About Me
When I was 10 years old, my 39-year old mum suddenly passed away.
Growing up and later on becoming a mum without her has been incredibly hard. It also made me realise that life can be short and that you shouldn’t wait for life to happen to you; that you literally might not live to see another day. It not only morphed me into the person and the mum I am today, it also gave me a mission: to support people in living fuller, healthier lives.
I became a health coach after my own health struggles doctors couldn’t really help me with. I know first-hand about the power of lifestyle changes and have made it my vocation to share this with others. The parenthood journey I started five years ago then inspired me to want to support mums in particular (longer version below).
In my previous life I worked as a communications professional for a trade association in Belgium. I speak English, French, German, Greek and Cypriot. I am originally from Cyprus and now living in Berlin with my German husband and two daughters.
Let me help you experience what it feels like to live your best self. I offer a complimentary discovery session to help you decide whether coaching (with me) is right for you or not. Give me a ring or email me here.
Some fun facts about me:
- I play the piano quite well and almost became a professional musician
- When I was five, I wanted to be an orchestra conductor
- I took ballet lessons for most of my childhood and teenage years
- I love watching figure skating and used to travel to competitions to have photos taken with my favorite skaters
The long story…
My health journey
When I was 19, I begged my gynecologist to put me on the contraceptive pill, because I had heard that the pill “gives you periods”, which in my case had never been regular. Nothing I had read or heard of regarding the pill made me think that what I was doing was wrong. As a young university student, all I wanted was to know when I would be getting a cycle. Fast forward to my 28 year old self, after 9 years on the pill. Something inside me, call it an instinct, told me to get off it to see whether or not my periods were still irregular. I was in a serious relationship, and even though my partner and I were not discussing kids yet, it was our long-term project. Thank god I followed that instinct. Because when I got off the pill and my periods did not come back for two and a half years.
Exactly 6 months after quitting the pill, and around the time I got engaged, my skin broke out. I looked like a teenager and had to spend at least 10 minutes each morning trying to cover up my painful cystic acne. None of the doctors I saw were able to give me any answers as to why I was not menstruating. All of them said that I would need to get back on the pill, and then do IVF when I would want to have a child. My instinct, however, told me “NO”. This is not how I want to treat my body. Why was it not functioning? There had to be a reason for it. I was sure.
Thank god for the internet, for helping me discover that indeed there were many things I could do to help my body get back a normal cycle. I signed up for an online programme and found a support network of other women who were in similar situations to mine, including a health coach. I wasn’t going through this alone anymore.
I changed the way I ate, they way I exercised, slept better, and worked on my relationship with my body and my femininity. I also allowed myself to finally grieve the loss of my mum. My period did come back and I conceived my two daughters naturally.
Motherhood
Becoming a mother has been the most beautiful, challenging and just indescribably huge adventure. I wanted to be the perfect mother for my daughter. I wanted to get it all right and to control every outcome.
I was the one telling my clients pre-parenthood that they can’t keep pouring out of an empty glass, and here I was doing exactly the same. It’s so easy to fall into this trap. This is what we were raised to think: being a self-martyr is also easier than making the brave but very uncomfortable decision to actually think of yourself and put your needs first.
After a few difficult months, I have realised that wanting to be the best mum does not mean that I have to be my worst enemy. I reached out for help, went back to the basics and slowly started to nourish my body and soul.
I would love to help you do the same.
As well as a health coaching for mums, I also:
– support patients as part of a collaborative team together with practitioners
– support patients looking to prevent or reverse cognitive decline using Dr. Bredesen’s ReCODE 2.0 method
– perform the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA) test that detects cognitive decline
– work as a grief companion
Graduate of the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy (FMCA). Programme developped in collaboration with the Institute for Functional Medicine (IFM).
Clinical Certification for Stress, Anxiety and Self Regulation
Certification for helping people implement the Bredesen Protocol for Reversing Cognitive Decline (ReCODE) and Preventing Cognitive Decline (PreCODE). For more information visit https://www.apollohealthco.com/.
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