My Story:
Throughout my undergrad, my path was never clear and I was lacking direction. I struggled with connection and unity in my relationships and my work and began to experience what I now know to be debilitating anxiety. It became a big part of my day to day. At the beginning, I didn’t really understanding why I felt the way that I did. I felt so irrational in my head with invasive thoughts flowing constantly. As the season shifted from summer to fall, I began having trouble engaging with work and my relationships on a much more severe level. This was the beginning of a very dark time in my life. It swallowed me whole. Everyday I had severe panic attacks and every night was sleepless. I wasn’t eating much or leaving my room. The dictionary definition of anxiety did not seem to compare to the way I truly felt.
I felt trapped in my own mind and as a result, my body started to suffer too.
I continued to lose weight and refused to make change, which came from a place of fear. My relationship with food became so unhealthy that just the thought of it made me feel sick to my stomach. From panic attacks, self harm, and a trip to CAMH, I found myself in the out-patient care unit for mental health at the hospital. The work it took to find rhythm and balance in my mind again was nothing but a massive challenge.
At this time,
I was switched to a new medication that is commonly used to treat anxiety, and at this point I found some relief. I can describe it as a tool that turned down the volume of my own thoughts. It took time, patience and a TON of courage to start medication and find a counsellor that I could connect with and trust. But, with a ton of love and support I stuck to it. I didn’t let excuses get in the way. I became my own health advocate. I chose to heal from the inside out. This is where my passion took off...
My passion for health and wellness began here. I grew so much in this time of unrest and distress. As much as I suffered in agony, I learned something;
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I learned that mental health is a damn real thing that affects so many people – 1 in 4 to be exact, majority of which suffer in silence.
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I learned that diet, nutrition and a holistic approach is absolutely essential in the prevention or healing process of an individual.
My passion only grew stronger and deeper and I signed up for an Integrative nutrition course. I wanted to help people connect the dots on their own journey and realize the power of food.
Today, I am a holistic health coach that specializes is the connection between food and anxiety. As a Certified mental health integrative medicine provider (CMHIMP), I offer wholesome, sustainable guidance to help you achieve your health and wellness goals, directly related to with your mental wellbeing.