Thanks for visiting to learn a little bit more about me and why you might connect with me on a more personal level. I wanted to share here a little about my background, how I came to be a “self-health” professional, and why I feel it is my mission to help others live longer, happier, healthier lives.

You see, my mother died of colorectal cancer when she was 41. I was 19.

Too young for either of us. It was lousy. It didn’t feel good. And it changed the path of my life for good.

When she dies, I lost not only the physical presence of my mom, but I became an emotional orphan at the same time. My mom was the glue that held us together, and when she was gone, so was the sense of family. We did not have the coping skills or the closeness that some families have–we fought, people stopped talking to one another, generations of family erected walls made from pain and sadness and disappointment.

I searched for a sense of belonging and comfort and came up short. I was disillusioned. I was angry. I felt very, very alone.

And then, magically, on the morning of my 27th birthday, I sat straight up in bed and decided things would be different. I realized I was the only one who could change my life. And I also had a revelation about my mom (and about everybody, really) that triggered a thought in me that has never gone away: how we LIVE determines how we DIE.

Finally I had emerged from my fog and grief, and I knew that I would have to make different choices on my life path than the way I was headed if I wanted to have a different outcome, a different path than the one my mom had chosen.

As a result of my early loss, my entire career path has been dedicated to finding ways to teach others what natural options they have to drugs and surgery, to increase their awareness and impact of their everyday choices so that they can live with purpose, and so they can live a long, happy life.

I created the Center for Health and Harmony. I take all the stuff I’ve learned (and continue to learn) about getting and staying healthy and put it all together for you so you don’t have to spend as much time as I did trying to figure it out for yourself. This is truly a holistic approach to health. What you see are the individual parts: nutrition counseling, food coaching, cooking and food shopping, supplementation, massage therapy, stress management techniques, Ayurveda, breathing, yoga, having fun, learning to relax, Law of Attraction, self-acceptance, and self-empowerment. It’s a whole-life, full-life approach that YOU decide to engage in yourself.

In short: Self-Health.

Why? I want the people I care about to live longer. Period.

After almost thirty years of experience in the field of health and wellness as a wellness coach, life coach, Ayurvedic practitioner, and massage therapist, I received additional nutrition training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition which is affiliated with Columbia University, located in New York City. I am certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners as a Holistic Health Counselor.

I am trained and experienced in all of the different dietary theories (I’ve tried just about everything out there myself), from eastern and western nutrition, to modern health issues and chronic diseases, and I’ve studied with the best in the personal growth and development field. Some call me a personal growth junkie–that’s because I believe we aren’t growing and learning we are dying. Being an avid and experienced eater, I frequently cook for clients and introduce them to delicious new foods. (Can you say, “quinoa”?!) Together, we learn simplicity, good taste, and convenience. And they get healthier.

Who I work with:

Those who have come to me consistently over the years represent the following populations:

People who are diabetic and pre-diabetic (I was pre-diabetic at one time and brought myself back from the edge) and who want to get off or stay off drugs through diet and lifestyle changes
Small business owners (you’ve got to be healthy when you are your business), especially holistic health or nutrition professionals
Performing artists, especially singers, who want to stay healthy in order to perform well in all areas of their lives, on and off the stage (they are related, you know)

I started speaking at the tender age of 6, so I am in a small group of people who LOVE to do public speaking and teaching. Therefore, I have a great time and so do my audiences/students. We laugh and learn a lot.

I am the author of Vitamin Soup, A Recipe for Soulful Nourishment from A to Z, which reached #1 in the Mind-Body-Spirit category and #2 in Health-Diet-Fitness on Amazon.com. Yay! Super excited about that. And I am always working on developing additional products and programs that my clients/friends express a need or desire for. Let me know what you need.

Other fun facts are that I am a native of Pennsylvania and Florida, I spent a good deal of my childhood and teenage years singing and dancing, and I am known for my use of exotic herbs and spices.

I make my home in Virginia with my husband and our two cats. My favorite vacation spot (and retreat location) is St. John, USVI. When not working or on stage singing with Sweet Adelines (barbershop harmony), I enjoy swimming, yoga, reading, going to movies, cooking, and saving money on cable while watching the cats play.