My interest in natural health began because of my children, as two of my four children became very sick and, for years, we struggled to understand what was happening. Specialist after specialist looked at my children through their lens without stepping back to see the whole picture or asking what might connect their symptoms.
Eventually, we learned they had Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections, which completely changed the way I looked at health. I wanted to understand why they were sick, what their bodies needed to heal, and how infection, inflammation, nutrition, the immune system, and overall health were connected. This led me to Trinity and a formal education in natural health, which gave me the knowledge to better advocate for my own family and, eventually, to help educate and advocate for others still searching for answers.
When I enrolled at Trinity, I was a mother looking for answers. I never imagined that what I learned would eventually lead me to write a book, speak to groups, advocate for families, and become involved with leading Lyme disease organizations across the country.
Since graduating, I’ve become a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner and a Board Certified Lyme Disease Specialist. I’m a writer and advocate for LymeDisease.org and an Ambassador for the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS). I also lead the Illinois team for the Center for Lyme Action and work as a community educator and peer mentor. I’ve led a Lyme disease support group, worked with families struggling to find answers, and traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for better research, funding, education, and care for people with Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.
One of my biggest accomplishments since graduating was writing my book, Being Misdiagnosed: Stories That Reveal the Hidden Epidemic of Lyme Disease. Each chapter tells the story of a real person who was given a diagnosis such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, lupus, Sjögren’s, or a psychiatric disorder, only to discover that Lyme disease or another tick-borne infection was part of what was driving their illness. The book follows their search for answers and, for many, their journey back to better health. Their stories are also a reminder of the importance of looking at the whole person and not just the disease name.
Trinity students may be especially interested in the final chapter, where I explore the different modalities people used in their healing journeys, including the DesBio Lyme homeopathics, which significantly helped my own children, as well as ONDAMED, PEMF, oxygen therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, herbals, ozone, red light therapy, diet, and others. No single path works for everyone. People found help in different places and different combinations of care.
With nearly half a million people estimated to be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease every year in the United States, Trinity’s Lyme program is invaluable, and I still use that knowledge today. Lyme is known as “the great imitator” because its symptoms overlap with many other illnesses. One challenge with allopathic medicine is that care can be very siloed. Specialists often view a person through the lens of their own specialty, but tick-borne illness can affect multiple body systems. When symptoms cross multiple body systems without explanation, it’s important to consider tick-borne illness as part of the picture.
I never really set out to do any of this. I was a mom trying to figure out why my children were sick. Trinity became part of that journey, and what I learned there has helped me turn our family’s experience into something that can hopefully help others. I love my work because of the people I meet and the opportunity to educate others. Many people with Lyme disease have traveled a very hard road, being sick for years, going from doctor to doctor, and sometimes being told what they’re experiencing isn’t real. By the time I meet them, many are exhausted, discouraged, and have lost hope, but hearing me say, “I get it. I understand what you’ve been through,” I can feel the relief. Having someone believe them and really listen to their story means so much.
I also love educating people about Lyme and tick-borne illness. I’m often approached after public speaking events by people who want to talk more or to schedule a consultation, which shows me how many are out there, not knowing where to turn for answers. They feel stuck, they’re still sick, and they aren’t getting the help they need. I enjoy giving them answers and, ultimately, hope.
The most important job I have is the one God blessed me with, and that is being a mother. My journey with Trinity began with the desire to help my own children get better. Trinity taught me about the different body systems, how they work together, and how we can support those systems. It also introduced me to DesBio, which became a true blessing for our family and played an important role in helping my children get better from Lyme disease and Bartonella. My education also gave me a foundation that lets me keep learning. I can sit in a medical lecture about Lyme and tick-borne disease, understand what is being discussed, follow the research, and continue learning from physicians and researchers in the field. It has also given me much more confidence in my writing, advocacy, and ability to educate others.
During my children’s illness, I was so scared and felt like no one could help us. I fell to my knees and prayed to God, asking Him to please help me find a way to help my children, and I promised that if He did, I would never turn away someone who came to me in the same situation. God was faithful to me, and I try to remain faithful to that promise.
Trinity gave me knowledge that first helped my own family, and I’ve used it to help many others along the way. To me, that has been one of the greatest gifts of my education.