I am a certified Master Health & Lifestyle Coach specializing in both the Transformative & Habit Change Coaching Methods. As a coach I am trained to help you assess your current physical and emotional state, set goals for what you want to achieve in your overall wellness, and work with you on a plan of action to reach these goals.
A bit about my background and experience: I am a stage 4 cancer survivor who underwent multiple abdominal surgeries and 6 months of chemotherapy. I have over 10 years experience managing wellness initiative programs for both individuals as well as disease management & health care companies. I earned a bachelors degree in biology from McDaniel College.
Here is my why: On January 7th 2016 I received a diagnosis of Stage 4 Peritoneal Carcinomatosis. A very aggressive cancer that started in my appendix and spread through the peritoneal lining of my abdomen. I had just celebrated 2 years of marriage and my baby girl was only 9 months old. I had about 4 months to live. I wasn’t ready to go. I needed more time.
My husband & I, along with my oncology team decided on an aggressive approach to treatment. I was young, reasonably healthy and time was a factor. We scheduled my Cytoreductive Surgery & my HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) for the following month. Although I was under the care of one of the very best surgical oncology teams in this country it did not lessen the anxiety I felt contemplating my own mortality. We had no idea what we’d find when we went in there. I secretly wrote my daughter a letter in a meager attempt to give her all the wisdom and experience I had gained over a lifetime. My mind was swimming. There was no way I was possibly going to distill all of that into a single letter. I may have thought it necessary to prepare for the worst, but I was resolute rolling into that OR that I wasn’t going anywhere. There was too much left unsaid, too much left undone.
And then she woke . . .
As the darkness became a fuzzy conscious awareness I slowly realized that I was waking from the surgery. I made it! The powerful surge of energy that I felt at that moment can only be described as pure gratitude. Yes! I had been given a chance to keep going and that was all that mattered. I didn’t need anyone to tell me that chances like that were precious gifts. I had received a moment of clarity that brought into laser focus just what mattered most to me. I wasn’t going to take this extra time with my daughter for granted. I was going to give her the mom she deserved. I felt an internal shift that changed the course of my life. It soon became clear that if I was going to be the best mom I could be then I needed to let go of everything that was holding me back and fully step into my power.
I had been given a precious insight that this life was too short to settle for mediocre. I wanted to play big! I no longer wanted to live on autopilot, running off old assumptions & outdated conditioning. I realized it was pointless to live in fear of judgement. I was no longer going to quiet my voice for the comfort of others and I absolutely needed to start appreciating my amazing body. Healthy living (mind, body & soul) was going to be my new normal.
The next few years were a roller coaster ride of emotional ups and downs. It was a blur of binge reading, podcast listening, documentary watching and modality testing. I journaled, signed up for workshops, and joined clubs. I incorporated yoga, meditation, and clean eating into my daily routine. I worked with a series of coaches and counselors. I set my sights on challenging limiting beliefs and updating old conditioning. I did shadow work and practiced self care. Finally I partnered with an accredited institution that took everything I was learning and provided me the framework to coach others. It is this wisdom that I wish to share with you.
I found myself on a journey I didn’t ask to go on. It was painful, eye opening and transformative. My hope is that my story and my experience might go to work to help others overcome the challenge of stepping fully into their power and becoming the person they always knew in their hearts they were meant to be. You all have a strength in you that you can barely imagine. I would be honored to help you discover the power within.