Hi, I'm Emily
I’m 37-years old & I live in Kankakee, IL with my husband Dave and our retired drug K9 Athos. I love walking our dog, practicing hot yoga, trying all the delicious foods at the local farmers' market, getting dressed up, trying new restaurants, and relaxing beach vacations. In the summer you can find me: on our boat, paddle boarding, or playing catch with Athos in the river in our backyard. In the winter, I’m probably hibernating under a blanket on the couch while simultaneously browsing Pinterest and watching Netflix, or cooking comfort foods.
I help people make peace with food and silence the voice in their heads that is always telling them they’re not good enough. I love to eat delicious food. The more interesting and intense the flavors are - the better! Some of my favorite foods are: soft, doughy bread, chips & salsa, pasta covered in garlicky pesto sauce, all the CHEESE (especially when it’s melted), any combination of chocolate & peanut butter, and my favorite ice cream Ben & Jerry’s The Tonight Dough. I also enjoy having a glass of pinot noir from time to time.
However, this wasn’t always the case. For decades, I feared food and allowed my day to either be “good” or “bad," depending on what I ate and the number on the scale. I struggled with severe disordered eating thoughts and behaviors. Whenever I ate something that I perceived as “bad," I would feel an incredible amount of guilt; I would try to make up for it by restricting food, exercising like a maniac, or both. I would put a ton of pressure on myself to eat “perfect” all the time, but I constantly felt like a failure. Oh, and I HATED my body!
Nearly, every minute of my free time was spent obsessively studying nutrition & researching weight loss like it was my job, and ironically, it was. I worked as a personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and led individual & group nutrition courses at a medically based fitness center. I was constantly searching for the missing “piece of the puzzle,” and trying to find the “secret," so I could finally have the “perfect” body & help all my clients who were struggling as well.
The secret is: there is no secret!
It seemed like the more fitness & nutrition knowledge I gathered, the more confused I became. It was impossible to put all the information into practice. I obsessively thought about food, which only led to feelings of guilt & shame, and further dislike for my body. I noticed that many of the hundreds of fitness & nutrition clients I’d worked with over the past decade were also struggling with similar challenges and saying, “I know what I should be doing/eating … but I’m not.”
One day everything changed. I was scrolling through Facebook, and I saw an advertisement for the Institute for the Psychology of Eating that said, “Become an Eating Psychology Coach, and help people transform their relationship with food”. The moment I saw the words Eating & Psychology smooshed together, it was literally like the clouds parted & angels came playing trumpets. This was the moment I realized that we all have a RELATIONSHIP with food (and mine was bad).
Transforming my relationship with food is what I, and everyone else I knew who was struggling, needed.
I graduated as a Certified Eating Psychology Coach in 2017, and ever since then it’s been full speed ahead – educating & spreading awareness on social media, public speaking & presentations; and working with clients one-on-one - first in person, then in 2020, #BecauseOfCovid, launching my own virtual, private practice.
I use an anti-diet approach to help people transform their relationship with food and improve body image. This work also brings awareness to eating mindfully & the 10 principles of Intuitive Eating. My philosophy is rooted in Health at Every Size (HAES®) and gentle nutrition.
Besides being a certified Eating Psychology Coach (Institute for the Psychology of Eating, 2017), I also hold the following degrees & certifications:
Bachelor’s of Science Degrees in Psychology & Communications from Illinois State University, 2005
Personal Trainer, certified by the American Council on Exercise, 2011
Indoor Cycling Instructor, certified by Mad Dogg Spinning, 2012
Aquatic Therapy for Multiple Sclerosis, certified by Aqua MS, 2013
Post-Cancer Exercise Specialist, certified by Cancer Exercise Training Institute ,2014
200-hour Registered Yoga Instructor, Licensed through Yoga Alliance, 2015
Functional Medicine Certified Wellness Coach, Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, 2016
![STOP IDOLIZING THINNESS.
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STOP GLORIFYING THINNESS.
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STOP WORSHIPPING THINNESS.
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It leads people to engage in unhealthy & harmful behaviors, contributes to poor body image, low self-worth, and puts people at higher risk for anxiety, depression, & the development of an eating disorder.
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Our culture has to change the way it views, judges, & discuss bodies because, truly, #AllBodiesAreGoodBodies.
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Change is currently happening, but in the absolute *wrong* direction. And things are getting worse! [if you can’t read between the lines, it’s related to massive amounts of celebrities & non-celebrities currently losing weight before our eyes w/ the use of Rx injectable drugs]
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We have a lot of work to do & a LONG way to go before our world treats people of all body sizes equally. And I’m here for it! #SocialJusticeActivist
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Zoom consultations are always free •[BOOK NOW]• button in bio.](https://scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t39.30808-6/438676310_18106421479378562_9033614050175566017_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=LQJA9ICa5nQAb4Q5MT3&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AfAqHuYlg336xq28giEczCsk6GTRg17ZSiNUbYionZtt_Q&oe=662F3E77)
![That’s it. Just bread.
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Nothing more.
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Nothing less.
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And … it’s amazing ✨💫✨
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Do you want to be able to eat [and enjoy] bread [and all foods] again, WITHOUT GUILT? Let’s talk! Schedule a free Zoom 30-min consultation •[BOOK NOW]• button in bio.
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#MakePieceWithFood #FoodIsNotYourEnemy #CarbsAreNotYourEnemy #BreadIsNotYourEnemy #FoodFreedom](https://scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/440053985_1636358800435251_4486437757391102139_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=7ls0Q041Ee8Ab4MQdOq&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AfCqRZkW4yokaCuenrpbysTX3iLX57Qc37BPOQmL4xHtpg&oe=662F3232)
![On Wednesday, I spent the whole morning at @BourbonnaisUpperGradeCenter, giving a total of 5 presentations to all the 7th grade girls.
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The topics I discussed were: #BodyDiversity, #BodyImage, #SelfEsteem, #SelfWorth, #FoodVariety, & the use of #Filters on #SocialMedia.
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I kinda, sorta “force” [aka, bribe with tootsie rolls] them to participate. I wanted to share some of the brilliant things that were said by the 7th grade girls:
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• “The way you look is not the most important thing”.
• “We all look different & that should be cherished.”
• “Cake is delicious & it’s ok to eat it at a birthday party.”
• “You won’t become unhealthy just from eating one meal or snack.”
• “Not eating enough is bad for you.”
• “Who you are is more important that how you look.”
• “Sleep & rest are healthy too.”
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I only wish ALL children, adolescents, teens, adults -EVERYONE- could hear these messages.
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Thanks for the invite @mindygam](https://scontent-ord5-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t39.30808-6/438170816_18105985957378562_7945082696174307065_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=ec6mBR_i9Q8Ab7umwep&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AfBbQERaDeVWoQqg7ketZ3oR9_ABbKukScQeohyefrHQyw&oe=662F493A)
![How you look in a bathing suit, actually, is NOT that important at all.
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But how much importance are giving it?
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How much of your value is tied to it?
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How much of your energy is it taking?
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How much time are you dedicating to it?
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How much are you missing out on, in *attempt* to “achieve” it?
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How much money have you spent on it?
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How many thoughts have you wasted on it?
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How much anguish has it caused you?
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STOP! CALL A CEASEFIRE! YOUR BODY IS NOT YOUR ENEMY! STOP WAGING WAR ON YOURSELF!
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I can help you get off the rollercoaster, get out of the spin cycle, silence the inner critic. Schedule a free Zoom consultation •[BOOK NOW]• button in bio.
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#AllBodiesAreSummerBodies #AllBodiesAreBeachBodies #AllBodiesAreBikiniBodies #WearTheDamnShorts #YourBodyIsNotYourEnemy #MakePeaceWithFood](https://scontent-ord5-2.cdninstagram.com/v/t39.30808-6/439343833_18105893401378562_4143770986695662747_n.jpg?_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=MAhHqPJ0bx8Ab4lG_g8&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-2.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AfDONvfdNT50Rnfgam-bjoH7hBklTk9VTXoZ17DMxeFE2w&oe=662F1E32)
![Trying to be as small as you can is not the same thing as try to being as healthy as you can.
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What’s more? Most people’s health will begin to deteriorate when their body weight drops below its Set-point Weight [Reminder, Set-point Weight is the weight you *naturally* maintain when you’re relaxed around food, listen to & honor your bodies signals about hunger/fullness, and aren’t fixating about your weight or obsessed with what you’re eating].
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Wondering about becoming a client? Let’s talk. Schedule a free 30-min Zoom consultation •[BOOK NOW]• button in bio.
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#AllBodiesAreGoodBodies #BodyDiversityIsReal #MakePeaceWithFood #FoodIsNotYourEnemy](https://scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.29350-15/438984420_1250494612794381_3097140695556186132_n.jpg?_nc_cat=109&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=18de74&_nc_ohc=Fz3XSorptAEAb7NWUkt&_nc_ht=scontent-ord5-1.cdninstagram.com&edm=ANo9K5cEAAAA&oh=00_AfDPrwUKa_SnSa32DonXaCu8n9zilvYHU-lrVP7zp88w0A&oe=662F1DCC)