2014 - 42 years old - overweight and tired. I knew what I had to do to feel better but I was stuck in the ‘intention-action’ gap.
2025 - 53 years old.
My story
I arrived in Australia as a refugee, I carried more than just the weight of displacement. I bore the emotional and physical toll of adolescence shaped by survival. My body became a battleground, my weight ballooning as I navigated a new world.
On the outside I really did have it all. I built a successful life: a thriving career, a public presence, and reputation for supporting others. I was the picture of achievement. But beneath the polished surface, I was exhausted, juggling responsibilities, tending to everyone else’s needs and silently wrestling with a deep, persistent unhappiness. I knew what had to change but the chasm between intention and action felt vast and unforgiving.
In 2023, I was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, a life altering autoimmune disease which cannot be reversed. In between learning to count carbs and injecting insulin multiple times a day, in the chaos of hospital admissions and numerous blood tests, I sunk into depression. I had to relearn how to eat, how to exercise, how to keep my weight manageable and how to reduce the associated risks with T1 Diabetes.
What shifted everything wasn’t just therapy, although that was a big part of it. Through the messy journey of self-love and compassion, I discovered the tools that I needed to begin to bridge the divide between ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’, not with perfection but with intention.
Today, I still feel moments of struggle, I still live with an autoimmune, chronic illness, but I meet my challenges with knowledge, self-compassion and toolkit forged from lived experience.
If I can do it - You can too.
My message is clear: Wellbeing is not reserved for the lucky or the strong - it is the right of every woman willing just to begin. If you are stuck in the same gap, know this: You can move through it too!
“Transformation doesn’t come from knowing more - It comes from taking small, consistent steps, showing up for yourself, and giving yourself the space to grow into who you truly want to be”
A little bit about me
What is Lifestyle as Medicine Psychology?
Lifestyle as medicine in psychology is an approach to mental health and wellbeing that that recognizes that illness and health can exist simultaneously; managing disease when it is present, while actively promoting wellbeing, resilience and thriving at the same time.
Lifestyle as medicine focuses on lifestyle factors in preventing, managing, and even treating various health conditions, including mental health. It recognises that mental health disorders, are significantly influenced by lifestyle choices and habits.
My psychology practice is anchored on 5 pillars of lifestyle medicine:
Physical activity
Nutrition
Sleep hygiene
Stress management
Social connections
Lifestyle as medicine does not replace traditional talk therapy or medication. Instead, it complements these treatments by addressing the broader factors that influence mental health.
As a Lifestyle as Medicine Psychologist, I integrate psychological principles and lifestyle factors to help you make positive changes in your habits to actively promote both mental and physical well-being.
So if you find yourself stuck in a rut, struggling with finding your motivation, dealing with unhealthy habits, grappling with self-limiting beliefs, and battling procrastination… I’ve got you!
