~ About our Practitioner ~

I’m a North Idaho-based nutritionist, Registered Orthomolecular Health Practitioner, & clinical herbalist passionate about helping people live healthier lives. I wanted to share how I got started and why I do what I do:

In September of 2011 my mother was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 breast cancer, fully metastasized into her bones and lymph system. I spent the last 3 months of her life caring for her and doing everything I could to prolong her healthy days as much as possible. It was heart wrenching; and after her passing in December 2011, recovering from the role of caregiver was tough. But tougher still was learning to live without one of the most important people in my life. 

I learned first hand the ugliness of cancer and what it can do to someone. It crushed me. We lost my mom December 7th and by Mid January I was still grieving. I couldn’t get a good night’s sleep which made sense. The few precious months I was given to care for my mom  brought so many amazing blessings but was also a heavy weight emotionally, physically, and mentally. 

Quite early on there was a night I had missed my mom’s call when she had fallen out of bed and was too weak to get back in. When I found her lying on the floor in the morning I was horrified at my negligence, that never happened again. I taught myself to wake to every noise, to sleep lightly, stay up late, get up early. Unfortunately you can’t just switch a bad sleeping habit off – over a month after her passing I was still having trouble getting to sleep and staying asleep, it was taking a HUGE toll on my health.

I was also still grieving, I couldn’t seem to shake the deep, deep sadness. Her loss was something I wasn’t prepared for mentally or emotionally. She was too young, 62, and I felt robbed. There was an empty place where my mom had been and nothing would ever fill it. 

I soon realized I was starting to deal with adrenal fatigue – my stress had been too high for months, I wasn’t sleeping, I was barely able to get out of bed some days, my energy was all but gone. I knew I HAD to do something.

Being a Marine wife for 24 years, and dealing with multiple deployments wasn’t easy  (he was gone for the birth of our second child and he deployed three times back-to-back to Iraq). One day in January as I was struggling with getting out of bed, it occurred to me that those deployments were extremely stressful too, I experienced similar feelings of loss, loneliness, constant worry, and fear. We had three children and I was alone with the possibility my hubby might not make it back. How did I cope? 

Whenever he left, I gave myself 3 days to sink into my sadness but then I needed to put on my big girl panties and move forward. Everytime he left I decided to get in the best shape of my life physically, emotionally, and mentally. The only way I knew to do that was to start working out and eating well; that ALWAYS worked and magically everything else always seemed to naturally fall into place (house was spotless, finances were in order, kids were happier, homeschool schedule was a breeze).

So, on that January day I decided that was the solution – one of my fellow Marine wives had become a Beachbody coach and had been sharing about her fitness challenges; I wrote her asking to be part of the next one which started the first day of February.

It worked! By March a little sunshine was entering my life once more. My energy was returning, my sleep was getting better, and I felt I could cope with the profound loss of a woman I had always loved and admired for her strength. 

It wasn’t easy to start, it never was. But putting in time each day to deliberately move, to sit with my thoughts and feelings through journaling, taking the right supplements, bringing in herbs and adaptogens, creating a healthy meal plan that nourished my body made all the difference in the world. Weight began to fall off, I caught myself laughing more often than crying, I looked forward to getting up and being with my friends and family again. 

Another amazing thing happened through this experience – women were seeking me out to help them recover from a variety of losses and traumas, to lose weight, feel joy again, to get energy back. My heart was full because I had supported myself enough to be a meaningful contributor to others. 

This is why, several years later after my hubby retired from the Marine Corps, I decided to formalize my education (I had been doing self-study on nutrition and natural medicine for many many years) and complete my clinical herbalist and holistic nutrition training. 

This isn’t just a job to me, it is my passion because I want to see every other person fully enjoying their lives. 

Whether you are dealing with depression, anxiety, hormonal imbalances, grief, stubborn weight, adrenal fatigue, insomnia, digestive issues, insulin resistance/Type 2 Diabetes, menopause, etc. I can help you take control of your life and nourish your body so you can experience the joy of living each day.

As a wife, mother, & grandmother I want to know that I am doing everything in my power to live a long life in order to enjoy my grandchildren and build a legacy of health for my family.

And I want to take you on that same journey, so you don’t just live LONGER you live more FULLY. 

If this resonates with you, make the commitment and let’s get started bringing energy, balance, and excitement back into your life.

When I am not working, I fill my days enjoying the outdoors, reading a book, playing piano, hanging out with my family, organizing something  or cooking.