Testimonials
"June 12th was my 1st coaching session. At this point in my life I was very inactive and had little to no ambition to do much. My weight was 355 pounds. I had tried some "fad" diets in the past and after 1-2 weeks after no sudden results I would stop them. I had to make a change in my life or I would not be around too long.
After my 1st coaching session on nutrition and how it ties together with weight, attitude, and movement it started to make sense. Donna explained how everything was tied together. Keeping a positive attitude, I tried it. Very small steps at 1st but was willing to go 100% in on the package. We talked for two hours (seemed like 10 minutes) and the more we talked the more I kept saying "ah and that links to the weight" and "ah and that links to the energy" and so on. Very simple stuff people should know and I think do but without a coach to guide you, you forget. Setting realistic goals helped.
On the goals I have set for myself throughout the 4 weeks have all been my goals. Donna asked me what goals I would set for Nutrition and exercise. I came up with some numbers of how many meals I would eat as plant based and how I would exercise for the week. It was nice Donna would agree with me on them or maybe say "are you sure". To me that meant I was not pushing myself far enough. It was nice not having someone dictate my goals. Like you will ride your bike for an hour a day or this will not work. With that said every week I have reached my goals and have increased them every week.
I can say everything Donna has told me has come true. With the plant-based meals I have had more energy. Sitting in my recliner bothers me now. I need to get up and do something and move around. I have lost a simple two pounds a week since starting the plant-based meals. The more color I add to my meals the better they taste. I enjoy going shopping to see what new fruit or vegetables I can buy and use in my meals. Again, everything is tied together.
I am sure I can say I have a relationship with Donna. From the 1st text we shared we hit it off. I am the type of person that if someone (salesperson or Doctor or waitress/waiter) doesn't work with me I will leave or change. Donna works.
She asked what I was looking to get out of the coaching. I explained everything and she said she could do that. I am very very comfortable sharing any experience positive or negative. I asked Donna to never blow any smoke up my rear and I would do the same. I was not looking to be coddled. Straight truth. Donna and I have stuck with that.
Donna is a very positive person but not overwhelming. You have your rah rah type of person that is over the top. Donna is just positive. Follow up e-mails are very helpful on what I have accomplished and my next week’s goals. From the beginning Donna has supported me in every way I have needed. After 4 weeks I am still not sure if a plant-based meal program will be a 100% thing for the rest of my life and Donna does not talk negative about that. She supports me in my choices. Could it change to 100% --- maybe. I have already started thinking about planting a garden next year for fresh product. I have never gardened before.
Donna has opened my eyes to a wellness world I never knew. I would recommend this for anyone looking for a healthier life. If they choose to go all in or even 50% the change will be seen. I truly believe I will be able to meet my goals of weight and what I want to do exercise wise. I don't have a date set for any of it being so soon but when that date does happen, I believe it will be because of the coaching and my personal stubbornness to not give up on this. The wellness program is not a fad but a way of life.
Moving forward I look to have Donna as my coach for as long as it takes even after the study. The best complement I think I can give Donna for helping me along this path is ---- I think she is more excited about me hitting my goals more than I am. Several times during our zoom chats she danced in her chair when I hit a goal or had a profound thought about the process. To be able to work with someone like that is incredible! I know Donna is a coach, but I wanted to meet my goals for me almost as much as I did for her.
I can simply say Thank You."
"Like many people, I have tried for years to lose weight, strengthen my core, and eat more healthfully. I like all kinds and styles of foods. I love to cook and feel adventurous in trying new cuisines, both at home and at new restaurants in the area. I’ve had some success, but haven’t been able to maintain a regular routine around food and exercise.
About six years ago, I stepped on the scale one day and weighed 296 pounds. Something in my mind clicked and said, ‘I don’t want to weigh 300 pounds’ and I began in earnest to watch what I ate, drank, and tried to exercise more. I’m a Type 2 diabetic and have had readings anywhere from 12 to 6 in my A1C results. I see my doctor quarterly for labs and checkups. Right now, I weigh 260 pounds, but dream of weighing 160 pounds. I also have no cartilage left in either knee from playing sports in my younger days as well as from the regular ageing process and arthritis. Even with these issues, I think of myself as being in relatively good health. I love my job as an intake coordinator in a clinic. I sleep well and have an active and happy life with my partner, family, and friends.
I have found very few exercises or sports that allow me to be active without extreme pain in my knees. I usually have a walking stick with me to help me feel more stable when walking and in using stairs. I have pursued knee replacements, but have been told repeatedly that I’m too young for them and/or that I’d feel much better if I “just lost weight”. I do like to walk, swim, and ride my electric bike, but haven’t been able to maintain those activities regularly either. I admit that I haven’t made time for them, and that’s on me. I feel trapped in Catch-22 World; I want to do more, but can’t do more because of the pain I feel in my knees. If I do any of these activities for too long, I regret it the next day because of pain.
However, by working with Donna, I’ve been able to re-think and re-address all of these aspects of my life. She’s encouraged me to remain conscious of what I’m putting in my mouth and what I’m drinking and how much or little exercise I’m getting. She agrees that small steps and changes are best to make a habit stick. She has a very positive and inspirational manner in this encouragement. Donna’s very easy to talk to, and is an extremely effective listener; an honest and pleasant person to know and to work with. During our sessions, one of the most important things she had remind me of was that I can be a problem-solver and goal-setter. We’d discussed that I’m on-task and organized and thorough at work, but that I’ve never felt that I was that way in my personal life, especially with my health. She helped me to see that I’d been telling myself lies! I am completely capable of solving problems and setting goals and meeting them. I can take better care of myself, and with her encouragement, I am.
Some of the things I most appreciate about Donna and her style is that she’s on-task about checking in and making sure I’m comfortable and ready to work. At every session, she reminds me all the agreements and processes we both agreed to the first time we met and doesn’t proceed further until we’ve agreed to them again. She asks me to bring my whole self to the session and to “play full out”. She’s a very attentive person and has a natural ability to make connections between our different sessions to make it all very natural and complete. I wanted to talk to her and I wanted to know about the resources she had to share. I liked that she had expectations of me and asked that I do my homework thoroughly so I could learn more and so we could have deeper discussions about the different issues. One of the most effective resources she shared with me was the documentary “PlantWise”, which I’ve watched three times now. I hadn’t realized that all of those doctors and experts had been encouraging people for decades to change the way we eat and think about the foods we eat. I recognized some of the people in the film, but it also encouraged me to dig deeper to find out more about each of their specific contributions to the whole food way of living.
I really enjoy working with Donna and feel that her influence has lead me to making better choices for myself. I wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking to make simple yet effective changes in their life, body, and mind. One of Donna’s best gifts to me during our sessions was when she had me imagine myself at the weight I want to achieve. Seeing myself at 160 pounds, feeling less pain in my knees, keeping up with my partner, and just feeling more comfortable in my own body was a gift that I’ll cling to until it actually occurs!"
"Donna and I were assigned at random through our certification course program, but I am
convinced there was a divine intervention and purpose in our working together. Our values, style and circumstances are so aligned. Being in certification together, we would oftentimes find ourselves in similar transition periods. When it was my turn to be coached, Donna was extremely professional. She put her own concerns aside and focused solely on me and my needs. When hearing my fears or concerns (that could have also been her own), she did not falter. She held space, she led confidently and challenged my limiting beliefs.
Donna was the second nurse coach I ever worked with and she has taken me deeper than I have ever gone before. We created a beautiful container together based on safety and growth. Her structure and wisdom made me feel safe and seen. She is able to hold a non judgmental space and meet her clients where they are.
Donna is patient and attentive. Each session, she allowed me to verbally process; in doing this I was able to investigate my own inner knowing. When I was done with my (sometimes unorganized) brain dump, she would reflect back to me my own thoughts with such organized clarity. This action would restore my confidence in myself. She truly listens to understand.
Donna is a calm and thoughtful communicator. There is no doubt that she pours her heart and soul into her work. Almost every session, I would already have an entire agenda in my head of all that I wanted to review with her. I would be overwhelmed by all that I wanted to discuss, dismantle and achieve. She would remind me of previous statements I had made when I was in a more empowered state. I always walked away from our sessions relieved and rejuvenated. She has a gift for helping her clients recenter. She helps bring you back to your natural state of peace and happiness.
I would definitely recommend Donna to anyone truly motivated to make a change or
improvement in their life. She works with high achieving growth mindset people who are ready to do the work. She is dependable and so very educated. I will absolutely be continuing this container. Continuing to work with Donna as my coach is one way for me to ensure my health and business will thrive. I have nothing but love, respect and gratitude for Donna."
"Before nurse coaching, I was severely depressed, had little to no motivation, and was
exhausted just about 24/7. I would go to work, not eat, then come home with no energy to cook. This resulted in eating lots of calories all in one sitting- and no, they weren’t even healthy calories. Doordash was my best friend. Frozen pizzas, chik’n nuggets, and pizza rolls were among the things I would consume daily. I felt terrible, both physically and mentally. Then Donna offered to be my nurse coach.
I was apprehensive at first. I don’t particularly enjoy being honest about my heath or
well-being, but Donna was incredibly accepting and open to whatever it was I felt like sharing. It got to the point where I was so comfortable during our sessions that I would tell her just about everything. I’ve been in therapy before, but this was different. It felt a lot more like talking to a friend who encouraged my progress to better health. She helped me look deeper into myself to figure out exactly what path I needed to take. She wouldn’t tell me how to live my life- she asked questions that helped me come to realizations as to what would work for me.
After completing just four sessions, my motivation skyrocketed. I don’t feel exhausted
all the time. My mood has even been lifted. I’m running with my dog almost every day, I’m doing strength training about four days a week, and I’ve improved my eating habits. I’ve realized my worth. On an even more personal note, I’ve come to understand that some people just can’t be changed, and that’s okay - they just don’t need to be in my life.
I truly miss our coaching sessions, but I know that I can go to her any time if I need a
little insight or guidance. I would recommend her to anyone - whether you’re in similar shoes as I was, or an athlete that wants to push themselves more, or a busy parent that has a hard time prioritizing themselves. Whether you think you need it or not, nurse coaching with Donna will improve your life - point blank period."
"What was going on in your life before you started working with Donna, and how have your coaching sessions positively impacted your life and overall wellbeing?
I was really struggling to stay consistent and applying a lot of the things I already knew about, but was having difficulty staying committed. I knew there were things I could do that would improve my overall success and needed a kickstart.
How was your experience of working with Donna? My experience being coached by Donna was excellent. It is important to be 100% present. When she said I am here to guide you and you are the driver, it is absolutely true. By doing this, she allowed me to really come to my own realizations about where I really needed to focus my efforts in the pillars of health.
What did you like most about your coaching relationship with Donna?
She was there for me, however I needed her to be there. It wasn’t something I needed to “do”, it is something I wanted to do for myself and she was there to support and give solid goals that are attainable. What I also liked is that she was the voice of reason and had me really look at what I was identifying were reasonable and attainable goals.
What benefits, results, or achievements did you gain from our coaching together?
My #1 priority to focus on first and what I needed to do to have a well rounded balance of health. I am already seeing results from my change in sleeping by staying committed to wearing my CPAP every night. The phone is still a little difficult, BUT the first couple times of doing it truly made a difference.
What new insights and learning have you discovered through this process?
Make sure you are setting boundaries with your family members so that you are successful. You are no good to others if you are no good to yourself. My snowball is getting bigger and gaining momentum.
Who would you recommend Donna’s coaching to?
Someone who has a hard time setting S.M.A.R.T goals and sticking with it. Someone who needs the accountability check, that can be as much or as little as they need to stay successful. I really think we all need a wellness coach. Once you figure out the primary root of the issues, you can continue to build resolving that issue and move to the next goal.
I really think this is a fantastic certification Donna is doing. Being a nurse along with a wellness coach is benefiting from your wealth of information. Whoever decides to have Donna as a coach will not be disappointed. She inspires me to do more, stay committed and hit those goals, even if they are baby steps at first. As the saying goes, Rome wasn’t built in a day, but every step you take towards overall wellness is one step to freedom.
Thank you, Donna, for being my coach!!"
"I appreciated how organized and grounded Donna was during our sessions together. She comes with a wealth of knowledge both in modern medicine and Lifestyle Medicine which gives her an edge and above all a huge knowledge base to help her clients. I felt safe, secure and trusted her ability to help guide me on my healing journey. You will not be disappointed in working with Donna. It will definitely be life changing."
"I really enjoyed working with Donna around applying mindfulness and meditation during our coaching sessions. Donna is so passionate about her life’s work and it was a great pleasure working with her. I loved witnessing the ways she creatively shows up and the way she is constantly open to learning and improving her skills in her practice. I really appreciate that she comes into a session fully prepared and ready to serve her clients in the best way she can. Donna sets a tone for an open and relaxing coaching session with her grounded energy."
“Before working with Donna, I was having trouble with sleep – falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking feeling rested. In addition, my struggles with career satisfaction for a few years affected my mood and sense of self-actualization. While I had a foundation for supporting my health, I lacked motivation in areas that I knew would improve my mood and other areas of well-being.
Through tools such as the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, Donna coached me through identifying the barriers to improving well-being and setting goals to overcome those barriers. Her calm and thoughtful approach inspired me to focus on actions I could take, such as establishing a bedtime routine, incorporating movement into my schedule, and practicing mindfulness to support my ideal of well-being. As a bonus, during each session, Donna led a brief meditation to create value and inspiration for our time together.
Through the process, I could focus on achieving balance, identifying priorities, and implementing new behaviors to support the needed changes. Donna helped me gain insight into how one or two areas of my life spilled over into other areas. I would recommend Donna to anyone that wants to grow and make fundamental changes to promote both personal and professional satisfaction.”