The coaching relationship is built on authenticity and trust. For me, that means being real about my own struggles and challenges. I believe my experiences allow me to connect with clients with deep empathy, concern, and understanding, because I have faced many of the same battles myself. I know firsthand what it feels like to struggle with weight, to want to feel like yourself again, to carry the frustration of confusing or missing diagnoses, to feel misunderstood or unheard, and to wrestle with the impatience that so often comes with the healing process.

Growing up, I struggled with my weight and was bullied so relentlessly that I graduated high school early just to escape the pain. I battled severe depression and overcame a years-long eating disorder. I have lived with anxiety and PTSD and know how profoundly mental and emotional health affect the body. Years of unhealthy habits in gymnastics and competitive bodybuilding, coupled with the stress of perfectionism, left me with lasting health challenges.

In my early twenties, I was diagnosed with Celiac disease and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder, and later developed Barrett’s Esophagus and GERD. In my early forties, while working full-time and attending graduate school full-time, I added a third autoimmune disease: IBD- Microscopic colitis. Along the way, I have endured chronic inflammation, painful GI flares, nutrient deficiencies, joint instability, musculoskeletal injuries, multiple surgeries, hormonal imbalances, fatigue, food sensitivities, and the emotional toll that comes with chronic illness.

Through it all, I have refused to let these conditions define me or hold me back. In fact, people are often surprised to learn I live with them, including doctors. I appear to be in great health and, considering the circumstances, I am! This is the result of my deep commitment to nutrition, exercise, supplementation, lifestyle change, and ongoing research.

Because of these personal experiences, I carry an enormous amount of empathy for the ups and downs of healing. I know how overwhelming it can feel when your body and mind seem to be working against you, and I also know how life-changing it is to finally find answers and begin to heal. That perspective shapes the way I work and allows me to truly support clients on their own journeys.