ABOUT ME
Healthy eating, for the most part, has always been a part of my life. As a child I was fortunate that processed foods were not a mainstay at our table. As a teenager I became aware that eating certain foods influenced not only my mindset but also how I felt physically. I learned that limiting or stopping culprit foods, combined with eating very healthy foods, would bring about a drastic and almost immediate improvement, especially when I was experiencing unpleasant symptoms. This demonstrated to me the control that I had over my health and my state of wellbeing. Even before I had any formal education in this field, I felt that life was one big opportunity to understand and to learn about how the human body and psyche respond to how we treat ourselves. Having an observant nature and a very curious and analytical mind are traits which have led me to notice and dissect the cause and effect relationships in any given situation. This self-discovery produced a feeling of empowerment and of being self-reliant.
By the age of 15 when most teenagers are trying to find their way, are extremely impulsive, and unsure of the skills they will need to function independently as adults, I had already learned a skill which brought with it a confidence that I had a good deal of control over my health and my life. The answers were frequently simple, and often very different from the conventional wisdom. Self-discovery is a results oriented endeavor that can help keep you focused on the task at hand. I became aware that this process was a form of communication between my environment, my brain, and my physical body. This was empowering to me, as was the clearer understanding of my bio-individuality. I began to notice that this way of thinking was a life skill which applied to every area of my life and not just food and health. Eventually I found myself relying on and fine tuning my intuitive skills that stemmed from this mindset. Intuitive ability is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes. This is a skill which I believe everyone has, but which many people do not give credence to or honor.
I am a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and also certified by Columbia University Teachers College. I am a holistic health practitioner, counseling and coaching in both health and life skills. I am board certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I have been counseling individuals for over 35 years. This includes the past 18 years as an associate at Lifeline Hygienic in Rye, N.Y. counseling clients on their health, nutrition, and how to make positive choices for themselves as individuals.
I worked for the Child Assault Prevention Project in the Newark, New Jersey school district for 9 years as a workshop facilitator teaching parents, teachers, and children pre-school thru 12th grade. In addition to individual classroom presentations I also had the opportunity to offer one-on-one counseling for those that felt they needed personal help. Assault prevention is educating people to recognize abusive situations and relationships and give them the mindset and strategies to remain safe and empowered.
I worked for a total of 8 years with children and young adults who were wards of the state or aging out of foster care and needed a responsible role model and guidance to make a transition towards a more productive life.
Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. At any moment, the people we interact with, as well as the situations we find ourselves in, can raise questions about ourselves, or mirror back some missing piece of our personal puzzle which can take us in the right direction, or help bring into focus something that we need to learn. Having the flexibility to know that change is possible, along with an honest self-reflection and an openness to receive new knowledge and direction, will often produce the answers we need at just the right moments in our lives. All of my life experiences, as well as my interactions with each of my clients, have given me an opportunity for continued growth and self-discovery. My desire for each of my clients is that they too will experience success in their own personal growth and self-discovery, along with the self-confidence and freedom which comes from that success. I believe this kind of success is possible for everyone if they are willing to give the process a chance.