Nurse Coaching Testimonial from Jeffrey

When I started working with Rachel I was awaiting a date for surgery to have my entire colon removed due to my Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and the high risk of colon cancer. I was extremely depressed, withdrawn, defeated, exhausted, and desperate. Desperate for a different route, a different plan, a different perspective, a different approach. On top of my UC I have a myriad of other health issues such as Fibromyalgia, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, C-Spine and degenerative discs, Migraines, Chronic Fatigue, Brain Fog, PTSD to name a few. I have seen 12 different specialists over the last 5 years, spent over a year in physical therapy, 6 months with a chiropractor, and undergone and taken many infusions, injections, nerve ablations, medications, hours of therapy and treatment. The roller coaster ride of physical anguish and mental torture was and has been unbearable. I was struggling to keep up at work, struggling to be the dad I wanted to be to 3 daughters, and failing to be the husband my wife deserved.

Here is the good news. I have discovered all is not lost. My life is not over and I don’t have to suffer. I can live a full and productive life with purpose, joy , and love. In fact I already had all of those things going for me. I just needed to get out of my own way to realize it. I had to get out of my own head and my thoughts and re-write my story. That is where Rachel came in. She helped me to retrain my brain which in turn re-directed my thoughts or my “ stories “ into positive and realistic thoughts. I was a serial abuser of myself. In my head I beat myself up daily for all things that were wrong with me physically and for all of the things I felt I wasn’t able to do or wasn’t doing . The reality was, I was an extremely talented, loving, caring and all around awesome dude who was juggling an insane amount of challenges that anyone else would have thrown in the towel if given the same challenges. She changed my entire outlook on my circumstance, my situation, my life. You may be asking yourself “HOW” . My answer would be very simple “she got me out of my own head “. Through a few hour-long sessions utilizing some simple meditation/breathing techniques to get me relaxed and in the moment, Rachel simply listened to me vent, talk about my problems, and re-directed my thought process on what the problems truly were. I can’t control my physical ailments, but I can absolutely control how I react to them, how I deal with them, and how I live my life with them. It was such a different approach compared to the conventional medical standard of treatment which is take this pill, try this injection, or we recommend surgery. I say I was desperate……yes desperate for a different approach to my treatment and desperate for a different perspective and that is exactly what Rachel provided. She provided hope over fear, resilience over prescriptions, control over counseling, and most of all compassion over compulsion.

I had never heard of Nurse Coach until I saw the ad on FB. I had no idea what it was about but I will tell you I am so glad I was desperate to try anything because it has changed my life. I would highly recommend this approach to anyone that is struggling in their life with mental health, just day to day stressors, health problems, or just needs a mentor or help with life. Rachel’s approach is non-judgmental, compassionate, and non structured. You are in charge of how and where you go in every session which is refreshing and there is no pressure like with a traditional medical professional where you have 10 minutes and they rush you out the door for the next patient. I now feel like I have control of my life. I know how to set realistic goals and stick to them for my benefit. I am slowly regaining control at work again. My family has seen a dramatic change in my overall mood and happiness day to day. I am so grateful I found Rachel, she is a fantastic Nurse Coach.

Jeffrey L., 45, Virginia