What is Rising Tide to you? Rising Tide Wellness is a labor of love and a project full of hope.
The desire to create Rising Tide Wellness was born out of love for my patients, for Erin, and for myself. Rising Tide is in existence because we knew we needed to be able to serve patients in a way that creates and nourishes connection with each other and our patients.
Rising Tide Wellness also provides hope for our patients. We are able to offer a model of care that allows us to walk beside you to be your coach, your guide, and your biggest cheerleader. Rising Tide was created to meet our patients right where they are and help them go to where they want to be.
Rising Tide provides hope for Erin and me as clinicians and business owners. The idea for this model of care has been in the making since 2017. It is an actual dream come true to see it come to fruition. We are so hopeful for how we will be able to serve our patients and grow this unique and exciting practice.
Tell us about your education and training… I graduated from Furman University in 2002 with an undergraduate degree in Health and Exercise Science. I went to nursing school at MUSC where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in nursing, followed by my Master’s Degree and Advanced Practice Nursing License (as a certified nurse-midwife).
I started my career caring for women as a Labor and Delivery nurse. I, then, worked as a Certified Nurse Midwife caring for obstetric and gynecological patients in the clinic, as well, as taking care of laboring and postpartum women in the hospital setting.
In 2014, I continued taking care of patients’ gynecological needs and bioidentical hormone optimization. I completed coursework through the Academy of Preventive and Innovative Medicine for training in bioidentical hormone optimization.
In 2017, I completed the Institute for Functional Medicine’s (IFM) Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice and started practicing Functional Medicine. I have continued to work through IFM’s Certification Program, with plans to be fully certified in 2023.
Why Functional Medicine? It just makes sense (for management of life-altering symptoms and chronic disease). It gives people hope (when conventional medicine has failed). It is the most fun and life-giving way to practice medicine.
Now that is not to say I don’t need or want conventional medicine. It is absolutely necessary for acute care/illness. Conventional medicine definitely saves lives and has its place.
Having experience and training in both functional and conventional medicine gives me the lens to see that it is not an “either/or” but often a “both/and”. I love being able to offer patients more options and the opportunity to be a leader in their own healthcare.
How do you take care of yourself? I LOVE movement…yoga, actually (well, my version of it). You will find me at The Works as many days a week as I can make it happen (my son would tell you, I would run over one of my children to make it to yoga on time.) It is my favorite! The movement, the music, the community, how my body feels, how my body looks…literally, ALL the things!
I LOVE nutritious food. I know how my body feels when I nourish it with vegetables, fruits, protein AND I know how my body feels when I fill it with garbage. I typically will choose option #1. Although, that being said, food is HARD! Nutrition is hard, but I have over time, realized that I like the way I feel, look, show up in life when I make nutrition a priority.
On the other hand. I also know, I love good food ( as long as I don’t have to prepare it). I love the fellowship and fun surrounding food. And I know I have to give myself grace when my food choices don’t provide the fuel and nourishment that I want/need.
Side note: For as important as nutrition is to me, with the craziness of life and the goal of providing solid nutrition for my family, the kitchen has become NOT my favorite place to be. So cooking, right now, in this season of my life, is not my favorite.
What areas of self-care need work? Meditation! I try to do it. I know the value of it, but getting out of my head and into my body is the hardest for me. I understand the why, but for now, I will keep working on the how.
Your family: I married my high school sweetheart, Rusty, in 2004. It’s not always the prettiest and gets messy at times, but he is my IT! He’s my greatest support and my greatest critic. He holds my hand to the fire and constantly encourages me to work to be the best version of myself.
Our kids, Holman, Geni, and Nora have changed who we are and who we thought we wanted to be. We are constantly learning as much from them as we hope they are from us. They are precious gifts that motivate and inspire me to never stop growing.
In addition, I am so thankful to have my parents, sisters, and their families living close by. They are all a huge part of our lives, for which there is truly no replacement. Doing life with them all gives my kids, my husband, and me a deeper sense of belonging, community, and the realization that we ARE part of something bigger than ourselves.
Favorite book: Untamed by Glennon Doyle (for now). I will usually go for self-help/inspirational books and/or books about functional medicine. Although, I do love historical fiction, especially around the Revolutionary War or the early 1900s (why those two eras specifically…I’m not sure). Don’t try to give me some romance novel or mystery fiction, I won’t read it (which is why my sister and I can’t share books).
Top played song on your Spotify account: “Say My Name” by Destiny’s Child (maybe because I introduced my favorite songs from high school to my daughters, and they don’t have their own Spotify account……but truth be told, I still LOVE it!)
Favorite quote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.” ~Martin Luther King