Learn More About Kayla
RN, BSN, Board Certified Health & Wellness Nurse Coach
My Story -Why I Coach
As someone who feels listening is one of her greatest strengths, it's difficult if others don't take the time to listen to me too. A few years ago I got so discouraged when I realized that almost every medical professional that I went to wasn't fully listening to me, either due to an overly busy schedule or disinterest. Usually it's simply from not enough time in the day & an overbooking of patients...I'm sure most of you can also relate to making a new patient appointment that you were told was going to be 45 minutes or an hour, but just ten minutes after the doctor shakes your hand and introduces herself, you're already on your way out the door so she can get to her next patient! Time is not usually the priority at doctor's appointments in today's world, even if you are in desperate need of that time and assistance.
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This type of treatment is far too common in healthcare, especially for women. Many of us have went through the motions of listing symptoms and either not being fully listened to or feeling cared about, or being prescribed a supposedly easy and quick fix, and then the problem we were experiencing is STILL unresolved - just covered up and usually causing other effects from the "convenient" fix. Let me help you get to the root of your problems with evidence-based solutions. I can offer the guidance, time, and personalized connection that traditional doctors or healthcare professionals are often unable to provide. I want to build a caring relationship with you and show you I truly care and WANT to listen!
How Did I End Up Here?
My Work & Educational Background
I didn't always want to be a nurse. When I was young, I always dreamed of becoming a teacher; with my career now, I like to say I've found a path that combines those two perfectly!
First, though, let's take a step back...in high school, I decided the medical field was for me and chose nursing, due to wanting to help people and a bonus of the multiple career paths this career offers. I graduated with my RN, BSN degree from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in December 2021 and began practicing in what I thought would be my dream nursing job, as a labor & delivery nurse. However, I quickly realized the high stress, rapid-paced environment of this hospital setting was not what I imagined.
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I then began a journey of working in various outpatient settings instead, but a move to the San Diego, CA area in the spring of 2023 made me start really thinking about why I kept leaving different jobs that sounded great on paper, but ultimately always ended up leaving me feeling unfulfilled.
I had at that point become really interested in a more holistic way of living, and so I decided I wanted to dive more into that and how I could share that passion with others. After much research, I found the best fit for what I was looking for and started a program to become a nurse coach. This came with many hours of studying and practicing with peers, but also with volunteer practice clients, which I loved! It confirmed for me this is what I was truly meant to do. After the program ended, I took two separate exams to become an official holistic nurse and a nurse coach, which together gave me my current title of board certified health & wellness nurse coach (HWNC-BC).
Although I'm still a nurse and love caring for others, my passion is undoubtedly for 1:1 teaching and for promoting holistic and evidence-based care and preventative care for women. Every day I learn more and am able to learn more from my clients, so I never stop learning and growing myself. I'm looking forward to hopefully being able to help YOU work towards and achieve your health goals and be the best version of yourself!
The Meaning Behind Living Garden Wellness
I chose the name of my business based on a quote I love from St. Thérèse of Lisieux, aka "The Little Flower":
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"I understood how all the flowers He has created are beautiful, how the splendor of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not take away the perfume of the little violet or the delightful simplicity of the daisy. I understood that if all flowers wanted to be roses, nature would lose her springtime beauty, and the fields would no longer be decked out with little wildflowers. And so it is in the world of souls, Jesus’ garden."
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I love this quote, as I think of all the women I work with as unique flowers of all colors and stages of growth with the potential to bloom and grow into who they were created to be. No one has the same story and that's the best part - we were all created to contribute our own beauty to this world's living garden. I would be honored to help YOU grow into the most healthy & nourished "flower" you can be!
