10 PILLARS 

OF WELLENESS

I strongly believe unresolved trauma is a main root cause of ALL chronic illness. We all have trauma to some degree, whether it be directly experienced, inherited, or generational, and it’s impact varies from person to person. Trauma, as described by Peter Levine, is a dysregulated response of not being in the here and now- it’s a broken connection to our body, vitality, reality and to others.

Unresolved trauma creates an inflexible nervous system - one that is unable to adapt and change properly. An inflexible nervous system causes us to stay stuck, develop (and remain in) addictions, have a hard time healing from chronic illness, among many things.

The work of healing trauma is a LIVED EXPERIENCE. It’s the daily practice of facing the same circumstances, feelings, and emotions, but making different choices in that moment. These are the “emotional muscles” you have to do “reps” for just like the physical muscles you train at the gym.

We address healing unresolved trauma in some of the following ways:
- Vagal Nerve Tone / Polyvagal Theory /Neuroplasticity
- Somatic Bodywork
- Breathwork
- Inner child, reparenting, shadow work
- Attachment patterns
- Individualized emotional healing toolbox

Food is powerful medicine. Clean, organic food, free of toxins is necessary for healing. High-quality food sustains us and provides our cells with the biochemicals and nutrients needed for our mitochondria. Unfortunately, most of our food produced today is not suitable for proper healing - mainly due to poor soil, pesticides and chemicals, and the over-processing of foods. Choosing high quality, toxin-free food, preferably from locally sourced, biodynamic and organic farms is essential for health. For those with chronic illness, I believe it is especially important to eliminate the top inflammatory foods including gluten, dairy soy, industrial seed oils, processed foods, and sugar. Working together, we will create a personalized eating plan based on your individual health needs and goals.

Our bodies are mostly comprised of biologically active water. Water hydrate our cells and tissues, necessary for optimal cellular health. Most people are chronically dehydrated. This can be caused by the consumption of caffeine and diuretics, insufficient mineral intake, genetic predispositions, mold exposure, HPA axis dysfunction, exposure to EMF’s, and exposure to toxic metals. Dehydration can contribute to indigestion, fatigue, brain fog, constipation, and much more.

We address optimizing nutrition + hydration in some of the following ways:
- Individualized + intuitive nutrition
- Food intolerances/sensitivities
- Food compatibility
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Dehydration

As human beings, our bodies extend well beyond our physiology - we are more than our cells, muscles, tissues, and organs. Thus, the process of healing involves far more than lab testing, supplements, and physiology. Each of us has an energetic system that is highly integrated with our physical body, emotional self, and spiritual being. This energetic component (aura) is significant as both an individual’s emotions and physical body can be directly affected via energy healing therapies. Energy healing therapies - such as Emotion Code, Reiki, Acupuncture, Craniosacral Therapy, sound therapy, and Qigong - involve the modification of one’s energy field using external energy sources, vibrations, and sound to help stimulate self-healing.

Becoming more spiritually connected doesn’t happen just through cognitive understanding, but rather through embodiment. Embodiment is about becoming more centered in our body and what it is perceiving and feeling rather than focusing our mental "chatter" - our thoughts, ideas, and beliefs. The goal is to get out of our heads and more centered in our bodies. Unresolved and repressed emotions and energies are common factors in the activation of the chronic stress response. Chronic activation of the stress response is directly linked to a weakened immune response, inflammation, anxiety, depression, impaired cognitive function, and ultimately disease.

We address energy healing in some of the following ways:
- Trapped / inherited emotions + energies
- Energy + chakra imbalances
- Energetic healing therapies
- Spiritual connectedness

Homeostasis is the body’s ability to regulate various physiological processes to keep internal states steady and balanced, including temperature, pH, water, oxygen, and blood sugar levels. It is the innate tendency of the human body to maintain homeostasis. When this body balance is disrupted --> our cells don’t work correctly --> body will try to correct (or worsen) the problem based on certain influences, such as genetic proclivities, environmental exposures, and lifestyle choices.

My approach to bringing the body back into balance is comprehensive and multifaceted. While the use of proper functional lab testing is important to assess underlying issues, I am a firm believer in only running labs in which the results translate into action steps to move your healing forward. I find great value in and incorporate the following five tests: blood chemistry, OAT (Organic Acids Test), DUTCH Hormone, GI Map, and Nutrition Genome. With these five tests, I am able to generate an overall picture of your current physiology, and where to focus your healing.

. We address optimizing homeostasis in some of the following ways:
- Gut/microbiome restoration
- Proper functional lab testing + protocols
- Pathogenic influences: Lyme, fungal, bacterial, parasitic, viral
- Medical + Dental issues: implants, surgeries, amalgams, cavitations
- Structural issues: bones, muscles, fascia, connective tissue, injury
- Genetics: epigenetics, methylation
- Neurotransmitter imbalances
- Cellular function: mitochondrial health, oxidative stress
- Detoxification, hormone balance, immune function, oral health

Supplements can play a very important role in the healing process, and I believe they need to be targeted and best used when guided by relevant labs and other assessments, based on YOUR bio-individualized needs, and provided with detailed instructions, (including dosage, timing, and sequencing). More importantly, proper supplementation is more effectively utilized in conjunction with a functional practitioner that understands your full case, that you trust, that you work with collaboratively, and who will help you understand the rationale for each supplement.

We address supplementation in some of the following ways:
- Targeted nutraceuticals and botanicals
- Bio-individualized, based on needs

A healthy body requires ample amounts of good, quality sleep. We are designed to follow the laws of nature - we are meant to wake up with the sun, exposure ourselves to sunlight, and fall asleep within a few hours of sunset. This is known as your circadian rhythm and is critical to your health and WELLEBEING. When this rhythm gets disrupted --> our bodily systems become dysfunctional --> can lead to many issues such as blood sugar imbalances, poor stress resilience, unstable moods, energy crashes, weight loss resistance, hormone imbalances, and more.

Melatonin plays a vital role in circadian rhythm and acts as a powerful antioxidant by scavenging free radicals, immunomodulators, and anticancer agents. Our melatonin production is dependent upon light and dark cycles. In our modern era, our circadian rhythm is affected by many factors: EMF’s, blue light exposure (TV, tablets, cellphones) and chronic stress. Insomnia is an epidemic, despite the fact that sleep is crucial for healing. Balancing our circadian rhythms can be promoted by improving our connection with nature/grounding, increasing our exposure to the sun through the skin (and the retina), and limiting our exposure to EMF’s and artificial lighting.

We address sleep in some of the following ways:
- Balance circadian rhythms
- Melatonin production
- Importance of rest
- Sleep tips and biohacks

Physical activity and exercise have positive impacts on many of our bodily systems, including the circulatory, digestive, endocrine, excretory, immune, muscular, nervous, respiratory, and skeletal systems. Healthy movement connects us to our energetic selves, encourages the flow of energy in our tissues and cells, thus enabling healing on many levels.

Body awareness practices such as Yoga, Qi gong, and Tai chi can help us connect our bodies and minds. Additionally, body awareness is critical for re-establishing the feeling of safety and engagement of our parasympathetic nervous system, vagus nerve, and limbic brain.

We address healthy movement in some of the following ways:
- Exercise
- Body + postural awareness
- Play

The belief that an expert, practitioner, or healer will provide you with a magic key to your health is a misguided concept of healing. In the truest sense, you are your own inner healer. It is YOUR health, YOUR biology, YOUR nervous system, YOUR immune system, YOUR trauma, as well as YOUR higher potential. Individuals who go from practitioner to practitioner, hoping they will be “healed” or “fixed” are stuck in the thought process that health comes from someone or something else. When in fact, healing occurs from within.

Personal power is about uncovering, rediscovering, and embracing your innate healing wisdom and true self. It’s the knowing that your signs, symptoms, and struggles are really just your body’s way of saying NO. It’s saying NO to what you are currently experiencing/feeling/living, and YES to the opportunity to choose a different, greater version of yourself. Together, I will help you reclaim your power to heal your mind, body, and soul.

We address personal power in some of the following ways:
- Agency + self-leadership
- Boundary setting
- Authenticity + vulnerability
- Resilience vs. antifragile
- Intuition
- Beyond cultural conditioning/identity
- Radical self-love

One of the primary root causes of dis-ease is a high toxic body burden. We live in a time where toxic exposure is at an all-time high. Our bodies and minds are being bombarded by toxins from numerous sources. It is imperative to take measures to reduce toxic exposure in all areas of our lives. The main factors that contribute to high toxic burden include: mold, pathogens, heavy metals, breast implants, chemicals and pesticides, EMF/blue light exposure, poor water quality, air pollution, and skincare and beauty products.

When addressing total toxic burden, I pay close attention to brain and autonomic balance, vagus nerve function, cell, and tissue hydration, lymphatic system function, liver function and detoxification, balance of hormones and the endocrine system, and creating a safe (internal and external) space free from toxins, EMF’s, and mold.

An important note regarding MOLD: mold exposure (both past and current) can severely compromise the healing process, especially in sensitive individuals. The presence of toxic mold from water-damaged homes and buildings is an increasing and alarming problem. Creating a safe environment for healing REQUIRES removing mold from the environment or removing the individual from the moldy environment. I use specific at-home testing to identify the presence of mold in the environment, as well as lab testing to determine if mold is exposure is a factor and what effects it is having on the body.

We address your environment in some of the following ways:
- Total toxic burden reduction + non-toxic living strategies
- Toxic exposures: mold, heavy, metals, EMF’s, pathogens, chemicals, pesticides, beauty products, water, air

Self-care may be a trendy buzzword, but it’s for good reason. Taking care of you IS the most important part of healing. We are a society of go-go-go, do-do-do, and be-be-be, often taking little or no time for ourselves. Unfortunately, this comes at a heavy price for not only our physical health but our mental health as well.
Self-care is about reconnecting to yourself. It is taking the necessary time (whether it be a moment, an hour, a week) to check-in, recover, and recalibrate. Anything from a hot bath or a hike in the woods to a week-long yoga retreat can help re-energize your soul and return you to your essence.

We address self-care in some of the following ways:
- Reconnecting with nature + grounding
- Maximize Me Time
- Supportive practices: meditation, journaling, massages, hobbies