S STORY
... whose husband's heartbreaking suicide by train took her on a journey that led her to her life's purpose: to abolish the stigma associated with depression, mental illness, and suicide.
Loss isn't just death -- we grieve relationship, trust, career, identity, business, faith, etc.
Grief is not the enemy -- it's the teacher
Loss isn't just death -- we grieve relationship, trust, career, identity, business, faith, etc.
Grief is not the enemy -- it's the teacher
