I have been an occupational therapist since 1995, and have been specializing in hand and upper extremity care since 2002. Early in my career, I began to question the strictly medical model care I witnessed and prescribed, particularly for clients who had complex medical issues, history of trauma, vague symptoms, intractable pain and symptoms aggravated by stress and diet. I began to explore mindfulness and meditation, as well as Eastern medicine and “non traditional” approaches to chronic conditions.

Several years ago, after undergoing tremendous personal and professional change, I began to closely examine the role that stress, diet, movement and overall happiness had on my own health, and that of my clients. I began to talk to my hand therapy clients more and more about their approaches to life stress, their diets and their lifestyles as part of my intervention. I found the Duke Integrative Medicine Integrative Health Coaching program, and I was immediately intrigued. Not only is the Duke Integrative Medicine model client-centered, it puts an emphasis on the client being in the “driver’s seat.” I was so excited to find a program that was so closely aligned with my vision about how healthcare needs to evolve. I received my foundational certification in June 2014 as an Integrative Health Coach, and will continue advanced coaching certification in 2015.

As I grow my practice, my “sweet spot” is coaching clients who are preparing for or recovering from surgery, injury or illness, clients learning to cope with chronic pain, and clients making behavior change after an impactful medical diagnosis. I also love to coach clients looking to maximize their health, avoid chronic health conditions or surgery, and those who generally want to improve their health and vitality.

You can learn more about me and my coaching philosophy, and read client testimonials at www.peachtreehc.com. I look forward to working with you!