Find Balance With a Guru/ Mamma Lifestyle Artist
Your Source for Personal Growth
Anna O.
I’m Anna – wife, mom of four, and new to “the South”. I write about finding peace among the chaos that is mothering in a culture of helicopter parents and mommy wars. I aim to open conversations about purpose and meaning in an effort to ground myself and anyone who cares to jump in.
I blog to find myself, my voice and my groove after a full decade of growing and nursing babies. I share my journey to seek humor in everyday life and reclaim joy in motherhood.
Rebecca Clark
Mamma Lifestyle Guru/Artist
Rebecca has been caring for new families since 2011. She began her journey as a post-partum and nursery nurse. She quickly developed a passion for breastfeeding and infant care education. Rebecca also has a personal interest in nutrition and wellness. In 2016 after many years of providing lactation support Rebecca became an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Rebecca is also a member ILCA and the Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition. Rebecca is a mother to three boys who all had very different breastfeeding experiences, some much easier than others. A little sound advice made all the difference in her own breastfeeding journey. Rebecca also understands that every family has different needs and desires and she believes in empowering families to make their own informed choices. Whatever way you choose to nourish your child, Rebecca has the experience and knowledge to help you reach your goals.
FOCUS: Lactation Consulting and Wellness
Kaitlyn Girskis
Mama Lifestyle Guru/Artist
Kaitlyn started her journey caring for families as a post-partum nurse and nursery nurse. After several years of providing breastfeeding support to new families she developed a passion for educating and helping mothers overcome their breastfeeding challenges. Kaitlyn is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and Registered Nurse certified in Maternal Newborn Nursing. Kaitlyn is a mother of three children, and is still breastfeeding! After experiencing her own breastfeeding challenges Kaitlyn was empowered though peer-support and being a part of a community of women and was able to meet her breastfeeding goals. She knows the value of connecting with other mothers and lifting each other up during the difficult times. Kaitlyn has a natural ability to bond with new mothers and approaches breastfeeding challenges as a team. She believes that when women join together they can empower each other to do anything!
FOCUS: Lactation Consulting and Maternal Child Health.
Nourish Lactation Consulting
Bettendorf, Iowa
Nourish Lactation Services is a private practice of two Lactation Consultants who are committed to offering high quality, compassionate, evidence-based lactation support to families in the Quad Cities and beyond. Our mission is to provide families with support through all stages of lactation, from the prenatal period to weaning your little one and all challenges in between. Our hope is to provide the needed support and encouragement to ensure long term lactation success.
Contact info- call/text:(563) 232-5661, email: contactus@nourishqc.com, message: Facebook @nourishqc
Jula Joy
Mamma Lifestyle Guru/ Artist
Since 2007, I have been serving others in some capacity of my vocation. I began my journey with an After School Youth Program with urban youth in Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN after receiving a Bachelors' degree in Communicative Disorders Speech Language Pathology from Northern IL University. I continued with Direct Support with adults with developmental disabilities while going back for my second Bachelors' of Science in Nursing at Bethel University. I became a Mother Baby Nurse in 2013 and served new mothers and their infants in mother baby as a well as being a nursery nurse/ Level II NICU. I became certified as an Internationally Certified Lactation Consultant in December of 2017. I am currently staying home with my infant daughter and three year old son while starting a part time Lactation Consulting Practice in Oswego-Naperville-Plainfied IL called Nurture Lactation Consulting Practice in Spring 2019. I enjoy spending time with my mom tribe who are spread wide and far. I cannot wait to bring you my resourceful gurus and artists who vary in professional experience and life experience. I believe that it takes a village to thrive in parenthood and I'm bringing my village to all of you.
Focus: Lactation Consulting and Life Balance
Nurture Lactation Consulting
Oswego, Naperville, Plainfield
Nurture Lactation Consulting is a private practice in Oswego, IL. I spent my nursing career on the maternal health floor assisting new mothers as a mother baby nurse and NICU Level II nurse. My mission is to provide wholistic care that empowers Mammas to experience a nurturing relationship in their breastfeeding journey with their children. I provide prenatal postnatal care and beyond all in the comfort of your own space and home. Let me walk alongside you in your powerful journey from birth and into motherhood.
Contact: haugenjj@NurtureLacationConsulting.com Jula Haugen 815-355-4905
Stefanie Fauth
Mamma Lifestyle Artist
Headshot courtesy of 1000 Words Photography MN
Stefanie grew up in a rural community wanting only to be an actor. The world tried to convince her that wasn’t a good goal – so she spent many years trying to find her place in the corporate and retail worlds – ending up spending the last decade training to be a minister and serving as a pastor in the ELCA. In her thirties, she’s finally ready to live her dreams and is now working as a creative professional, cobbling many gigs together. It’s not always easy – but living your truth is always worth it.
Stefanie has two children, one of whom has Autism Spectrum, and she co-parents with her wonderful husband. Without his support, she wouldn’t have been able to follow her dreams – or survive being a parent! Stefanie spends her days writing, running to gigs and prepping for the latest show she's been given the honor of performing in.
Stefanie hopes to help improve communication in all walks of life through telling stories – whether in written word, comedic storytelling or acting. She also loves to empower others to find their voice and leave shame behind!
Focus: Life Expression and Growth
Graceful Therapy
Kate Fish is a licensed marriage and family therapist, wife, and mother of two little girls, ages 3 and 1.5. Kate knows the feeling of life being busy, full, exhausting, and yet somehow also joyful. She started her group therapy practice in the summer of 2018 and enjoys offering grace-filled therapy to couples, individuals and families. Kate provides her clients a humble and heartfelt perspective on life and enjoys counseling couples and individuals adjusting to parenthood. Kate has additional training in Perinatal Mental Health and is competent in counseling post-partum and pregnant women struggling with anxiety and depressive disorders. As a mother herself, Kate appreciates self-care and promotes her clients to practice rituals such as meditation, spa time, Netflix binge-ing, and finding solidarity in friendships.
Check out our website: www.gracefultherapy.com
Follow our instagram: @gracefultherapyllc
(630) 733-9108 kate@gracefultherapy.com
Katie Oberton
Mama Lifestyle Guru/Artist
For the past decade, Katie has been serving others through her professional work as a social worker. She has helped families, children, single adults, and older adults find more meaning and support on their journeys. In March 2015, Katie and her husband welcomed their son to the family. Being new parents, was a challenge, and Katie works hard to discuss the realities of parenthood with others. Katie is very open about the trials and tribulations, and how after 3.5 years, she still misses her kid-free life occasionally. Katie believes all parents need support, and that we are all doing the best we can with what we have. But regardless parenthood is hard. In May 2017, Katie felt lost in her work and her role as a mother, so sought a creative outlet. She stumbled upon tapestry weaving, and has been creating every day since. Katie creates handwoven goods, and teaches weaving workshops in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Katie believes that we all have creativity in us, and finding and using that creativity can be very therapeutic. It is an outlet that provides exploration, and can be very beneficial, especially to mothers. Katie loves to connect with other women on their motherhood journey as a way to build support and connections in this busy world.
Focus: Lifestyle Balance and Expression
Dr. Mindy Hochgesang
Dentist, Lifestyle Guru
Dr. Mindy Hochgesang lives with her husband and three children in Iowa. She practices dentistry, alongside her brother, Dr. Craig Peterson. Cornerstone Family Dentistry is made up of the most amazing team of people!! It’s hard to describe exactly what they offer, but the positive feeling and strong sense of compassion you feel when you walk in is very evident. Many of our patients tried to express this idea in their google review. Check those out if you have interest! We are located in Morrison, IL and Davenport, IA. Check out our website for more info: www.midwestcornerstone.com
Bre Strobel
Mama Lifestyle Artist and Blogger/Creator
Bre Strobel is joining Getreadywithmemama as a wellness specialist. Married to her high school sweetheart, she answered the call to stay home with her daughter four years ago while her husband completed chiropractic school. She's overcome clinical depression and anxiety to work from home while realising her two young children. She runs her coaching business alongside here handmade shop, MNspired. An aspiring writer, Bre lives to encourage and inspire other women, especially moms, to be awake to themselves and present where they are.
Focus: Wellness, Lifestyle Balance and Expression
Michelle Colby
Mamma Lifestyle Guru
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My name is Michelle Colby, I am a distributer of Young Living Essential Oils. Finding new ways to use essential oils to keep my family healthy is very important to me. I have been using Young Living oils for about three years now. I love learning about the oils and how they can help with wellness, calmness and also just to smell good!
I am married with two children, Mitchell is eight and Julia is five. They both love the oils and love using them for their wellness!
Why do I use essential oils? About three years ago, I hit a low point in my health. I was struggling nearly every week to feel good enough to go to work and to enjoy my kids. After four rounds of antibiotics for sinus and upper respiratory infections (in a sixth month period), I knew that I needed to try something different. Fast forward to three years later, I use my oils daily on myself and on my family. We use them for allergy and sinus related issues, immune support, digestive issues and aromatherapy.
I make my own hand soaps/ body washes/ lotions/ salt scrubs and salt baths. I try to only use hair and makeup products by companies that use simple ingredients (products by Young Living, or Burts Bees use only non-harmful ingredients). My make up is by Young Living and so are my cleaning products in my home. Reading labels and knowing what ingredients are toxic and which ones are not is so important! I am a chemical free/ non-toxin user of household cleaners and everything else I can control in our home. The more chemicals that I keep out of and off of our bodies, the easier it is to accept what we come in contact with outside of our home.
I have taken a couple of essential oil online courses to help me to learn about oil safety and I have read many books to continue learning the benefits of essential oils.
I love teaching people how the oils can benefit them for wellness in various parts of their lives; including emotional support, brain function, digestive, endocrine, bone and joint health.
I wish that I knew about Young Living when my babies were actually babies so that I could have used the "Seedlings" baby products. They smell amazing and of course are chemical free for your precious littles!
Focus: Essential Oils and Lifestyle Balance
Emily T. Miller
Mamma Lifestyle Artist
I love words. I have since I was little. I’d spend hours in my bedroom memorizing Shel Silverstein poems that I can still recite to this day. I’m a sap for a good story that teaches me something (think Shauna Niequist ). And I’m a big fan of the greatest love story ever written, the Bible. I believe writing is a way to capture how the small, ordinary moments can result in an extraordinary life. I grew up in a bustling, Midwest suburb of Chicago, and have come down south to plant roots in Tennessee (I’ve been here 10 years now). I'm a writer and curriculum development specialist in higher education. I'm a wife and momma to 6 year old boy/girl twins, and 3 year old daughter! I'm seeking to live an authentic life, full of love, laughter, and truth seeking. Join me in this journey!
Focus: Life Expression and Life Balance
Brad Haugen
Papa Lifestyle Guru
Brad Haugen is married to Jula Joy Haugen and they are raising two kiddos together along with their almost one hundred pound Golden Doodle Maximus Bear Haugen. Brad finished his Bachelor's degree in Theology and Business at Valparaiso University in 2006. He spent a year serving in Lutheran Volunteer Corps as a social worker at a homeless shelter in Minneapolis, MN. He stayed on for another year after the year of service in a paid position. His life experiences prepared him to answer a call to ordained ministry in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. He graduated seminary with his Master's of Divinity from Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Mn in 2012. He completed his training in Clinical Pastoral Education as a chaplain in 2013 and was also Ordained in Ministry as a Senior Pastor at Peace Lutheran Church, Port Byron, IL. He currently serves as a Senior solo pastor at Follower's of Christ Lutheran Church in Plainfield, IL. When he's not wrangling our toddler and making our baby laugh, he's going on adventures with Jula on social media and watching Michael Schur shows with Jula. It's difficult to find balance for all parents and father's roles are being redefined in our generation in all sorts of ways. Brad finds times to read some of his favorite authors, to run and even to cross country ski once in a year in the largest Cross Country Ski Race in the North America, "The Birkie". Check him out as a guest artist in our "Papas Corner".
Faith Worley
Mamma lifestyle guru/ artist
About me? Let me explain...
There is too much.
Let me sum up:
Crazy about Jesus.
Hitched to a preacher man.
Chill mom to four crazy wonder-full little beasts.
Classically un-schooling home educator.
Musician; beautician; aspiring logician.
Enthusiast; ideas person; preacher.
Fascinated by the science of relationships and systems theory.
Enthralled by freedom; stridently opposed to guilt, shame, and condemnation.
Delightfully crunchy; definitely salty.
Highly attracted to personality/character tests*:
ENTP; Type 4; Perceiver/Teacher/Exhorter.
*Myers-Briggs; Enneagram; Discovering Your God-Given Gifts
If you’re interested in an interactive community focusing on healthy relationships that directly benefit your parenting, please join me on Facebook in the Chill Mom group! We’d love to have you. We’re better together.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1865431750396734/
Focus: Freedom in Relationships; Freedom in Life