Change Your Life … Not Your Symptoms

For the past six months Carlene Edwards** has been waking up in the middle of the night with panic attacks and what she describes as "an elephant sitting on my chest." She can't breathe and feels like the air is trapped in her lungs. Carlene knows she has to lose weight but worries about the economy and whether or not she'll have a pink slip sitting on her desk leaves little time for thinking about anything but making ends meet. Organic food is so expensive and though she wants to, she has no time in her schedule for exercise.  Sometimes it just feels easier to keep taking the pills that her doctor prescribed.  She hasn't told anyone, but lately she just feels like giving up.

Though the name is changed, stories like this one are real.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization, chronic diseases such as diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure and heart disease are dangerously on the rise and are the leading threats to public health worldwide.  Carlene is the type of patientsI have taken care of throughout my career as a critical care nurse. Real people who sincerely want to make a change but feel confused and frustrated by the pathology of their disease and the circus of pills and treatments that go along with it.

What I tell my patients is this: conditions don't just "go away" and pills only control symptoms, they do not remove the disease.

My work is to help you change the fundamental condition of your health, rather than mask the symptoms.  As an Integrative Health Coach, my services are complementary -- not alternative -- to the care you are already receiving from your health provider.

 

AN ANCIENT APPROACH TO MODERN LIFE

All across the planet there are systems of practicing medicine. From Native American healing to the yogic tradition of Ayurveda to the Yin and Yang of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), true knowledge of healing exists everywhere. The common thread of each of these systems is the view that illness begins at subtle levels in both the body and the mind and gradually becomes more apparent, in the form of “symptoms,” until it manifests in what we call “disease.” These symptoms present themselves in many different ways, from fever to pain to weight gain or weight loss, to even the common headache.

Using the wellspring of knowledge accumulated from my 15 years in conventional medicine along with the healing traditions of yoga, meditation, and sound nutritional practices, my goal is to help you create a plan that will manage your symptoms, promote healing, and most importantly, help prevent disease altogether.

 

"I came to Angel feeling like my life was truly falling apart. I have three teenage sons with a million activities between them. Angel helped me to set priorities in my life and set realistic goals that I could achieve even with a life that's as busy as mine. Even though we are on a tight budget, my family is eating better than we have in a long time, using really simple solutions that Angel gave me. My blood pressure is much lower than it was and I'm honestly feeling better everyday. Even my boys have said they want to learn how to meditate!"

-- K. Wilson, Columbia, Maryland

 

GETTING STARTED

 

Using a holistic approach, I begin by helping you understand your own personal "constitution" -- your body's makeup -- and the science behind the health challenges you may be facing.   We'll talk about your health history and current conditions that concern you.  We'll review any information your doctor has provided you and clarify any items you don't understand, such as blood tests and exams.  On the strength of that knowledge, we work together as partners to establish realistic goals and practices that will help you begin your path to healing.

Recommendations will likely include include diet modifications, yoga/movement practices, personal journaling, and regular follow-up to help you achieve a better state of balance. Herbal teas as well as basic vitamin, mineral, and nutritional supplements may also be suggested for conditions that include insomnia, difficulty concentrating, joint and muscle stiffness or other stress related symptoms. Most of all, we'll work together to help you adopt healthy lifestyle practices that will change the fundamental condition of your life.

Your first session will begin with the creation of a wellness plan unique to your needs and concerns. This written plan, which you will take with you, has three key components:

• The first component will identify and explain the health challenges you may already be experiencing along with evidence-based literature and resources for your education.

• The second component is your own vision statement identifying one month, six month, one year and five year goals. We’ll write affirmations that you will keep handy which help to reaffirm your goals.

• The third component is your plan and strategy.  This component builds upon the five key areas of prevention:: Movement, Nutrition, Personal Growth, Spirituality and Stress Reduction.

You will also take with you a Weekly Personal Tracker, similar to a journal, in which you monitor your own progress and areas for improvement. I will ask you to bring your Weekly Personal Tracker with you for all follow up appointments.

Last, depending upon the goals we have established together, suggestions and referrals may be made for complementary therapies such as therapeutic massage, yoga therapy, or acupuncture. These referrals are made to certified healing arts practitioners whom I believe share my vision of health and wellness.

 

"I can sit with my doctor for a whole hour and never understand a word that he's saying but Angel has a way of taking the same information and have it make sense. I guess that's what nurse's do. Everybody in my husband's family has a history of heart disease and when our doctor told us that my husband was a borderline diabetic I couldn't believe it. He was already taking two high blood pressure pills and a cholesterol medicine. I didn't want him to have to take more pills on top of that.

Angel helped us understand what was going on. She explained the medicines one by one. We changed our diet immediately and helped get his cholesterol completely under control. We are much more educated now. I can't say enough about how she helped our family."

D. Moontz, Baltimore, Maryland

 

WHAT TO EXPECT:

You will begin your path to wellness by first completing an initial assessment tool, which I ask you to complete in its entirety before your initial appointment. This assessment tool is the best way for me to understand the “whole you” before your appointment.

 

Next, a one-to-one session is scheduled to discuss your health history, your challenges, and to formulate your individualized plan. At the end of this appointment I will ask that you consider scheduling a minimum of two follow up appointments so that we can we evaluate your progress and refine your wellness plan if needed.

 

FEES and INSURANCE:

Initial Consultation - 15 minutes by telephone - No Fee

A brief introductory session designed for you to discuss your health concerns and ask questions about services and payment plans.

First Appointment: $125.00

This is a very comprehensive appointment which includes my feedback on the intake forms you've submitted.  Please allow approximately 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours for your first visit.  Bring copies of any recent medical records or lab results that may be pertinent to your concerns.

 

Follow Up Sessions:

Flexible arrangements designed to accomodate your budget:

Basic Follow-up visits:

75-90 minutes $ 95

60 minutes      $ 80

30 minutes      $ 50

 

Phone Consult

Designed for questions and concerns that can be addressed quickly

15 minute intervals:   $25

 

As more individuals begin to seek out complementary and alternative modalities, some insurance companies are beginning to reimburse for preventative education and services such as these. While we cannot bill your insurance company directly for our services, we will provide you with the necessary receipts you need to document the care you have received. Insurance coverage varies greatly from company to company. We advise you to contact your insurance company and/or benefits office to inquire about coverage related to complementary and alternative health.

LOCATION:

Our integrative health coaching sessions can be provided in one of two ways:

In the privacy of your own home:

Using the tools of technology, we are able to hold your sessions through Skype, the leading web based PC to PC phone system, which allows you to talk freely and comfortably with anyone in the worldwithoutincurring long distance charges. Skype requires no special equipment or contract. Not tech savvy? Don't worry, we’ll help you get connected.

**** This is a great option for those who are outside of the Maryland/DC area, or for those who cannot make it into our treatment center during normal business hours.****

~or~

In the treatment center:

We are partnered with the Catonsville Wellness Center in Maryland - a holistic healing space of practitioners who offer accupuncture, therapeutic massage, and other complementary therapies.

The office is conveniently located off of I-695 and I-70, in Catonsville, Maryland. See the sidebar for address and location.

GET STARTED:

Change happens over time.  You've already taken the first step, so together, let's take the next.

Download our Intake Form today, then click the Contact Us tab above to schedule an appointment.

Flexible payment arrangements are available so please inquire !!

** Important Note:  I am not a physician, nor do my services substitute for seeing your healthcare professional.  I do not make diagnoses (i.e. hypertension, diabetes, flu) nor do I prescribe any pharmaceutical drugs. My services are educational and complementary in nature to the medical care you may be receiving already. At your choosing, I would be happy to share a written progress summary with your healthcare professional or others involved in your wellcare.**