Beyond the Small Talk

Now for the juicy stuff – I’m a human just like you, with human stuff. I feel things deeply which is both amazing and hard. I’m sassy and sarcastic, but I’ve also been told I’m the best listener and encourager. I’m not afraid of other people’s hard or my own. I don’t look away from pain. With the guidance and support from many hours of counselling, I am a recovering perfectionist and diagnosed at 44 with ADHD-C + math learning disability; a diagnosis that has provided me with clarity as my whole life has been explained before my eyes. I have experienced both depression and anxiety before my diagnosis, which I am learning is common with many women late diagnosed with ADHD. I am currently on a break from therapy while my AMAZING psychologist brings new life into the world and experiences the joy of motherhood. I’m a super sensitive gal and wear my heart on my sleeve. I’m not great at small talk, I can be blunt and impatient. I can cuss with the best of them, but I am a great listener, and I care deeply for others.

I am 5’4” and I am currently 140lbs (give or take a few). In my adult life, my weight has fluctuated between 135lbs and 165lbs. I currently weigh myself, at the very most, once a week, but I often go long enough that I can’t remember the last time I stepped on the scale. This was not always the case. To this day, every time my dad gets something new he jokes “does this make my butt look big?”. While the inside family teasing always brings a chuckle or two, it is a testament to how many times that phrase was uttered in our household during my teens and young adulthood. I share this information, not because I use weight as a benchmark for much of anything other than acknowledging and supporting clients with their goals. It is just a number. I believe once we balance our systems and give our body the nutrients that it needs, everything will naturally fall into place and that number will change and fluctuate during that process. I share it because I have worked hard on my own default beliefs about food and body image alongside my nutrition education and acknowledge the narratives deeply ingrained as a teenager in the 90’s immersed in diet culture. I share it because while we all have different lived experiences and relationships with food, emotions and body image, I believe as humans those diverse experiences, and resulting patterns can help us by learning from each other, supporting each other, and sometimes simply by holding space for each other in our challenges. There’s that old saying “it takes a village” in reference to raising children. I believe that extends not just to children, but everyone. Even adults need a village to be happy, healthy and most importantly to be WELL.

So, from one “work in progress” human to another, I am excited and honored to be a part of your village. To remind you (and probably myself) that it’s not about perfection, but progress. To work together to make different choices and to learn to listen to your body again. To be your cheerleader and encourager, your idea dropper, perspective shifter, and maybe even friend on this journey back to yourself - body, mind, and spirit.

Yours in Health,
Andrea

Ready to find your wellness within? Book a complimentary 30-minute call to chat and see if I would be a good fit for your village.