Hi everyone!  I’m Melissa – a registered nurse and certified health coach in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  As a nurse, I have experience in dialysis, optometry/opthalmology, and gastrointestinal specialties.  I currently work as a nurse educator at Ebenezer, Fairview.

As a health coach, I am certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) – the largest nutrition-focused health coaching program in the world.  This curriculum identifies 12 major areas of wellbeing: health, physical activity, spirituality, social life, relationships, creativity, joy, finances, career, education, home cooking, and home environment.  I was lucky enough to learn from experts in each of these fields for a full 12 months.

My goal is to see you as you are.  To listen and provide a pleasant space where you feel free to explore your own depths.  I’ll ask questions so that you can come to deep realizations and insights into your “problems.”  When we feel like we’ve reached a place of new understanding, we will work together to turn your insights into small actionable steps: tiny goals that feel fun and exciting to carry out.  Bit by bit, we will crack open that nut of self-defense we protect ourselves with, and get to the core of your (possibly self-limiting) beliefs.

I do not know everything.  And I’ll say it again, there is a lot that I do not know about what will work best for you in reaching your goals.  My job as a coach isn’t to tell you what to do.  My job is to pick your brain and listen to what you think might work best.  Believe it or not, you are the best resource when it comes to figuring out what is best for you.  I will give suggestions and guidance if you want them, but I will always start with learning from you first.

On a more personal note, I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 6 years old.  At that time, my mom was told that I would likely need to have my colon removed and replaced with an external colostomy bag when I turn 16 years old.  This plunged my mom into full force research mode – buying every book and reading every scientific research article on colitis.  She quickly learned about the relationship between diet and lifestyle with chronic gut disease.  Because of this, I have been exposed to the world of health, nutrition, and preventative medicine since a young age.  My mom’s research and determination put me in remission for the next 10 years.  And I am happy to say that I have kept myself 100% symptom and medication free since 2019 – never needing an inch of my colon removed.

It’s been a long journey of tears, stress, diets, and missed life experiences, but this journey molded who I am today.  I am grateful for what I have learned and will continue to learn about health and wellness.  Using this knowledge, I am so excited to help others in reclaiming their health!