Why did I decide to become an integrative nutrition health coach? The answer has a lot to do with my own health journey and everything I’ve discovered along the way. My desire for health, healing and purposeful work was my first indication that becoming an integrative health coach would become my life’s passion.

At age 21, I became a vegan for my own health and out of a deep love of animals and respect for the environment.  After graduating from College, I worked in a health food store in Colorado.  I learned about living in alignment with nature, hiking every morning and eating an exclusively plant-based diet.  I felt vibrant and alive!   

I wanted to share this connection between physical health and emotional well-being with others. After getting my master’s degree in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, I began working with families in underserved areas of Philadelphia.  Working as a social worker at a major hospital in Philadelphia, helping women in the OB/Gyn department confirmed that supporting women during life transitions was meaningful.

Unexpectedly, my mother became critically ill, and I took a step back from the workplace to care for her and my young children. It was an emotionally challenging time, and I started exploring alternative healing modalities. I committed to weekly therapy, established a consistent yoga practice, completed a Rolfing series, routinely went to acupuncture, studied and practiced meditation.  I kept returning to yoga and discovered how much the practice of yoga and the culture around it lifted my spirit while keeping me grounded and present.  My yoga practice became my sanity, and my yoga mat my safe place.  A few years in and I was hooked.  I enrolled in my first yoga teacher training, opening a new pathway to healing and connection.

After immersing myself in and teaching Yoga classes and private sessions for several years, I found myself again on unsteady ground. Divorce destabilized me, leading to chronic stress and anxiety. I tried juicing, detoxing, adding supplements and superfoods and still I couldn’t regain my energy.  I had been a vegetarian for 20 years and it wasn’t working for me anymore. I decided to start eating some grass-fed beef and some free-range chicken.  I felt better almost immediately and was able to regain my strength.  Lesson learned:  Everyone has bio-individual health needs and “diets” are not one size fits all.

After divorce, I leveraged my skill set and took a position as a Human Resources Director.  It was a new challenge, and I gathered my courage and made the leap.  Over the course of my 9-year stint in corporate culture I often felt trapped in an endless daily grind. The best part of my job was working with and supporting a team of incredible women. Eventually I noticed that the women on my team were burnt out. Chronic stress, long hours, travel and unhealthy lifestyles were affecting my co-workers.  

Over time, it became increasingly clear that corporate life was not for me, I doubled down on my self-care and worked on aligning with my true purpose.  I continued my own yoga and movement practices, read extensively about women’s health issues, including perimenopause and menopause, and experimented with different dietary choices. I explored activities that “fed” me in varied ways, such as yoga, hiking, aromatherapy, meditation, therapy, and setting boundaries to facilitate healthier relationships. The intersection and balance of physical health, mental health, emotional health and spiritual health helped me find my new path.

The moment my life’s experiences had prepared me for turned out to be right now: I took the plunge into integrative health, pursuing an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  I learned how the integration of food choices, movement practice, psychological wellbeing, stress management and lifestyle choices are all necessary components for improved health, wellness and happiness.  

In 2024, I founded BeeWell Holistic Health, my health coaching and consulting business.  My focus is on women’s health, concentrating on the wellness issues women face as they reach midlife.  Every person is different and so each person’s path to improved health and wellness necessarily is unique. My goal is to use my personal experience, training, education and background to help you find the wellness path that works for you.

Let’s find a few minutes to meet and discover how I can help you chart an individualized wellness program that aligns with your objectives.  My passion and my purpose are helping individuals reach their health and wellness goals so that you can live with increased vitality and joy. The initial consultation is free!