My Story
For many families, it doesn’t start with something obvious.
It starts with small shifts. Something feels off.
A little more distance. More tension. Changes in eating.
Conversations that don’t go the way they used to.
At first, it’s easy to second guess it.
But over time, those patterns can grow into something bigger—disconnection, unhealthy coping, or even distance that feels hard to bridge.
What I Began to See
In my work and in my own life, I started to notice a pattern.
We live in a high-pressure world, and kids often feel expectations they’re not sure how to meet or talk about.
When that pressure builds without the tools or language to handle it, it doesn’t just stay internal.
It shows up in real ways:
- emotional or binge eating
- anxiety and overwhelm
- perfectionism
- shutdown or avoidance
- disconnection from family
- and in some cases, distance or estrangement
Not because anyone is doing something wrong, but because the nervous system is overloaded.
Read MoreMy passion for supporting individuals with their general eating habits and potential eating disorders comes from both professional expertise and personal experience.
Why This Work Matters
By the time families reach out, they’re often not asking about pressure.
They’re asking:
- “Why is my child shutting down?”
- “Why are they pulling away?”
- “What’s going on with the eating?”
- “How did we get here?”
My work is about helping you understand what’s underneath those questions so you can respond in a way that rebuilds connection, not more distance.
I understand firsthand what is truly helpful in fostering healing and what can unintentionally cause harm.
The Work I Do
As a parent and Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, I support families across the full spectrum—from early signs like emotional eating and tension, to deeper disconnection or estrangement.
Together, we focus on:
- understanding what’s really going on beneath the surface
- reducing pressure without lowering standards
- supporting healthier coping
- improving communication and connection
- creating a steadier, more grounded family dynamic
Because change doesn’t come from control or urgency.
It comes from connection, clarity, and consistency.
It was my students and my three children who inspired me to become a family wellness coach, specializing in emotional eating, disconnection, and the patterns that can lead to distance or even estrangement. My work focuses on helping families understand unhealthy coping and build healthier, more sustainable ways to move forward.
As a college and high school teacher for 21 years, I watched the mental health epidemic unravel in real time. I saw that these are the areas many young students were struggling quietly with. I helped them and their parents through many of these challenging times. Whether you or your child’s struggle is with mental health or physical health, my role is to support you as you support yourself or your child through these challenges.
The 7-step evidence-based program I created, called Move FORWARD, allows us to focus on family values, personal strengths, and positive coping tools. We focus on emotional intelligence, nervous system calming tools, and building healthy habits to sleep well, nourish your body, and create balance in mind and body.
Find Out More About Move FORWARDProfessional Experience
- 30 years in the public health field in various settings from large hospitals to classrooms
- I have a breadth of experience educating diverse populations on a vast array of health topics from chronic disease management and prevention to resilience and mental health coaching.
- 17 years as a health, nutrition, and women’s health professor.
- 4 years as high school health teacher and health curriculum director
- I launched a study, “Suburban Student Athletes: Driven to Overachieve”, and presented it for Sport & Society Research Network at the University of Toronto.
My Education
- Master’s of Public Health
- Nationally Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC)
- Jai Parenting Institute Certified Parent Coach
- Mind Body Green Certified Health Coach
How We Move Forward
Food, emotions, expectations, and relationships don’t need to become battles.
With the right support, they can become calmer conversations and opportunities to reconnect.
I use my signature Move FORWARD framework to guide this process, helping families build resilience, strengthen coping skills, and create a healthier, more balanced path forward.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT MOVE FORWARD