I interview Ashley Novak. Ashley is a Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner through the Nutritional Therapy Association, as well as a Holistic Lifestyle Coach through the Chek institute. Ashley has a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Chicago, and is super passionate about finding the "root cause" in all aspects of life. She has an innate drive to get to the bottom of why things are the way they are, especially in the body. And, Ashley also appreciates the beautiful fact that some things in this world will never be able to be explained. Ultimately, Ashley strives to help her clients make decisions for themselves with complete information. Additionally, Ashley has been a professional model for the past 12 years, traveling the world and expanding her capacity for love and healing.
Topics Discussed Include:
- How Ashley grew up as a sensitive child with emotionally immature parents
- Ashley becoming her mom’s fulltime caregiver and losing her mom to alcoholism in her 20's
- How Ashley broke through her intergenerational trauma by learning to prioritize herself
- Surrendering to the non-linear nature of grief
- Moving from anger to radical acceptance
- How Ashley used exercise / running as a way to escape pain and grief after her mother’s death
- Seeking validation and safety through work, athletics, love, school, etc.
- How Ashley’s body responded to her trauma, and overworking/exercising, through hormonal imbalance, cystic acne, chronic fatigue, and more.
- Ashley’s fear of being still and her journey of learning to slow down and embrace rest
- Ashley’s decision to quit competitive racing and training for marathons / iron man’s / triathlons, and learning to re-fall in love with movement on her own terms -Internalizing vs. externalizing
- Ashley’s journey of being critiqued as a model and learning to hold onto unconditional self-love, while continuing to prioritize her holistic health & wellbeing
- Ashley’s journey of cycle syncing and how she practices self-care in the 4 phases of her menstrual cycle
- Ashley’s connection to the voice of the divine feminine The fluidity of masculine + feminine energetics
- Ashley’s work today as a model, functional medicine nutrition practitioner, & holistic lifestyle coach
Mentioned Books / Authors:
Codependent Mo More by Melody Beattie: https://www.amazon.com/Codependent-No-More-Controlling-Yourself/dp/0894864025
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk: https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748
The 5th Vital Sign by Lisa Hendrickson-Jack: https://www.amazon.com/Fifth-Vital-Sign-Optimize-Fertility-ebook/dp/B07MVGB2DH
In the Flo by Alisa Vitti: https://intheflobook.com/
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson: https://www.amazon.com/Adult-Children-Emotionally-Immature-Parents/dp/1626251703
Quit Like a Woman by Holly Whittaker: https://www.quitlikeawoman.com/
Untamed by Glennon Doyle: https://www.amazon.com/Untamed-Glennon-Doyle-Melton/dp/1984801252
Stillness Is the Key by Ryan Holiday: https://www.amazon.com/Stillness-Key-Ryan-Holiday/dp/0525538585
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: https://www.amazon.com/Alchemist-Paulo-Coelho/dp/0061122416
Connect With Us:
Rayna’s Instagram / Tik Tok: @raynaclairee https://www.instagram.com/raynaclairee/ https://www.tiktok.com/@raynaclairee
Ashley Novak: https://www.ashleynovak.co/ @theadventuringashley , https://www.instagram.com/theadventuringashley/