I began seeing Kylie as part of the 90 day program that was introduced to our department through PROVICTA. Kylie had given presentations to our department regarding who she is, what she does as a dietician, and shared an overview of educational nutritional guidance. I could feel her positive energy and she totally owned the room; which I loved! She was unapologetically herself and shared her knowledge with us in a way that was different from any dietician I have ever worked with in the Marine Corps AND in the civilian sector. Her passion for what she does is undeniable and I was so excited to meet with her individually for our first session.
Kylie made me feel seen and heard, and because of that I felt comfortable opening up about my health challenges with lack of appetite/nausea, migraines, weakness/fatigue, addiction, and anxiety/depression. I wanted her to have the whole picture, not just a snapshot, so that she had all the information she needed in order to come up with a plan. That’s exactly what she did! One of my main concerns at the start was if I had damaged my body beyond repair due to my lifelong battle with addiction. She didn’t flinch at any of the personal things I shared with her, and she gently calmed my worries. She explained to me how addiction can disrupt the way the gut and the mind transmit information to one another and that became one of the first things we tackled; to get my mind and body working together again. I didn’t even realize how dysregulated and detached I was from my body until I started utilizing the tools to heal. The course of action she came up with helped me do just that: heal.
I truly felt like Kylie took my challenges and tailored her nutritional plan specifically to me. For example, she helped me come up with three non-negotiables, which were three things to hold myself accountable to on the days that felt impossible to take care of myself. She encouraged me to push through on the hard days, and that those were the days that would push me towards growth and healing. But she also taught me to be gentle with myself when I did fall short. Her confidence gave me the confidence I needed that I lacked within myself. Kylie consistently found different ways to tackle challenges as they surfaced and effectively communicated thoughts/ideas with Sara so that we were all on the same page working together. It made me feel like I had a whole team supporting me through this journey!
Not only did Kylie help me with my nutritional goals, but she helped me emotionally/mentally as well. She provided a safe presence and a safe environment free of any shame. This allowed me to take the uniform off and be human. Healing is hard, but Kylie made me feel like the hard/impossible is possible. Her kind, loving, and bubbly soul had me leaving sessions feeling replenished and uplifted. I started this program feeling depleted and defeated but finished the program feeling confident, courageous, and strong (a whole THREE pounds stronger!) For the first time in a very long time, I feel alive and actually want to be alive. I couldn’t have crushed my demons without her! I owe the world to my awesome team! 😉