Born and raised in Southern California, I experienced many happy memories with a large family of seven children, but I also felt the dysfunction of loveless parents and poor relationship examples. As the “golden child” of the family, I grew up to become a surgeon and doctor and was still unable to satisfy my narcissistic mother’s needs or approval. In medical school, I began to explore my motives and unhealthy coping skills, which included alcohol and other substances as well as food. 

A full tuition in-state scholarship brought me to medical school in San Antonio, Texas, and the physical move from my family and home town was difficult for me and a growth opportunity. In my third year of medical school, I became suicidal, feeling like I might not be able to accomplish everything I had so dearly worked for. I was able to obtain some good counseling, which pulled me through, but I still did not understand what made me tick and how to become happy and fulfilled again, as I had felt when I was accepted to medical school (and coincidentally, I was a finalist in the Miss San Diego Pageant in 1987).

I moved to Chicago for residency in an Ob/Gyn specialty, became married my second year, and proceeded to have 4 boys, two of whom died in terrible tragic accidents 10 years apart, one in 1995 and another in 2005. My marriage looked great on the outside (the doctor, the lawyer, Mercedes, diamonds, etc.), and I believed most of it with very little convincing until my second son died in a drowning accident. I no longer wanted to live and had two boys to raise, ages 7 and 9. I quickly filed for divorce (cheating husband), moved into a condo I could afford, got my financial life together, and procured a better working condition with wonderful supportive colleagues. I had been sober since 2000 and continued my sobriety, by the grace of God, during our terrible and trying times. Sobering up allowed me to really investigate my values, beliefs, character defects and inefficiencies in an honest, accepting and forgiving manner. With continued counseling, I also began to learn what really made me tick and that I was certainly not the only person in this world raised in a dysfunctional household who had also experienced traumatic events. 

Part of my coping during my healing from trauma and grief involved eating sugar, sometimes massive amounts, as I would stay up until 2 AM in the morning watching TV and drowning my sorrow in sweetness. I have recently, through a ketogenic diet, realized I am currently dealing with a sugar addiction. I have pulled off all sugar and most caffeine and have become a certified sugar addiction coach in order to help others come up, out, and through this very difficult addiction. 

After my divorce was finalized and my “baby” turned 18, I moved back home to San Diego. Many of my siblings, my mother, and high school friends are still here. I have also formed an incredible network of trustworthy, sober, and fun people through AA. I am happy. 

It has been a long journey over decades to come to love and accept myself as perfectly imperfect and to really start to understand joy and true happiness. I have dealt with surviving and thriving after a narcissistic mother, severe grief and trauma, codependency, emotional and physical sobriety, and food and sugar addiction. I continue to grow with work and motivation in physical, emotional, and spiritual ways. I am ready and capable to help you do the same. 

It is my goal, through my experiences, motivation, support and loving ways, to help you reach your goals and grow personally and in wellness through my coaching. Let’s get started!