WHERE IT ALL BEGAN
FOOD, FAMILY & MIXED MESSAGES
From the earliest I can remember, size mattered.
Food also became a medicine.
You had to eat all of your meal, otherwise it was a personal affront to the cook — my grandmother. And food, especially treats, became a medicine to subdue a broken-hearted child.
These were the foundations that likely led to an eating disorder at twelve.
My mother admonished my grandmother for feeding me pudding, when Ryvitas and cheese were apparently a better option because of "the growing size of me".
My mother was always on a diet, and my grandmother feared food. Yet she expected everyone else to clean their plates whilst she sat with one piece of bread and tasty cheese.
Some very mixed messages around food.
But isn't there always? So many of my clients feel there are.
LIFE IN SYDNEY
FOOD FEAR IN ADULTHOOD
Working in the city of Sydney did not leave these struggles behind.
If anything, they followed me there.
By this stage, food had become tangled up with fear, control and self-worth.
Restriction, laxatives and over-exercise all played their part, and like so many people who struggle with food, I became very good at appearing functional on the outside whilst things felt far less steady underneath.
I spent years trying to manage life by managing food, body size and the space I took up in the world.
But the more I tried to control it, the more consuming it became.
Looking back, I can see that this was never really about food alone.
It was about pain, coping, identity, safety and trying to find some sense of control in a life that had often felt anything but safe.
Learning to Value Myself
WHEN DID IT ALL CHANGE?
A few things come to mind.
Being educated around nutrition, certainly. But also acknowledging self-abandonment and then creating boundaries.
FINDING MY VOICE
Acknowledging my passive approach in relationships, and then learning how to be assertive.
Accepting who I was, and am, and feeling strong because of it.
MORE THAN NUTRITION
It wasn't simply about learning what constituted a nutritious meal.
It was about learning to value myself.
And understanding that my relationship with food was connected to my relationship with me.
WHY I CREATED BRAVE BITES®
FROM LIVED EXPERIENCE TO PURPOSE
My experiences are not the whole of who I am, but they have certainly shaped the person and practitioner I've become.
Through my studies in clinical nutrition, counselling and psychology, and through my work with clients, I've come to appreciate just how deeply our relationship with food can be influenced by our experiences, emotions, beliefs and the messages we absorb from others.
I've sat on both sides of the consultation room.
And I know that simply telling someone what they should or shouldn't eat is rarely enough to address the complexities surrounding food.
That is why I created Brave Bites®.
Not to introduce another diet, another set of rules or another standard of perfect eating.
But to bring together professional knowledge and lived experience, offering a place where people can begin to explore their own relationship with food without judgement.
Because sometimes the hardest part isn't knowing what to eat. It's finding the freedom to eat without fear.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
HEALTHCARE HERO
Recognised through the Inspire Awards for my contribution to healthcare and my commitment to supporting others through both professional expertise and lived experience.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Recognition that reflects something very important to me — using my experiences, education and professional work to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
GOLD WOMAN OF THE YEAR
An acknowledgement of the journey behind my work, the challenges along the way and the opportunities I've had to encourage and support other women.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPY
Recognition of my work through Harvesting Health®, bringing together naturopathy, clinical nutrition and a whole-person approach to wellbeing.