Due to alternate priorities occupying my brain space recently, I’ve taken somewhat of a hiatus from being on social media and blogging consistently. For this reason, I wanted to basically “reintroduce” myself.
I’ve been a dietitian for over a decade, but in the past year or so I’ve stepped out into entrepreneurship. In many ways, it felt like starting over. What I’m doing now feels so different than what I used to do, yet God has used these experiences and my own personal suffering to bring me where I am now. In addition to being a dietitian, I’m also a lifelong dancer, thrive on movement, and more recently shifted into teaching yoga/fitness.
What do I do? I’m a dietitian in private practice. I see clients both in-person and virtually. I’m also a yoga and fitness instructor. Prior to the pandemic, I was offering 1:1 yoga in my office. I’m hoping to offer this again as it becomes safe, whenever this will be. Thankfully, I’m able to teach groups safely for those who feel comfortable, and I offer classes virtually on a sporadic basis : ). My initial career path was in Psychology, and I have a shiny degree to prove it. Instead of continuing on this path, I pivoted and started my journey in nutrition. But, this passion has always remained and is a HUGE part of my work as a dietitian. I’m currently doing further education so I can officially call myself a “Mental Health Coach.”
I have always been passionate about mental health, nutrition, and fitness, and honestly struggled deciding between the 3 while in college. Having my own practice has paved the way for me to integrate all 3 of these passions and has made me feel more balanced. I truly feel God is bringing me into my own unique calling.
What are my specialties as a dietitian? I have found myself gravitating towards being the “person I needed” when I was suffering. My specialty areas include working with those recovering from eating disorders/disordered eating, functional nutrition which includes gut health and women’s health issues, working with athletes/dancers, working with parents of children/tweens/teens, and in general, helping others get off the miserable dieting pendulum and find more peace/satisfaction/self-compassion with eating.
How did I suffer? This is where things get more personal. In high school, I had what I now know was an eating disorder. I can thank God for bringing me out of it, but I never had any formal support. As time went on, my focus shifted more to pursuing health, but, like the culture we are swimming in, it still centered on controlling my body size. For many years, I subtly ate less than my body wanted and exercised more than my body needed. I also lived a very exhausted life due to overextending myself. Things were out of balance and it was destroying my body. During this time, I was praised for being such a “health nut,” but honestly, I was suffering greatly and didn’t know why. I shed many tears and sought medical help with little relief. This is when I found functional nutrition and Intuitive Eating/HAES. Between healing my gut, letting go of my body “controlling” ways, and finding more balance, I was able to get to the root of my suffering and find healing.
Looking back on my own experiences, I know my calling from God is to provide the support I needed when I was suffering. It goes without saying, if you relate with any of my experiences, or just want to come boogie or “Namaste” with me, don’t hesitate to reach out! Sending love to you all.
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