ABOUT ME
I am a mom to two spirited children, a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend. I find great joy in helping people in all stages of their lives find health and vitality so they can show up in their lives the way they want to.
Shortly after the birth of my first child I became a birth doula and childbirth educator, primarily to work with teens and single moms, who, like my own mother, had limited resources and could greatly benefit from caring, knowledgeable support around this time. After building a program connecting pregnant youth in foster care with volunteer doulas, I went on to found Alliance of Moms with four other new mothers. For the next few years, I worked my butt off building the non-profit, developing programming for teen moms, fundraising, and managing the day-to-day all while taking care of a toddler, getting pregnant again and caring for a newborn.
By the time my second child was a year and a half old, I was spent. I was averaging 3-5 hours of broken sleep a night, working every minute I wasn’t with my kids, and slowly watching my health deteriorate. My skin was a mess, I had styes and cold sores every other month, and the brain fog had become so intense and my memory so poor it’s a wonder I could function at all. You would never have known I was a well-researched nutrition nut. I existed on sugar, refined carbohydrates and fried food (sure it was mostly organic and locally sourced, but I mean…) and once-regular self-care practices like exercise and meditation had become a distant memory.
Something had to change. Slowly, I began to create some space for myself and I cleaned up my diet. For me, that seemed like the easiest thing to tackle first. Sleep was largely out of my control and exercise was really difficult on so little sleep, so I removed all sugar and refined carbohydrates from my diet and did a strict paleo-style reset.
Slowly things began to improve. It didn’t take long for me to notice a shift in my energy levels and even with the ongoing sleep issues I began to feel more vital. Having cut back on my work load, I was able to take a deep dive into functional medicine and became interested in the work of Chris Kresser, among others. When Chris announced his ADAPT Health Coach Training Program in January of 2018, a light came on and I jumped at the opportunity to help other women find lasting wellness.
The more I work with people from all walks of life, the more I understand that in this day and age our health and wellbeing is something we must actively seek and work for - it won’t just happen. While most of the people I talk to have some idea of how to improve their health - how they should be eating and exercising, etc. – they generally find it difficult to commit to these health giving behaviors. Many of them are chronically sick. Too often they’re dealing with thyroid issues or some other autoimmune condition, with onset frequently after the birth of their first or second child.
I’ve learned that the only way I can be the parent and partner I want be, be of service in the ways I want to be, and show up in my life, fully present and vital, is if I prioritize my health. Every part of my health. From diet, exercise, and sleep, to making time for the most important relationships in my life. It’s what I want for myself and it’s what I want for the people who choose to work with me. It is only from a place of true wellness that we can realize our full potential.