"Prior to enrolling in the THRIVE program, I was at one of my lowest points in life both physically and mentally. I was in the midst of dealing with a health issue for a close family member while navigating the aftermath of a significant breakup and had recently overcome a serious case of shingles brought on by the increased levels of stress and anxiety…all while working two jobs. I found myself perpetually exhausted but unable to sleep through the night. My relationship with food was almost non-existent as I had no desire to cook or even eat at times given that it would make me feel sick to my stomach. I felt like I had lost sight of the woman I was and though I wanted so badly to find myself again, I struggled with how to do just that. I wanted to return to the happy, healthy, full of life young woman I once was.  

            "Throughout the 6 months, Jen expertly guided me through a series of goals we had set for the program. From creating a better sleep environment, to fostering a healthier relationship with eating/cooking and utilizing food to help heal the serious burnout effects I had been struggling with we set out to collaboratively work toward finding that balance in life I was missing.

"Would I recommend the Thrive program and holistic health coaching support that Jen expertly provides to others who may find themselves in similar situations to mine? Absolutely, YES! In just 6 short months I’ve truly turned my life around. I feel much more present in my life, in my relationships both with myself and those I love and above all recognized the importance of unapologetically putting my own wellbeing first among the stressors life throws our way. Jen’s consistent guidance, unwavering support and plethora of curated resources based upon my goals and identified needs truly paved the path I needed to walk to find myself again." 

— DEANNA B.

When Deanna and I first spoke about working together in THRIVE, she’d been pushing herself hard for too long and had reached a breaking point. “I feel like I live in fight or flight mode and almost as if I am losing control of my body!” Her doctor had suggested anti-anxiety meds.

But she didn’t want that. She wanted to change. Deanna realized she’d been “giving 110%” to work and everyone else, and wanted to give herself the same so she could “wake up and say ‘I feel good today.’”

With Deanna’s state of absolute exhaustion, dealing head-on with her big stressors was NOT a viable place to start- she didn’t have the bandwidth for it. So we set to work on the foundations: diet and sleep. Within a few weeks, Deanna was sleeping better than she had in years, and her energy had rebounded. 

She now had the capacity to tackle the big issues that were giving her so much stress in her life. She started setting better boundaries at work, rewiring destructive thought patterns, and letting go of the need to “fix” problems at her job that were objectively out of her control. Her feelings of stress and overwhelm began to dissipate.

By the end of our 6 months together, Deanna was a completely new person. She had the emotional energy to be social with friends and family. She was excited about life again and able to confidently handle big work and life stressors that popped up unexpectedly. And her physical health had improved so much that her mother commented how lustrous her hair looked!

"Working with Jennifer was a partnership I didn’t fully understand how much I needed. I knew ‘how’ to be healthy, but I was suddenly dealing with a lack of focus, motivation and a lack of any day-to-day routine. With Jen’s guidance, support, and expertise, I was able to break down what was going on at work, assess the impact of remote work on my overall health and learned to make small, achievable goals.

"Her approach made all the difference. She took the time to understand my unique situation and challenges and helped me come up with near-term and longer-term goals that were both realistic and effective. Whether it was nutrition advice, workout plans, or strategies for managing stress, she was there every step of the way, providing encouragement and accountability. These achievable goals were a big deal for me as I think about all the things on my plate at once and was becoming overwhelmed.  Jen didn’t come in and say change this or change that, but helped me come up with one or two small things I could commit to in a two week increment. Each week we looked at these things and either adjusted or added new tangible goals. Rather than be overwhelmed with all the things I wanted to change, I was able to see progress in small increments vs. feeling like I wasn’t accomplishing anything. It may seem like common-sense, but I think Type-A women take on so much and try to do it all, usually at the expense of our mental and physical health.

"Thanks to Jen, I've started to develop (yes, I’m still a work in progress) healthier habits that are helping transform my mindset and overall well-being. I feel more positive, confident, and empowered to take back control of my work stress and create routines I can achieve. If you're ready to make positive changes in your life, I highly recommend working with Jen."  

— NICOLE S.

Nicole fit squarely into that high-performing, type-A category of women who are at high risk for burnout. When she first reached out to me, she was struggling to maintain her health and mental wellbeing-while having recently ascended to a key leadership position in a federal agency, moving to a new place far away from her social network, and working from home 5 days a week. 

Nicole was exhausted, stress was piling up, and she often found herself working long hours or on weekends to keep up. She knew if she had more energy and focus, she’d also become more productive and be able to create better work-life balance. And she knew she needed actual human support if she wanted to step out of her comfort zone and truly change things.

Nicole made some key changes to her diet and exercise habits, and dropped her all-or-nothing mindset- she learned to be more forgiving of herself if she makes a 'mistake' or gets 'off track' with nutrition, exercise, or other goals- now she just gets right back to taking action. As a result, her energy and focus improved.

At work, Nicole realized and accepted what she has no control over, and began focusing her time and energy on what she CAN control. She set firmer boundaries, began confidently voicing her needs so she could get more support, and found her entire mindset shift around work. The stresses of her job hadn’t changed much, but things felt easier.

Overall, Nicole developed a keen awareness of what energizes vs. depletes her - helping her make better choices at work and in life. She began to deliberately say YES to more things, that energized her and found she had more emotional energy to tackle home DIY projects, go out more with her husband, and be more social.