My anxiety hit me quickly in my early twenties. I went from a radio broadcasting student to not being able to leave my room in what seemed like no time at all. I started to experience heart palpitations, I was dizzy, sweaty, had hot flashes and intense fear. Somedays I had strange nerve sensations shooting up and down my body, I couldn’t focus, my brain was fuzzy, I had severe digestive problems and most days I thought I was dying.

I went to 7 Dr’s and visited 3 E.R rooms, before anyone even mentioned the word anxiety to me. And when they did, I was given medication and a referral to a counsellor, but unfortunately, neither helped me. I was eventually diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, but it took me years to admit it to anyone besides my family because I felt so ashamed. I mean Agoraphobia was only for crazy old men with 18 cats, right? Ok, I did have 3 cats BUT…

On my best days, I appeared quite functional and was able to hold a job while constantly fighting panic on the inside. At my worst I wasn’t able to get out of bed and had to pee into a cup because even crawling on my hands and knees to the bathroom would elicit full panic. The last few years of my panic I worked from home and spent many days staring out my window crying “Is this it? Is this really my life?” I became determined to get my life back, someday, someway.

I studied nutrition first, and experienced relief from that alone. But although many of my symptoms lessened, I still struggled with frequent panic attacks and a few major relapses a year. My world was still small, and I only went out with a "Safe Person" or was extremely uncomfortable.

When I became pregnant and after my son was born, I really ramped up my healing. I didn’t want to miss out on school plays, sporting events or ANY of his life. I knew it was time to take all the pieces of everything I had learned and put them together. I created an action plan which was the first blueprint of what I teach today, based on a holistic approach to calming the body and the mind. I focused on reducing inflammation, balancing blood sugar, soothing the nervous system and reprogramming my thought patterns. And as the weeks went by, my symptoms started to lessen and disappear.

After years of not being able to leave the house on my own OR go on my own without experiencing massive panic, here I was going for walks every day with my son. I still remember the first time we made it to a nearby pond without any panic. He was just about 1, so didn't realize what was going on, but I was crying happy tears taking in the sunshine, fresh air and beauty. "It's finally happening. I am getting my freedom back" I remember thinking. Going for those walks are still my favorite part of my day.

I started to be able to go shopping myself, (we are talking Costco people) and be able to go out for dinner. To build friendships again and be able to go out and teach classes and workshops. To do interviews and network, basically to get back into the world again and live my life.

Do I still get anxious? Sometimes. Especially if I haven’t slept much or am under extreme stress for a prolonged time. And over a decade later when I was in perimenopause, it knocked me on my butt for a few months. But I know how to recognize this and support my body so that it doesn’t last long and it certainly doesn’t control my life anymore.

So after 5 years of a running a nutrition practice that focused on weight loss, I shut it down to build an anxiety business called Holistic Hope. I also became a Certified EFT practitioner, a Certified SSP Practitioner and took courses in Somatics and EMDR.

And here we are. After 7 years of Holistic Hope, it has now morphed into The Holistic Anxiety Hub.

A few fun facts about me. I LOVE food, so naturally, I love to cook. I am also allergic to what feels like a gazillion ingredients, so I love to find ways to make delicious meals out of simple ingredients. I am a mom to an amazing autistic 9 year-old boy, who teaches me something every day and the world's loudest and sweetest beagle, Charlie. I live close to the beautiful Rocky Mountains, so love visiting them any chance I get.

So pretty much eating food, in the mountains with my pets and people is my idea of heaven. And I am thankful every day for my health allowing me to ENJOY life again.

I want you to enjoy your life again too. Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please know, even though you may feel lonely, you are not alone in this journey. You are not broken, you are not damaged and you CAN regain your health, confidence and freedom. I look forward to helping you in any way that I can.