About Me
I’m all about:
Live music, books, starry nights, authenticity, lifelong learning, yoga, nature walks, the ocean.
I’m not all about:
Excuses, crowded spaces (concerts excepted), cold weather, narrow mindedness, animal cruelty, fake food.
My Story:
I bought into the societal story that alcohol was what you did to...
celebrate, escape from stress, connect with others more easily, and as a reward for general adulting. It was an easy and completely acceptable way to take the edge off and to tame any feelings of discomfort or social awkwardness. I used it to get through hard times, celebrate good ones, and make monotonous days less boring.
But as my continued work/study in the yoga & alternative health space kept evolving, drinking left me feeling more and more out of alignment with my values. How can I talk honestly with clients about integrative nutrition, or energetic balance, or the yogic path when alcohol is regular part of my diet, sometimes to the exclusion eating healthy? Or when I show up hungover to a morning yoga class?
I felt like an imposter.
I also knew alcohol wasn’t doing me any favors physically. It's no secret that hangovers and other physical signs of alcohol use (think puffy eyes, dry dull skin, brain fog, digestive issues) increase as we age. One day in 2020 I found myself hungover - feeling sick, tired & super annoyed with my drinking habit. I’d had enough. I vowed to put down the alcoholic kombucha (my “healthy” alcohol of choice) for at least 30 days.
The first two weeks were challenging. I had a lot of urges. (I had trained my brain to use alcohol as a reward for years!) But I resourced-up and educated myself. I listened to podcasts and read books and dove into learning all I could about alcohol (including a Coaching Certification from "This Naked Mind"). I worked on my thoughts and beliefs around alcohol. When I got to 30 days, I upped it to 60, then 90. I hit 100 days. Then a year. I felt increasingly better, both physically and emotionally. I felt honest, and healthy, and increasingly self confident. And I now feel that I can 100% trust myself. In fact, that was the WHY I dug into in the early days of abstinance. "I want to be someone who can trust herself." (And I want my kids to 100% trust me too).
I truly want that for EVERYone. It’s a game changer. No need to depend on alcohol when you’ve got your own back. And you absolutely can. I’d love to talk to you about your current situation.
~ Amy G
What’s on my Nightstand:
"Positive Intelligence”
by Shirzad Chamine
“The Surrender Experiment”
by Michael A Singer
“Perfect Health”
by Deepak Chopra
"Somehow: Thoughts on Love"
by Anne Lamott
Academic Qualifications:
Traditional medicine was a primary area of my academic interest and research, particularly the indigenous use of entheogens. Following graduation, I went on to work for MedLink Corporation, where, as Editorial Director, I was responsible for their flagship publication, MedLink Neurology (the leading electronic information resource for clinical neurologists). During my 20+-year tenure I was immersed in this rapidly advancing field focused on neuroscience, and brain & central nervous system health.
Although fascinating, traditional and alternative health & healing are my true passion. In 2017, I moved on to receive my Meridian Stress Assessment (bioenergetic) training from Renee Brooks ND, and to take botanical medicine courses with David Crow LAc. In 2020, I graduated from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition's Integrative Nutrition Health Coaching program, and in 2021 I became a Certified This Naked Mind Coach. In 2023 I compelted Coach Certification with the Life Coach School. I’ve also studied with yogic scholar-practitioner Christopher (Hareesh) Wallis, have a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) 200 credential from Janet Stone Yoga + a few hundred additional yoga instruction hours. I'm also a former yoga studio owner. As an integrative health, mindset & alcohol-free coach, I utilize my past learning and experience (including neuroscience), behavioral/habit change strategies, mind-body practices and bioenergetic scanning to help people discover how to make optimal "health" work for them on a daily basis. I’d love to learn more about your wellness goals.
Statement of Integrity With Alcohol:
I'm committed to living a wellness-centered lifestyle, personally prioritizing alcohol-free living. However, my coaching approach is inclusive and respects individual choices. I want to emphasize that I don't personally identify with the terms 'sober' or 'in recovery.' Instead, I view the journey to minimizing alcohol's role in one's life as deeply personal and unique for each individual. I honor and support the individual paths of all my clients. My overarching philosophy promotes a supportive environment for everyone I serve, regardless of where they are on their journey.
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