I am a Registered Nurse, Certified Wellness Practitioner, and Fitness Specialist. As a nurse, I currently work in two closely related departments in one of Michigan's leading Hospitals. The first department, The Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, houses a team of nurses who provide biometric health screens to members of the general public through their company, church, school, or other support system. The second department, The Henry Ford Heart and Vascular Institute in West Bloomfield, MI, houses the Heart Smart Clinic, which offers a comprehensive cardiovascular health risk analysis to predict future cardio vascular risk. For more information about this clinic please

 

My focus as a Certified Wellness Practitioner (CWP) is to develop (or utilize existing) effective health promotion models to assess health and wellness needs, and subsequently design, plan, implement, and evaluate health and wellness interventions for individuals and/or popluations; motivate individuals to engage in health promotion and prevention activities; and create health-enhancing environments by initiating cultural and organizational change.

 

I have been a group fitness instructor (GFI) for 30 years. In addition I am also a sports massage therapist and a certified Aromatouch technician. I am an avid wellness professional, who focuses on physical activity, nutrition, stress reduction, and long-term behavior change, to promote sustainable health and wellbeing, and to prevent and/or effectively manage chronic disease. 

 

My work experiences have afforded me a strong background in wellness, health and fitness. I am passionate about teaching, promoting, and advocating patient wellness and a strong believer in "prevention is better than cure". I enjoy working in the community with individuals who are interested in making a new start, reducing risk factors by developing healthier lifestyles, and making a lifetime commitment to good health. I strongly believe that both my academic and personal goals keep me in high standing as a legitimate job candidate in the field of health and wellness promotion, and disease prevention and management.

 

 

• To counsel on the importance and relevance of chronic disease prevention. 

• To provide sustainable preventive solutions that focus on avoiding the incidence of disease altogether, rather than disease management. 

• To explain how the lifelong disability associated with chronic disease increases morbidity and reduces quality of life. 

• To emphasize that current preventive solutions are simple, cheap and cost effective.

 

I believe that wellness means something different to everyone and that effective, successful, and sustainable wellness programs always embrace the thoughts, ideas, and personal aspirations of the population for whom they are being designed. In addition, these types of programs can be designed by focusing on what the individual is doing right rather than on what they are doing wrong. 

 

 

• I will work to ensure that, as I evolve and go through all of life's changes and challenges, I continue to reassess and redevelop my lifestyle so as to enhance the quality of my life, as I define it, and empower and inspire others to do the same.

• I will learn something new every year and keep abreast of current research in my profession;

• I will visit at least one new place every year - whether that be local, national, or international, and

• I will volunteer in the community at least five hours a month.

 

I believe that besides health, total wellness embraces honesty, humor, family, service, and community.