Hi, I’m Donelle.
I am a mother, wife, runner, meditator, self-care enthusiast, lover of nature and the outdoors, and the founder of The Holistic Trail.
I have been passionate about my own health and wellness for over 20 years, experimenting with what works and doesn’t work for my body. For a long time, my focus was on my physical health and fitness level, as well as nutrition. There were also phases throughout my life where I felt as if my light was dim or dull. As I approached my 40s, I found myself feeling stuck. I began questioning what I wanted at this stage in my life.
Over the next few years, I began focusing on what some refer to as primary foods – think spirituality, creativity, social connection, purpose, finding my joy. Through this exploration, I noticed patterns of behavior that did not align with optimal health – perfectionist tendencies, which periodically presented as disordered eating (being overly strict about what I eat at times and at other times, overeating processed foods like sugar). There have also been times in my life I have leaned towards over-exercising (sometimes to the point of injury), and excessive worry about the past or future. During each of these times, I felt out of balance and unhappy. I was carrying around limiting beliefs, such as shame and feelings of not enough.
Through an integrative approach to well-being, with equal attention to mind, body and spirit, which are all connected, I am able to notice when these old thoughts or behaviors show up. Through intentional, mindful practices, which include a morning meditation practice, a nightly gratitude practice, and self-love and compassion, I have experienced such a beautiful shift of being in the present moment. I started listening to my inner knowing rather than my inner critic. My sleep quality has greatly improved. This is something I struggled with for years!
It was sitting in quiet during meditation one morning in January 2020 that I realized the career I held for the past 16 years was no longer serving me and did not fit into my life’s purpose. ‘Health Coach’ came to me. I wasn’t quite sure what a health coach was at that time but I quickly began researching. This led me to pursue my passion in holistic wellness and study at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition® where I became a certified Integrative Nutrition Health Coach.
I view wellness as a journey, not a destination. I lean into my intuition, get still and open to what my body, mind and soul need, which can change. When I begin to feel the pull towards imbalance, I have a variety of tools I use to bring me back in balance. I aim to find light and joy in each day and I love being present!
I am so happy you are here!
with love, Donelle
My Approach
I believe in a holistic approach to wellness. We can achieve optimal wellness, when we heal the whole being. Often times, one area of our lives impact the well-being in another aspect of our life. Sometimes, we don’t even make the connection. As an example, have you ever noticed that when you get fewer hours of sleep, your cravings are stronger the next day? This may lead to less healthy food choices and over time, unwanted weight gain. Or, if you are carrying around limiting beliefs or negative thoughts about yourself, it can be difficult to eat nourishing foods from a place of self-love. We are one system and all aspects of health are integrated. During your coaching journey, we may explore a variety of pillars to achieve your goals, such as sleep hygiene, exercise and nutrition habits, relationships, career, home environment, social connection/community, creativity, spirituality, and more.
I also believe in bio-individuality. What works well for one person, may not be the right approach for another person. With my guidance, you will discover what works for YOU and find tools and simple habits to help you maintain optimal well-being throughout your life.