In this episode of Beyond the Adjustment, Dr. Scott sits down with Philene Trevathan, a long-time personal trainer for the YMCA and Dickson Senior Center. Philene shares her 40-year journey in fitness, how she helps seniors build strength, confidence, and independence, and why her simple message—“Just show up”—has transformed so many lives. From chair yoga to cardio with classic tunes, she shows how movement, consistency, and community can dramatically improve quality of life at any age.
Dr. Scott: Today on Beyond the Adjustment, we have Miss Philene Trevathan, personal trainer for the YMCA and the Dickson Senior Center. Her name comes up in my office all the time—especially with the Dickson seniors. All they talk about is Miss Philene’s chair yoga. That’s the class they fight over, right?
Philene Trevathan:Chair yoga—and the cardio classes. They love those too.
Dr. Scott: I wanted to bring you on to share your story—how you got into wellness, what your journey has been like, and where you’re teaching now. Let’s start with your “creation story”: where it all began and how you ended up where you are today.
Philene: As a child, I was always very active and full of energy. In middle and high school, I played basketball, did cheerleading, ran track—anything that involved movement. After high school, I started working in Nashville and knew I needed to stay active. I tried softball for a while, and then I found an instructor who came to Dickson in the 80s teaching aerobics. It was the big aerobics craze—large gym and armory classes—I would come home from Nashville and take all of her classes.
Dr. Scott: So working a full-time job wasn’t enough; you had to come home and work out too.
Philene: Absolutely. I loved walking on my lunch break in downtown Nashville, and then I’d come home and do those classes. I got really interested in what she was teaching, and eventually she asked if I’d like to train to be an instructor. I said yes. It was a natural progression. They saw I was really interested, so I did the training, got my CEUs and certifications, and started teaching consistently.
Dr. Scott: Very cool.
Philene: Over the years, the trends shifted. Aerobics faded into other formats, so I got certified in kickboxing and other styles. It’s been a steady progression as fitness has evolved.
Dr. Scott: Were you still working a full-time job through all of that?
Philene: Yes, for a long time. But when I was about 50, I transitioned fully into fitness. Before that, I was working full-time and teaching everywhere. Around 50, I moved into teaching 2–3 classes a day and made that my primary work.
Dr. Scott: That’s awesome. It sounds like such a natural progression for you.
Philene: It really was.
Dr. Scott: Tell us a little bit about where you are now. Are you primarily at the Senior Center, the YMCA, or both?
Philene: I’m primarily at the Dickson Senior Center. I used to be at several locations, and I’m still at the YMCA a couple of days a week, but my main place now is the Senior Center. I absolutely love working with the seniors. They’re so much fun. I’m there pretty much five days a week.
Dr. Scott: They talk about you all the time, and I love that because it fits right into my world. I teach that health is like a jigsaw puzzle—we need all the different pieces to see the full picture. One of the biggest pieces is movement: it’s “move it or lose it.” They laugh and tell me, “Are you listening to Philene? That’s what she says too.” And I say, “Maybe she’s listening to me!”
Philene: That’s right.
Dr. Scott: You emphasize posture and motion, which I really appreciate. What advice would you give to people who are afraid to exercise or intimidated to come to the Senior Center or the gym?
Philene: That’s one of my favorite things to address. I love telling people: start simple, stay simple until it gets easy, then change. When you give someone a very simple starting point, they realize they don’t have to “be good” at it. I tell them, “I never asked if you’re good at this. I just want you to show up.”
Show up once. Practice. Then add a little more. That approach gives people freedom to try.
Dr. Scott: I love that.
Philene: And the movement itself improves the quality of your life. That’s the heart of it.
Dr. Scott: Exactly. Do you have a success story that comes to mind—one of your big wins?
Philene: It’s hard to pick just one because there are so many. I have people come up to me almost every day with something encouraging. A common one lately is, “I just got back from the doctor. I’ve never been under 200 pounds, and now I’m 198.” For them, that’s huge. And they say, “It’s because you encouraged me to keep coming. You told me to keep going and not worry about what it looks like—just be consistent.”
Dr. Scott: That’s wonderful. And as you know, weight is a trigger for so many other health issues. What else do you emphasize?
Philene: I remind them that even 10 pounds off their body can make a big difference—joint health, blood pressure, overall quality of life. I tell them, “You’re well-seasoned. You’ve been through a lot.” I call us all “seasoned.” I’m just reminding them, every time they come, how to move better—simple cues like “put your shoulders in your back pockets.” They tell me they hear my voice in their head saying that. That awareness and repetition builds good habits.
We see success before surgery, after surgery, in everyday life—it all adds up.
Dr. Scott: Isn’t it amazing to know you’re changing lives like that? And not just their lives—the people they influence too.
Philene: Exactly. They’ll come in and say, “I brought someone today. I want you to meet them.” That’s the best. They know I truly care and want them to be well. They often say, “Why is it just a few people who get to experience this? It shouldn’t be that way.” And I agree.
Dr. Scott: You make it fun, and you clearly have a genuine passion for what you do. You live it.
Philene: I’ve been doing this for 40 years. People ask if I ever get tired of it. The answer is no—I still love it.
Dr. Scott: I’ve had patients trying to figure out how many classes you’ve taught and how many places you’ve worked. They’re amazed.
Philene: I’ve been doing it for a long time, and I still enjoy it.
Dr. Scott: One of my favorite stories comes from a woman who’s almost 100 years old. I won’t use names, but she’s probably closer to 100 than 90. She always says, “If I can do it, anybody can do it. They’ve got no excuse.” She gets in at least once or twice a week and tries to make it to chair yoga. You’re still changing lives at nearly 100 years old.
Philene: Oh yes. We have several from age 90 to 100 who would amaze you. One of them is around 93 or 94. She still drives herself, comes to every chair yoga class, some of the strength training classes, and she’s been doing this for about 30 years—consistently. Consistency is huge.
I also have a gentleman who just turned 91. He said, “Make sure you tell everybody not to wait until something happens. Start early, because it makes such a difference.”
Dr. Scott: That’s powerful. It’s the opposite of the traditional medical model, which is great for crisis care but doesn’t really teach people how to stay healthy or prevent problems.
Philene: Right. I tell them, “How many of you want to stay independent as long as you can and not be a burden on someone else?” Every hand goes up.
Dr. Scott: Sign me up for that too. One thing that stood out was your phrase “just show up.” Can you expand on how you encourage people to do that?
Philene: For many people, the hardest part is getting there—especially when they don’t feel good or are anxious about not fitting in. I tell them, “Just show up. Even if you can’t do everything, just come.”
Sometimes I say, “If all you can do is the breathing, do that.” We practice breathing because it helps lung capacity and overall well-being—even brain health.
I joke with them and say, “You can show up like a crab if you want to. I don’t care, because by the time we’re done, you’ll feel better.” Exercise and movement improve your mood.
Dr. Scott: I hear people say, “I’m already so fatigued and tired—how can I exercise?” But it actually energizes you.
Philene: Yes. Once they take that first step, even if it’s just once a week, it’s a positive shift. The brain changes with that decision.
Dr. Scott: And you’re doing all of this in a group environment, right? That group energy matters.
Philene: Absolutely. We’re social creatures. Videos online are fine, but it’s not the same as being in a room with people who are moving and encouraging each other.
For those who are really nervous, I tell them, “Just come once a week and start with the simplest class.” If they’re new to my strength training class, I say, “All I want you to do is watch and mimic the moves without weights for about two weeks. Let your brain and body get used to it. Then slowly add more.” That really helps people feel safe and confident.
Dr. Scott: That’s fantastic. Another reason people don’t show up is because they’re afraid they’ll be too sore afterward.
Philene: Yes, they say, “I’m not good at that. I have no balance.” And I tell them, “I didn’t ask if you had good balance or if you’re good at it. I just want you to show up.” I remind them, consistency produces progress, and progress produces results.
Dr. Scott: Amen to that. What do you teach your people about movement and how you think about it?
Philene: We talk a lot about how movement affects the brain as much as the body. When we move arms in one direction and legs in another, the brain is working hard to coordinate it. Seniors who retire and then just sit, doing nothing, often decline quickly—within a couple of years they can become lethargic, lose interest in life, or their health fails. Movement helps prevent that.
In our cardio classes, they have to think about where their feet go and how to follow the pattern. I tell them, “I don’t care what you look like. I just want you to try to figure it out.” They’re moving, their heart is working—that’s what matters. Even if they just march in place and sing along, there’s still benefit.
Dr. Scott: Music is a powerful tool in that setting, isn’t it?
Philene: Yes. I create playlists for all my classes, especially the cardio ones. People come up and say, “That was the best playlist. I used to love that song!” I use music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. When those songs come on, they come alive.
Dr. Scott: You’re tapping into their memories and their minds as well as their bodies.
Philene: Exactly. When they’ve been barely moving, then you turn on good music—it’s like someone flipped a switch. New energy.
Dr. Scott: I love that.
Philene: I see it all the time.
Dr. Scott: Philene, I really appreciate you coming in today. I know you just finished teaching a class, and I’m grateful you took the time to share your story. The purpose of this podcast is to highlight what’s available in our community, and you’re a big part of that. You work with an amazing group of people, and your mission—to help them live longer with a better quality of life—is so important.
I know you’re at the Dickson Senior Activity Center and at the YMCA. So if anyone sees you around, make sure to stop and say hi to Miss Philene.
Philene: Thank you very much.
Dr. Scott: Thank you.