Natural Wellness Academy Welcomes New Faculty Member!

The Natural Wellness Academy has a new faculty member!  Jamie Patterson Hernandez, a graduate of the Holistic Health and Life Coaching Certification and currently a student in the Clinical Hypnotherapy Certification is joining our faculty as a mentor and instructor for the coaching program.  A busy and enlightened mother of 4, Jamie has dual Masters Degrees from NYU in Psychology and Counseling and brings so much to this Academy.  She has been very active with new coaching clients since finishing her certification and has much wisdom and enthusiasm to offer candidates of NWA.  We are currently building a brand new website for the Natural Wellness Academy so make sure to check back soon.                  Learn more about Jamie below:

Eight years ago I had my first child.  Obviously, your whole life changes.  You sleep less, have less time for yourself, the normal stuff.  For me it turned out to be much more than that.  When my daughter was old enough to start eating food, I realized that I was responsible for how healthy her body and mind would be, as a result of what I chose to put into it.  Although I was a vegetarian, and always considered myself to be somewhat of a healthy eater, I decided I needed to figure out how to do my best for her.  And that’s where my wellness journey began.

I began reading about nutrition, which lead to eliminating toxins in the home, which led to holistic health.  I had 2 more children, started using essential oils, and started thinking about how I could make more of a difference in the world.  Then I stumbled across Dr. LJ’s Raw Fusion Living Facebook page.  (Note; We will be converting this page name  soon to Natural Wellness Academy, but still offering our popular “Recipes for Life”.)   I was aware of the benefits of raw foods from my research, but was never able to fully commit, and was therefore drawn to the idea of “raw fusion.”

Then I saw her announcement about becoming a Holistic Health and Life Coach; a program that not only teaches you how to help others, but teaches you how to help yourself to be your best.  Since I have a background in psychology and counseling, and a newfound passion for health and wellness, something clicked.  I started the program and never looked back.

Four kids and almost three years later, I am working as a Holistic Health and Life Coach and Hypnotherapist.  I specialize in helping individuals and families.  Children are my passion, and specifically children with special needs, since one of my own is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.  My child was my inspiration for starting this journey, and I feel the need to pay it forward to other families who had the same goals and questions I did.

Sometimes this means advising parents on how to replace the foods in their homes with healthier options.  However, surprisingly, most of my clients thus far have been moms themselves.  Almost every client I have had so far has come to me wanting to eat healthier, have more energy, and feed their kids more nutritious foods.  I always advise them to start with themselves.  One of my favorite quotes is “you can’t pour from an empty cup”.  I have found this to be true in my own life and this is how I convince the moms that seek help from me that they need to focus on themselves first and be a good example, then we can move onto their kids.

Moms are the hubs of the family, and their wellness will inspire everyone else.  Their health will allow them to have more energy and motivation to help their kids.  This is where I have found my joy, passion, and connection with others.

When Dr. LJ asked me to come on board as an adjunct faculty member of the Natural Wellness Academy, it was an honor, and no brainer.  I can’t imagine having a job that I love more.  I get to help and inspire others to be their best AND make my own schedule around my most important job of being a mom.

One of my biggest concerns going into the program and upon graduation was how I was going to find clients.  Why would people trust me?  What if I couldn’t help them?  I have learned that people really do appreciate the simple advice and information that I learned in the program.  Many people feel lost when it comes to food, nutrition and wellness.  There is so much conflicting information on the internet and social media that people feel overwhelmed and confused.  The simple act of encouraging clients to pay attention to what their body is telling them when they eat certain things is very powerful.  Additionally, offering hypnotherapy in conjunction with health coaching is what I think sets me and other graduates apart from other wellness professionals.  If you can get your mind on board with your goals, you will succeed.

I no longer have the concerns I had.  In fact, the opposite is true in that some days I wonder how I’m going to meet the demand for all of the people who are seeking me out to help them.  It is a wonderful feeling, and now I know that we need more of these professionals.  We are living in a very exciting moment in time where even the most conventional people are opening their eyes to the link between the mind and body, and the mind and wellness or un-wellness.  Doctors are frustrated because they give advice to their patients and they don’t follow it because they don’t know how.  This is where health coaches can come in.  There are endless possibilities in this field.  There are lots of people that need guidance.  I could not be more grateful to Dr. LJ and my children for inspiring me to start this journey and for keeping me going.  Oh and my husband, who has supported my education and career goals, he is pretty awesome too!

Find out more about our incomparable coaching and hypnotherapy certifications here.

Jamie’s Facebook page

Jamie’s Website:  WholeFoodSpirit.com