Hi, I’m Mark (he/him/his)
I’m so glad you’re here. Everyone’s health journey is different and, no matter what you’re struggling with, you’re welcome here and you’re not alone.
In 2006, I hit rock bottom. I had struggled for decades trying to cope with symptoms of childhood trauma. I was hypervigilant; living my life in fight or flight mode and was unable to relax long enough to discern what I needed. I had spent my life avoiding conflict, people pleasing, and sacrificing my own needs in order to avoid feelings of unworthiness. I was eating a Standard American Diet and suffering from food cravings, emotional eating, weight gain, eczema, brain fog, chronic lower back pain, adrenal fatigue, IBS, and debilitating migraines. I was in the middle of a divorce from my first wife while trying to be available for my two children. I was burned out after a long and physically demanding career in construction and was exhausted and deeply depressed. I was broke, in debt, living with my Mother and trying to figure out what I was going to do next. I was at a crossroads and I had some big decisions to make.
Being faced with those decisions forced me to finally stop and ask myself what I really wanted. I had to connect deeply with myself and be honest about my needs. My journey toward health has taught me that healing is not just about diet and exercise. It’s about a deep examination of every area of our lives to identify all of the ways we receive nourishment. We are all unique and it takes a broad, whole-systems approach to understand who we truly are, what we need, and what changes will support our growth and healing. Those answers are not the same for everyone, and when we trust ourselves to take responsibility for our own health and connect to our intuition we tap into the deep reservoirs of wisdom and creativity within us.
My life looks very different than it did all those years ago. I’ve made great strides in my trauma recovery. I have a new relationship with my remaining symptoms and have learned to identify and interpret my body’s signals and care for my emotional needs. I transitioned to a vegan diet and healed my symptoms of chronic illness. I am now happily remarried to a loving and supportive partner and have deepened my relationships with my grown children. I started two businesses, purchased a home, and reconnected with my passions for skiing, nature, shamanic healing, meditation, and medicinal plants. I’ve also found my calling; helping others to navigate their own healing.
I’m a Health Coach, a naturalist, and a student of medicinal plants, meditation, and Shamanic Healing. I continue to further my education at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I specialize in helping you to examine every area of your health and connect with your inner knowing to discern what changes you most need to make to restore balance in your life. I’ll provide you with the education and support you need to make these changes and empower you to sustain them over time.
If these words resonate with you, it would be a privilege to connect with you and support you on this leg of your healing journey.