About
Jessica
Holistic Health & Wellness Counsellor
Specializing in Life Transitions, Personal/Spiritual Growth, Grief & Loss
​
I first started really hating my body in high school.
It's no secret that young girls are vulnerable to feeling they are somehow not good enough and for me this was the case.
What started out innocently enough as watching what I ate and exercising daily gradually morphed into a lifestyle that revolved around weight and it’s loss.
Much of my life energy was spent counting calories, measuring fat grams and estimating how many calories my exercise efforts would burn.
Before I knew it I was barely eating, and exercising for hours a day. My world became smaller and smaller and I was trapped in an endless cycle of self-abuse.
I struggled in this way through my teen years feeling broken, not good enough, powerless and imagined I would never be okay.
I was obsessed with figuring out how to eat, drink, sweat and stay thin.
My search for the perfect body and the perfect diet ....
CALL TODAY - 250-878-2276
naturally brought me to a career as a personal trainer where I continued my disordered attempt to fix myself.
Our culture, society and the media feeds us messages that we are not enough as we are. We are sold lies and empty promises of a quick fix.
I was not immune to these powerful messages and got sucked in at a young age.
It was only after years of struggling myself and seeing my clients go through what seemed like an endless cycle of losing weight and gaining it back with really very few having long term sustainable results that I was finally able to see the truth.
I knew in my heart there had to be a better way.
Perfectionism and the outdated strategy of eat less and exercise more is not the royal road to weight loss or to anywhere except self-punishment, judgment, shame, guilt and misery.
I know this because I lived it.
You can’t get where you want to go with strategies of un-love and self-attack.
Working closely with others and listening to their stories brought to light and made it clear that many of our weight issues and health concerns are merely symptoms of deeper underlying issues and to truly have lasting results those issues need to be addressed.
It’s not enough to tell someone what to eat or how much to exercise we are much more complex, interesting and deep. Our challenges with food, weight, body image and health are not merely about chemistry but are linked to concerns around career, money, family, relationship, sexuality, our personal history as well as our hopes, dreams and fears.
Our overall nutritional health is not simply a matter of "calories in, calories out"; we are complex beings, our thoughts, feelings and beliefs have a profound impact on our nutritional metabolism and overall health.
What we believe, feel and think actually manifests in the body and impacts our metabolism.
My path of seeking led me to become a Counsellor and an Eating Psychology Coach where I am finally able to offer a better way, a way that addresses the whole person - mind, body, heart and soul.
I’ve learned lasting change and transformation happens when we work on both the nutritional and personal dimensions of life.
I’ve worked hard to understand and heal my own challenges around food and body image; perhaps this is what qualifies me the most when it comes to helping others in this way.
I care deeply, am passionate about this work and am inspired to share and teach others a better way to sustainable health, weight loss and self-love that resonates from the inside out.
If you love the body it will graciously become what it is meant to be.
I promise you don’t have to starve, restrict or punish yourself in order to have a healthy body, a full life and a happy heart.
If you struggle with food and body, my wish for you is to know there is hope, that you are not alone and that your challenges are your greatest gifts.
Let's put those years of calorie counting, mirror shaming, self-sabotage and food guilt to rest.
Forget conflicting advice and feeling overwhelmed and confused about what to eat. Together we’ll explore a world beyond the old outdated strategies that keep you stuck.
I offer a whole new way that truly delivers results and looks at people in a holistic and integrative way.
I am committed to walking alongside you on your journey to true nourishment, radiant health and freedom with food and body.
Jessica Hughes
CONTACT ME - 250-878-2276
Professional Bio
Jessica Hughes is a Certified Eating Psychology Coach & Registered Therapeutic Counsellor, Specializing in Eating Psychology & Holistic Nutrition.
A Recognized, Weight loss, Self-esteem & Lifestyle Expert.
Featured on CBC radio and Psychology Today.
Jessica gives talks, facilitates workshops and also gives back to her community through her volunteer services for Hospice association.
She lives in the beautiful sunny Okanagan where she works to inspire others to live, love and nourish body, mind, heart and soul.