My People

While I was away I accumulated people, experts to help me grow. This woman is not an island and the pandemic may have taken away my friends, but it only grew my 'essential' self help gurus. 

Everyone has a different view and area of expertise; 

I met Tara, who is a health coach and incredible human being. I spent 12-weeks working with her on my diet and hormone imbalances. (Click the link - Best joke. Related I promise.) She taught me more about food than I thought existed. She shared recipes and tricks for my gut health. We ended our 12-weeks with the intent on continuing, but I wanted to master everything I learned before I started round 2. And I failed her - I still use a lot of her recipes and I hear her voice in my head when I am having a bad day, with the guiding words to turn it around, but I can do better. 

I met Rod, he is a coach and trainer. He is a rockstar and too cool for me. He was running the bootcamp/boxing gym I found pre-pandemic and when everything switched to online, he built a community of fit as fudge humans to support each other. He is all about supporting the body and although he loves burpees and tabata, most of his classes are more about building strength, which I love. 

I re-engaged with Meghan, my NP. She has helped me with every lab test and study. She works out of my GPs office, but never once made me feel bad about not feeling good (as most GPs do - eat less move more, bla bla bla) Megan listens and helps me with the OHIP stuff. I get regular tests for my thyroid and she supports my decision to take an elevated Synthroid dose because that is what makes me feel good. She his Health as F*ck and introduced me to Oonagh. 

I started with Karen a Naturopath with hormone and thyroid experience. She is helping me heal my gut with supplementation and finding new ways to challenge my system. She is a strong believer in healing Hashimoto with proper gut health (yes - please!). 

And finally my dream team of therapists; Tracy is a psychotherapist who works with Richard and I on our communication. She challenges us to grow together and gives us the tools to be us - different but together. She joined our relationship when we were at our lowest and has built us up to be incredible humans. 

And my favourite person of all time; Carolyn. She is my twin flame, my future self. She is a social worker I met through Tracy and she is the only reason I have survived all of this. She believes in me and has shown me kindness and more acceptance I have never experienced. She single handedly showed me I am deserving of love and that I am not just one thing, but a collection of parts all there to protect me. She taught (and is still teaching me) how to have patience with myself, how to interact with the worst parts of me and how to be more gentle to everyone I encounter. 

These people have helped shape me throughout the pandemic and I owe my life to them. 

If you are debated reaching out and getting support - this is your sign that you can, you should. Therapy in all these different ways has helped me get to know myself. 

Find your people - find your tribe and than learn and grow from them. 

Love!

Melanie