The Foundation: Raised on Wellness

I was raised by a single mother who lived and breathed wellness—literally. She was a physical education teacher, an avid gardener, and an advocate of what she called "the six natural doctors": fresh air, sunlight, real food, movement, sleep, and meaningful connection.

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Wellness was in my DNA. I grew up moving—dance, sports, outdoor exploration. With a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science, I was committed to helping others move and feel better. But my path to integrative wellness wasn't linear. It was forged through service, crisis, and transformation.

 

Military Service: Building Systems That Work

After completing the Army-Baylor Graduate Program in Physical Therapy—one of the most rigorous PT programs in the country—I served as an active-duty Physical Therapist at Brooke Army Medical Center from 1995 to 2000.

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During those five years, I didn't just treat patients. I built systems.

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I designed and implemented a multidisciplinary neurological rehabilitation clinic that reduced the facility's reliance on costly civilian services while dramatically improving patient outcomes. We documented significant improvements in motor control and balance, reducing fall risk and the associated medical and lifestyle costs for neurologically-challenged patients.

I revamped the rehabilitation section's entire approach to care—reviewing provider templates for inefficiencies, training staff on hands-on therapeutic techniques, and producing a 25% increase in productivity while elevating the standard of care. Previous senior officers had attempted similar improvements without success.

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I also served as the Physical Therapy Public Relations Officer, representing Brooke Army Medical Center and the PT profession at numerous public events, health fairs, and community initiatives—including coordinating a booth at the 1999 San Antonio Health Expo that became one of the most visited sites.

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Additionally, I volunteered as the physical therapy representative for a cancer research study, developing specialized musculoskeletal assessment tools that enhanced treatment outcomes for cancer patients and contributed to new standards of exercise care for this population.

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For these contributions, I was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal upon completion of my service in 2000—a recognition typically reserved for senior officers with exceptional impact at the command level.

 

The Transition: Choosing Family & Finding Balance

In 2000, I left active duty to move back to Arizona, start a family, and continue my clinical work in an outpatient sports medicine setting. Over the next several years, I specialized in orthopedic and neurological disorders, sports medicine, women's health, and chronic pain management.

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My professional development continued through advanced training in Complex Regional Pain Syndromes, Temporal Mandibular Disorders, Functional Orthopedics, Movement System Impairment Syndromes, and Advanced Spinal & Joint Mobilization with an emphasis on muscle balance and stabilization for optimal postural alignment.

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But in 2001, everything changed.

 

THE PIVOT: WHEN WELLNESS WASN'T ENOUGH

My mother—the woman who had taught me everything about the six natural doctors—suffered a catastrophic stroke at just 61 years old, despite a lifetime of active, healthy living.

What she was missing? Stress management, proper treatment for chronic back pain that limited her movement, and metabolic regulation.

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Even with all her knowledge about nutrition, fresh air, and the importance of movement, these underlying issues—chronic stress, unresolved pain that restricted her activity, and metabolic dysfunction—were quietly eroding her health. I just didn't realize it until it was too late.

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At the same time, I was pregnant with my third child, raising two toddlers, my husband was traveling frequently as a commercial pilot, and I was working part-time while managing my mom's recovery.

On paper, I was "doing it right"—checking all the wellness boxes. But inside, my stress response system was overloaded, and my own health was paying the price.

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That year, I walked into my first yoga class—with no mat, no expectations, just exhaustion and a glimmer of hope.

The teacher led the class with breath and movement that somehow unlocked something deep within me. For the first time in months—maybe years—I paused long enough to actually feel.

I remember thinking: "I want more of this... I need more of this."

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That moment became my bridge:

• From hustle to healing

• From perfectionism to presence

• From burnout to balance

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It marked the beginning of my transformation—from a checklist approach to health, to a holistic, sustainable model of wellness rooted in science, movement, mindfulness, and metabolic resilience.

 

The Evolution: Bridging Two Worlds

My mother's stroke became a mountain I didn't choose to climb—but it transformed me into the guide I was always meant to be.  I realized that wellness isn't a checklist. It's an ecosystem. When mind, body, and metabolism align, everything changes.

This insight led me to pursue advanced training that would allow me to bridge the gap between traditional medical care and holistic healing.

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In 2014, I began post-professional Medical Therapeutic Yoga training with Dr. Ginger Garner at the internationally recognized Living Well Institute, becoming a Professional Yoga Therapist (PYT-C). This training deepened my ability to address patients' emotional, spiritual, energetic, social, mental, and nutritional health—not just their physical symptoms.

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I also completed the Integrative Lifestyle Medicine Certificate (ILM-C) through the Living Well Institute, learning to incorporate evidence-based lifestyle interventions—nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, and mind-body practices—to prevent and manage chronic diseases at their root causes.

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Throughout this evolution, I continued to study cutting-edge movement systems that all share a common foundation: breath comes first.  These systems—Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), and Low Pressure Fitness (Hypopressives)—reinforced what I was learning through yoga: that proper breathing is the foundation for optimal movement, stability, and overall health.