Health and Wellness Coaching
Change your mind to change your life.

Meet Debora

Debora brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to every health and wellness coaching session. And she has spent most of her life preparing for this moment.

To better understand what Debora might bring to your sessions, here is an insight into some of the experiences and life lessons that influenced her personal journey, influences she blends today into a unique style that is all her own.

Fitness Instructor
         An enthusiastic swimmer all her life, Debora became attracted to the benefits of vertical water fitness training (sometimes called aqua aerobics, although it is far more than just aerobic training) after using the water to rehabilitate from an injury. In time, she became an Aquatic Fitness Instructor, certified by the Aquatic Exercise Association (AEA) in 1994.
         During the course of study for the rigorous AEA certification, and with the continuing-education classes she has taken since then, Debora learned a great deal about the human body and general fitness. She has learned how to create and conduct classes for large groups of people at various fitness levels, as well as working with people on a one-on-one basis to address specific individual needs.
         Debora has taught hundreds of classes, helping people exercise with safety - while at the same time enjoying a fun, social experience. Her client feed-back is consistently positive. People have confidence in her knowledge, but also really appreciate her non-judgmental and playful approach.

Health and Nutrition
         In 1988, Debora met John Robbins, author of the acclaimed book Diet for a New America. John had just established The EarthSave Foundation, to "promote food choices that are healthy for people and the planet". Debora was one of the first volunteers and it was here that she really began learning about the vital role nutrition plays in a healthy mind and body.
         Inspired by what she had learned in the book and by the work of the foundation, Debora and her husband opened a wholesale food business called Truly Vegan Foods. They enjoy cooking and have always believed that "healthy eating can be so much more than bean sprouts, tofu and brown rice." They called upon international recipes to spice up a variety of orignal vegetarian dishes. They sold their ready-to-eat meals through a network of health food stores and supermarket chains like Nob Hill and Whole Foods, and eventually expanded their product line to 25 different items. The Truly Vegan motto was "So delicious, you won't even know it's healthy!"
         The Truly Vegan booth provided healthy food alternatives at fairs and festivals for many years, and on the side the little group catered weddings, corporate banquets, and events large and small. Truly Vegan Foods remained a viable business for five years, until it reached a point where it needed to expand, or close its doors. But by this time other callings drew Debora's attention.

Deep Listening and Decision Making
         How does a group make a decision? How do you ensure that every voice is heard, and every important perspective has contributed to the decision? Centuries ago the native peoples of North American designed a council model that did just this, and much more; a model that has since been adopted by the U.S. military and many corporations across America and Japan. The native elders who instructed these institutions opened the teachings to the public in the early '90s, and Debora joined one of the small circles created to learn the Ehama Medicine Teachings (Ehama means "earth wisdom").
         The history of the Ehama Medicine Teachings is too involved to detail here. Let it suffice to say that the council circle model is used to discern the truth within any issue and, if necessary, determine the next best course of action. It includes, among other things: listening deeply with respect and without judgment, setting aside your ego, and speaking from a deeper perspective.
         Debora has been actively involved with this training for many years. Her original Ehama circle continues to meet monthly, always seeking to go deeper into the fabric of the Ehama Medicine Teachings, and once every quarter they sit in an all-day council circle and practice the decision-making process. Even though Debora now lives on the opposite side of the country, she continues to participate in the monthly meetings, thanks to the wonders of modern technology.

Counseling and Problem Solving
         Debora became the Operations Manager of a long-established and respected non-denominational spiritual center, and closed the doors of Truly Vegan Foods. Though she was not looking for employment at the time, when the open position was announced at a Sunday service she knew the job was just what she wanted to do next. Debora filled a business position that happened to be in a ministry setting, but over time she found herself responding to every kind of need, such as feeding hungry children and securing protection for battered women.
         Debora's role in the center expanded when the minister was injured and forced into sudden retirement. In addition to working with the Board of Directors to attend to the myriad of business issues, she fell quite naturally into the role of providing spiritual counseling and emotional support. As she often said about these times, "I do my best to get out of the way and be present with people. When I can listen deeply without any judgment, amazing healing often happens."
         This experience deepened Debora's bond with her community and her relationship with Spirit. She remained in service for many years and was very much missed when she left. Some of the relationships she formed during that time are still very active and important in her life today.

A Bit More
         Debora has been happily married to her best friend for over 30 years. She loves long walks with her dog, ideally in the woods or on the beach. Being out of doors in beautiful, peaceful places is one of the most satisfying ways she has found to maintain her own balance.
         Some of her other delights include spending time with family, reading, gardening, photography and dancing. She has a passionate desire to help people experience more joy in their lives. Being able to help others through Coaching continues to be one of the most fulfilling and creative endeavors she has ever known.