I teach, coach and write about navigating the consumer culture to come out intact, not broken. My first book was about money and spending; recently I’ve been writing about the health and wellness aspect of the consumer culture.

A combination of life experiences and education has prepared me for this in ways I wouldn’t have imagined. I have taught a college course in consumer issues, experienced ups and downs in my personal life, studied coaching, and dealt with major health issues. I’ve felt completely disempowered at times…and learned what could help me regain my confidence and self-authority. I came out with a lot of transferable skills and a greater understanding of how things work.

The way I see it, the systems we live under are broken. As a result, it’s highly challenging to make decisions that contribute to our wholeness so we can thrive. The consumer culture reinforces our insecurities at every turn. And when we must make decisions about our health, we have an additional vulnerability—usually we are there because we are unwell, often very ill.

The systems need to change, no question about that. I’m an optimist, and hopeful that this will happen.

I’m also a realist, and recognize that we can’t wait for systemic change. We have to take charge of ourselves to move through the broken system without being broken ourselves.

I aim to level the playing field by sharing what I’ve learned. My hope is that this will inspire others to create satisfying lives in which they can flourish.

Coaching and teaching give me an opportunity to do that, to help people remove the blocks that keep them from making the lives they want—whether they are disempowered by a lack of information or by trapped emotions that keep them stuck.

Contributing in this way makes my life deeply satisfying.