I feel like the luckiest woman on the planet that I get to work with such incredible folks through my 1:1 coaching and Path to Empowered Acceptance. The words below came straight from their hearts and give a glimpse into what mindset work for chronic illness can do for you.
I want to firstly thank Nat from the bottom of my heart for her course. From day one I was absorbed and moved by her passion for helping others, and it literally transformed my life in one afternoon pouring over it. I use all the techniques and skills to this day, and it is coming up for two years since I bought it. One of the best purchases I have ever made, and in fact I feel emotional for how Nat’s course reached me at such a low point in my life and helped me climb out of my hole and blossom. I love this course and the self paced course, as I was able to read through everything at once then go back and forth as needed. It is still saved as a favourite on my laptop and phone, ready to help me at any point (and there have been many)!
It started my self love and compassion journey, after 30 collective years of severe abuse, and come yo terms with the chronic and terminal illnesses I have. Note: you can still 100% benefit from this if you’re undiagnosed! In fact, Nat teaches us that it is validation from herself and within us to accept our situations, medically and otherwise. These skills are imprinted on my heart to use. Thank you, more than I can ever say, Nat, thank you. You helped me come home to myself, love my illnesses (in the best sense), validate and accept myself and my illnesses, create routines and care for my inner child. I was at such a low place, and Nat helped me out of it, and helped me help myself and empower me to help myself. So powerful, and I will forever hold these experiences near to my heart and life. Thank you thank you thank you.
I had been following Nat on Instagram for a while before I reached out to her to learn more about her PTEA program. I had been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease nine months prior and I had surgery six months prior to reaching out to her. The physical aspect of my Crohn’s was under control, it was the mental aspect that wasn’t. I needed help processing the thoughts going on in my head. I was nervous to join PTEA. I was nervous to “meet” new people.
I was nervous to be vulnerable and open. But, I’m so glad I took the leap. Nat has taught me so much. I honestly thought I had accepted my chronic illness, turns out that wasn’t true. Through PTEA I have learned that it’s okay to put myself first, how important it is to live in the moment, how essential taking care of yourself is, and it’s okay not to be okay. Since joining PTEA I have noticed so many changes within myself. I used to live in a negative mindset thinking about the past or worrying about the future, I have been living in the moment more.
I have been putting myself first in more situations and I don’t feel guilty about it like I used to. I am really realizing that a bad day doesn’t mean you have a bad life, you just have take things one day at a time. I was so lost before I started PTEA, but I don’t feel that way anymore. It was so incredible to meet other women who are going through the same things I am. The group calls were always the highlight of my week. All of those women will have a special place in my heart. To anyone who is thinking about joining PTEA, DO IT! It will change your life for the better.
I honestly wish I would have joined PTEA sooner.
I have been staring at my computer for ten minutes searching for what to say in this testimonial.
I am not usually one who is at a loss of words but I honestly don’t know how to say what PTEA and Nat have given me. The first word that comes to mind is OVERWHELMING GRATITUDE: To Nat, for creating this program and sharing her authentic heart, soul, and knowledge with us through insane vulnerability; to my PTEA family created through this program, who TRULY understand the struggle we all face every day with chronic illness and offer support, kindness, and community (you are NEVER alone); and lastly, gratitude to myself, for saying “yes” and deciding to embark on this journey towards a better life with chronic illness. Because it is possible.
Through this program, I have learned that while I will always have Crohn’s Disease, I am in the driver seat. I can’t control my disease, but I can control how I react to what happens to me because of this disease. I can control my mindset around my illness, my emotions, how I react to those emotions, the things I eat, the people I surround myself with, my doctors I allow to manage my care, etc. And through this program, I have become an empowered version of myself. One that is, in fact, in control.
Not only did PTEA help me cope with my illness, it also taught me the importance of caring for myself. I used to think of self-care as being a “selfish” practice (which is one of the reasons I was so scared to do a program like this). But, Nat teaches you that self-care is far from selfish and is so necessary for healing. PTEA restored my soul. It truly did. It helped to pull me out of the dumps of depression that Chronic illness likes to push us into. It gave me community- not only for the seven weeks of this program, but continuing on (our PTEA cohort now has a group chat on Instagram and What’s app, which is active daily).
To anyone who is on the fence, please let me be the one to push you over the fence! Seriously being a part of PTEA is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Take the leap, invest in yourself, and trust Nat to lead you! She is an amazing human being who will show you the way.
As someone newly diagnosed with IBD, I felt lost. I was scared but I knew that I needed support and after just one zoom chat with Nat, I felt hope! It is intimidating to be vulnerable, even with yourself, but Nat makes you feel comfortable and supported. She pours her entire self into the work she does and it shows. Even after the program, I still feel as if I have her support, and not only as a coach, but as a true friend. ALSO - the friendships I've made with other girls through the program is PRICELESS! SIGN UP NOW, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!
Nat's PTEA programme changed my life. I signed up the very first night home after ten days in a hospital bed for a Crohn's flare that had me lose 25lb and quite a bit of faith in my body. This girl is a ray of sunlight - and a brilliant facilitator for a programme like this. She has this ability to knit people together and I consider myself incredibly lucky to have gained all these new friends who just 'get it'. In addition to building this community, Nat's programme also taught us not just how to cope - but how to thrive with chronic illness. How to listen to our bodies on days where we originally would've pushed through, how to rest, how to take a step back. How to acknowledge that healing isn't linear and that productivity isn't where we should take stock of our self-worth.
Thanks to PTEA, I am better equipped to tune into my body and no longer carry the sense of defeat in acknowledging my diagnosis. I feel empowered, even on 'bad' days. Being able to mentally stay afloat when my symptoms are acting up has been a blessing because life isn't always easy - and learning how to meet my body where it's at has been a massive learning curve. So much love and thanks to Nat xx
Signing up for PTEA is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I have been knowingly chronically ill for about ten years but was diagnosed with a genetic disorder this summer. I knew once I received that diagnosis I needed support and a family. PTEA provided just that. Not only does Natalie share her experience with chronic illness and tools that helped her. She also creates an amazing community of women who truly understand and are more than willing to lift someone up when they’re down. Natalie is a ray of sunshine and PTEA was like hitting the reset button on my mentality surrounding my illnesses. The weekly calls where we discussed the topics covered in the course were my absolute favorite. I cannot recommend PTEA enough.
PTEA changed my life! It has brought hope back into my life, a community of the most inspiring and kind women who lift me up each day, and an empowered way to move forward with chronic illness. I remember telling Nat before we started I was so scared and unsure if it was right for me because I am shy and find it hard to share. She assured me this was entirely okay and I could just listen. I ended up being someone that shared the most. PTEA has a way of opening your heart and mind and the girls make you feel so heard and seen which is everything I never knew I needed. Because of PTEA for the first time since being diagnosed with 2 severe chronic illnesses, I don't feel alone. I don't feel like a shell of my past self.
I don't feel like my life is only going to be small resemblance of what I wanted it to consist of before I got sick. I don't feel stuck anymore or get lost in why me's. I now feel blessed and lucky to be dealt this hand so that I could learn what was taught in this program. If you are unsure about trying this program like I was, take the leap. It was the best thing I ever did for my chronic illness journey.
I cannot imagine where I would be without PTEA! When I signed up for the program, I had been sobbing daily for 3 months, feeling like a burden in all my relationships, and I was convinced I was completely powerless to change my mindset! Connecting with all the incredible ladies who totally understood what I was dealing with was an amazing experience- I’ve never been in a group of such wise and real women! I am so sad to be done with this program but can’t wait to get to know the ladies who join in the future!
I am so grateful for the PETA community. I did not have any friends with IBD before this program, and I can honestly say I feel the most supported I have ever been. The group of women in this group are amazing and up-lifting. I am able to be vulnerable and open and ask questions that I may be too embarrassed to ask anywhere else. No one should have to go through IBD alone, and the support of this community means the world to me.
Before PTEA I was in SUCH denial about my diagnosis. Going through this program taught me to love myself more and to accept that I’m stronger BECAUSE I have a chronic illness, not weaker due to it. The community of girls is so uplifting and supportive. I was going through an incredibly hard time during the program and the weekly calls were always a little light at the end of the tunnel. Natalie is the brightest, most compassionate girl I have met and i have learned so very much from her!
PTEA with Nat is a game changer in authentic acceptance of chronic illness. Empowered women, empower other women. Nat and her program embody this mindset! Nat crusades empowered acceptance while curating a safe space for women to show up as their authentic selves, and the transformations are unequivocal. I am so grateful for PTEA’s unique approach of whole-hearted living while embracing all of the feelings and experiences that come with life in a sometimes faulty body. PTEA has created and supported lasting mindset shifts in my healing journey and I am so grateful to be a part of this expanding community of empowered women!
Joining PTEA was one of the best decisions I could have made for myself. I was struggling to accept my "new life" in a chronically ill body and going through a lot of grief. This program gives you SO many tools to navigate your illness (or illnesses), but even MORE than that, it is a special space where you feel loved, supported, seen, and heard. I am not the same person when I first started PTEA. I have grown SO much alongside the most beautiful and wonderful fellow warriors. I can't speak HIGHLY enough of this program. It is truly the BEST investment you can make for yourself and your illness.
Natalie, forever thankful for this experience!! When we started this course, I was at such an unbelievably low point with my illness which put me in such a scary state mentally that I had never been in before!! Without you, this course, and the unbelievable support from the other girls who joined, I would not be where I am today!!! I’ve not only gained so many coping skills for dealing with chronic illness, but such a strong group of women for an amazing support base that I can go to! Sharing our stories, being able to lean on each other and hearing someone else that genuinely understands what you’re going through. There is no price you can put on that!!! Forever grateful for this experience, it’s changed me in such a positive way. I feel so confident I can handle more that life throws at me after taking this course. You can’t do it alone! Take this course!
I have been diagnosed with Crohn’s for five years but it wasn’t until I started this course that I finally felt something other than anger towards my diagnosis. In the group, I was able to connect with other ladies that actually deal with the same problems I have, in a designated safe space. I’m grateful to this course for introducing me to this community and helping a very difficult journey feel less lonely.
I am so unbelievably grateful for my time in the PTEA course. I got to connect with some amazing chronic illness warriors, and every time we had our meetings on zoom, I was blown away by their strength and resilience. They strengthened my faith and lifted me up. We all lifted each other up and reminded each other of what is true - we can absolutely achieve our goals and dreams regardless of chronic illness.
We talked about letting go of the victim mindset, embarrassment, fear, and that it’s okay to feel and struggle, but we don’t have to stay in that.
It felt like I was on a little retreat - something we all really needed during this quarantine season. Natalie is also an incredible soul and I am so blessed by our friendship and close we have gotten through this. She is an amazing friend, mentor, and leader.
Wow, where do I even begin? Without Natalie and the Path to Empowered Acceptance program, I would be nowhere near where I am now. For years I have ignored and suppressed my emotions about my chronic illnesses, but with Natalie’s help I feel like I have processed some of those emotions (and will continue to do so). I feel like I’m living life the way I want now and not letting my chronic illnesses hold me back. This program helped me find my voice in the chronic illness community and appreciate my chronic illness, as odd as that sounds.
Without this program and the community, I would still be ruminating in my negative thoughts about my diagnoses. With the support of the community, I learned that I am not alone and that there is someone who will always understand what I am going through. We don’t have to be a victim of chronic illnesses, we can use them to rise up, to teach us more about life, and to appreciate the life we are given. Without taking a leap of faith and joining this program, I would not be in the mindset I am now.
Thank you Natalie for creating Path to Empowered Acceptance (program and community), I could never thank you enough for helping me get here.
I joined PTEA because I was in a really dark place. I was undiagnosed and trying to find answers-- I'll be honest, that stage is a really scary place to go through alone. I felt misunderstood, angry, and lost. I stumbled upon Nat's Instagram and instantly loved her energy and authenticity (these folks are hard to come by on social media!!). I was looking for a group setting to work through all this hard stuff with.
Through PTEA I learned how to truly accept my health conditions and listen/believe myself for the FIRST time. I never realized that I was the one standing in my own way. Through PTEA I realized I had been in denial for much of life. The program forced me to open up, face the scary stuff, and feel supported and loved among complete strangers. I know now that I am in control of my own life. While my body and my symptoms might not be in my control, I know I have control over my mindset, emotions, and reactions. Nat taught me that asking for help does not make you weak, we are SO DAMN STRONG (and yes, she will remind you of this all the time)!
Thank you Nat for an amazing 7 weeks and thank you PTEA community for opening your arms to me. It has been a true blessing to be a part of this group, especially during a global pandemic <3 data-preserve-html-node="true"
PTEA was 1000% the key to healing that my doctors couldn’t prescribe. I have been struggling with chronic dislocations my whole life, and didn’t understand how much trauma and fear I was suppressing so that I could be “happy.” With PTEA, I unloaded those feelings, honored them, and was able to move forward to a happier version of myself. I’ve had two surgeries this year. For my first surgery before PTEA, I walked in nearly hyperventilating, assuming the worst that I could die in surgery.
After PTEA, I walked in to surgery confident, both acknowledging my struggles and yet ecstatic to be receiving treatments because I knew I deserved a life without pain and this surgery could help me get there. I am now so much more confident in setting boundaries, loving my body just as it is, and taking care of myself such that I can give that energy back to my loved ones. And finally I made an amazing group of friends, who gave me so much love as I was grieving, and lifted me up at my scariest moments.
These women, and Nat especially, are so welcoming and caring. I am beyond grateful to have had PTEA as a toolbox for healing, and I will use what I learned in PTEA for the rest of my life.
This program has truly changed my entire outlook on life and living with a chronic illness. I came into the program very newly-diagnosed with Crohn's and had absolutely no idea how to process everything that I was feeling, much less how to advocate for myself as a patient. Nat has given me so many skills that I can guarantee I will continue to use and have already helped me so much. Not only do I have all of these wonderful skills, but I also have a whole group of amazing, beautiful, and supportive women to go to whenever I need. I truly would not trade this experience for anything!
Before PTEA I was really stuck. I was feeling fearful and angry at the world for my declining health. I had been working really hard on my personal development for many years... I am talking 10+ years of constant therapy. I felt like I was always taking one step forward followed by 15 backwards. I spent a long time feeling incredibly devastated. I felt like life was passing me by and I didn't know how to pull myself out of it. In late fall/early winter I connected with Nat via instagram, and what a gift that connection turned out to be.
I signed up for PTEA cause I was tired of running in circles of fear and sadness surrounding my illness. I had no idea my life could transform the way it did during the course of the program. I found myself reading, listening, and connecting to content and people who truly understood chronic illness. I found myself surrounded by a community of incredible individuals who understood the gritty, ugly, painful side of chronic illness, and also saw the ways all the hurting could make the littlest moments in life feel that much better.
I lived in total fear of the future for many years. I was always worrying about how I would feel in five years, coming up with absolute worse case scenarios. Natalies modules, journal prompts, and group discussions helped me truly grasp the power of remaining present. I felt supported, and I felt understood, and even in hard moments, I could turn to Nat's work or the facebook page and work my way through it.
I am the happiest I have been in my entire life. I have learned the value of a quiet morning to myself, and the importance of truly existing in the now. I feel like I am so much more in control of my anxieties and my reactions to things. I never felt like I was being fed toxic positivity, another aspect I greatly appreciated. We had hard conversations sometimes! Tears were shed on occasion! Chronic illness is hard, but with the information and perspectives in Nat's course I feel much more confident in my ability to get through hard times, and much more comfortable communicating to people I trust when I am struggling.
There is light in each day, and I am so thankful for PTEA and the impact it has had on my life. My friends, family, and Doctors say they see a massive improvement in my ability to cope. My infusion nurse has commented that they are really proud of me and have seen a massive change in my confidence, and a decrease in my anxiety; I am cracking more jokes now. I am truly forever thankful for PTEA and I 100% recommend it to anyone and everyone looking for some extra support and understanding, wanting to grow, and learn new skills to navigate life with chronic illness. It has truly been the best thing I have ever done for myself and I do not say that lightly.
Natalie is one of the sweetest most understanding and empathetic humans I have ever met! She really puts her everything into in this program and I really just only have incredibly positive things to say about Path To Empowered Acceptance, Nat, and the entire group! If you're thinking of joining, I truly encourage you to sign up. I am forever thankful for PTEA!
PTEA literally changed my life. I never thought I would be the kind of person who does a coaching program, and I honestly signed up thinking if I didn’t get too much out of it, it wouldn’t be a huge deal. But I was so wrong! I learned more during the first module and group call, than I thought was possible during the entire seven week program. The connections I made, the lessons I learned, and the self love that began to grow have changed the way I function on the most basic level.
Not only is the program designed in the most intentional and thoughtful way possible, but Natalie is such an amazing coach who truly cares about the wellbeing of each of her clients. She dedicates her time to helping others, and makes herself so accessible to her clients. She is so open and understanding, approachable, and easy to relate to. I honestly can’t say enough how amazing of a person and a coach she is!
The biggest breakthrough that the PTEA group taught me, is the fact that I literally have the CHOICE to make better, more informed decisions that are better for my body and will help me live a life that is full of purpose. I have power over my disease!!! If I make empowered choices, I literally win over my IBD. This concept has forever changed the way that I think about prioritizing my health, and taking care of myself. Now I want to eat well, and do all of the things that I know contribute to a healthy me, because that means I am empowering myself.
If I could give one piece of advice to any woman out there thinking about doing this program, all I would say is JUST DO IT! You will thank yourself for investing in your own mental and physical health in ways you never thought possible. I literally cannot recommend it enough, and I say that in the most authentic and sincere way. If you do decide to join the program, be open to everything you will experience. Commit doing the modules and really thinking about them. Keep an open mind and an open heart, and you will be so incredibly grateful you did.
I can’t rave enough about just how beautifully designed this course is. Natalie thought through everything so wonderfully & having her share her story with us as we went through our own journey was beyond helpful. Everything from the course worksheets to the module videos were so insightful & truly helped me to feel empowered in my chronic illness. I spent a lot of time shying away from my diagnosis but having such a supportive community of women open up about their own struggles was very comforting. Thank you Natalie for designing a course & creating a community that I will carry with me forever!
What I found most meaningful was the incredible community of the Accepting Your Diagnosis program. There was wholehearted support and engagement that comes from a shared experience and goal, so much stronger than the kinds of relationships you can make through social media. Having a chronic illness can feel so isolating, and it can be hard to find spoonies 'in your area,' so this program helped break that divide and bring real friends into my life. I learned new ways to frame my illness experience and think deeply about what kind of intentional life I want to lead.
To say I was lost before joining this program and group is an understatement. I lacked confidence in both myself and the world around me. I was convinced that receiving the diagnosis for my IBD over 2 years ago meant that my life as I knew it was over. I was angry, sad, confused, and just about every other emotion you could think of. And then, at my lowest point, I met some of the most important people this world could have ever given me. I was welcomed with open hearts and open arms and made to feel not so alone. We shared stories and bonded over mutual interests. We laughed and cried and became a little tribe all in the span of just 6 short weeks.
Natalie taught us all how to love and celebrate ourselves, diagnosis and all; on your good days AND your bad days - which is something that I will forever be grateful for. I met lifelong friends and learned important lessons all along the way. I was challenged to dig deep into my own thoughts and emotions and get familiar with myself and my diagnosis and what I wanted my life to look like moving forward. Natalie helped change my life in the best way possible and I am forever grateful that our paths crossed.
After four years of feeling frustrated, discouraged, and alone while trying to adapt to my new life with ulcerative colitis, it was during the six weeks of Natalie's Path to Empowered Acceptance program that I felt a level of support and love that I had never experienced since being diagnosed.
I had never spoken to a group of people who knew exactly what I was going through; the weekly group meetings and my one-on-one session made me realize that my feelings, internal/external challenges and struggles were valid. I was in a severe flare while taking part in this program - and there were many days when it was the journal prompts and worksheets that got me through some of my lowest moments. The guidance from the modules, prompts, and worksheets encouraged me to dive into emotions that I had been ignoring since my diagnosis - emotions that make me feel I am essentially "starting over" with this new and empowered perspective of how to thrive with UC.
Prior to this program I felt very alone and misunderstood. But the lessons, support, and friendships I established through these weeks makes me feel that I have a group of "empowerment warriors" behind me who will help me fight for myself and my health. I am so beyond grateful for this program, and would 100% register for it a second time!!
I wish everyone with a chronic illness could do this program! It touches on so many topics that affect us everyday and it’s amazing to feel so understood. I was so inspired by the other women's strength and how supportive they were. To find a group of people you just met and be able to be so vulnerable and authentic but also know they just get it on a deeper level was just so refreshing. 100% worth the time and investment.
This course was a fantastic experience! Being a part of this has helped me to be around like minded women and to feel totally understood and heard. I loved getting to know everyone and Natalie really held a wonderful space for us all to feel safe and held. My experience with PTEA was great and I would highly recommend it to anyone dealing with a chronic illness or diagnosis. One of my favorite things about being a part of this group was the connections I've made along the way! Thank you Natalie!
Joining the PTEA group is one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself. In listening to others’ stories I realized I’m not alone. Talking about my struggles with other ladies who share the same struggles gave me confidence and a sense of community that I desperately needed. The modules and journal prompts really helped me understand what I was feeling about my diagnosis and helped me move from anger and denial to acceptance. Now that I have fully accepted my diagnosis I can move forward knowing I have a community of gals I can go to for support and advice. I highly recommend joining this program!
