Why Slowing Down is Medicine
July invites something different. Mid summer, longer days, quieter mornings. A subtle nudge to pause, rest and reset. For many of us, the instinct is to keep going—doing more, filling space, vacations, pushing forward, planning, being sucked into the news.
What if slowing down is exactly what your body, your mind, and your spirit have been asking for?
As a Holistic Nurse Coach, I see this all the time: burnout masked as productivity. Exhaustion hiding under “I’m fine.” I know, because this used to be me. I’ve said “I’m fine” SO many times…when I really wasn’t. Here’s the truth-slowing down isn’t indulgent. It’s how we find our way back to ourselves.
On A Personal Note
I won’t lie to you—slowing down hasn’t been easy for me either.
After years in traditional healthcare and primary care leadership, the rhythm of “go, fix, solve, repeat” lived in my bones. Rest felt foreign. Play felt irresponsible and only fit into the PTO or weekend plan. Even when I launched this business from a place of purpose, I still find myself tangled in old patterns of over-functioning and over-processing.
But grief has been one of my teachers, the kind that doesn’t ask permission, it just shows up-unannounced. I have to face it now-I no longer have other responsibilities to cover it up. It’s just me and my grief, sitting here together.
Slowing down meant facing parts of my story I hadn’t given space to. It meant letting go of who I thought I had to be and grieving the parts of me that only knew how to keep pushing.
Even now, the practice continues. I’m learning to spend time with friends just to enjoy them. To say yes to beach walks and bike rides without needing to earn them through the hours I’ve put into work. To let my grandson pull me into his world of joy, play and presence, instead of watching from the sidelines.
It’s still hard sometimes. But every time I choose to stay a little longer in the sun, laugh a little louder, or simply be with someone I love, something in me heals.
- You Need Safety to HealYour body isn’t built to thrive in survival mode (learned this after I left the ER!). When you slow down, whether through a quiet morning ritual, a phone/tv-free meal, or five deep breaths…you’re telling your system: You are safe now. You can rest. Healing begins here.
- Busyness Can Be a Trauma ResponseOver-scheduling can look like control, but it often masks pain. We stay busy to avoid stillness and the truth that might rise up if we stopped moving. But slowing down isn't a weakness. It’s courage.
- Stillness Isn’t bad, It’s Full of AnswersWhen was the last time you paused long enough to listen to your body? Your energy. Your emotions. Your stomach pain. Your headache. Stillness creates space for insight. Without it, we stay stuck in reaction mode, repeating patterns that no longer serve us.
- You Reconnect with What Actually MattersWhen we stop rushing, our real values become clear. We begin to notice:
- What brings us energy vs. drains our energy
- Where we’re saying “yes” when we mean “no”
- What alignment actually feels like in the body
- You Remember the You Before the BurnoutBefore the roles of mother, your job/career/sister/caregiver/(insert what you do here). Before the stress. Before the coping. Slowing down helps you hear the version of yourself that’s been buried under obligation and over-functioning.
I often share with clients that I’d love to know what they loved as a kid. Carefree, stress free and full of energy-that can help ground the conversation of who you were before.
Ready to Rest & Reconnect this Summer?
If you’re craving a softer way forward this summer, I’ve created something for you. No pressure. Just a spacious, supportive conversation to explore what’s next for you.
On my beach walk this morning, I was thinking through my business while scanning the shoreline for seals and wampum shells to use in crafts. I was trying to stay anchored in the joy the beach always brings me. But something was nagging at me.
There’s a moment in almost every coaching relationship when the real work begins—and it’s not during a session. It’s when we talk about investing in the work.
I’m still in the early days of running my coaching business. This feels different from coaching as a leader within a company or supporting patients and health coaches in my primary care practices. This is mine—and I’ve noticed I’ve been resisting this part of the conversation.
Here’s the context: I offer two free sessions at the beginning of the coaching relationship to assess readiness and build real value before any financial investment. At the end of the second session, I present my coaching packages and pricing.
And then… I hesitate.
When someone tells me, “My kid’s going off to college,” or “We’re saving for a trip,” or “It’s just not in the budget right now,” I nod. I agree quickly and I back away.
But this is actually where the coaching begins. For them-and for me.
Why do I pull back? Why do I stop?
If I were to ask you: if your phone suddenly broke and stopped working, would you spend $1,000 to replace it? Most people would. Why? Because it adds value to your life.
Or say you’re planning a vacation with your family. You might spend several thousand dollars on that. Why? Because you value rest, joy, and connection.
So why is investing in yourself—your health, your clarity, your growth—any different?
As I reflected on my own resistance, I recognized something deep. Fear of failure. Guilt around asking someone to spend money on themselves. And a money story—my own—still lingering under the surface.
It’s usually not about the money. It’s about self-worth. Safety. Change.
I’m a seasoned nurse and leader. My whole life has been about service, not sales. I never want to be pushy. But the truth is: when I avoid this conversation, I’m actually doing my clients a disservice. Avoidance doesn’t serve transformation.
What I do want is to hold space. To stay rooted in curiosity, not pressure. To reflect with clients, not convince them.
I know what it felt like to invest in myself—and I know the growth that’s happened since I did. For many of us, money isn’t just currency. It’s commitment.
That’s why I will continue to honor dignity on both sides of the conversation. Resistance isn’t a stop sign. It’s data. And when we talk about it openly—with love, with clarity, with service—it deepens the container.
I don’t have to fix anyone’s discomfort. I just have to walk through it with them.
And if you’re reading this, and we’ve done free coaching together, I’ll leave you with this:
What’s your money story? What’s the investment you’re considering? Do you hesitate to ask for what you want? And if so—why?
I’d love to explore that with you. No pressure. Just presence.
As I settle into my second month as a nurse coach, my work is naturally expanding into consulting—especially with adults navigating care and communication with their aging parents, or individuals over 70 facing the complexities of this season of life.
There’s a lot wrapped up in aging (no joke, I'm thinking about this for myself!)—emotionally, spiritually, and practically. It’s not easy to lose independence or feel like your world is getting smaller. And it’s not easy for adult children to watch that shift either, especially when these conversations have never happened before.
What I’m noticing is this: adult children come to me with a gut feeling that something’s off. Maybe their parent seems less content. Maybe they need more help than they’re willing to admit. But rarely have these families talked openly about what’s actually going on—or what needs to happen next.
That’s where I often step in—not just as a coach, but as a guide. Because while we may want to avoid it, topics like:
- 📝 Health care proxies
- 📜 Advance directives
- 🏡 Wills and trusts
… need to be on the table. They’re not just paperwork—they’re the groundwork for peace, clarity, and dignity.
One book that’s really shaped my thinking around this is Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. It speaks so powerfully about how our healthcare system tends to prioritize quantity of life over quality. But what matters more—especially as we age—is meaning, comfort, and having our wishes truly understood.
That’s why I help families have these essential conversations—with compassion and clarity. My role is to help you or your loved ones explore:
💭 What does a good life look like now?
💬 What are we avoiding, and why?
🤝 How do we honor autonomy while making sure there’s a plan in place?
Whether you’re an adult child wanting to support your parents better, or someone in this stage of life trying to make sense of it all, I can help create a space to explore it—without pressure, shame, or overwhelm.
If this resonates and you’d like support navigating these conversations, book a call with me, I’d love to connect. This is heart work, and you don’t have to do it alone.
We are incredibly fortunate to live in a time when modern medicine can do so much — emergency care, life-saving interventions, cutting-edge treatments. Traditional healthcare and hospitals play a vital role.
But if you’ve ever felt like something was missing in your care… you're not alone.
As an experienced ER Nurse, Primary Care Clinic Manager, and Coach, I have worked with many people striving to do their best— taking the medications (or trying to remember to), going to the appointments, listening to the advice — and still feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or stuck and unsure of where to turn.
Here’s the truth: traditional healthcare was never designed to support the full journey of healing and change. That’s where coaching comes in.
The Gaps Are Real — But So Are the Solutions
In the typical healthcare setting, as you all know, time is short and the focus is often on fixing the immediate problem, not having time to understand the whole person behind them. It's reactive and focused-not wrong but not really right for people.
It’s not because your PCP or hospitalist doesn’t care — it’s the way the system is built.
You are more than a diagnosis or a lab result. Your health is deeply connected to your stress levels, your routines, your mindset, your relationships, your story, your life.
That’s why coaching matters.
What Coaching Offers That PCP’s and Hospitals Can’t
As a Board Certified Health and Wellness Nurse Coach, I will walk alongside you — not to hand you an education packet or talk at you about your problems, but to help you to clarify your goals, define what works for you and support transformational, sustainable change in the areas that matter most to you.
This is care that sees the whole of who you are and provides the space to be honest, hopeful, and human.
I work with people who are:
- Managing chronic conditions like diabetes or hypertension
- Feeling overwhelmed, unsupported or unseen in the healthcare system
- Longing for a reset — physically, mentally, and emotionally
- Ready to feel more aligned, more in control, and more like themselves again
If any of that resonates with you, know this: you’re not the problem — the system just isn’t designed for this kind of work.
But I am.
Coaching Complements Your Care — and Transforms You
You don’t have to choose between coaching and medical care. In fact, they work best together.
Where healthcare reacts to the illness, coaching focuses on the whole person.
Where medicine is to treat the body, coaching supports the whole self.
Where the visit ends, the real-life work begins — and that’s where coaching meets you, right where you are.
You Deserve More
You deserve care that honors your whole self. A space where your voice matters, your goals are centered, and your progress is celebrated.
At It Is Well Coaching and Consulting, I offer that space — rooted in both clinical insight and deep compassion. I believe that wellness is possible, and it doesn’t have to be all on your shoulders.
Ready to feel supported, seen, and empowered in your health journey?
Let’s connect. I offer free introductory calls to explore how nurse coaching can support you — no pressure, just a conversation.
We are a little over one month away from ushering in another New Year! This is a pivotal moment, a chance to embrace a fresh start and a clean slate. The New Year symbolizes renewal and the perfect opportunity to cultivate new habits and goals. With the arrival of 1/1, there's a sense of simplicity and order that makes it an ideal time to embark on new ventures. As we open a new calendar and journal, we leave behind the hustle of the holidays and step into the long, cold winter months—a perfect backdrop to focus on personal growth and new beginnings. Let this New Year be a transformative journey, filled with opportunities to start anew and achieve greatness.
Resolutions are notoriously difficult, and people have started using other times of the year to quit something, often with a catchy name like "Sober September." Last year, my "Dry January" attempt quickly turned into a "Dry J..."—I didn't get very far. The reason for my failure was my lack of full commitment to making a change in my life.
After my mother's passing in October, I experienced a whirlwind of emotions, which made the rest of the year pass by in a blur as we moved into 2024. A few other life events occurred as well, but they were wonderful experiences that helped me gain perspective for the things I did want to change.
Here's how the remainder of my 2024 unfolded...I gave up smoking and reduced my drinking significantly. This is truly one of the most significant and positive changes I've made in my life. Although I've gained around 20 pounds, my current focus is on taking small steps towards becoming strong and healthy, and I'm making great progress.
Looking back, now that I'm knee-deep in Nurse Coaching, it's obvious why I fumbled. Let's face it, November and December are the months when we all pretend to be introspective and decide who we want to be next year—spoiler alert: it's usually someone who goes to the gym more than once. Here's a list of tips you probably already know, but I'm throwing them in because the blog title insists I look like I know what I'm doing. ;)
- Create a list of what truly matters to you—not just surface-level items like "my children" or "a home I adore." Delve deeper. What are your life aspirations? Where do you envision yourself in a year, and what or who are the key elements that will help you reach that point? Why do these elements hold significance for you?
- Allow yourself a few days before revisiting the list. Examine it. Does it appear accurate? If not, make updates; if it is correct, that's fantastic!
- Create a separate list of the changes you wish to make (also known as New Year's Resolutions). Beside each item, note down the obstacles preventing you from achieving them. For example: "I want to be healthier" with the obstacle, "I work 12 hours a day and am too exhausted after work to prepare a healthy meal or go to the gym."
- Examine list 1, which contains things that matter to you, and list 3, which includes your resolutions. Do these resolutions align with what is important to you? If not, cross them out.
- Sign up now for Individual or our new Group Nurse Coaching with me. Bring your refined list and prepare to transform your life with your resolutions.
