IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Exciting website updates are under way. Meanwhile, if you would like to learn more about how I work with clients, please click here.
You are driven, determined, and know that your current reality does not dictate your future. You know there is room for improvement, but you’re confused as to how to get there.
It feels like the medical profession is not able to do much to help you. You go to your doctor regularly, and despite normal test results, you know in your gut that something is off.
Your friends and family have a difficult time understanding what’s going on, as every day differs and has various symptoms.
You feel like your world is getting smaller and smaller, making even routine tasks like going to the grocery store challenging.
Here's what I also know. No matter where you currently are in your journey, it is totally possible to live a life full of beauty and energy not dominated by your illness. Having the right person to support you in navigating the chronic illness labyrinth can make all the difference.
My story
Hi! I’m Ioana, and I help those with POTS build more energy, stability, and independence.
A bit of my story: I experienced chronic symptoms that got worse with each passing year, leaving me feeling physically and emotionally drained. For the first few years, I was told the symptoms were "just stress and anxiety" and that they would pass.
As time went on and the symptoms kept worsening, I finally received a diagnosis in 2017. The diagnosis encompassed a spectrum of conditions, including POTS, EDS, gastroparesis, and SIBO.
Medication helped mask some of the symptoms, but the side effects left me feeling even more exhausted. I felt overwhelmed and stuck, and the medications were no better than just putting on a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
I believed that there had to be a more comprehensive way to look at my symptoms instead of managing them one by one. I wanted my independent, productive life back.
It has taken time and many baby steps, but after all that frustration and confusion, I was able to start taking back control of my life. I began researching the autonomic nervous system, the gut, and the interconnectedness of the human body and experimented with various modalities. After starting and failing many times, I reached out for help and became more consistent. With that consistency, I finally began seeing results.
Through this, I learned that healing is possible.
I can now wake up without experiencing adrenaline rushes or palpitations, work out and take a shower, and go to the grocery store all in one morning. Before, I couldn’t even do some of these things, much less combine them. Now, throughout the day, I’m able to work without being symptomatic, and I sleep deeply at night.
Did I fully get rid of all symptoms? Of course not.
My body will probably always be a bit more sensitive than average. It takes me a little longer to recover from infections, surgeries, and other stressors.
On a particularly hot day, I might notice some palpitations or mild chest discomfort when I first start walking. It usually passes within a few minutes.
I think of these symptoms as “POTS whispers” rather than alarms. They remind me to slow down when needed and take good care of myself.
The difference is that they no longer control my life.
For years, my health determined what I could do, where I could go, and how I felt about my future. Today, the occasional symptoms are only one small part of a much bigger life.
This inspired me so much that I decided to go back to school and become a health coach. I wanted to ensure that others would not have to do this alone. I firmly believe that transforming your health is well within reach, and I’m here to support you every step of the way!
Are you ready to feel less stuck and find a path forward?
drop down menu
Symptoms I used to have
Make this pop
CTA?
To give you a better idea of some of the symptoms I used to have, here’s a list:
- Daily headaches
- Dry eyes
- Nausea multiple times a day
- Limited food intake due to gastroparesis
- Difficulty keeping food down
- Dizziness
- Elevated heart rate, reaching 170 while standing and waiting for the elevator
- Palpitations and irregular heartbeats
- Chest pain radiating across the left side of my body
- Sensitivity to heat, triggered by anything above 21°C / 70°F
- Sensitivity to cold, exacerbated by Reynaud’s, triggered by anything below 17°C / 63°F
- Muscle and joint pain
- Fatigue (both tired and wired)
- Insomnia
- Tremors
- Stomach pain
- Paresthesia
- Vestibular migraines
- Blood pooling in legs
- Brain fog, including slurring words in the evenings and when overheated
- Constant yawning and struggling to catch breath
- Mast cell reactions to foods, chemicals, and so on
⭐ What clients have shared
"Talking to you feels like talking to an old friend. You support and encourage us while also gently nudging us toward our goals."
Who I am and what I do
My training consists of years of research and experimentation I did during my own healing journey, as well as the formal training I have undertaken.
I graduated as a health coach from the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy, learning about coaching psychology, functional medicine and nutrition, mind-body medicine, and positive psychology.
After graduating, gaining more real-world coaching experience, and furthering my studies, I sat for the board exam and became a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach. Since I’m board certified, you’re able to pay for coaching services using your HSA and FSA funds.
I am also certified in the clinical use of biofeedback through HeartMath. Biofeedback is an evidence-based, mind-body technique for stress management and self-regulation. Working with HeartMath techniques helps retrain your nervous system by guiding it toward the rest and digest response rather than the fight or flight mode.
I also undertook additional training to become a Certified Mindfulness Teacher. Why mindfulness? When illness occurs, it brings not only physical symptoms but also all the emotions that come with it. Mindfulness serves as a powerful tool for cultivating effective coping mechanisms and embracing life and its symptoms as they are. This not only helps emotionally but also contributes to alleviating physical symptoms.
I also have firsthand experience navigating healthcare systems in multiple countries, including the United States, Germany, Switzerland, Romania, and the United Kingdom. That has helped me develop a broader understanding of the various challenges people in different places face when trying to access care and support.
Because dysautonomia has affected my life so much, my involvement has extended beyond my own recovery and professional training.
Over the years, I have attended multiple Dysautonomia International conferences to learn about the newest research, volunteered with Dysautonomia International and PoTS UK, and participated in advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C. aimed at increasing awareness and funding for dysautonomia research.
⭐ What clients have shared
"The best part of coaching for me has been talking with someone who is intelligent, sensitive, perceptive and targeted with her teaching."
Who I work with
I work with those with POTS, dysautonomia, and Long Covid, whether they have been officially diagnosed or not. These individual’s main complaints are crippling fatigue, palpitations, dizziness, temperature regulation problems, and the list stretches on and on. They oftentimes have other diagnoses, such as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, migraines, SIBO, IBS, autoimmune disease, Ehler-Danlos, and mast cell activation disorders. The main link is that there is a degree of autonomic dysfunction.
These individuals sense that something is not right in their bodies, but they feel overwhelmed with all the information that is out there. They've tried various things, like keeping a schedule of their activities, going gluten-free, meditating, or starting the Levine Protocol. Yet, they often feel that their energy crashes keep them from forming consistent habits. With the limited energy they do have, they also find it difficult to expend energy on something they are not sure will work.
⭐ What clients have shared
"You don't just tell us we've got this—you teach us that we really do."