I’m an almost 41-year-old mom of two… and I just decided to go back to school to get my PhD.
Let’s just say this wasn’t exactly part of the plan. In recent months, I had actually declared my intention to go all in as a content creator. After nearly 15 years as a blogger and writer in the wellness space, it felt like a natural next step. I love creating content, I’ve grown more confident putting myself out there online, and I genuinely find so much joy in sharing and connecting with others.
But as the months went by, I started to feel like something was missing. There was a disconnect between how I was spending my time and energy and what I felt truly called to pursue. I felt fulfilled, but in a way that felt fleeting. Almost like that fulfillment was coming from small, momentary hits of social media validation rather than something deeper. I started to crave a more meaningful career. Not to say that sharing information online isn’t meaningful, but I felt a pull toward something deeper. Something where I could make a more lasting impact in the holistic health space.
About a year ago, I had actually looked into this exact PhD program. But almost immediately, the stories I was telling myself stopped me in my tracks. With an almost four-year-old and a six-month-old, there was no way I could go back to school in this season of life. It felt unrealistic, even irresponsible.
And yet, the idea never fully left me. It lingered as a quiet whisper in the back of my mind.
So last month, I decided to go for it. I applied. And to my surprise… I was accepted. And just like that, here we are.
What I Will Be Studying
I’ll be pursuing my PhD in Mind-Body Medicine from Saybrook University, with a specialization in integrative and functional nutrition. At its core, this field explores the connection between our thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical health. It looks at health through a more integrative lens, considering how mental, emotional, and physical systems are constantly interacting rather than operating in isolation.
Additionally, it’s the study of how stress, lifestyle, and our relationship with food influence how the body functions, not just at a surface level, but in a way that can either support or disrupt overall well-being. The program itself is rooted in understanding and improving health at the intersection of mind and body, using research-backed, holistic approaches that go beyond symptom management to support the whole person.
This isn’t new territory for me. In many ways, it’s what I’ve been living and exploring over the past year through my own health journey. It’s also what led me to write my book, Counting Colors, which invites readers to reframe their approach to food and health—shifting away from traditional dieting mentalities and toward a more holistic, intuitive, and nutrient-focused way of eating. It weaves in principles like mindfulness, manifestation, and the power of belief—concepts that are often oversimplified or overlooked entirely when it comes to healing or achieving meaningful change.
I truly believe the mind-body connection is far more powerful than we give it credit for, and it’s something that deserves to be considered in nearly every aspect of our health.
For me, this is especially evident when it comes to digestion. The connection between the nervous system and gut health is something I’ve experienced firsthand, and something I feel deeply called to understand on a more scientific level. The same applies to the metabolic and endocrine systems, which are all deeply interconnected. I want the information I share to go beyond personal experience—to be grounded in research, supported by evidence, and viewed through a broader lens that allows me to connect the dots in a more meaningful and impactful way.
And while this journey is deeply personal, it’s also something I’m doing to hopefully serve others. My goal has always been to take complex health information and make it feel simple, practical, and applicable to real life. Going back to school is a way for me to deepen that work—to bridge the gap between lived experience and science, and to share what I’m learning in a way that actually helps others feel better in their bodies.
As I move through this program, I’ll be sharing what I’m learning in real time—translating research into tools and insights that can be used in everyday life. I’m especially excited to dive deeper into the psychophysiological effects of stress, the science of eating psychology and food relationships, nutritional biochemistry, and how food impacts both our physical and mental health, along with behavior change and nervous system regulation.
So if you are here following along, I’m so glad you are!
