About ME
My Story
After decades spent working in Fortune 500 companies, establishing a successful career, I realized that I needed to make a change. The stress was weighing on me. I was struggling with my own health and watching members of my family struggle with theirs. I just didn't feel good, had no energy and couldn't lose weight no matter what I tried. After a diagnosis of lipedema - an inflammatory vascular condition that causes painful deposits of fat to accumulate on my limbs -and pre-diabetes, I knew I had to make changes. Beyond that, I knew I not only wanted to help myself and my family to feel our best, but I also wanted to extend that out to the greater community. In my heart, I felt there was a better way to support good health.
So, I returned to school in 2019 and have been training, in some form or fashion, ever since. My path to learning started with a 9-month long University of Minnesota Integrative Health Certificate before leading me to the Holistic Wellness Pathway (HWP) at Hill College, an accredited college in Hillsboro, TX. The HWP program embraces the foundations of holistic health and prepared me for a career that incorporates health coaching, holistic nutrition and herbalism. I began the program in 2020 and spent the next three years working a full-time job while completing the HWP - ending with a 4.0 GPA. I moved forward after graduation to get the supporting certifications - Board Certified Holistic Nutrition (BCHN) and National Board Certified Holistic Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). In addition to obtaining my certifications, I have continued my studies in both nutrition and herbalism with respected instructors including KP Khalsa, Paul Bergner, Michael McEvoy, Chanchal Cabrera and, currently, Thomas Easley.
In 2023, I decided to get serious about helping other and left corporate life behind. With the support of my husband of nearly 20 years, I spent 2024 completing my certifications, getting Healthy Journeys set up as a limited liability corporation, and doing all the foundational things you have to do to start your own business. It's been a LOT of work, but I have enjoyed every minute of it.
Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist
I am a Board Certified Holistic Nutritionist (BCHN) through the National Association of Nutrition Professionals (NANP). In general, holistic nutritionists focus on helping clients improve and maintain their health through changing the way they eat and modifying their lifestyles to address health concerns and meet long-term goals. I believe that sound nutrition can be the start of positive changes in health.
Please note that I am NOT a Registered Dietitian (RD) which requires an advanced degree and state licensure. As such, for people living in exclusive scope of practice states , currently AL, GA, IA, IL, KS, MT, ND, NE, OH, SD, TN, WY, I can only offer general nutritional information as would be found in books, medical journals or on the internet. My ability to provide individualized recommendations tailored to specific needs will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on where you live.
National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach
I am a National Board Certified Holistic Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC) through the National Board for Health & Wellness Coaching (NBHWC). According to NASM, a wellness coach assists clients in achieving their health and wellness goals by providing support, guidance and accountability. Coaches help clients establish goals related to wellness, explore obstacles to success and empower them to make their own decisions.
Clinical Herbalist
Clinical Herbalists help clients address their health goals and challenges by using plant-based preparations to address imbalances and tackle the root-causes of health concerns. We focus on the whole person and not just their symptoms.
At the present time, I've completed over 2,500 hours of herbal training, including more than 800 hours of clinical hours, under experienced and well-known American Herbalist Guild Registered Herbalists such as KP Khalsa, Chanchal Cabrera, Kat Maier, Dr. Lori Rose, Thomas Easley and Rosalee de la Foret.
My herbal training is ongoing and at the present time, I am working to complete part 2 of the process to become a Registered Herbalist with the American Herbalist Guild, RH(AHG)
Functional Blood Chemistry Lab Analysis
In addition to the training received through the Hill College Holistic Wellness Pathway, I completed a 7 hour training program under Michael McEvoy, the founder of Metabolic Healing, to learn how to analyze standard blood chemistry lab panels.
Labs are an incredible tool for assessing general health status and for identifying patterns of potential nutritional deficiencies and metabolic imbalances. Careful analysis of the results can support the recommendation of herbs and supplements to improve client health.
My Certifications and Certificates
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