#depending on the results of the structural integrity test i will explore whats left of space

[cinnabeat]

im taking a break for now to emotionally recover from that

[rowingchat]

Jim Joy versus the Rowing Stroke part 2

What are we looking for when we are observing someone out on the river in a single shell? For me, whether the person is a sculler or a slugger depends on two major qualities. Does the shell pause momentarily in its sliding forward and does the bow sink below the horizontal at the release.

Vince Reynolds Sculling with Jim Joy

These are two important tell tale signs of something that is not efficient is occurring with the run of the shell.

The correction method for the stop in the shell run is simply eliminate the pause above the water at the entry point: the blade should just drop in. Eliminating the bow drop is equally damaging to the shell run because now you have a vertical component. This is eliminated by sitting slightly beyond the perpendicular and imaging that the bow is running level at the release. Your hands should complete the drive phase by finishing slightly above the navel. This will keep the movements of the trunk and arms horizontal. So, you have both a physical and mental aspects to the correction. This approach is attempting to analyze the sculling before us. It is not assuming that the successful scullers in the world today are good boat movers. It is using information both from the past and the present to make these judgements. It is giving full weight to the person and his ability to move a shell effectively and not simply to rely on his training numbers on the erg, with the weights or any other tests. It is purely how the organism interfaces with the shell and is able to get the boat to slide effectively through the water.

The search for the correct movements in the sculling stroke must begin somewhere. It deserves so many questions and I am so filled with wonder and awe over the magnitude of this sport and this particular endeavour. Many of these questions were answered during my first session with Robert Fitzpatrick, as he took me through the journey of the 32 movements of the cycle. It left me with a huge headache for my 5 mile bike ride to home in West St. Catharines.

The philosophy of the sculler begins with trying to achieve two things, a smooth muscle action, and a sound, clear mind over the course of the training. We can observe the muscle action and should become sensitive to whether it is fluid or not. The observation of the mind is an aspect that takes some training to perceive. In our immediate viewing of the sculler, we can observe if the facial features show strain. Keep in mind the 100 meter dash runners have no strain on their faces: they are totally relaxed.

The mind begins its work by focusing on the smallest muscular action. If the small part is fluid, then the whole will be fluid. It is the free, smooth, muscle action that is the goal. This smooth movement is the precursor for Flow. In sculling, we try to have flow in the body and in the mind and spirit in the shell. The body actions are directly connected to the workings of the mind. This is a wonderful composite action when all of these components are present and come together. Integrative action is beautiful, inexplicable and a wonder to behold.

Our mental state must return to our childhood play. We must attempt to remember those years when we played hard and long. We played with a clear mind fully concentrated on the activity at hand. We must view the world of sculling with fresh eyes; the eyes of wonder We must strive to touch our sense of wonder, our sense of curiosity because there is so much to learn and to discover as we sit on this seat of wisdom. It is a return to our primal self. When we meditate and sit in the shell, we are sitting on the ageless earth of our forefathers. It is with the eyes of the inquisitive and curious child that we discover that there is so much to take in with our sculling. There are so many questions to ask, as we progress deeper and deeper into the skill. For this reason we do need a competent mentor as a guide in our journey. Someone that we can work with on on our travel into the region of wonder. With proper imaging, we will see our free flowing bodies in total engagement. This state of action is what we will explore in this little book. How do we bring it about, how do we reinforce it and maintain it?

Vince Reynolds sent this, “I think the child like mind is lost when curiosity is replaced with a need to succeed and supplement ones Ego self. Kids are by and large only curious critters and as such they are not driven to attain a certain level of greatness and as such they do not behave in manners to support some ego driven nonsense. They are doing to have fun and enjoy and if they discover neat things along the way this is a double plus.”

The enjoyment aspect of the skill training should be paramount and the improvement becomes part of a natural process. You certainly can observe the difference in the performance of the Olympic skaters when they are performing in the post Olympics period in comparison to when the medals are at stake.

Percy Cerutty, the old Australian track coach, wrote, “If we study the movements of child from three or four to eight or ten years we will see, in most cases, free uninhibited movements- no tensions, no pose, no false assumptions.” Cerutty would include the study of animals along with children in his investigations on training his athletes. This approach was in evidence in the work of the French painter Edgar Degas with his paintings of fine racehorses and young dancer. A child’s exploration of the world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. It is our misfortune that for most of us that clear eyed vision, that true instinct for what is beautiful and awe-inspiring, is dimmed and even lost before we reach adulthood. It is an emphasis on the person’s athleticism that we must promote. The child has this quality. We must as coaches rediscover and promote theses primitive qualities in our young athletes We should take an integrated approach to the training of the whole body including the mental and spiritual aspects. This approach should be foremost in the mind of the coach. In rowing these qualities are eliminated from the young athlete by the overuse and over testing on the ergometer and by taking a numbers approach for evaluating the progress of training. The young imagination is stifled. The fun and enjoyment aspects are overlooked. We then become separated from the shell. We lose our sensitivity to its movements. We forget our overall posture in the shell. We forget our posture as a person. Our carriage becomes misaligned. This childlike mind is what I remember about my old friend Marvin Bram, professor Emeritus of History at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. On campus walk with Marvin he pointed to a lamp post and stated that the structure came with a cost. I thought about his comment for a while and realize that he was right. Our world of nature had been disturbed.

James Dundon a teacher and sculling coach wrote me this note recently, “your writing about discovering and sustaining a child like innocence with sculling is something we focus on at 612 Endurance. For example, we play a game called predator/prey on our steady states where we adapt rating to hunt one another down or to evade capture. We also use gamesmanship on our drills by challenging ourselves to take the most number of strokes on the square without losing our balance (I do not recommend square blade sculling). Mostly, we work on being aware of the larger circle around us; bow and stern and the tips of each blade. Your focus on discovering a childlike pleasure in that pursuit is definitely what it takes to find deeper meaning in the endeavor… absolutely beautiful. I need to read more about the quantum sculling approach to fully comprehend your reference. I also really appreciate your reference to St. Francis as a guide to gently sharing. We try to embrace that approach by sharing what we see in one another. We’re attempting to create an atmosphere that attracts folks who believe in gently sharing and helping one another, as it will hopefully benefit the other person and ourselves. The process of teaching, a challenging concept to another person, can somehow result in the teachers gaining an advanced improvement in their own work.”

The pursuit begins with our childlike love of the Earth and the Universe beyond. We must observe closely, engage, and embrace, wonder, and understand the natural world around us no matter how simple or elaborate that settling maybe. It maybe the city park, the farmland or the small town. We must discipline ourselves to really see the living trees around us. I remember when we left Connecticut years ago I embraced the large and beautiful maple in our backyard and said goodbye to it. It was my friend. On so many nights I can remember sitting under this beautiful tree with a sense of wonder and appreciation for its beauty. I was being childlike in my relationship to the tree. Recently, there was a large Black Maple in Boston that was to be cut down and the inhabitants of the city made an effort to hug the huge tree before it met its fate. The hugging brings us closer to the earth and our real experience. It touches our deeper spirit and the flexibility of our bodies and mind/spirit. You look at the world around you differently, with different eyes and different sensing mind. After our hill runs at Hobart and William Smith Colleges the students would terminate their runs with hugging a tree.

Jimmy Joy leading quiet sitting

  On a daily basis you have the athlete return to his sensing state by having him sit on the floor on a regular basis. As he feels his butt on the floor he moves a little closer to the earth and the natural world. We do the same when we sit and play in our shell.This is a good starting point for returning to his childlikeness. I was encouraged to take a few moments to reflect before doing a piece on the water. The regular practice of quiet sitting is essential for achieving the clear mind of the child. With modernity we seemed to have lost our capacity to sit on the earth on various occasions. This is unfortunate because as we pointed out this could be the beginning of our childlike wonder. We must take every opportunity to sit on the earth. The Japanese sit on the floor for their meals and we in the west sit on chairs.

Plotinus felt that this practice of meditation is where you come to realize truth from the inside and not from the outside. He felt that the spirit develops until there is no difference between the “knower, the knowing, and the known.” Plotinus is directing us to a higher purpose and a higher mind that can be begun at an early age. However, we must on a daily basis return to our prayer cushion for precious moments of silence.

For Percy Cerutty, the great and unconventional coach of 50 years ago “athleticism had to be adult play. Children will play until exhausted.” So we have to return to the role of being a child with our sculling and hopefully with our training in general. It has to be a form of play and enjoyment.

The other day in an AT&T store I was treated to a TV display of playfulness watching the long-tailed macaque monkeys. They are so fluid, and flexible, simply great athletes. Children have the same capabilities.We cloud this development with too much programming, drilling and not enough free play and exploration. We must give our young athletes an opportunity to breathe.

From a small Ontario town I began my voyage into Nature at an early age.as I was constantly outside in all types of weather. The Western hill section of St. Catharines became my playground for sandlot football, for baseball and softball, for school soccer, and for lacrosse with the “Hill’s” Shamrocks. We also had our own skinny dipping swimming hole in the old Welland canal. We usually played our pickup games in our stocking feet and it was a great experience to feel the cold, fall grass under our feet. We felt that we were connecting directly with the earth.. We were part of a greater universe.

On the Western Hill it would be on the Station Park field and our football games that our expression of flow would really take place. In the immediate post World WarII period we would try to emulate the moves of two football heroes, Joe Krol and Royal Copeland. They became our models for flow. Being a pre-tv era, we had to rely and hang on every report of their exploits in the Toronto newspapers. We could only imagine their fluid movements for the Toronto Argonauts and we allowed our young imaginations to run wild. Our mothers did not particularly welcome our dirty wet socks from our shoeless play on the park.

We played from ages 10-15 against the local private school, the famous Ridley College. I had the responsibility to arrange the games through the Ridley school and to closely monitor our urchins that they did not steal any equipment from the Ridley boys after the games were completed. The Ridley boys were completely outfitted and we were in our everyday clothes. It certainly hurt when they stepped on our feet with their cleats. We progressed in this play through the various grades Looking back it was a great learning experience for me in leadership as I served as the organizer, coach and disciplinarian for our young team. It certainly provided me with an opportunity to grow and experience.

Trillium flower

So, the summer months were idyllic as we were constantly on the move. My contemplation of nature came a little later with my Sunday visits to the old dam that was situated farther upstream from the swimming hole. Here I could bask in the sunlight, watch the meandering stream and spend time with my young consciousness. In the early spring the opposite bank was filled with gorgeous white Trilliums the official flower of Ontario. We realized that we could not pick the Trillium .. We could only admire them and feel the pride of knowing that this was our Provincial flower. The total scene by the stream was a wonderful example of Flow. Observing the quiet continuous flow of the stream became a beautiful metaphor for the concept of smooth movement that I would try to duplicate in two sports over the next few years, in wrestling and in sculling. The moves and movements had to become instinctual and continuous. It was a struggle to achieve this state because the academic mind and thought kept intruding into the picture. It was definitely two distinct ways of looking at the world around us. To achieve the smoothness in the muscle action you had to think with more feeling. You had to think more instinctively. My childlike mentality prevailed over the more rigid and arid academic approach to learning the skills. I would playfully try new moves and concepts. There had to be a high degree of exploring and play involved in your skill learning. Fortunately, my coaches in both sports were supportive, and so, I did achieve a degree of Flow in both sports. So, my attachment to the natural world began for me over 60 years ago. I recall that I was slightly out of the mainstream with my peers and their thinking at the time. Sometimes, I feel the same today. People fail to see the connections between things.

My meditation practice would not surface until much later. When I learned to free up mind and have it work with my body and spirit. When I flowed, my whole body flowed. In the following years I refined my thoughts on the subject of flow by recognizing the importance of smooth muscle action. And I tried to carry these concepts into my everyday life, well beyond the sphere of my sporting activities. My subsequent coaching permitted me to expand my understanding of the flow concept even further. It became part of myself and the quest for understanding became an intimate part of my coaching. I looked for Flow everywhere.

The Flow of the Body begins with a careful monitoring of your own individual movements, while standing, walking, sitting, running, lifting or sculling. Whatever the action is. It involves how you get into and out of the shell; every move has to be athletic. Entering a shell hold one hand holding the handles and the other hand on the gunwales or rigger if possible. Place one foot on the dock and the other foot between the tracks, shove off and step into the shoe and sit down. Then bring your other foot forward into the shoe. You had to recapture the flexibility of your early teenage years. Entering the shell was part of your return to a state of Wonder.

Work over your handles to tie your shoes. All of these movements should be completed fluidly and with a distinct mental sense of focused purpose. It was by replicating the movement that flow was developed. You followed the same pattern over and over until it became part of you. This physical patterning plus the mental concentration on the pattern of the movement was what consolidated the flow and the ability to be able to call it up immediately.

Our approach to the sculling training should also be one of curiosity and wonder. We have to have the eyes and feelings of the child. You are fully aware of every movement, even carrying the oars and placing them in a deliberate fashion onto the dock. Each movement has to be carefully examined for smooth motion. So you have to thoroughly embrace the movements of the body. Every action has to be deeply felt in your physical and mental body no matter how small the movement may be. You are operating as a whole person, aware, conscious and concentrated. You see yourself. You are an athlete, operating as an athlete at all times. Your movements become who you are. The flow of the body becomes intrinsic. I recall vividly how I would employ a slow motion in approaching the dock at the end of each practice session and would effortlessly slip alongside the dock’s edge. So a major ingredient of Flow is the consistency of the movement. So simply do the same movement over and over.

It would be a few years from these playful moments that I would explore the literary works of excellent guides connecting me to nature. I found my guides in the literature of Heraclitus, Thomas Berry, Wendell Berry, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, and David Bohm,and the old sculler and master builder, George Pocock. This odyssey began for me with my coach Bob Fitzpatrick urging me to visualize the stroke cycle with “The Mind’s Eye.”It was around the same time that I discovered two little books, Eugen Herrigel’s, Zen in the Art of Archery and Shunryu Suzuki’s, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. These two gems would remain an integral part of my thought and library wherever I landed. The reading is so important for discovery of new ideas and for the expansion of one’s knowledge.

I have thirsted for more of this type of reading over the subsequent years. Recently, I have returned to the work of Rachel Carson. It is a deliberate attempt to connect the workings of my mind with the movement of my physical body. I want to achieve flow in my mind and in my writings. Great writers and great writing assist with this cause. From Plotinus, it was seeing the oneness in everything. He adhered to the adage of “living in the world without being of the world.”

Again today we can find excellent guidance from our ponds, rivers, lakes and even our oceans. We should recognize the living nature of water. This is particularly important for our sculling and connecting the blade to the water. It is powerful bonding. We seek to engage the Earth on our hikes to the countryside and to the nearby glens and ravines. Our spirit is renewed and the plasticity of our minds permits us to include wholeness and integration. We embrace the Natural World. We seek a special resonance with it. Today, we have our own nature sanctuary across the street from our apartment complex and we plan to spend a good deal of time there in this coming year. It is where we can find the silence on a daily basis.St. Francis reminds us of the benefits from simplicity and gentle sharing as well as the experience of solitude, stillness and silence. All of this practice and thought can easily be woven into the fabric of the sculling stroke.

Vince Reynolds, my friend and devotee to quantum sculling, has extensive observations on the movement of the stern when he writes “It seems as soon as I become the least bit attentive to detail and start “ pulling or yanking” at the change of entry then the wake reflects an immediate loss of continuance of movement. This effects the entry and the release movements and the levelness of the pull. Watch the bow and make sure that it is running level. Do not rush or yank any part of the body. We must become lighter in touch.”

Here he is directly applying the movements of his body to the movement of the shell. Yes, you have to go lighter, especially with the fingers. There is potentially so much power in the fingers. I think that this was an excellent observation on Vince’s part. He is engaged with a childlike approach to investigation of the various movements. I recall telling him in the fall to take more time with the end of the drive, your release and the follow through. Don’t rush or yank the handles.

Lately, I have been very aware to live and act as a Quantum person and the work of David Bohm has become hugely important to me. Bohm expressed this same sense of wonder as he explored the world of quantum physics. Being integrated and connected, has taken on special significance for me So, it is an internal odyssey that is never ending or complete. It is our consciousness that we must explore and come to know more deeply. It is here inside of us where our being really lies. This short book will try to explore the various strands of this consciousness, the childlike wonder, the emphasis on smooth movement and how these qualities apply to our sculling. As we explore the workings of each movement we should operate with a sense of wonder and we must keep our minds open and curious. How do you develop a child like mind in our present environment? This is a profound question. My only answer after much soul searching is to live with honesty, curiosity, and simplicity. These are the qualities required for approaching the learning of sculling. What do you think? We must attempt to be childlike.

The process involves our love of the Earth and the Universe beyond. There are excellent literary guides found in Heraclitus, Thomas Berry, Wendell Berry, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, David Bohm,

Our spirit is renewed and the plasticity of our minds permits us to include wholeness and integration. St.Francis reminds us of the benefits from simplicity and gentle sharing as well as the experience of solitude, stillness and silence. All of this is woven into the fabric of the sculling stroke. Our return to the stroke is an occasion to vibrate at a much different frequency than is usually found in our every day lives. It is the wholeness of the operating cycle and the closeness to primeval nature that provides us with this profound opportunity

This philosophy began for me over 70 years ago on the banks of the headwaters of the 12 mile creek in St. Catharines, Ontario. It led me to observe my own body movements as I was looking for smooth muscle action. At the creek side the setting was the slow, meandering of the stream. It was a beautiful introduction to flow that I would employ in two sports over the next few years, in wrestling and in sculling. The moves and movements had to become instinctual and continuous. It was a struggle to achieve because the mind and thought kept intruding into the picture. However, I did achieve the flow in both sports. In the following years I refined and learned more about this phenomenon. It has been my life’s pursuit off the mat and out of the shell. I have tried to witness the flow in my everyday life. I have attempted to act and proceed as a Quantum integer. So the works of David Bohm, Michael Talbot, are very important to me. As well, Sri Aurobindo and Plotinus have taken on a special meaning for me. The writings describe the connections between people and things. To actually see this we must operate in the present. So, it is an odyssey that is never ending or complete. In many ways it is a return to the land of wonder, to the land of being a child again.

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[mygoddessmusings]

Circle Series 5 - Ethics

Hello! Welcome to the fifth post in the Circle Series! You can find the introduction and prior posts of the series here. The next planned posts to wrap up the series will be centered on ritual: holidays and other sacred times, the whats and whys of ritual, and ritual structure. But before we get into all that, it seems appropriate to dedicate some time to thinking about ethics in Goddessia, so we have a framework for ethical decision making, both in our lives and in a ritual setting.

"The Earth is a living, conscious being. In company with cultures of many different times and places, we name these things as sacred: air, fire, water, and earth. ... To call these things sacred is to say that they have a value beyond their usefulness for human ends, that they themselves become the standard by which our acts, our economics, our laws, and our purposes must be judged."

-Starhawk, The Fifth Sacred Thing

From the Ground of all Being Up

Something that sets Goddessia apart from many of the major world religions is that there is no set of rules regarding right behavior or decision-making, no "Ten Commandments" or Eight-Fold Path. Although there have been some guidelines and rules of thumb proposed, which we will explore in a moment, Goddessia operates on the assumption that women don't need to be prescribed rules on what to do: with participation in Goddessia and understanding of the core concepts of Goddess spirituality, ethical decision-making will grow naturally out of that understanding. Rather than rules, the precepts and guidelines that have been offered by Goddessians are "statements that can be used to sum up Goddess ethics."1 They are descriptive, rather than prescriptive. They're reminders we can check-in with if we need a little extra guidance in making a tough decision. The two foundational concepts from which all other core concepts and common beliefs of Goddessia arise are:

Immanence/Pantheism - The universe, the earth, and everything in it are alive, imbued with sacredness. Goddess is the “soul of nature.” She is present in all things, including you and me. Or, to look at it from another perspective, we are all present in Her. She is embodied in the Universe, and each individual, from an atom to a black hole, is like a cell or organ within her be-ing.

Interconnectedness - All beings and forces in the body of the Goddess are connected through a web of relationship and energy. In this web, we co-create the world with Goddess. In Buddhism, to which Goddessia owes a debt for this concept, this is sometimes called “dependent co-arising.” In World as Lover, World as Self by Joanna Macy describes it like this: “[…] things do not produce each other or make each other happen as in linear causality. They help each other happen by providing occasion or locus or context, and in so doing, they in turn are affected. There is a reciprocal dynamic at play. Power inheres not in any one dominating entity, but in the relationship between entities.”

Reverence for the Earth, celebration of the seasonal and lunar cycles, positive valuation of the female, and belief in reincarnation (metaphorical or literal) all have their roots in the immanence of Goddess. The concept of magic, flows from the idea of interconnectedness, that we can and do have an impact on the web of life around us, and that with the conscious application of will and energy, we can, to a certain extent, control the type of impact we have and the results of that impact. Goddessian ethics also flow from these two concepts.

If Goddess is present in all beings, and we are all connected to each other, what does that mean for how we treat others, human and non-human? What does that mean for how we treat the earth? For the institutions we do and do not choose to participate in? How does that affect our judgments of right and wrong, and what sorts of responsibilities does that put on us to right wrongs that we see?

Advice and Touchstones - Goddessian Guidelines

The primary ethical precept you will come across in Goddessian Paganism, and Paganism more broadly, is the Wiccan Rede, commonly phrased "An it harm none, do what thou wilt," or, in plainer English, "if it harms none, do what you will." The word "rede" means advice, and the Rede is a shortened version of a much longer poem you can find here. As the name suggests, this came to Goddessia from Wicca, but the concept predates Wicca. The founders of Wicca were likely influenced by Aleister Crowley's Book of the Law, the central sacred text of Thelema, which states "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law . . . . . Love is the law, love under will," which was in turn influenced by older maxims, such as “love and do what thou wilt" from St. Augustine’s Homilies on the First Epistle of St. John. 2 This is what can be described as a utilitarian approach to ethics: rather than declaring that certain actions are good or bad, it is the context and outcome of an action (whether it results in harm or not) which determines its ethicalness.

While Goddessia does not have simple rules on behavior (do this or don't do that), when we truly integrate principles of interconnectedness and immanence into our worldviews, it calls us to (a) honor the fact that we are not alone in this life and consider how our actions affect those around us, and (b) serve, or, at least, refrain from harming, the other sacred beings we share this biosphere with. Therefore, "if it harm none, do what you will," is an apt, if simple, description of the core of Goddessian ethics which arise out of immanence and interconnection.

Criticisms have been made of the Rede as an ethical guideline. Some argue that the Rede does not go far enough: simply "not harming" is not strictly-speaking a call to do good. For example, if person A is harming person B, while we stand by and do nothing, it seems on the surface that, since we are not doing harm to person B, that's good enough, and we are not called to any further action. However, I believe if we consider our actions more deeply, by refraining to intervene in a situation we have the power to intervene in, our inaction is allowing the perpetuation of violence against Person B, and therefore, in order to do no harm, we are called to intervene. This applies not only to one-on-one acts of violence, but also systemic forms of violence, such as poverty, racism, and misogyny. Others argue that the Rede is too lofty of a goal: it is impossible to live in the world and do no harm. Simply living involves at minimum the consumption of plant life, and possibly also the consumption animal life; this is true of all creatures in some form. One can reconcile this by reasoning that it is necessary to do so to avoid causing harm to oneself and others through starvation, and it is only harmful if done in excess beyond need. That being said most of us get our food from industrial agriculture and factory farming, which does harm to the environment, and when we consider the working conditions of many who work in these industries which we support, the issue becomes more complex still. The advice to do no harm, then, can seem left in the dust - there is no no-harm option. However, the rede may still be used as an ideal, a call to consider how to do the least harm, when no harm is not an option.

Still, if the Rede seems overly-simplistic or anxiety-inducing in its scope as a guideline (and remember, these are guidelines and descriptions, not rules), we might instead consider Carol Christ's Nine Touchstones of Goddess Spirituality:

"Nurture life.

Walk in love and beauty.

Trust the knowledge that comes through the body.

Speak the truth about conflict, pain, and suffering.

Take only what you need.

Think about the consequences your actions for seven generations.

Approach the taking of life with great restraint.

Practice great generosity.

Repair the web."

On her touchstones, Christ writes:

"In my life, I have discovered nine touchstones that can help to translate the mythos of Goddess religion into an ethos, a way of ethical living. A touchstone is different from a principle or a commandment. Like a beautiful pebble on the shore of the sea, a touchstone is discovered by attending to the concrete. It does not derive from a source outside ourselves, but rather is discovered within the web of life. A touchstone can be consulted for guidance, but it does not tell us precisely what to do in any concrete situation. A touchstone is one among many. Ethical guidelines can never be reduced to a perfect and complete list. They are relative to the situations we live in. New touchstones can be added as they are discovered. Those that have outlived their usefulness can be discarded."3

Christ's touchstones all grow out of the core concepts of immanence and interconnection. Recognizing the presence of Goddess in all life and our deep interconnection to each other calls us to nurture life and to honor those who do the vital work of helping life grown and thrive, be they parents, healers, gardeners, or activists. Acknowledging the presence of Goddess around us calls us to "appreciate the infinite diversity of all beings in the natural world.. and to sense that everything wants to be loved," what Christ calls "walking in love and beauty." Trusting knowledge that comes through the body is a form of defiance against the patriarchal "ethos of domination" that has been at the core of western culture for centuries. Rather than giving over our spiritual authority to priests or gurus, we stand in the power of Goddess-within, and we test everything against our own experience and trust the knowledge that comes through the body. Trusting knowledge that comes through the body, "we feel our own joy and suffering, and the suffering and joy of others and the earth body," which means we cannot live in denial of the conflict, pain and suffering that takes place in the world. Acknowledging the interconnected web of life, encourages us to consider the consequences of our actions, not just on ourselves but on those around us and those who will come after, which in turn encourages restraint, taking only what we need. When we relate to Goddess as our mother Earth who provides all we need to live, we can also embody her generosity, not just materially, but also in our relationships with ourselves and others. "Generosity begins with ourselves ... as we recognize our strengths and forgive our limitations, we can begin to approach others with a generous spirit," looking for the good in others, rather than allowing situations to become polarized, us versus them. And, finally, in acknowledging the web of life, we must also acknowledge that the bonds of the web are being broken by the violence taking place in the world. To transform our personal relationships and cultural institutions through the practice of the other touchstones is to repair the web and "work to establish greater harmony, justice, and peace for all beings on earth." 4

Suggested Exercises:

Harm None - Do your best to stay mindful of your actions and words, and deeply consider "Does this harm none?" If you find there is harm being done, endeavor to abstain from the action for the rest of the week, to see if you can do without it. If you find you cannot do without it (eg. you need to drive a CO2-producing car to work), try considering it through one of the touchstones above (eg. "Am I taking only what I need?" "Is there any way I can repair the web?").

Nurture - Before going to bed, ask yourself, "what did I do today to nurture life?"

Walk in Love - "Everything want to be loved. Us sing and dance, make faces and give flower bouquets, trying to be loved. You ever notice that trees do everything to git attention we do, except walk?" - Alice Walker, The Color Purple. When you approach a living being, from a blade of grass to a person, consider that each being wants to be loved.

Knowledge Through the Body - Practice checking-in with your body throughout the day, if necessary, using a centering meditation or doing a physical activity such as stretching, walking or yoga. What knowledge is coming to you through your body? Do you need more sleep, water, or food? What are your senses telling you about the place you’re in or the people you’re with?

Speak the Truth about Suffering - Pick an issue, societal or personal, and commit to speaking openly and truthfully about it when it comes up.

Generosity - Practice being generous with yourself and others. Try giving others the benefit of the doubt. When you or others make a mistake, endeavor to respond with the same kindness and forgiveness you would show a close friend or loved one.

Repair the Web - "As this day dawns in beauty, we pledge ourselves to repair the web." When you wake up in the morning, recite this part of Carol Christ's Morning Blessing. "This song moves us out into the world, naming the beauty of each day dawning as the inspiration of our desire to increase the possibilities of joy and beauty in the world through individual and communal ethical action."5

Touchstones - Try coming up with your own set of touchstones. Judith Laura offers the following: "Seek knowledge. Revere wisdom. Be joyful. Know pleasure. Love one another. Protect life. And live in peace."  Consider your own guiding principles and ideals, as well as the interconnected web of life, and the immanence of Goddess in the universe. What are your foundations for making good decisions? Write them down in a place you can reference.

With the exception of the last one, I recommend doing each exercise for at least a week to give yourself plenty of time to experience, experiment, and reflect on the effects of the exercise.

Happy Exploring!

Next: Post Six - Sacred Times

Sources

1 Laura, Judith, "Goddess Ethics"

2 Mankey, Jason, "The Rede of the Wicca"

3 Christ, Carol, Rebirth of the Goddess, p. 166

4 Christ, Carol, Rebirth of the Goddess, p. 167 - 169

5 Christ, Carol, She Who Changes, p. 240

[cryptswahili]

A Technical Breakdown Of Google’s New Blockchain Search Tools

Image used as part of the official announcement.Google Cloud

Google is now in the blockchain search business. Less than a day after Forbes broke the story that the internet search giant would be launching a suite of tools built by, and for, open source developers, those tools are live.

In addition to loading datasets for all the transactions and metadata in eight cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin and ethereum, Google Cloud developer advocate Allen Day and his team of open source developers from around the world are launching a number of tools designed to do to blockchain, what Google search did to the internet.

“I’m very interested to quantify what’s happening so that we can see where the real legitimate use cases are for blockchain,” said Day, who manages the cloud portion of the project. “So people can acknowledge that and then we can move to the next use case and develop out what these technologies are really appropriate for.”

Last year Day, and lead developer Evegeny Medvedev discreetly loaded transaction data for the bitcoin and ethereum blockchains, along with some basic search tools, to Google’s BigQuery big data analytics platform, and have been studying how developers are using the software. As of today, they’re taking what they’ve learned and making datasets available for bitcoin cash, ethereum classic, litecoin, zcash, dogecoin and dash, along with an expanded suite of search tools.

Dubbed Blockchain ETL (extract, transform, load), the software created by independent developer Medvedev, with support from the rest the team, now includes features such as integration with Google’s BigQuery ML (machine learning) tool, launched into a test, or “beta” version last year. By searching for patterns in transaction flows, the machine learning integration will automatically inform the user basic information about how a cryptocurrency address is being used.

For example, the tool might be used to analyze transaction flows to determine that an address is holding funds for a cryptocurrency mining pool, when users contribute unused computer power to audit blockchain transactions in exchange for cryptocurrency. In the future, the BigQuery ML integration could also identify cryptocurrency addresses owned by a single entity, for example an exchange, and condense those addresses into a single data point, simplifying comparisons.

Also included in the launch, the blockchain datasets have been standardized into what Day calls a “unified schema,” meaning the data is structured in a similar, easy to access way. By ensuring this level of consistency across datasets, Day hopes to make it easier for data scientists, auditors, and investigators to make comparative statements about transactions in the supported blockchains. “And others going forward will use the same architecture,” Day adds. 

Another new search feature now available is what Day calls a “double entry book view,” designed to simplify the way users can search for the cumulative balance of an account over a particular time, accurate down to the eight decimal places, the smallest possible bitcoin denomination, called a satoshi, named after the cryptocurrency’s pseudonymous inventor.

Going forward, datasets that fall into what is called the “Satoshi family,” meaning they structurally resemble bitcoin, will be searchable by two criteria: block and transactions. Whereas support for the ethereum and ethereum classic blockhchains, with their more complicated smart contract functionality, now includes five additional tables designed to enable more sophisticated searches.

The first terabyte of inquiries for these and other datasets are free each month, with additional fees charged per-byte, or flat $40,000 monthly rates for high-volume users. Not only did Amazon, Google’s biggest cloud computing competitor, enter blockchain last year in a big way, but fellow cloud leader Microsoft is now considered a seasoned veteran of the burgeoning space. As startups like Storj and Perlin aim to use cryptocurrency as a way to incentivize users to adopt their own decentralized version of cloud computing, Day says the industry, expected to reach $411 billion next year, is primed to experience a blockchain renaissance.

“Some people are more theoretical, and the importance of their work becomes fully manifested decades after they’re dead,” says Day. “I guess I’m just more interested in seeing things play out in front of me, as opposed to doing anything deeply theoretical.”

To incentivize as much participation as possible, Medvedev and Day have partnered with the non-profit Ethereum Community Fund, which is in turn offering cryptocurrency rewards to developers who find and fix bugs in the code. “There are around ten core contributors that helped implement various components of the system,” says Medvedev, who leads the developers and was previously the lead data engineer at cryptocurrency intelligence firm Coinfi. “They are spread around the globe: some live in Russia, others in Singapore or China.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Day’s role as customer zero means his interest in helping create the blockchain search features goes beyond theory. Collectively, he believes the tools will enable more advanced econometric calculations including the Gini coefficient, which measures the distribution of wealth in a given system, and could eventually be used to understand which nations are actually using the cryptocurrency. While blockchain data doesn’t natively include information about where a transaction occurs, Day is personally exploring how BigQuery ML might be leveraged to reveal transaction locations.

“This is not some kind of dependency on government agency reporting,” says Day. “We have all the data, and we can pull metrics and and look at them and reason about them over time.”  

To show how Blockchain ETL could result in improvements to the cryptocurrency economy, Day is also using the suite of tools to examine a number of cryptocurrencies, most notably, bitcoin cash and ethereum classic. While both the cryptocurrencies resulted from a dispute about how to enable smaller, cheaper transactions, Day found, according to the report published today, that the cryptocurrencies are being hoarded in much the same way as their predecessors.

From the report:

“Bitcoin Cash was purportedly created to increase transfer-of-value use cases through lower transaction fees, which should ultimately lead to a lower Gini coefficient of address balances. However, we see that the opposite is true—Bitcoin Cash holdings have actually accumulated since Bitcoin Cash forked from Bitcoin. Similarly, the Ethereum Classic currency was rapidly accumulated post-divergence and remains so.”

And it’s not just Day who has been using the cryptocurrency datasets. So far, the largest group of users are coming from within Google itself. In March 2017 Google purchased data science collaboration startup Kaggle for an undisclosed amount. Comprised of a community of data scientists, including Day, Kaggle is now hosting more than 500 bitcoin projects and 16 ethereum projects, many of which are for educational purposes. Projects include Day’s own effort to track the bitcoin transactions of the $10k bitcoin pizza purchase widely believed to be the first ever use of bitcoin to buy goods, and some early work to calculate the Gini coefficient for ethereum.

“We saw a very warm reception from that community,” says Day.

Such successes are giving Day a cult following of sorts, even beyond the confines of Google and its subsidiaries. In December 2018 Day met Tomasz Kolinko, a computer scientist and creator of the Eveem software for analyzing code, called smart contracts, designed to transparently, and immutably execute any number of tasks. The two were attending the EthSingapore hackathon when Kolinko expressed his frustration for having to wait for hours to get results from some of his searches.

Within a month of the two meeting, Kolinko published the results of his analysis using BigQuery, showing the potential benefits and dangers of putting such tools in the hands of the public. Kolinko used the Google BigQuery ethereum dataset to look for a smart contract feature called a “selfdestruct” designed to limit how long a contract can be used. In 23 seconds he was able to search 1.2 million smart contracts and found that almost 700 of them had left open a selfdestruct feature that would let anyone instantly kill the smart contract, regardless of who might be using it. “The scary part is,” said Kolinko, “if there is a new vulnerability, in the past you couldn’t just easily check all the contracts that were using it.”

That same month Day reached out to engineer Will Price, whose work using Google BigQuery to classify the 40,000 richest ethereum addresses with 25 criteria, he had seen online. Using the basic search tools previously made available, Price identified ten distinct patterns for how ethereum addresses are being used, but was only able to classify three of them into the what he called, “archetypes:” exchanges, miners and initial coin offering (ICO) wallets. “The other archetypes are just as valid,” says Price, who is now listed as a member of the developer team. “But I don’t have enough information to say what they are.”

Increasingly, it’s not just cryptocurrency datasets loaded by Day that are being used on Google BigQuery. In November 2018 independent Dutch developer Wietse Wind followed Day’s lead and uploaded his own dataset, and similarly gave it away to the open source community. Best known for building the XRP Tip Bot, which has 5,500 active users. Wind invested $20,000 to buy two of his own “bare metal machines”—meaning he’s not using cloud for this work—and helps validate data about XRP transactions. Then, in November, he loaded that data to Google BigQuery, and regularly updates it for public use.

In what is perhaps one of the most visually striking uses of Google BigQuery to analyze cryptocurrency data, graphic designer Thomas Silkjaer, exported Wind’s data to a special graphical database called Neo4J designed to visually render data in ways that make patterns more apparent. By merging his skills as a graphic designer for bibles with Wind’s data, Silkjaer gives a glimpse of what is possible. His graphs show simple transactions between wallets but give what is perhaps the most memorable answers to the question, what is a blockchain?

“You now have public access to view all transactions on a payment network,” said Silkjaer, “We have never had that before with banks, because each bank is secretive.” Silkjaer is now working to classify the transaction-clusters into categories and visually paint a picture of which addresses are being used for trading, for making purchases, or for sending collateral to loan providers. Day sees Silkjaer’s work as an example of things to come. “That’s what I’m actively working on right now,” he adds. “Getting the data available in graph data structures to enable those types of queries.”

While Day’s job as Google Cloud developer advocate puts him in a unique position to build bridges between the search giant and developers, he is not alone in his blockchain interest at the company. Going back to at least to September 2016 Google has reportedly filed more than 20 patents for blockchain-related technology, including one in 2018 for using a “lattice” of interoperating blockchains to increase security. Among Google’s earliest forays into blockchain were a number of high-profile strategic investments, including Blockchain Inc., Ripple, and Veem.

Then, in July 2018, Google revealed it would be supporting development internally using the ethereum blockchain and Hyperledger Fabric, and that it had formally partnered with financial infrastructure provider, Digital Asset, which counts the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) among its customers, and enterprise ethereum app developer BlockApps, which was an early partner with Microsoft, and recently started working with Amazon Web Services and Red Hat, now owned by IBM.

BlockApps CEO Kieren James-Lubin says that while Google was relatively late to publicly commit resources to blockchain, the company will benefit from watching from the sidelines as the cryptocurrency market collapsed in 2018. To help make up for that lost time James-Kiernen says his team is working “in the trenches” with Google to help their sales and pre-sales teams understand the value proposition of enterprise ethereum applications.

In the meantime, Google has amped up its presence in the global event space, hosting a number of private events that nonetheless attracted standing room only audiences. In August 2018 the president of the Ethereum Foundation, Aya Miyaguchi joined Day and others on-stage at Google’s Asia headquarters in Singapore where she discussed how Day’s work might be used to help businesses make better informed decisions about how customers are using—or not using—their crypto products.

“Allen’s work helps by providing public datasets for businesses or products to make decisions for their implementations,” says Miyaguchi. In December, Google hosted its first blockchain on Google Cloud event in New York City, with startups on stage including partners BlockApps and Digital Asset as well as enterprise blockchain developer, Blockdaemon and ethereum investor, ConsenSys Ventures. At the next Google Cloud NEXT event in April 2019 partner Digital Asset plans to reveal a number of new developments related to the partnership.

As for Allen, he’s working to put together a cash prize for a contest to use Google BigQuery to calculate cryptocurrency Gini coefficients around the world, and is continuing his work using BigQuery ML to seek out new artificial intelligence in blockchain data, and trying to identify what exactly those seemingly coordinated robots are actually up to? 

“This is the general trend that you’re going to be see going forward,” says Day, referring to the most sophisticated forms of search. “The community that I’m building around this is mostly machine learning people, and they’re thinking about all kinds of other stuff, and it’s gonna start coming out.”

Source

[Telegram Channel | Original Article ]

[ouathinktank-metacommentary]

One big issue with tv shows is that unlike with books, the message is incomplete. So they might temporarily put out the opposite message of what they will be saying in the end. Or not. Which is the issue. We don't know. What does your tv Utopia look like in regards to this issue? How do we combine accountability with artistic integrity and freedom? What framing should there be? What would it look like for Once Upon a Time?

Oo-kay. Forstarters, there’s a world of difference between message being incomplete (whichcan indicate less than adequate narrative development, to put it mildly) or if itis left to interpretation (which can vary between being clever, thoughtprovoking–even subversive) so I guess we can approach appraisal of OUaTfrom radically different angles–depending on our individual assessment of that starting point? So, I assume youalready know ours. It just cannot not start from the need to rationalizetheir ‘origins’ into the continuity, and it being–the accolades (or criticism,depending who you ask) they got for Lost. Because as we know, they have been praisedfor it–for all those explorations of that notion of multiplicity(alternative timeline/versions, etc) so we must take into account thepossibility of that affecting theirarrogance to start with–and that we have (possibly? probably? maybe?) giventhem undeserved ‘headstart’ so they took themselves too seriously–and approachedtheir new project (and their attitude/response to audience feedback, or lack thereof) in suchway? Also, more importantly–that they have naturally attracted the ‘intelligent’ followingfor it to begin with (because participatory culture surpasses basic passiveconsumerism, offers enriched dynamic, more lifelike experience–all thatjazz) thus ‘burdening’ themselves with a significantly more demanding audience, andit–affecting a more resounding feeling of our general discontent now?

Eitherway, that could explain the game of one-upmanship, of them striving to (andaround S3 starting to fail miserably, IMO) to stay two steps ahead of the audience.Hence the tactics of opposite message of what they will probably be saying in the end that you mention–so yes of course, false clues, red herrings, logicalfallacies or any other devices that lead audiences towards misleadingconclusions. Because it’s really hard to know anything in the middle? Andwhich now reminds me, I remember reading when someone was talking about Lost (perhapsJenkins, I think I also talked about it here, or somewhere–but just can’t go around diggingfor references, the archives became overwhelming, so–I just might repeatmyself, for which I apologise in advance :) and them trying to account for the things they invented in earlierseasons without too much thought of what they actually might mean and/or wherethey might lead (which sounds WAY too familiar now?) Dickens was mentioned. As in, how his works are nowseen as really well-structured novels because we read them in a bounded form,but in fact–he sometimes radically rewrote his ‘vision’ (which, retconning?) ofthe characters. So if the middle point is supposedly the most ‘productive’ space(because universally, fans also generate alternative versions of the narrativeas they theorize about what’s going on, versions which are very generative,very rich and interesting–like say, what you have been doing?) and while theyare exploring all the alternatives (which alas, usually manifest as randomness/retconningin their writing, these days?) shouldn’t it be, well–the most productive part?Instead of this… disastrous mash of pacing/contrivance, riddled with alarminglyhorrible messages–basically a pile of stinking heterosexist, racist, misogynistand homophobic shite? And all after that beginning that was so staggeringlypromising–and/or dangerously misleading?

Which brings me to, yes, fundamentally–the media industry (broadly defined) and the TV entertainmentindustry in particular, need to be far more accountable when it comes to themessage they create, both in the content itself, and the ways in which it is distributed.But if we try to combine accountability and artistic integrity and freedom–wecannot but question what IS Brothers Dim’s primary drive here? Free expression,pursuit of a vision, consistent and brilliant narrative (the ‘modern’re-envisioning of fairytales, subverting the old dogmatic tropes and all that)or are they driven purely by commerce, designed to build a brand that will multiplyrevenue streams or drive eyes toward a central moneymaking mothership? Because that’s the crux of the problem here.

And sinceyou asked, yes–my personal TV Utopia is of course all about the former. I do believe infree expression and I do believe that the showrunners have the right to createwhatever content they want–no creative limits or boundaries whatsoever. Hell,at one point I did believe that theory, that they were actually giving us twoparallel narratives, an obvious/direct one for the casual/superficialviewership (showing the cautionary tale of what’s not supposed to bea well-accepted normative) and the ‘hidden’ and yet obvious multi-layered onethat challenged the hegemony–and developed that ‘subversive’modern fairtytale about two mothers sharing a son, sense of understanding, acceptanceand ultimately, love. But as a rule, the issue becomes problematic when the show is aired–how it’s distributed and to which audiences. Because while the industry shouldbe far more vigilant, oftentimes they aren’t–because they go for pandering, asit is what (they think) sells. So inevitably the question arises,where does the ‘vision’ start being altered, twisted and is eventuallycompletely forgone–in favour of a product served/tailored by market target (whose age was drastically reduced in S4 with Frozen, in this case)audience? Inthe end leaving it to us, the more demanding crowds–tobelieve that we’ve either been misled (they tried, tested, enticed, and well–queerbaiting’s all we got left with?) or it was where they wereheading, but–they got yanked back by the PTB? And now basically giving way tothe biggest disagreement we might have here now: have we given WAY too much depthand meaning to this product than it really deserves (or was originally meant tohave, anyway) and thus credit to its authors, or are they (or well, were they–before PTBs trimmed theirwings) really intrepid and brave show runners with a brilliant vision?

You can guess what we here believe. Because sixyears later, the result is schizophrenic to say the least. For instance,sure–Hood might be a ‘prop’ for Regina but it looks like they keep hiring the idiot back (andthe story goes on and on and on?) and sure, Hook might just be a commentary oneverything that is screwed up about fairytale sexist dogma… but again, they’redragging it all way past the point of logic, no? So as a result we have here now is anintense, even toxic part of the audience (online fandom) while a whole other partof it is just as immersed in the story–but the story they think is being toldis far less subversive and actually far more dangerous. And the real problem has been the marketing of that kindof story–the story that tells you that Hook is your dream lad, 50 Shades of Rapecultureis the best romance ever written, and lesbians are mean and angry people whoshould just go away. Because bottom line: to go there by sacrificing your twostrongest female characters when the context you’re writing stories within–neithernecessitates nor justifies the undermining (or defiling) of these ‘strong women’, and… well. Onetruth is being told at the expense of the other?

Sooo… purelytextual analysis whilst ignoring all other factors including basic marketing issuesjust isn’t how television works. Because them writing all the negative and harmfulthings is something they SHOULDas showrunners be accounted for, and on a much larger scale. And they should, you know, either justify it or face the consequences far more seriousthan just dwindling ratings of the product they’re now having difficulties tosell. While in the meantime, the ‘mixed’ result of their struggle to balance and pander (they know it can’t be about just Hook, but nothing they wrote about him made people as disgusted as Regina’s stomach-churning shagging scene did–which was a crime against those of us who wantedto see that shirt unbuttoned for any bloody reason–what we can’t stop reiterating) leaves the ultimatequestion, not related to ships/shipping/endgames but rather aboutcharacter journeys–if we as large chunk of theaudience cannot ‘enjoy the ride’ (some of the stuff they wrote was/isdecidedly vile, even more than their collective treatment of an incrediblypersistent/masochistic fanbase that still have hope for Reginaand Emma, who despite what’s been shoved down our throats–stillare the core of this show) then someone please tell me…

What ISthe point? Because I seem to be… missing it.

[mathewkingusa]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[valeriewrightca]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[lorrainescott8]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[derrickappleus]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[franciecaudle]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[juliettespencerus]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[fayetporteraz]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Healthy Living https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[robertsmorgan]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

from Robert Morgan Blog https://psychologyofeating.com/my-life-as-an-eating-psychology-coach-meredith-newell/

[cynthiamwashington]

My Life as an Eating Psychology Coach: Meredith Newell

What made you want to become an Eating Psychology Coach?

Working in the field of nutrition and owning a catering business that focuses on whole, local foods, I couldn’t shake the feeling that pieces were missing. I spend my days talking about food and preparing food, but my clients seemed to need more. I met a woman who had just completed the training, and while she told me about it, goosebumps crept up my arms. The more I learned, the brighter the neon sign in my head flashed, “This is it!” People are more than the sum of their diet and exercise program. They are many-sided and in order to inspire real change, those various aspects need to be addressed. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I now have the tools to explore those areas and to help clients find the root of their challenges.

What do you love about being an Eating Psychology Coach?

Each day, with each client, I am humbled by their willingness to share their stories with me. I live for the opportunity to connect with those around me and participate in their journey and growth. In my practice, I gain more than I give. At the end of the day, I feel full and satisfied. There are few professions that could leave me feeling that way. As an Eating Psychology Coach, I feel like I have answered a calling.

What does your practice look like?

I am blessed to work in a functional medicine clinic, Advantage Integrative Medicine, where Dr. Rollins strives to treat the whole person, not just their symptoms. In functional medicine, nutrition and gut health are the foundation of the practice. Patients are treated as individuals and encouraged to heal themselves through healthy eating, stress relief, supplementation and preventative measures. I specialize in working with patients of all ages to determine what their body needs in terms of diet, movement and relaxation. While not every patient is scheduled specifically for an “Eating Psychology Visit”, I treat each patient using the tools I learned in the course. For example, a patient will be referred to me for delayed food allergy testing, and as we review their results, I mention the importance of slow, relaxed eating for proper digestion. We meet in person and over the phone, depending on the patient’s schedule and location. I have chosen not to structure my visits into packages or programs, because I find that each patient needs something different. Instead, I meet with them and let them determine what amount of support they need. Some patients meet with me once a month, while others like the accountability that comes with weekly visits.

How did your education at the Institute prepare you to work successfully with clients?

I couldn’t imagine a more comprehensive program in that we are taught the material, we immediately implement it in our lives and with our peers and are given a direct line of questioning to guide our clients into self-awareness. Nothing is left unanswered. When I began to see clients, my session was structured and I simply followed the guidelines laid out in the course. After I gained a level of comfort with the material, I pulled away from the structure in favor of a more fluid interpretation of the course. In this way, I make it my own.

What was your favorite aspect of the Training?

At no point in my training did I find it lacking in any way. Working full-time and running a business on the side, I was worried that I wouldn’t have the time to commit to the course. I was pleasantly surprised when I began the program and realized the flexibility it allowed. I loved having the audio files so that I could download them and listen while I cooked. Having the video allowed me to cement the information visually and to take notes. That one-two punch implanted the material in my brain without requiring formal studying. However, the case studies offered me the most riches. Marc’s application of the principles with his clients provided real world examples of cause and effect, completing the picture for me.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted your professional life/financial well-being?

Before taking this course, I was employed in the same way that I am now. Financially, my life hasn’t changed much—but I didn’t need it to. The training has impacted me more professionally. As I mentioned earlier, I feel content, complete in my position at the clinic. While I will always seek to know more, my knowledge is well-rounded and balanced. I finally have the words to express inklings and impressions that I have had with me for most of my life. I am a better practitioner, and my and my client’s lives are richer for it.

How has being an Eating Psychology Coach impacted you personally?

The gift in any accrued knowledge is the opportunity to grow from it. Like many counselors, I was drawn to this profession after struggling with my own eating issues. I have said to family and friends that the money I invested in this course would have been well spent if all I gained from it was my personal growth. Taking this course invited me to get real with myself. And while I am not completely free from the shackles of my challenges around food, I am equipped with the ability to love myself in spite of them, or maybe even because of them. As I turned up the volume on self-love, other areas of my life followed suit. I have experienced a deeper connection to my husband, family, friends and clients, because knowing myself better allows me to better know others. Loving myself more, increases my love for others. Being more compassionate with myself, makes me more compassionate to others.

What do you see for yourself in your future as an Eating Psychology Coach – where is your work evolving towards?

The future has seemed less interesting to me since completing this course. I am so enraptured with the right now. For most of my adult life, I have been working toward the next big thing. Assuring myself that, once I reached whatever goal I laid out, I would be content. For the last six months, I have found that my yearning for change has ceased. I am finally comfortable in my own skin and in the life that I have created. I am completely open to whatever comes next, because I know whatever it is, it will be good.

Why Would You Recommend the Training to Others?

This training offers more than just a new career; it offers you a relationship with yourself. The material applies to everybody, everywhere, which makes your potential for clientele infinite. Saying “yes” to this course means saying “yes” to a fuller life, not only for you, but for anyone who has the pleasure of knowing you.

NAME: Meredith Newell BUSINESS: Taproot

BIO: As a graduate of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, the world’s leading school in nutritional psychology, Meredith is at the forefront of a powerful, new, holistic nutritional healing movement that’s changing the way we understand food, weight, body image, holistic nutrition, and health.

Teaching “mind-body nutrition” Meredith looks at the psychophysiology of how digestion, assimilation, calorie burning and all the nutritive functions of the body are impacted by stress, relaxation, thought, emotion, pleasure, our personal story, eating rhythm, eating speed, awareness, and so much more. WHAT we eat is half the story of good nutrition. The other half of the story is WHO we are as eaters.

Practicing “dynamic eating psychology” she encourages a positive approach that sees all of our eating concerns as an opportunity for growth and transformation, exploring how our food challenges are here to teach us, rather than enemies to be attacked, and looking to uncover the connections between our personal world and our unwanted eating habits.

Meredith is skilled in teaching nutrition principles for general health, weight loss, delayed food allergies, and disease specific diets such as for diabetes or kidney disease. She is an expert in treating intestinal disorders such as “leaky gut”, dysbiosis and even autoimmune conditions such as Crohn’s disease.

Meredith’s work at the IMC is complemented by her boutique catering company, Taproot, which focuses on providing healthy, locally sourced meals. She shares her passion for food through cooking classes, recipes, meal plans, grocery store tours and weekly meals for our patients.

P.S. – To learn more about the breakthrough body of work we teach here at the Institute for the Psychology of Eating, please sign up for our free video training series at ipe.tips. You’ll learn about the cutting-edge principles of Dynamic Eating Psychology and Mind Body Nutrition that have helped millions forever transform their relationship with food, body, and health. Lastly, we want to make sure you’re aware of our two premier offerings. Our Eating Psychology Coach Certification Training is an 8 month distance learning program that you can take from anywhere in the world to launch a new career or to augment an already existing health practice. And Transform Your Relationship with Food is our 8 week online program for anyone looking to take a big leap forward with food and body.

Article source here:Psychology of Eating

[maxslogic25]

Life After A/B Ad Testing: A Retrospective

Last August, Google switched up the options for ad rotation settings. We all saw it. And we all, for the most part, adjusted the settings to suit our needs, (I say “for the most part” as I to this day onboard clients with the unsupported “Optimize for Conversions” selected). Mary wrote a great piece, The End of 2 Ads Per Ad Groups. Google said, “This is changing!”. We said, “Okay!” and moved on.

In this post, I’d like to explore how that seemingly small change impacted the way I think, not only about ad copy, but about how I approach making changes in my accounts. I will explore:

Why manual A/B tests are flawed

Why I gave up trying to write “perfect” copy

How writing more ads has freed up my time

A/B? C-ya later!

I know I have talked about it before: I am a process junky. I love symmetry. And straight lines. And clean tests. Everything has a place and an edge. The problem is PPC is not a place where clean, defined lines exist. PPC is messy. Everything touches everything. The peas are in the mashed potatoes and there isn’t a darn thing you can do about it. When I started in PPC nearly 5 years ago, our A/B ad testing process was a gem! We had a guideline for how to run a test and we stuck to it and we made definitive statements:

“This worked!”

“This didn’t work!”

“Your consumer likes ‘Buy’ instead of ‘Shop’!

“Interesting. In ad group A, your audience preferred ads with proper case. In ad group B, your audience clicked on ads with sentence case almost 3x as often.”

“I will change that period to an exclamation point and see what happens!”

I thought it was so interesting to see the results of tests and to introduce new ads to test. In my mind, I made up a lot of sociological garbage about why this audience did or didn’t click certain copy. I didn’t actually know why. I didn’t stop to ask how the sausage was made, I just moved on to the next test. So when Google made the switch last year that basically told advertisers, “Listen, you can keep your ‘rotate indefinitely’ setting, but you will likely be left in the dust,” I may have had a slight nervous breakdown. I had A/B testing down! I was a machine!

Write two drastically unique ads per ad group.

Run for 30 days.

Calculate statistical significance.

Declare winner and pause loser.

Write new ad by taking the winning ad and changing something small.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

Did you know humans analyze about 70 million signals in the blink of an eye? So which one of those signals made Jared click on Ad A and Jian-Yang click on Ad B? And why did Jian-Yang convert and Jared did not? I don’t know. What was the weather like when they each saw the ad? And while I would like to say, “It is because Ad A had a CTA in the headline and Ad B had a CTA in the description,” I do not actually know.This is the problem with trusting the results of manual A/B testing. We don’t take the time to think about our audience when making the decisions.

Pefrection

I realize the way I describe my love of process and organization makes me sound neurotic at best. While I do love clear guidelines, it is ambiguity, uncertainty, and imperfection keeping me in this field. The gray area is why PPC is both frustrating and exciting. Perfection? Overrated, of course.

Writing one perfect ad copy for hundreds of thousands of consumers is, um, shall we say, a “lofty” goal. So why did we as marketers try to do this over and over again with our A/B testing? Well, we didn’t know any better. We were doing the best we could with the information and technology we had.

Somewhere along the journey, Facebook came along and said, “Hey! Isn’t it so much better to write an ad when you know exactly who your audience is?” And we all said, “Yes!” And then machine learning jumped in and said, “I am strong enough, let me carry the burden of figuring out which ad to serve Gavin and which ad to serve Laurie.” And we said, “No! These are my precious ads and I won’t turn them over to you, machine!” And then we said, “Oh, okay, yeah, you probably know more than we do, here you go. But I’m still going to check in all the time.”

So we rolled up our sleeves, wrote a couple ads, then a couple more and flipped the settings to optimize and let it go. And it is working. I have yet to hear how more ads have lead to a negative impact on overall progress to goals.

Instead of trying to write 2 perfect ad variations, I now write 4-5 ad variations. Some use all the character space. Some don’t. Some have really strong CTAs. Some have a softer approach. All of the ads I write keep in mind brand integrity, voice, and proper control over grammar. When it makes sense for me to use ad customizers, I use them.

Takeaway: let go of the struggle to write good ad copy. Get in, write ads, get out, and get on to rocking your strategy.

More ads, less time

I am not entirely sure when my brain figured it out. As someone who was in love with A/B testing, everyone in the office came to me for advice on writing ads. But writing ads for manual A/B testing was wearing on me.

If you write your ads yourself, without the help of a program, you know it is a very time-consuming task. In the age of A/B, I would spend the majority of ad writing time thinking how to write a singular ad that could make sense across multiple ad groups to ensure the integrity of the a/b test. Depending on the size of the account and the tightness of the structure, that was a tough thing to do.

Now, no matter what the state of the structure, I am writing ads specific to the ad group, speaking to the keywords in that ad group, and I am breezing through the process. I try to write similar ads, but if from one ad group to the next the syntax doesn’t work, I don’t erase the work I’ve already done, I just rework the ad in question and move on.

My system isn’t perfect. I try to use formulas whenever I can to make writing any part of the ad easier. I like using DKI when I can. But mostly, my method now is quick and dirty. Get a bunch of ads in my spreadsheet, edit, make improvements, and let the machine do its work.

Final thoughts

I am still working out how to analyze what the results are telling me about my audiences. I’ve been playing around with n-grams to see how groups of words perform. Mostly, I am going through this post-A/B test world with the rest of you and trying to see where it takes me.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8217493 https://www.ppchero.com/life-after-ab-ad-testing/

[zacdhaenkeau]

Life After A/B Ad Testing: A Retrospective

Last August, Google switched up the options for ad rotation settings. We all saw it. And we all, for the most part, adjusted the settings to suit our needs, (I say “for the most part” as I to this day onboard clients with the unsupported “Optimize for Conversions” selected). Mary wrote a great piece, The End of 2 Ads Per Ad Groups. Google said, “This is changing!”. We said, “Okay!” and moved on.

In this post, I’d like to explore how that seemingly small change impacted the way I think, not only about ad copy, but about how I approach making changes in my accounts. I will explore:

Why manual A/B tests are flawed

Why I gave up trying to write “perfect” copy

How writing more ads has freed up my time

A/B? C-ya later!

I know I have talked about it before: I am a process junky. I love symmetry. And straight lines. And clean tests. Everything has a place and an edge. The problem is PPC is not a place where clean, defined lines exist. PPC is messy. Everything touches everything. The peas are in the mashed potatoes and there isn’t a darn thing you can do about it. When I started in PPC nearly 5 years ago, our A/B ad testing process was a gem! We had a guideline for how to run a test and we stuck to it and we made definitive statements:

“This worked!”

“This didn’t work!”

“Your consumer likes ‘Buy’ instead of ‘Shop’!

“Interesting. In ad group A, your audience preferred ads with proper case. In ad group B, your audience clicked on ads with sentence case almost 3x as often.”

“I will change that period to an exclamation point and see what happens!”

I thought it was so interesting to see the results of tests and to introduce new ads to test. In my mind, I made up a lot of sociological garbage about why this audience did or didn’t click certain copy. I didn’t actually know why. I didn’t stop to ask how the sausage was made, I just moved on to the next test. So when Google made the switch last year that basically told advertisers, “Listen, you can keep your ‘rotate indefinitely’ setting, but you will likely be left in the dust,” I may have had a slight nervous breakdown. I had A/B testing down! I was a machine!

Write two drastically unique ads per ad group.

Run for 30 days.

Calculate statistical significance.

Declare winner and pause loser.

Write new ad by taking the winning ad and changing something small.

Lather, Rinse, Repeat

Did you know humans analyze about 70 million signals in the blink of an eye? So which one of those signals made Jared click on Ad A and Jian-Yang click on Ad B? And why did Jian-Yang convert and Jared did not? I don’t know. What was the weather like when they each saw the ad? And while I would like to say, “It is because Ad A had a CTA in the headline and Ad B had a CTA in the description,” I do not actually know.This is the problem with trusting the results of manual A/B testing. We don’t take the time to think about our audience when making the decisions.

Pefrection

I realize the way I describe my love of process and organization makes me sound neurotic at best. While I do love clear guidelines, it is ambiguity, uncertainty, and imperfection keeping me in this field. The gray area is why PPC is both frustrating and exciting. Perfection? Overrated, of course.

Writing one perfect ad copy for hundreds of thousands of consumers is, um, shall we say, a “lofty” goal. So why did we as marketers try to do this over and over again with our A/B testing? Well, we didn’t know any better. We were doing the best we could with the information and technology we had.

Somewhere along the journey, Facebook came along and said, “Hey! Isn’t it so much better to write an ad when you know exactly who your audience is?” And we all said, “Yes!” And then machine learning jumped in and said, “I am strong enough, let me carry the burden of figuring out which ad to serve Gavin and which ad to serve Laurie.” And we said, “No! These are my precious ads and I won’t turn them over to you, machine!” And then we said, “Oh, okay, yeah, you probably know more than we do, here you go. But I’m still going to check in all the time.”

So we rolled up our sleeves, wrote a couple ads, then a couple more and flipped the settings to optimize and let it go. And it is working. I have yet to hear how more ads have lead to a negative impact on overall progress to goals.

Instead of trying to write 2 perfect ad variations, I now write 4-5 ad variations. Some use all the character space. Some don’t. Some have really strong CTAs. Some have a softer approach. All of the ads I write keep in mind brand integrity, voice, and proper control over grammar. When it makes sense for me to use ad customizers, I use them.

Takeaway: let go of the struggle to write good ad copy. Get in, write ads, get out, and get on to rocking your strategy.

More ads, less time

I am not entirely sure when my brain figured it out. As someone who was in love with A/B testing, everyone in the office came to me for advice on writing ads. But writing ads for manual A/B testing was wearing on me.

If you write your ads yourself, without the help of a program, you know it is a very time-consuming task. In the age of A/B, I would spend the majority of ad writing time thinking how to write a singular ad that could make sense across multiple ad groups to ensure the integrity of the a/b test. Depending on the size of the account and the tightness of the structure, that was a tough thing to do.

Now, no matter what the state of the structure, I am writing ads specific to the ad group, speaking to the keywords in that ad group, and I am breezing through the process. I try to write similar ads, but if from one ad group to the next the syntax doesn’t work, I don’t erase the work I’ve already done, I just rework the ad in question and move on.

My system isn’t perfect. I try to use formulas whenever I can to make writing any part of the ad easier. I like using DKI when I can. But mostly, my method now is quick and dirty. Get a bunch of ads in my spreadsheet, edit, make improvements, and let the machine do its work.

Final thoughts

I am still working out how to analyze what the results are telling me about my audiences. I’ve been playing around with n-grams to see how groups of words perform. Mostly, I am going through this post-A/B test world with the rest of you and trying to see where it takes me.

from RSSMix.com Mix ID 8217493 https://www.ppchero.com/life-after-ab-ad-testing/