When I became a nurse practitioner, I knew I wanted to do something that focused on assisting people to develop skills to maintain a positive lifestyle that would impact their long-term health goals. In diabetes management, I was able to educate patients on their disease process and help them make changes that had a lasting impact. As we all know, many patients struggle with weight gain and difficulties losing weight. The combination of emerging therapies for glucose control that also assisted with weight loss and the fact that I saw so many of my patients struggling with their weight, caused me to hyperfocus on obesity medicine. I attended an OMA (Obesity Medicine Association) conference and my life was never the same. It was a room full of people who thought exactly the same way I did. That obesity is a disease process and IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. Fault and responsibility are two completely different things. Almost noone wakes up in the morning and chooses to sabotage themselves actively.

In developing our weight management program, it was important that mental health services were available. Our relationship with food, diet culture, childhood and personal relationships shape who we are. My biggest passion when it comes to weight management, is discussing the role of chronic stress in obesity. Whether this is childhood trauma or the stress of living in a world where your self-worth is often based on how productive you are, and what you can give to others.. It makes a lasting impact on your nervous system. I frequently see undertreated or undiagnosed mental health challenges that are directly or indirectly affecting the patient’s ability to be successful in their health goals. One of my favorite things to do in an intake appointment with a weight management patient, is to look them directly into the windows of their soul and say to them, “this is not your fault.”

I am a nerd at heart, obviously. Although my focus in the clinic has been weight management, I enjoy treating other endocrine disorders such as hormone, thyroid and cortisol management. You will get just as much attention from me with those disease states and the same focus on comprehensive treatment.