Q& Who is MOM?
COMMUNITY/HOMETOWN:
Salem, OR.
PROFESSION:
Nutritional therapist, yoga therapist and business owner.
Family comes first. All families are unique. Tell us about yours. My daughter, Maddy, is 17. I prayed for her that she would have the confidence I never had and I’m watching her now take on her world and life with confidence, strength, determination and focus. She is a junior at South Salem High School and wants to be a teacher and travel. My son Tyler is 14, my handsome. He is so caring, empathic, thoughtful and kind. He takes care of his mom and always knows when something’s up. He is there when I need him and is so helpful. He loves computers and wants to head to college. My kids are my everything and through some ups and downs in the last several years we have remained very close. I am so blessed and thankful for who they are, who they are becoming, and for all their love. 12 mommag.com
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We’re all moms so we know that no one is perfect all of the time, or even some of the time. Tell us about your most recent “Mother of the Year” moment. You know, like forgetting to pick the kids up from school. I totally spaced on going to Ty’s conference at school. I felt so bad because I pride myself on being on top of all of those things. I literally completely spaced it. I cried, I felt so bad. Thankfully their dad was there. He and I have a great divorced-parent relationship so I was thankful he was my back up. I just felt horrible when I got the phone calls and texts, “Mom, where are you?”
No one works harder than mom. We know that being a mom is a full-time job. Tell us about your work outside of the home. What is Optimal Living? My mission with Optimal Living is to touch as many lives as possible. Helping and holding space for people to connect with their innate wisdom and capacity to heal and thrive. As a nutritional therapist, I look at the whole person and treat food as medicine. It is very individualized. We uncover the areas where clients need the most support and space to heal. That may include gut healing, improving digestion, hormone balancing, blood sugar balancing, or anti inflammatory and lifestyle support. I often find that we get to underlying emotional obstacles as well while I am helping them change their insides. I collaborate with primary care providers, look at blood work, as well as mental health support. I also teach two courses: Optimal Living Nutrition and Lifestyle 101 and 201. As a yoga therapist, I provide-trauma informed therapeutic and restorative yoga. I have individual sessions and group sessions. I don’t consider myself a yoga studio but, rather, a therapy setting. I have a heart for those who feel that they can’t do yoga, have chronic pain, trauma, or various injuries. I had a student recently say, “I felt at home the first class attended.” I also have a passion to share the healing space of silence. On the third Saturday of every month I have Optimal Living Self