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My journey began with severe acne in my 20’s. When I turned 22, my skin started to break out. When I say break out, I don’t mean a few little pimples here and there. I mean purple, painful, bumps all over my face. After multiple visits to doctors, dermatologists, and skincare specialists, I had to go on medication. It helped some, but it was difficult. Even after the medication and numerous acne treatments, it didn’t stay away. Over the years, I continued to hide my skin the best I could. There were times I’d be ready to go out and backed out because when I took one look at my skin, I just couldn’t do it. I’d constantly avoid eye contact and conversations because all I could focus on was if who I was talking to could see these horrible things on my face. Acne turned into an isolating existence.

In 2005, on a quest to cure my acne, I enrolled in an esthetic science program and received my esthetician license. I vowed no more severe treatments. I cleaned my make-up brushes, changed my pillowcases daily, put my hair up at night, slept on my back like a mummy, drank a boatload of water, took apple cider vinegar, you name it; still, it was there. Over and over again, when I looked in the mirror there were cysts or pimples and even worse dark spots providing even more proof that I just couldn’t solve this. Every day, I would say “I’d love to have just one day where I could see me and not these cysts and spots and bumps.”

As I entered perimenopause in my 40’s, I started noticing a gradual weight gain and I
discovered that what I did for so many years was no longer working for me. Also, the dreaded
cysts were back on my face, well they never really went away, but now they were resurfacing
again more often.

I decided to make some changes. I changed my diet to be more anti-inflammatory by limiting
sugar and alcohol and increasing healthy fats. I also started tracking my breakouts and began to
examine my exercise routine. I realized that the long and intense workouts I was doing were not
only hurting my joints but were also keeping my body in a fight or flight state and I learned that
my body became addicted to the stress hormones involved.

Next, I addressed my stress level. At the time, four doctors had told me that I could not continue
at the stress level I was at, or I would end up in the hospital or worse. Mind you, I was at this
stress level for almost two years. I was unhappy, lonely, sad, and frustrated. I felt like a failure
daily. I could not seem to find what I wanted. The more I tried, the more I attracted things I
NEVER wanted in my life.

I had to get real with my emotions. I had a lot of anger, a lot…mostly at myself. Do the math…anger=acne, especially when that anger is directed within because I had made what I thought were horrible mistakes in my life. I was also angry and resentful at many people. I realized that this meant that it was time to work on forgiveness and letting go, not to mention examining what within myself was bothering me that these people were representing. It was as if everything came to the surface as I started this phase. I started to wonder if all of the things I’d experienced, everything from the acne, to the breakups, to family trauma, to being fired for standing up for myself, to losing everything I had built and having to start over was being stored in my body’s energy centers. Which led me to wonder if this was the case for many of us. Think about the primary complaints of perimenopause and menopause. Weight gain, particularly in the belly area, bloating, mood swings, hot flashes to name a few. What if we started to look at our life experiences as a sort of road map and from there begin to peel back the layers of where this settled in our energy system as we continued to take care of all the things…our children, spouses, families, jobs, essentially trying to do it all.

Once I started realizing that my story was now my power, things started to change. When I
started to go within and heal the emotions, I never allowed myself to feel, my mindset shifted,
and my skin cleared up. I learned the foods that were triggering breakouts. I was doing feel-
good exercise that changed my body and mind, and I learned to feel and process all the
emotions that I had buried deep inside. The acne will always be my reminder to shift my
mindset, celebrate who I am, and return to my focus and vision for. Oddly enough, the acne
became my awakening.

This journey has created a passion in me to help others going through the same or those that
just would like to take control of perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms and find their glow
holistically and naturally. I guide you to discovering your personal and unique roadmap by
examining the seven key energy centers of the body and how they relate to common symptoms
we experience at this stage. I’m so excited to work with you!