As a child, I was taught the Golden Rule- “To treat others the way that you want to be treated.”  I have also had experiences with health professionals who have not had the greatest bedside manner or who did not inform me of all of my options so that I could make a fully informed choice.  These moments have taught me how NOT to work with and treat people.  I’ll listen and hold space. We are all human and doing our best to get through this thing called life.  It is important to show not only others but ourselves grace.

As a part of your support system, I will work alongside you to assess and understand what is going on, identify areas that are ok and areas that need improvement.  Together we’ll come up with a plan to help bring your body into alignment and optimize your health.  Just like I do for my family and myself, I’ll research and look for answers to help you in achieving your health and wellness goals.

I will hold space for you and your family, I will provide you with information to build your capacity and assist you in making informed decisions, and ultimately to empower you.  I will support you in advocating for yourself or loved one.

Each person has their own unique needs, way of eating, and living that works for them.  There is no one way of doing things that works for everyone.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach to health, wellness, movement, and nutrition.

Intersectionality is the connected nature of all of the ways a person or group is identified or categories in which they are placed such as race, class, gender, ability, and education, and how those are combined, overlap, or intersect and be used to marginalize and oppress them and on the other end how it can be used to assert privilege.

The exposome is the totality of a person’s exposures to their internal and external (both general and specific) environments from the moment they are conceived to the moment they take their last breath. 

The aim at Alō Holistic Wellness is to see the whole person and to look at the things that may be impacting their health and life.  

The Merriam Webster Dictionary says equity is “fairness or  justice in the way people are treated.” and “justice according to natural law or right, specifically freedom from bias and favoritism; something that is equitable

It also says that the definition for justice is “The quality of being just, impartial, or fair. Conformity to this principle or idea.”

Social, environmental, health equity and justice are some of the things that I seek to address through my work.  Knowing the numbers of people who do not receive the care or opportunities they need or deserve because of social determinants of health or because of other factors is not fair and can be very dangerous.  Health is a human right and we are entitled to systems that protect us and give everyone equal opportunities to the highest attainable levels of health.   

To be trauma informed means that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and other trauma are taken into account, acknowledging that behaviors can be a result of traumas experienced and that it is of vital importance to treat people with kindness, respect, and to allow them to be empowered with choices, and to try to create brave spaces for folks. 

Ahimsa is Sanskrit and is mentioned in the Yoga Sutras.  This principle is that of non-violence of all kinds.  It means more obvious types of violence as well as other smaller, more subtle types such as negative self-talk, not loving ourselves, gossip, speaking unkind words, lacking compassion, living out of balance, and hiding and living in fear of being and living as our true authentic selves and not standing in our power.  

Asteya is a Sanskrit term that is also mentioned in the Yoga Sutras.  This is the principle of non-stealing.  This means not stealing from others, the earth, or yourself; to live with integrity and reciprocity, build competency.  They say comparison is the thief of all joy.  That is an example of stealing from ourselves and others.  There is a philosophy that many Native American peoples follow where they think about how their actions or inactions may impact others seven generations in the future.  In this way they do not steal from others or the earth.  By building our competence and then putting our knowledge into action, we can prepare ourselves for the things we most desire and then work to achieve them.

Wabi Sabi is the Japanese Zen Buddhist philosophy that encourages us to see the beauty in imperfection, appreciate simplicity, accept the transient nature of all things, and to make the most of life in spite of unexpected setbacks and plans gone awry.

Kintsugi or Kintsukoroi as it is also known is an art form and philosophy that is an extension of Wabi Sabi.  Kintsugi means golden joinery and Kintsukoroi means golden repair. When a bowl or cup is broken it is not discarded, it is repaired with extreme care with a golden powder & lacquer.  The goal is not to hide the fault lines, but rather embrace them and show how they can be beautiful and strengthen the object.  You are not broken, but rather a beautiful, whole, and unique individual shaped by the circumstances and events you’ve experienced in your life.