I wish I had a bio with linear milestones. You know, "I studied medicine, did a medical residency, became a doctor, and now I'm the world's leading heart surgeon." I don’t.

I am a former filmmaker. It was all video and film editing for most of my twenties. Behind the scenes, I struggled with my health.

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I’d always had a “sensitive stomach,” even before I had my gallbladder removed when I was 22 (that certainly didn’t help).

My repeated digestive issues were chalked up to the catch-all diagnosis: IBS, a brush-off term doctors label you with when they don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge to do a thorough root-cause analysis.

Many years and countless tests eventually yeilded more concrete diagnoses:

SIBO, acid reflux, ulcers, food sensitivities, histamine intolerance, h. pylori, candida, C-Diff, mold toxicity, heavy metal toxicity, bile acid malabsorption, and panic disorder.

Fun times!

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Things finally started to change for me in 2016 when I discovered functional medicine—a mind-body approach to healing. I began looking at my health holistically and treating the causes of illness, not just the symptoms.

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In 2018 I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and became an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. I also got certified in Biopsychosocial Chronic Pain Management from the TrainPain Foundation. I applied this training to my own health struggles and quickly found myself on a path to improvement.

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Now, I eat for my body, prioritize sleep, hydrate, stay active, and utilize stress-reducing techniques as often as necessary. However, my health really thrives when I make time for joy and creativity.

Nonfiction writing, in particular, has been an integral part of my self-care regime. I’ve written four books: Insatiable, Return to Tushy Mountain, Homebound, and Noted. I find myself in a flow state when I write. I discovered this when I first began health coaching—for every wellness client I coached, I would write 10 blogs on various health topics. Soon, I found myself writing medical articles for other health practitioners, online publications, and wellness organizations. I enjoy getting my thoughts out on paper, whether through wellness blogs, personal essays, or songs…

Yes! Songwriting is another creative endeavor that keeps me healthy, mentally and physically.

For anyone who signs on to work with me, whether for writing or wellness support, prepare yourself to experience joy! I encourage my clients to dip (and eventually heavily lean) into their passion. We must make our health a priority, but when life consists of nothing but doctor’s appointments, supplements, and ingredient lists, we’re missing out on a major component of healing.