Although a compliant and serious first child, I have always been a Questioner–with a bit of quiet rebel sprinkled in! Being raised in beautiful Montana by creative educator parents who were actors, performers, and teachers (my father was a Shakespeare Professor and poet) instilled in me an appreciation of the arts and nature–and the love of learning and deep thinking. As a teen, we moved to Southern California where I was exposed to very different influences and experiences (including the joy of varied/fresh produce …Oh, this is an avocado? Wait, what?– green beans don't come from a can and are actually tasty?) It appeared that in this different culture people generally seemed to have more of an invested interest in their own health -often embracing alternative holistic approaches to their well-being.

This different perspective and way of living constantly spoke to me.

I found and engrossed myself in the books: The Holistic Health Handbook, Back To Eden herbal guide, Spiritual Midwifery, and cookbooks like The Enchanted Broccoli Forest… practiced Yoga and worked at a health food store and restaurant.

After some injuries I was helped and mentored by a Doctor of Chiropractic who introduced me to Applied Kinesiology/Energy work. In college I worked as psychiatric research assistant with Alzheimer’s patients and other mental illnesses. These experiences all affected me and I knew that someday I would find a way to be a holistic practitioner–to help people in new ways founded on ancient practices. However at that time the focus and direction of my life was directed towards music and other arts…

Then the BEST thing happened to me: I became a mother! And wanting to be the best mother I could be, I read every book on childrearing and natural childbirth (I began my studies in midwifery then) and had natural (and ultimately home) births, loved nursing and feeding my kids in a wholesome way, and began homeschooling them as they grew. My third child was very ill as a new and nursing baby and my quest to help him in some way without repeat courses of antibiotics (which just felt really wrong) led us to an energy practitioner who uncovered food sensitivities–that changed our lives. I learned how food could influence not only health, but also behavior and learning. Friends and acquaintances began asking questions and following suit…

Fast forward to a move and return to my native Montana, desiring to raise my kids in its clean air and the gorgeous mountains I had missed where I had my fourth child and continued studying midwifery and attending births. I worked in social service nonprofits, taught in various public and private schools, and coached speech/drama and directed youth theater. I kept pretty busy also doing theater and playing in the symphony myself but have always been happiest in my role as a Mom, teacher, and when serving others.

Having/knowing your purpose is a very important thing!

As kids grew up and my life changed, I faced some (minor yet frustrating) health challenges and also saw friends and loved ones struggling with various conditions and illnesses. I started noticing the constant ads on media for new medications for new conditions (with so many side-effects in the fine print); it clearly seemed to me that most of the traditional health paradigms were failing. Knowing that there must be a better way, I renewed my reading/researching of natural health–and also became excited by the new discoveries in neuroscience (such as brain plasticity and connections with our vagus nerve and gut biome) and concurrently, the wisdom in ancient ways of Being and healing.

With the reality of Covid-19 affecting our world, the need for strong immune systems became evident to me- and the time for a new focused direction toward that earlier calling finally became a reality… I researched and found Andrea Nakayama's wonderful Functional Nutrition Alliance community and the intensive training available in Full Body Systems.

I know that my varied training and experiences and specifically being a part of the Functional Nutrition and Lifestyle Practitioner/FBS supportive community are providing me the tools in which to do this much needed work of assisting others in bringing their bodies to a place of more optimal function! It is a truly exciting time-the time for a new paradigm for health and well-being that empowers the individual and strengthens us all as inhabitants of this existence in our world.

The time is NOW! Together, we can be strong!