Psychological Matters

Susan DeGroot, MSW, is a mental health therapist currently employed at Marquette General Hospital’s Outpatient Behavioral Health Department in Marquette, MI. She has over 35 years of practical experience and has had a long-time interest in the relationship between nutrition and mental health. She recently attended the National Nutrition Conference in Atlanta, Georgia to refine her knowledge in this topic. She also is currently serving on the Nutrition and Medicine Committee at Marquette General Hospital. Kerry: Thank you, Susan, for taking time to answer a few questions about the effects of nutrition on our mental health. Give some examples of how our diet affects our sense of well-being. Susan : Basically, we are what we eat! Many acute nutritional deficiencies have historically been known to cause mental health symptoms. Severe Vitamin C deficiencies, for example, can cause scurvy. This was discovered when individuals deprived of Vitamin C during long ocean voyages became very

Let me introduce Kimberly Gleason who is a professional life and executive coach, speaker, author, and owner of the coaching company, Coaching for Life Purpose (soon to be renamed Synergy Coaching Alliance). She graduated with a B.A. in English and a minor in psychology. Thereafter she went through professional coach training through the Institute for Life Coach Training , an International Coach Federation-accredited school. She has been featured in Women’s Lifestyle Magazine as an expert in this field and was recently interviewed for Grand Rapids Magazine . Kerry: What is life coaching? Kimberly: Life coaching is a powerful, synergistic partnership between coach and client that propels the client toward overcoming challenges and achieving his or her goals and dreams, both personally and professionally. Similar to a personal trainer, a coach will encourage, brainstorm, strategize, and motivate clients towards their goals, as well as hold them accountable for achieving them. Basi