Work with me:
Let’s find a path to clarity first —
then to hope and renewal.
First, what is it I do?
I help women 40+ (and some men) who have been chronically ill for months, years or decades. Their illness is characterized by chronic pain, unrelenting fatigue, and overall misery.
They know what they want and need: someone who is ready and willing to take the time necessary to teach them what they need to know, support them, and guide them on a path back to wellness.
“Let me help you leave chronic pain, exhaustion, and misery behind — so you can enjoy life again!”
Ellen Nicholas
Who I help
The people I help have been chronically ill, usually for a long time. Their chronic illness includes primarily chronic pain, exhaustion and misery. They usually have many more symptoms and these may include digestive issues, inability to sleep at night, anxiety, depression and post-exertional malaise.
They are determined to find answers to why they are ill, and a way to leave chronic pain, exhaustion, and misery behind them so they can enjoy life again.
Some people have no idea why they are ill, and I refer to this as Mystery Illness.
Some clients may have an idea why they are not well and can say they haven’t been the same since:
They were bitten by a tick or got mono or got a virus…
They moved to a new town or house
They were in a car accident
They lost their job
Someone very important to them died
They had a divorce or break-up from a significant relationship
However, it may be the right time and place — and entirely reasonable — to explore what is now available on the path to healing, whether with me or elsewhere.
So what’s new?
I’ve developed The Mystery Illness Solution utilizing an effective multi-phase functional approach to healing.
After nearly three decades of chronic pain and debilitating fatigue, I eventually found Functional Diagnostic Nutrition — and trained as an FDN Practitioner. In late 2022, I realized I had experienced a clear and meaningful turnaround — one that came from applying FDN principles along with many of complementary approaches I discovered through:
actively researching what was working for others,
my natural curiosity and willingness to try new things — even when they stretched me beyond my comfort zone,
a deep interest in practitioners and modalities that often flew under the radar of my doctors,
access to dozens of summits and conferences featuring experienced naturopaths, doctors, and other seasoned healers.
Ultimately, it was a combination of many things — many dozens of small actions — that created both incremental and ongoing change for me. I’ve included these in The Mystery Illness Solution!
On my worst days, I function at about 75-80% of my pre-illness energy. On my best days — and there have been many — I reach 90% or more. I no longer try to conquer the world, but I absolutely live a life worth living. That may be a meaningful win from where you are sitting. If this resonates, you’re welcome to keep reading — or reach out and connect with me.
So what is my approach?
Phase 1 - The Roots & Wings Assessment:
Our work begins with a deep discovery process that looks at the current state of your body, using your detailed health history, screeners, and questionaires. This gives us a clear starting point for understanding what your body is dealing with right now — not just what has happened in the past.
This phase often points clearly to your next steps on the path to healing. It may lead directly to personalized recommendations, or it may indicate that targeted functional lab testing would be helpful.
I subscribe to “test, don’t guess” approach but I don’t believe “more testing is always better,” or necessary. When lab testing is appropriate and financially accessible, it can provide valuable clarity and concrete data. When it’s not, I rely on careful listening, physiology- based principles, and your symptoms to guide our work. The goal is to identify what is most relevant for your healing — no more, no less.
Phase 2 - Functional Lab Testing:
Through my practice, you’ll have access to targeted functional labs that reveal what’s happening beneath the surface, often uncovering patterns and imbalances that conventional, insurance-based testing tends to overlook.
Any lab-testing is customized to your needs and budget — and sometimes, just a few well-chosen tests can provide clues that change everything.
Phase 3 - The Mystery Illness Solution Program:
This signature program brings together everything we uncover in the earlier phases and translates it into clear, practical action. It guides you through foundational health-building protocols while providing structure, support, and continuity.
Each plan is customized using your assessment findings and any lab results, helping you rebuild your functional wellness step by step, at a pace you and your body can tolerate.
Science and Intuition in Harmony
As an FDN practitioner — and as someone who’s lived and worked for decades in the Hudson Valley, where complex health challenges like Lyme, other tickborne diseases, and environmental exposures are common — I’ve learned that healing requires both solid science — and a willingness to explore beyond what seems obvious.
Most of us have heard that we are fine simply because common blood work did or does indeed look fine. Medical practitioners and patients are often bounded by what insurers want to deal with. If you have limited testing available to you — you are certainly more likely to look “fine” and potentially be miserable. So it should be recognized that insurance is not an option here, but neither is it an obstacle.
I combine insights from The Roots & Wings Assessment and functional lab testing with careful listening, health history, and screening tools to understand how your body is functioning right now. This includes looking at your energy levels, digestion, sleep, tolerance for stress, and how well you bounce back from illness, injury, or exertion.
Your Roots & Wings Assessment results, in combination with FDN principles and my pattern recognition and experience will determine a potential path to healing. It allows meaningful change to take root so you can function more fully, participate in daily life and enjoy life again.
