It’s never been a secret that Fall is my most favorite season of them all.  Less humid and cooler temps (shorts with sweatshirts? YES.) with gorgeous colors in the landscape and a return to more dense, nourishing meals (2-day braised short ribs anyone??). Plus, as a Minnesota-girl through and through, I actually like the seque that Fall gives to Winter – sure I’m usually joining the chorus of complainers by March, but there is something special to me about Winter. The crisp white canvas outside, early morning dog walks through snow when no one else is out, prepping for various holidays that bring the kids home, and a sort of putting-to-bed of the calendar with promises for a new start, new possibilities.  For me, Fall signals all of that.

In the spirit of the seasons changing, I am excited to share that I’ve made some additions to my work as a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. For the last couple of years, I have had the good fortune to work one-on-one with amazing clients as well as lead wonderful group programs. Knowing that I wanted to take things up a notch, I eventually undertook studying for the exam to become Board Certified in Holistic Nutrition. I won’t lie, I wasn’t sure I’d see it through let alone pass as the prep for that was much harder than I had expected.  Thankfully I had an awesome study buddy in my fellow NTP Amy Frailey as well as the very patient support of my husband and sons. Blessed by all of that, just prior to pausing things for major surgery, I took and passed my Board exam!  

As much as I should have just relished in knowing I now stood out in my field with these credentials, I actually became a bit anxious. So many of my practitioner peers had carved a niche for themselves in a more specialized area beyond general nutrition, and I felt like I needed to do the same … but in what?  From the start I had been told by my mentors to “be patient, you’ll figure it out” but the urge to refine my work was strong. With my surgery recovery putting me on the sidelines for a bit, I opted to reflect on the clients whom I had been so fortunate to help thus far. In doing so I saw a common thread – a commonality amongst their symptoms and pain, a commonality to their frustrations and complaints, a commonality to what they were seeking. 

Without realizing it, I was repeatedly working with women who were dealing with their own change of seasons. Hormone imbalances and endocrine disruptions along with life stress had thrown them off track both physically and emotionally. Did they come to me for hormone issues or stress? NO, not knowingly. They came to me to help them tame their sugar dragon, reverse their cravings, budge that stubborn weight, bring back their mental clarity, restore their energy, resolve their gut issues, rekindle regularity to their menstrual cycle or libido, clear up their skin, stop their hair loss and overall just help them feel sane again and get them back to the thriving health they felt was long gone.  WHY had they come to me? Because every time they went to the doctor they were told “this is normal, this is aging, this is what happens” and they were given no help except the tired advice of “eat less, move more.” Well, frankly, that’s BULLSHIT.

I quickly realized that I was in a position to try to stop this madness – I know my clients’ pain, my experience has been similar, and the education I have and the work I do is powerful stuff. So, with that in mind, I made some practice changes of my own. I looked into strengthening my toolbox even more, and I spent the last few months adding specialized training and studies in women’s hormone and gut testing as well as general endocrine function. Instead of guessing what your hormone and gut status are based on symptoms, I can now test both of those areas while assessing your stress, giving me an even wider view of your unique situation.  Then, using all of my foundational training, I will create a protocol with food, lifestyle and, if necessary, supplement recommendations, to restore you to the vibrant health and life you deserve!  

We, as women, do not have to live this way. Instead of our hormones being the source of our symptoms, we can actually work with our hormones to be the source of better health. But to make that so, we need to shift the narrative from sick-care to well-care, and we need to stop treating just our complaints and truly dig into the root of what ails us.  This doesn’t have to be hard work, but it is often challenging – either way, I’m here to partner with you through it.  Feeling older isn’t a requirement for getting older!

Now, as Summer fades to Fall, I am super excited to share these changes I’ve made with you.  In addition to new 1:1 packages, I will be rolling out a special workshop/webinar, a new self-paced course, and even a new program.  Reach out if you’re interested in working together, and don’t forget to sign-up for my updates here.  

Let’s work together to make bring magnificence to midlife and beyond!!