I am a licensed dental hygienist and have over 35 years of experience in the field of health promotion working in the areas of teaching, clinical practice, public health, health promotion programming, consulting, speaking, writing and 12 years in the field of health coaching. I spent 20 years teaching at Grand View University, most recently serving as Professor of Kinesiology and Health Promotion. I currently serve as an Adjunct Professor at Des Moines University Doctor of Osteopathic program.
I completed my BS degree in Dental Hygiene at the University of Iowa, my MA degree in Health Education/Promotion at the University of Northern Iowa, and Doctorate degree from Drake University in Educational Leadership. I have received the designatiion of Master Certified Health Education Specialist and am a Certified Health and Wellness Coach through Wellcoaches
I am the Founder of LifeStrategies, LLC, a motivational interviewing and health coach training, and speaking business. The author of a chapter on health behavior change in a textbook for health professionals. I was instrumental in the development of the Wellness Coach program at the YMCA centers. I work as a consultant, trainer, and presenter on motivational interviewing and patient engagement in health systems and organizations through out the United States and Internationally.
I can remember the day exactly when I was working with my patient named Jim and he told me had quit smoking. I had been working with Jim for several years trying to “motivate” him to quit smoking. I shared with him how he could quit and all the benefits he would receive from quitting smoking. What I realized much later, that information by itself does not change behavior. Rarely anyway. For Jim, he needed to find his own “why”.
I have always been interested in why people do what they do around behavior change. For me, that moment with Jim really brought home the fact that the patient is really in the driver’s seat. They are driving the car. There really is no “one magic key” for all individuals when it comes to change. There were many factors, many determinants that lead into making changes in our lives.
This event propelled me to learn more about the components involved in lifestyle change. I continued on my journey to learn more and more while doing my master’s and doctorate research on behavior change.
As I continued on this journey of understanding the behavior change process, my focus became more on the health practitioner rather than on the individual. I could see how the practitioner’s style of communication made a difference in the conversation. I began training practitioners to have a more engaging and activating conversation with patients. Practitioners, day after day, told stories of more engaged patients, better health outcomes and less fatigue on the health practitioner of having to come up with all the answers. A winning situation for all.
I have worked with a variety of professionals working in a variety of settings: healthcare organizations, accountable care organizations, community health care centers, community organizations, medical and dental schools, and worksites.
I am passionate about training health practitioners on the powerful impact of ttransforming conversations about change with individuals. Transforming conversations can transform healthcare and in turn transform individual lives.
