It has been a long and winding trail to get to where I am now. I am a certified EMT and have worked in numerous clinical and backcountry settings as a first responder. I’ve worked for 10 seasons as a professional ski patroller, helping sick and injured people off the mountain. A few years ago, I was the grateful recipient of the Colorado Ski Patroller of the Year award. Most recently, I became a certified Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association. Going forward, I plan to further educate myself in nutrition for mental health and wellness. It is my hope to support healing in those with both diagnosed mental illness and undiagnosed mental health issues and mood concerns.
Like many young women in their late teens, I struggled with my body image and food choices. As a former high school diver, I spent many hours each week in a swimsuit. My body changed a lot in those 4 years and I could not hide from the terrible acne I developed across my face, shoulders, and back. I always felt like I was being scrutinized and judged, not only for my athletic performance, but for my body too. Was everyone looking at my skin? What if I had to go up a suit size this year? Did my thighs look too big and why did I have cellulite? I began to “watch” what I ate and started counting calories, in hopes of keeping my weight down and my body small.
I carried these insecurities with me into my early 20s, long after the end of my diving career, and allowed them to grow and seep into every aspect of my life. Food had changed from a source of energy and enjoyment into something to both fear and control. I would punish myself for my supposed “bad” food decisions with extra cardio workouts and more restrictive diets. The more “bad” decisions I made, the more rules I set for myself, the harder I controlled, and the farther I moved away from a healthy body image. How I wish I could go back and educate my younger self! My need to control my body kept me from learning how to listen to it. And my body was definitely talking to me (and rebelling against the rules and restrictions)! I started experiencing severe stomach pain and other digestive issues, frequent illness, painful periods, fatigue, headaches, and eventually anxiety. I didn’t know what to do and had no clue where to start repairing my digestive health and self image issues.
On a whim, I signed up for a “Basics of Nutrition” course as a college elective. I had no idea the impact this course would eventually have on me and my future. From there, I started making more meals at home and trying new foods. I was still obsessed with counting calories and cardio, but I slowly started to learn how much more there was to real wellness and true healthy living. It took years to unlearn many of my damaging habits and I am still learning to this day.
Many of my symptoms have dramatically improved. And I was able to undo years of cyclical self-destructive behaviors to accept myself the way I am, imperfections and all. Of course, I still have “those days” and have faced trauma and set-backs in my own life. But I have my own habits of health, real food, real friends, and real passions to fall back on when things get rough. I would love to help you find this too.
My hope is to help redefine the way you view your health and wellness. I want this to be based on your own unique metrics of health, which is something I would love to help you define. And I wish to offer you my unrelenting support along the way. This is something that truly would have helped me, when I was lost on my own health journey. I want to help you sift through the noisy wellness world (think bustling city streets) to find that quiet place (like a secluded mountain trail) where you can truly listen to what your bioindividual body needs to thrive.
I want my clients to know it really is okay if your journey is non-linear with set-backs along the way. This is part of life and it comes with huge peaks and subsequent valleys. Don’t forget to sit back and enjoy the view.
I look forward to meeting you.
In Health & Happiness,
Dana
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