You started the GLP-1 medication to regain control of your health. You knew you couldn't live the way you were living anymore.
You didn't want to feel out of control or be riddled with chronic disease as you aged. I want you to know how courageous I think you are for starting a GLP-1 medication for your health.
And.
Deep down, you are ready to be LIBERATED from the old patterns, habits, and mindsets that created the illness in the first place. That is going to take more than an injection. It's going to take a whole person approach that looks at all aspects of you. You're ready for it. That is why you're here, reading this page. ;)
You're now entering a true whole person approach to healing ~
liberated: beyond weight loss
I imagine that you:
✖️ started the GLP-1 medication with the purest of intentions to truly transform your health. You knew you needed the support of the medication and you've invested in your health.
✖️ have heard all about the side effects of these medications and want to prevent them as much as possible. You've heard about the nausea, muscle loss, hair loss, nutrient deficiencies, and so on, and you want nothing to do with that. You started this journey to feel well, not trade your vitality for pounds on the scale.
✖️ attempted diet after diet and program after program with temporary or waning results and you want this time to be different.
✖️ Repeatedly fallen off the wagon and wonder what the heck you have to do to get your shit together.
✖️ Don't want to have to sort through all the information on social media to know what's right for you or not. It's a jungle out there!
So, why isn't just taking the medication enough? How can optimizing your vitality optimize your results?
The medication is a powerful tool that transforms lots of processes in the body.
That said, living with a life of dysregulated blood sugar/insulin, inflammation, obesity, or other chronic health issues means that your body has been under stress for a long time. It takes more than just these medications to address all the facets of longstanding chronic health issues if you want to move from surviving to thriving.
And I do want to make this distinction: I am here to help you thrive, not just lose weight.
I believe one of the reasons my weight loss journey has been so successful this time is because I am fully optimized.
What does it take to be fully optimized? For each person, I consider the following:
Lifestyle assessment - it's not just eating less and moving more. It's your sleep, nutrition, communication, relationships, and so on. This is why a whole health inventory is so important!
Cellular function - how are your cells using energy? How are your cells using thyroid hormone? When we optimize cellular function, our body runs better. We can go from feeling cold and tired to having consistent, stable energy. The hair tissue mineral analysis that is included with your package is the basis for this test.
Nervous system - Weight loss itself is a stressor to the body. If your body is already in a chronic state of stress, you may experience more side effects such as feeling cold, tired (or wired + tired), nausea, anxiety, or depression. Having a regulated nervous system can mean the difference between the energy to move your body or not move your body, to prep your meals or not prep your meals. In other words, do not underestimate the power that a healthy nervous system has on how you feel day to day.
Nutrient status - Protein, electrolytes, hydration, colorful fruits and vegetables are all so important. As I mentioned before, living with chronic illness for a long time means that your body has experienced stress. Our minerals and nutrients can become depleted or imbalanced with stress. Moreover, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, feeling cold, hair loss, and even nausea (and other adverse effects) should be lessened with optimized nutrient support. This is why we do blood work.
Hormones - not just our sex hormones (like estrogen and progesterone), though those are important too. But thyroid hormone! Additionally, hormones can change with weight loss, so it's important to watch for this. We have to remember that, after menopause, the fat tissue in the body is the primary source of estrogen. Watching for hormonal balance is essential for optimizing your results and your current/future physical and mental health!
Gut health - when it comes to being able to digest, absorb, and assimilate your nutrients, we do need to consider your gut health. Our gut health actually plays a role in weight, metabolism, and even inflammation and chronic illness. If this is something you've struggled with, we need to address it for you to optimize your results.
Mindset - how we see our weight loss journey matters. Our mindset plays a big role in our habits and outlook.
Let me share a little about me so you know why I do this work.
Hi there. My name is Shannon Stockwell, MS, PA-C. At one time, I was incredibly sick ~ 395 pounds, on 9 medications, riddled with chronic illness and autoimmune disease. I was told that I would have to cope with chronic illness.
I refused to believe them. And I was right.
Over the years, I put multiple chronic illnesses into remission. I went from having multiple autoimmune issues, heavy metal and mold toxicity, stage 3 kidney disease, chronic daily migraines, severe depression, social anxiety, frequent complex trauma responses, and fibromyalgia to where I am now, learning to truly thrive after a very difficult life.
I realized that the medical system was not going to be able to help me. So I trained in conventional medicine as a PA and then furthered my education with advanced training in mindbody medicine and principles of functional, energy, integrative, and holistic medicine.
Now, at age 45, I am healthier and more vibrant than I've ever been. I am still on my own healing and weight loss journey. But I have more energy and vitality in my perimenopausal years than I ever did before. I also weigh less now than when I did at age 18. ;)
After losing over 100+ pounds and keeping it off for a decade, I was still struggling to lose the rest of my weight. I already had excellent habits, but the food noise was incessant. Tirzepatide has been a game changer for me! It has allowed me so much mental space where the food noise used to be. It was so frustrating to have such good habits and to still struggle day after day. Tirzepatide has made that a thing of the past for me. Even in perimenopause, I am releasing weight with ease. In fact, I have even gained muscle! I am here to help you be committed to unveiling your best self too.
I am getting stronger year after year, creating a life where I get to live fully alive. And I get to help others do the same! In the nearly 4 years I've had my own wellness practice, I have served hundreds of clients to reclaim their energy and vitality.
Women are ready to be seen, heard, and understood.
Age 29 ~ 380 lbs
chronically ill, autoimmune-riddled, exhausted, depressed, hopeless. In a toxic marriage, struggling with complex PTSD, severe depression, anxiety, and unsure if I would live to age 40 or if I would ever feel joy.
Age 45 ~ 278 lbs
in the Redwoods in NorCal, traveling with my amazing husband (I did well the second time!). More energy, strength, and vitality than ever. Learning how to be loved, cherished, and successful, not merely surviving.
Allie says ...
I have two autoimmune diseases so I’ve been to MANY doctors and none of them come close to the care I’ve received with Shannon. I came to her in March with terrible pain, GI issues, and fatigue. Fast forward to now, my pain is managed, I no longer have GI issues, and my fatigue is much better.
One of the things I love about working with Shannon is that she’s always thinking outside of the box. I’ve always had symptoms of hypothyroidism without low thyroid hormone, so Shannon tested my thyroid peroxidase antibodies and bingo! I have Hashimoto’s disease. Her helping me figure that out helped my family members also get their diagnosis. I still have a long way to go of course, but I have hope now. It’s hard to feel optimistic with chronic illness. Especially as a woman, very often our symptoms are viewed as “over exaggerated.” Shannon has helped me get back on my feet and to a better place, physically and mentally. A truly life-changing experience working with Shannon.
Theresa says ...
I went to see Shannon at the request of my physical therapist. I was not sure what to expect but the experience has been very eye opening. I have been in a state of high anxiety in what feels like forever. I knew I had issues with my health, my body was just not functioning properly. Many doctors in the past wrote my problems off as "old age" saying to me it just happens when you get older. I knew deep down something was wrong it made no sense to me what was happening.
Since I have begun my journey with Shannon I feel lighter mentally and I feel as if I am really living my life with joy and awareness. Her knowledge and intuition about what your body needs, as far as supplements and support are concerned, is truly amazing.
Cindi says ...
Wow- how do I describe in words an experience that has been profoundly life changing? I had been searching for someone to help me safely reduce meds and feel better. Shannon is a modern medicine woman, with the heart of an angel and the soul of a wise healer. Her intuitive gifts coupled with her skill in scientific medicine are unrivaled in the medical community. And I have spent enough time and money with plenty of them.
Ashley says ...
When I came to Shannon, I felt off and couldn't figure out why. I had been following her on social media for quite some time, so I decided to reach out. I hadn't really worked with a holistic practitioner before, but I had heard great things.
From my first conversation with Shannon, I felt so well taken care of! She listened – actually listened – and paid attention to the whole picture of what was going on with me. She didn't push pills at me or run basic panels. She ran a handful of thorough tests to get visibility into what was really going on with me. She explained it all to me, and then she created a customized protocol with check-ins.
I would hands-down recommend working with Shannon. She's wicked smart, grounded in science, deeply intuitive, and is genuinely committed to your healing.
Julie says ...
I'm beyond grateful that I found Shannon and started working with her. For DECADES I've experienced symptoms that no one could explain, and while doctors shrugged and scratched their heads, we treated symptoms as best we could because there wasn't anything else we knew how to do.
As I got older and my symptoms progressed, and I looked at the lives of my parents and decided that I wanted to age in a much better way than they did, I realized that I really wanted to dig in and find root causes for what I was experiencing...and then Shannon appeared.
Shannon is super compassionate, non-judgmental, and a wealth of knowledge, and she looks at patients as whole humans. She encourages us to go slowly and gently as we learn more about our bodies and what it needs to feel healthy, which provides time and space to make the adjustments we need to in a sustainable way.
I still have a ways to go, yet in two short months I'm feeling HUGE progress. Jaw clenching that's plagued me consistently for 25 yrs is hardly noticeable right now. Other muscle tension I've suffered with is markedly reduced. Serious fatigue, general apathy, and generalized anxiety are resolving.
I firmly believe that aging well is not an accident, but that it's very intentional. I intend to age well, and I'm confident that I will with Shannon by my side.
Client Love
Imagine ...
💫 Waking up in the morning full of energy and vitality, so not only are your losing weight, but you are feeling fully alive!
💫 Understanding your body, habits, and patterns at a much deeper level so you can break the old cycles that kept you perpetually letting yourself down.
💫 Wellness that is made just for you. No cookie cutters. Everything is 100% personalized.
💫 Knowing exactly what nutrients to take to balance your body. I will guide you each step of the way, and we will customize it for you. If you prefer food-based approach, we will do a food-based approach. If you prefer supplements, we will do supplements. We can also mix and match!
💫 Having a wise medicine woman guide who welcomes your concerns and questions and is here to support you throughout your journey.
💫 Clear next steps, without the overwhelm. This is precisely why we take our time. You've been there/done that overwhelm cycle where you end up throwing in the towel because it was too much to do all at once. Here, we do it by honoring you, your process, and your nervous system.
💫 Feeling more deeply connected to your body and what nourishes her. Instead of trying to fit yourself into rigid diets, protocols, or programs, we are going to help you feel in charge of what lights your body up.
💫 Getting stronger, fitter, and more vibrant with age!
FAQs
1 / What does this program include?
Oh so much!
✨ Visit 1: 60-minute review of your intake forms, lifestyle assessment + energy assessment (hair tissue mineral analysis and results). We will generally order blood work at this visit. ✨ Visit 2: 60-minute optimization session to put all the stuff from visit 1 together with your blood work and come up with a fully customized plan for you. We will talk about your options. ✨ Four 30-minute focused wellness/nervous system sessions to address questions, concerns and any labs that are ordered. ✨ Zoom-recordings of any test/lab results prior to your sessions so you understand your results and can formulate questions/concerns. Your time is valuable. Let's make the most of it and also, help you understand what I'm seeing at the deepest levels.
✨ 100% personalized nutrient recommendations, testing, and lifestyle guidance based on your history, goals, and test results. No cookie cutter recommendations ever.
✨ An option for a (mostly) all-in-one fully customized GLP1-friendly nutrient to balance your body. This includes everything from vitamins to minerals to nausea/hair/muscle/gut support. It really is incredible ... and SO easy to take for busy professionals.
✨ Access to a monthly holistic support group led by me if you desire! :)
✨ Question and answer thread for brief questions between sessions in Heartbeat app.
2 / Is there a payment plan?
Yes, there is a 6-month payment plan option to make it more affordable!
3 / Why is the program 6 months? That seems like a long time.
We have all been in health journeys that were full of overwhelm. I do not want you to be overhwhelmed!
The truth is, the women who want to optimize their health know it's going to take more than 2 sessions. We are going to build on your habits, mindset, and nourishment practices over time.
Plus, it can take awhile to figure out all the nuance in your personal health journey.
4 / What is not included in the cost of the program?
✖️ Blood work. You can choose to see if your primary care provider will run them or we can generally do very reasonable cash-pay labs that range from $200-$350 depending on the depth of testing. These labs are up to 80% off conventional pay options and are done at Labcorp or Quest Diagnostics.
✖️ Supplements/nutrient support. If we use the fully customized option, it may be ~ $90-$150/mo. We will talk through all the pros/cons of this and other approaches like using single supplements/foods instead.
✖️ Additional testing. If we decide to do further functional medicine testing, that is additional. Please note: I do not believe in over testing. Most of the time, I start with the HTMA (included) and blood work (see prices above).
✖️ Medication prescribing. This is a holistic optimization program. I specialize in this. Please continue receiving your medication from your provider.
5 / Can I see you if I'm outside of Michigan where you practice?
Yes! Even if you are not in Michigan, where I am licensed, I am able to see you as long as you are in the continental USA. In fact, most of my clients are now out of state because I work mostly on referrals.
I work through a wellness lens. So, I won't diagnose you, but, instead, make recommendations to help balance your body.
If I find something concerning, I will have you follow-up with your primary care provider.
Regardless of where you live, I do not work as a primary care provider for anyone.
6 / If I am feeling unwell on my GLP1, can you help me?
Most likely, yes. But always continue regular follow-up with your provider.
7 / Why would I pay you when I already pay my medical providers and prescribers?
Because you want to thrive! You want to do more than treat problems. You want to optimize your health and vitality.
8 / What if I'm unsure if I'm a good fit?
Of course, I want you to feel comfortable! Let's hop on a call and see if we are a good mutual fit.
9 / Do you take insurance? HSA/FSA?
I do not take insurance.
Generally, as I am a licensed provider, I am able to take FSA/HSA as long as your plan covers weight loss coaching/holistic health coaching, you have a letter of medical necessity from your provider documenting your health condition.