Functional Medicine Health Coaching

 The essential food-mood connection

Sometimes it feels impossible to practice any kind of self-care, or even to feed ourselves regularly when life is kicking our ass, even when we understand that challenging times require the most nourishment. But can we honestly expect to be comfortable, focused, energized, and joyful if we’re lacking nutrition, sleep, fun, and healthy connections? Our culture is producing adults who are worn down, overstimulated, disconnected, and stressed beyond reason. Fortunately, as adults, we do have some options. But it’s often very difficult to gain perspective when you’re completely exhausted or too busy to stop and contemplate alternatives or consequences.

Our lifestyles and lack of self-care do have significant long-term consequences

Despite significant advances in medicines and scientific technology, there continues to be an increasing trend in the rise of diseases such as diabetes, obesity, allergies, neurological and autoimmune conditions, and mental health challenges with no end in sight. Our current healthcare system focuses primarily on managing symptoms with medications and surgeries but spends less time educating patients about the importance of healthy lifestyles and nutritional habits that can improve physical and mental health outcomes.

Functional Medicine (FM), on the other hand, is an individualized, evidence-based approach to healthcare that focuses on identifying the root causes of illness rather than classifying and treating symptoms. FM practitioners work together with their patients to resolve the underlying causes of disease while promoting optimal wellness through diet and lifestyle change. FM health coaches support clients in understanding and exploring options, setting goals, and maintaining healthy choices. 

Bringing Functional Medicine perspectives into mental health treatment

Although discussions about the connections between mental and physical well-being are becoming more widespread, our culture is not set up to support the foundations of optional well-being. We are caught up in the momentum of our fast-paced existence and can’t get off the treadmill long enough to catch our breath and notice the changes happening in our bodies.

Our mental health and physical well-being are only sustainable when they are addressed as if they are one system, with each wholly dependent on the other. When our body does not have the resources it needs from healthy foods to build neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and serotonin, it impacts our mood. When we eat too much sugar, processed foods, and fried foods, it impacts levels of inflammation in our body and in our brain, contributing to issues such as heart disease, autoimmune conditions, anxiety, and depression. Lack of exercise, poor sleeping patterns, and unhealthy habits contribute to an imbalance in our bodies and brains and prevent us from experiencing a sense of well-being. There’s enough stress in the world already, let’s work to reduce the stress we’re causing our own bodies.

I help clients make the changes they need to feel better, both physically and mentally

I am a holistically focused counselor, with training as a certified FM health coach, and I believe that optimal well-being, although uniquely experienced by each person, is something worth striving for. I make health a priority in my own life because I like feeling good. And my goal in therapy is to help others feel better. When we don’t feel good it impacts our mood, work, relationships, decision-making, and motivation. Increasing our self-awareness about how we treat ourselves and the potential outcomes of the care, or lack of care, that we accept for ourselves, is a big step in the healing journey.

Contact me for a free consult as the first step of your body-mind-heart-soul journey toward a life that feels better and more sustainable.