MY PASSION FOR COACHING IS INSPIRED BY MY OWN WELLNESS JOURNEY. When I was working in marketing and raising three young children with my husband, I began to experience extreme low back pain that at times made it hard to get out of bed. Back then, I lacked awareness as to the root cause of my symptoms. Instead I tried to push through and ignore the pain so I could finish everything on my to-do list. I was convinced the pain was preventing me from being the person I thought I SHOULD be.
These beliefs and behaviors were not sustainable, and caused more stress and discomfort. Fortunately, my approach to wellness began to shift in 2013 after my first yoga class. My back pain began to decrease thanks to yoga and physical therapy, and I became more aware of and responsive to stress signals in my body like clenching in my throat, racing heart, and sweaty palms.
WELLNESS MY WAY. My experience with back pain and lack of stress management tools led me to adopt a more holistic approach to health and wellbeing. In addition to yoga, I incorporated other mind-body practices like meditation that have taught me the importance of mindfulness and self-compassion. I have made meaningful changes in my self-care and lifestyle habits. Now I try to practice mindfulness daily and have intentionally made adjustments in other aspects of my life that are more aligned with my values, strengths, and passions.
Today, my go-to practices include yoga, meditation, spending time in nature, journaling, reading, gardening, and physical fitness. Now, I intentionally strive to listen to my own wisdom as I navigate my health and wellbeing. I still struggle with obstacles like perfectionism, people pleasing, and self-doubt which can make some days more challenging than others, but with practice, I have come to find more balance, calm, and peace in my life.
EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATIONS ALIGNED WITH PURPOSE. I am a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) with a MA in Integrative Health and Wellbeing Coaching from the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing.
In 2015, I received my Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) Yoga Alliance (YA) certification upon completion of a nine month training program at Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center. Since then, I have also completed trainings in mindfulness and meditation, and am inspired by the teachings and practices of author, psychologist, and mindfulness expert Tara Brach, PhD. I have an MBA and worked in patient and physician marketing in the medical device industry before making a career change to become a health and wellness coach.
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