Integrative Health and Wellness Coach is such a broad title. I feel that it is best defined by each person’s biology, passions, and life experiences. I have been fortunate enough to have a family that has encouraged my passion for wellness and my curiosity for the plant life around me. Nature and plant life around me always gives me a moment to pause not only the delicate and intricate living, breathing and growing part, but the wellness that stems from adding herbs, foods, and moderation to your life. Finding that there is a very successful balance of science, logic and wonder has led me to study herbalism and wellness from the likes of KP Khalsa, Sam Coffman, and so many others. I realized over the years that many of us are caregivers in many ways. I also realized that none of us seem to have time to learn new skills, practice self care or even eat a healthy meal. I would like to share my experiences, knowledge and training to help you and all those around you thrive and grow a healthy balance within this chaos.
My background.
I personally have experienced the wonder of alternative wellness and herbalism. I started out just trying to help myself feel better, reduce stress and enjoy life. I shared my knowledge with family and friends for over 15 years. So how did all of this really come about in my mind? Why not just go with the flow of what we know of as medicine today?
I spent a lot of time at my grandparents’ greenhouse and farm business in upstate New York when I was about age 4 or 5 on up. This is where my passion and enthusiasm for plants really kicked in. There I would endlessly ask questions about the plants, how to grow them, ask so many questions till they told me to just go play. It was also around this age I was exposed to the scary and intimidating world of science and chronic medical conditions. My sister was diagnosed with a brain tumor on her brain stem when she was two. We spent most of my life and all of hers battling this thing that was in her head. She lived to the awesome age of 36. She taught me so much. Simple things like pay attention to details that others may not see in you or around you, it's okay not to be okay, Keep life simple and keep moving. The desire and passion that kept that woman going kept me on my toes. She had a doctor for every body part and then some. I also learned as I grew how to take care of the other aspects of her care like finances, medication management, keeping her on her toes with life goals. The life of a disabled person is not an easy one but no one said they can't have fun and a full life like the rest of us. It was these skills that I wanted to cultivate in those that I help. I was always looking for answers as to why my sister had to take so many medications. I was always asking about other ways to combat the side effects of the medications that were "helping" her. I constantly was reading new studies and researching.
When I was 18, I had just started a life of my own and was looking for a purpose. I went to college for Substance abuse counseling. That model frustrated me even more. What was the medical world not seeing? I worked for a bit in and out of this field before I was just burned out. I continued to study anything I could get my hands on in the alternative wellness and herbalism fields. The Internet was full of awesome like minded people who have been doing just what I have been asking about for so long. There was another “path” that was missing in our healthcare system. Now the question in my head was how I integrate herbalism, my sister’s way of life and health care knowledge into one business.
In 2008, I started making herbal products and selling them at a local farmers market. I knew in my heart people needed to hear of this alternate form of wellness. Going back to grandparents owned a farm and greenhouse I would spend summers visiting and helping them out with their business tasks. So I put to work my knowledge and skill set to grow as many herbs would fit into my little spot in my city garden. I used organic farm methods. I would call my grandma and ask all sorts of garden questions even business questions. She would smile and answer as best as she could. I really liked doing this but I needed more and honestly it wasn’t paying the bills.
Still egger to learn more and pay the bills I took a job in a community group home for disabled individuals. I wanted to learn more. For the last six years I absorbed as much knowledge as I could. I constantly was challenging my co workers and higher ups for more and maybe even change a few outlooks. I was starting to see what form of business I needed to bring this knowledge to the community. I learned how to adapt to living life in the “Fast lane” but it was taking a toll on my body. I would apply what I had learned in herbalism to my own aches and issues as time grew on. Things like pain from the many car accidents when I was younger, mistreating my body while working various jobs, not sleeping for many reasons. I was doing well at keeping me stable. What I didn’t see was my own burn out again. I asked myself what key piece I was missing. I have taught consumers for years about herbals, stress tips, deep breathing, and so many other things. I applied them all. I needed to slow down and make some bigger changes towards my dream goal.
In 2019 I got pregnant after years of trying. The doctors said my body was inflamed and angry at me among other reasons. I took a break from the business and focused on clinical skills and took a class to certify myself as an integrative health coach. In August of 2019 I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. It was stressful but it was the best thing I could have prepared my body for. Then life took me on another ride. My five month old son had liver cancer. So we began the journey of balancing life with cancer, finishing my Health Coaching classes, maintaining sanity. My friends and family were huge supports as I navigated the world my sister had lived once again. I can’t say that it was an easy time in my life but the one thing that everyone kept reminding me of was that I was handling things extremely well. Sure I had some trying moments honestly who wouldn’t. In April of 2021, my son’s cancer was gone hopefully for good. My friends asked what I planned to do now. The answer was simple.
I had all this knowledge of herbalism. I kept myself sane through trying times and now health coaching skills. I needed to create a business that completes my life goal of making herbal products, consulting others on health and wellness, and growing herbs to sell various ways. I knew that I wanted to take the scary and intimidating world of science and chronic medical conditions and help others navigate thru their frustrations without losing focus on their personal wellness and health. I envisioned many avenues that this life goal could go in. So in 2020 I created this business that combined all the knowledge and skills that I have acquired over my life time. Welcome to Vested Wellness!!!
