Where it all began… Born the oldest and raised in Nova Scotia along with my two siblings Stacey and Jeffrey. My mom worked in banking and my dad began as a teacher in physical education, then became a guidance counselor, and was always a highly involved sports coach. From a very young age my Dad instilled in me the idea that “excellence is key” in every aspect of life. As a competitive runner, the first place blue ribbon was most coveted. The concepts of “digging in” and really feeling the gravel under my feet to gain traction, and “finishing strong” were instrumental in a constant attempt to be number one. These ideals definitely taught me grit, and allowed for the expected number one placement in nursing school as well as in the high stakes performance in a lengthy nursing career, where perfectionism was rewarded and valued. It all appeared to be working.
But…
Striving, fighting, and having unrealistic personal expectations for so long snowballed into huge amounts of unbelievable stress. Add to this my beautiful children arriving and trying to really embrace and celebrate the role of motherhood and things were becoming impossible. The acts of doing everything to “perfection” led me down a trail of exhaustion, overwhelm and lack of joy in just being and living.
In 2010, while interviewing for an RN Care Manager Position, I was introduced to the idea of wellness coaching. Intrigued by the idea, and always having a passion for physical wellness, it seemed like an amazing fit. Wellcoaches was the beginning of my transformation. I began learning (quite reluctantly) that mindfulness, rewiring unhelpful subconscious thinking, and oh my….. self compassion are the best path forward to true change. This new way of thinking went against all my deep-rooted perceptions of “pushing through”, “ trying harder”, and “never letting ’em see you sweat.”
Following the science and doing life differently. It was difficult, very uncomfortable, and at times downright terrifying (hence the name Lean Into Fear). Making shifts in my life began to get a little easier once I started to see that my continual efforts to keep everything tightly under control had resulted in feelings akin to treading water in a vast ocean while my life energy drained. So I continued to read book after book, take classes on mindset and behavior change and most importantly follow the principles. It took faith (and some validated clinical evidence) but the changes were beyond worth it.
This passion continued. I became wellcoach certified in 2012, recertified in 2015 and in 2017 became among the first class of Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coaches in the United States and remain one of the only 10 in the state of Maine. I enthusiastically continue my education through weekly credit classes offered by three original professional bodies (Nursing, Wellcoaches, and National Board) to both allow recertification/membership renewals AND to keep up with ALL the latest research and techniques to offer to YOU!
I have worked in nursing positions from pediatrics to hospice including mental health for three years. I practiced wellness coaching as an independent contractor for a number of health insurance companies and have been the full time owner/operator of Lean Into Fear Health and Wellness Coaching for over two years helping women (and yes a few men) with the principles I have gained through not just formal education, but personal experience as well.
I am grateful to have been married to my ride or die guy for 25 years. We have four amazing sons, two wonderful daughters in law, one incredible grandson, and a mischievous calico cat who, quite frankly, rules them all!
Need to know more before deciding ? Please don’t hesitate to reach out. Love to chat.
