What to Expect
I support clients from all backgrounds and at all stages in their healing journey. Some have just received a SIBO diagnosis, some have been struggling with ongoing gastrointestinal issues, and others may be navigating symptoms with no clear cause.
I often partner with other medical practitioners to address and resolve SIBO, food allergies and intolerances, and other digestive disorders. I am not a nutritionist — I am an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. That means my work is both systematic and intuitive, combining an understanding of functional medicine, nutrition, and mindset in a safe, supportive environment. I help you uncover and resolve triggers, give your gut the support it needs to heal, and move out of treatment, back to living life on your terms again.
Stress, antibiotics, food poisoning, surgeries — SIBO and other gut health issues are usually triggered by multiple factors over time, and typically, healing takes time as systems reintegrate and rebalance. For the best possible results, I ask that you bring to the table a willingness to share and a desire to explore. This process can bring up feelings of vulnerability, while also offering unique opportunities for longterm growth. As your coach, I don't simply give you a list of boxes to check — I invite you into the journey of discovery and healing. We develop a sense of awareness, work on practical, achievable goals, and begin peeling back the layers to ensure your health foundation is solid. When our physical and mental wellbeing are in alignment, we shift from surviving to thriving. Frequently Asked Questions.
FAQs
What will it be like to work with me?
We begin with a complimentary consultation in which we'll determine (together) if nutrition health coaching is the right fit for you. If you'd like to move forward with either a coaching package or individual sessions, we'll work together to find the answers to your gut-health questions, ensuring you gain the valuable information necessary to support your unique body and lifestyle. We'll look deeply into your mindset, awareness, nutrition, movement, and lifestyle. We'll talk about you, your life and health history, your diet, your successes, and your challenges. We'll uncover potential roadblocks and identify key stepping-stones to your optimal wellness.
We will laugh, maybe even cry a bit. You will have unwavering support and mentorship as you create the lifestyle you wish for yourself, and work towards fulfilling your goals. Each session will build on our previous meetings — it takes time to make and benefit from shifts.
It's a journey we'll be on together.
How will we identify our focus and support the path towards those goals?
Initially, you may not begin with clear goals. That is completely normal — everybody and every situation is different. We will begin with finding clarity about where you are now, and what your unique needs are, before looking at where you might want to be in the future.
When and if you are ready for goals, we identify smaller goals that help us in service toward larger achievements — SMART goals which are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely.
If something should arise that would benefit from more dedicated investigation, I am glad to refer you to a select few trusted practitioners specializing in specific areas.
Each session will leave you feeling inspired and motivated. We will talk about things beyond food, seeking to bring balance to essential elements of your life such as love and relationships as well as career and money. I will personally and carefully guide you to make simple, small changes that transform your life.
Success from healing an unhealthy gut and SIBO
"Being diagnosed with SIBO was a start to my wellness journey but the doctor I was working with at the time was helping me from a knowledge based standpoint only. Finding Karen was the missing piece to my health journey, she was able to help me from both a knowledge AND personal experience standpoint when it came to living with SIBO. Karen has a great way of explaining things that was easy to turn into an application for my health. I always walked out of our appointments with a clear next step for myself. If I ever had any questions between appointments she would gladly answer them to help clarify my process. Karen has helped me change my view/relationship with food - what once controlled me by how I felt, now I control by how I want to feel. I feel like I have a life long team mate with Karen and it is an encouragement and a comfort knowing I've got her in my corner!" - Becky Boone, Bozeman, MT
Nutrition Coaching for Specific Conditions
I have a passion for working with people on their overall and specific health goals, rooted in the gut-brain connection. Sometimes the symptoms may not match the root cause, but a healthy gut will always support a healthy brain and mental wellbeing.
I have SIBO and an autoimmune disease in remission myself, in addition to multiple concussions and traumatic brain injury, and have been on my own healing journey for many years. Because of my firsthand experience, I am uniquely suited to support clients who are treating SIBO, IBS, intestinal dysbiosis, autoimmune dysfunction, leaky gut, and brain injury. I am also passionate about working with clients who want to lose weight and feel good in their body, and those who may struggle with disordered eating. Specific conditions I support through nutrition coaching include:
- SIBO (Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth)
- IMO (intestinal methanogen overgrowth)
- Small intestinal fungal overgrowth (SIFO) / Candidiasis
- IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome)
- IBD (Inflammatory bowel disease)
- Chronic inflammation
- Autoimmune marker
- ADD/ADHD or attention issues
- Type 2 diabetes
- Food intolerances/sensitivities
- Gut imbalance
- Leaky Gut
- Achieving healthy weight / body composition
- GERD (reflux)
- Heartburn
- Disordered Eating
- Digestive repair post international travel
- Traveling with food intolerances and digestion issues
- General / basic personalized nutrition
- Athletic optimization through diet and mindfulness
- And more!
What does it mean that you are an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach?
I am a mentor and guide trained in Holistic Health Coaching to help clients reach their own health goals by helping them devise and implement positive, sustainable lifestyle changes.
I graduated from an intensive program taught by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I learned innovative coaching methods, practical lifestyle management techniques, and over 100 dietary theories — gluten-free, Paleo, raw, vegan, SIBO-specific, Low FODMAP, Autoimmune Protocol, Elimination Diet, dairy-free, plant based, and everything in between. My knowledge goes both deep and wide, allowing me to draw from a variety of approaches and principles to support my clients' individual health situations and goals. I have studied with the world's top health and wellness experts, including:
- Walter Willett, MD, DrPH, chair of nutrition at Harvard University
- Andrew Weil, MD, director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine
- Mark Hyman, MD, founder of the UltraWellness Center
- David Wolfe, raw food leader and nutrition expert
- Marion Nestle, PhD, MPH, professor at New York University's Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health
- Geneen Roth, bestselling author and expert on emotional eating
- Joel Fuhrman, MD, family physician and leading expert on nutritional healing
- And many more
Most recently, I have received certification as a Functional Nutrition Coach through The Functional Nutrition Alliance led by Andrea Nakayama. through almost 2 years of rigorous study, I am trained in the body's functions as well as the art and science of using food as medicine.
My credentials include national board certification with the National Board for Health and Wellness Coaches NBC-HWC. This elite certification process ensures that I have the in depth knowledge in coaching science, behavioral change and health and wellness.