Meet Kari
B.S. Health & Wellness
Certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Positive Approach to Caregiving Certificate
About Me
Have you ever been frustrated that you just can’t get the needle to budge in the right direction on the scale? Have you had troubles making changes to get your health risk factors (diabetes, heart health, high cholesterol and blood pressure) normalized?
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How about the feeling of hopelessness that comes with chronic health issues? Have you experienced the isolation from your family and friends, the expenses that pile up as medical bills come in, and the loss in your sense of self as you begin to miss out on your once daily activities?
I know, because I have been there. I have experienced the pain of living with numerous diagnoses that don’t come with a one size fits all solution. I have lived through the spiral of depression and anxiety that accompanies losing your social life, your job, and your close friends. I have had days where the pain and fatigue made it so that even the most trivial of tasks were equivalent to climbing a mountain.
When all seemed hopeless, I had to make a decision to take control of my life and my health. While I never planned to be on this path, I realized that I was uniquely situated to deal with this situation. In what seemed like another lifetime, I was once passionate about health and fitness and even possessed a degree in Health and Wellness. I had all the skills and knowledge to heal myself; all I had to do was find it inside of myself to fight for it.
I began to realize that what I put in my mouth is a large part of the equation, as were my thoughts, beliefs, and habits. I realized my limits, and a new dream began to emerge. My life was jump started with hope, and now I have enough hope to share with those who need it. My new dream is to share the knowledge and tools that I have used to transform my health in order to help you, on an individual level, so that you can begin to heal and experience a full life.
You might feel hopeless right now and as though you have tried everything. I am here to say that I understand, I have been there. I have also come through it, and so can you. Together we will develop a plan that is individually tailored to your needs that will get your health and your life back on track.
Kari shares why she became a coach.
My degree, certifications and life experiences have brought me full circle in health. I was a thriving individual whose life was halted when it became riddled with pain and diagnoses.
I used my background and research to crawl out of the darkness of despair, worry, and medical bills to become a caregiver to an aunt who was losing her battle with cancer. Her last year was tumultuous and my mother was showing signs of dementia. I found myself being a caregiver to two people. Caregiving has been the most challenging and rewarding experience of my life. Learning to take care of myself and my family while meeting the demands of caregiving a loved one was a challenge.
Now, I have gained the confidence and knowledge of how to navigate doctors' appointments, hospital stays, the costs of healthcare, caregiving, and caring for myself and family. Self-care is ongoing and ever changing and we all are a work-in-progress. It is my mission to help others with the skills and tools I have gained along the way towards health, wellness, happiness, and financial freedom.
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Education:
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Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
B.S. Health and Wellness
Institute for Integrative Nutrition, New York, NY
Integrative Nutrition Health Coach
Teepa Snow, MS OTR/L Positive Approach
Positive Approach to Caregiving Certificate
I studied with the world’s top health and wellness experts including:
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Joshua Rosenthal, founder of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition
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Elizabeth Lipski, PhD Clinical Nutrition emphasis on gut microbiota
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Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, chair of nutrition at Harvard University
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Terry Wahls, MD, Clinical Professor of Iowa and Founder of The Wahls Protocol – A Radical New Way to Treat All Chronic Autoimmune Conditions Using Paleo Principles
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Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine
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Gabriel Bernstein, bestselling author and life coach
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Marisha Thakor, MBA, founder Women’s Financial Literacy Initiative
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Susan Blum. MD, MPH, assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai School of Medicine
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Mark Hyman, MD, founder of the UltraWellness Center
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Geneen Roth, Pioneer of Emotional Eating and Empowerment, Bestselling Author
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David Wolfe, raw food leader and nutrition expert
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Marion Nestle, PhD, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University
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Mark Bittman, food writer for The New York Times and bestselling author
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Joel Fuhrman, MD, family physician and leading expert on nutritional healing
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Teepa Snow, MS OTR/L Founder of Positive Approach Care Giving
Training & Life Experience