We recently connected with Layne VanLieshout and have shared our conversation below.

Layne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Was there a defining moment in your professional career? A moment that changed the trajectory of your career?

Oh man, I’ll try to keep it short… My training in the health field was based on conventional medical philosophies that involve the diagnosis of disease and treatment (usually with pharmaceuticals). I always knew the system was somewhat broken based on what others had told me, but I didn’t really grasp that concept early on. I just wanted to help people get better, and this was the best way that I knew how. At the time I didn’t realize HOW much more we can do to really support others in their health, so I essentially just did what I was taught: label symptoms as a diagnoses/disease and figure out the best course of action involving medications. There was such little training on how to actually help people with their nutrition of lifestyle, so it was difficult to incorporate that to the extent necessary to help make a meaningful change. The defining moment (or time period) for me was when I was starting to experience puzzling symptoms of my own… dizziness, near-fainting spells, exhaustion, insomnia, tingling in my legs, anxiety, stomach pain (the list could go on). I of course sought medical care and was offered a prescription for anxiety (no surprise) and told to go to therapy. Through all of this, my labs kept coming back “normal” and I was increasingly frustrated with both the solutions offered AND the fact that I was feeling worse by the day. It was terrifying, really, waking up each day not knowing if I may nearly faint in the grocery store or in the car. It was then that I started searching for other solutions and came across Functional Medicine; I learned the whole philosophy is about getting to the root-causes of symptoms and restoring balance within the body using natural approaches. My eyes were opened and I felt I had *finally* found what was actually going to help me get to the bottom of my symptoms. So I studied it like crazy, got formal training in the field, started getting a handle on my own health situation, and realized that this was exactly the type of care that I wanted to provide to others. I knew that if I, someone who was extremely healthy (or so I thought at the time) was struggling with these things, there just had to be other women with similar experiences looking for a solution such as this. Fed up with conventional healthcare, I took a huge leap of faith and opened up my own company in December 2021, LV Wellness Consulting. It was scary, but I had this gut feeling and blind trust that it was going to work (thank you God!) and that I was meant to do this. Since then, my company has evolved to not only help clients on a 1:1 basis, but also in group program settings to have an even bigger impact.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have worked in the health and wellness space since age 19; I always knew I would be in this industry from a young age. Since discovering my passion for Functional Medicine and root-cause resolution after going through my own health frustrations, I have further honed in on gut health and hormone balance for women. I found that these were the two major areas that people needed the most support with and they are so key in supporting whole-body health. The most common frustrations that women come to me seeking help with are exhaustion, bloating, IBS, food intolerances, painful or irregular periods, mood swings, anxiousness, inflammation, and overall not feeling at ease in their bodies. These women have also commonly been told that their labs are “normal” or are given other excuses for their symptoms without feeling validated, and they are essentially left without the answers or solutions they really need. My method is simple yet comprehensive and involves 3 key pillars. First we get lab data; I use a combination of blood work and functional lab panels in most cases to help identify the internal imbalances. Then, I customize action plans and protocols specifically for each client that involve nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle approaches. And third, is supporting them step-by-step with frequent follow-up sessions so that they feel educated, inspired, and empowered throughout the process in order to achieve sustainable results. In doing this, my clients feel like they have finally found the answers they’ve been needing as well as the support system to help them navigate the wellness journey. I am most proud of (honored, really) to be able to witness my clients transformations, and many have told me how life-changing this experience was for them. I want my clients to know that when you have bothersome symptoms, your body is simply trying to communicate to you; your body is so brilliant and you were designed to feel well, it’s just a matter of identifying root-causes of imbalances and figuring out what is needed to restore balance from within.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Word of mouth and client referrals has been a good portion of clientele for me, along with free advertising on social media. I share a variety of content that involves root-causes of symptoms, lab findings, client successes, and overall inspiration. From there I have also grown an email list that I nurture regularly to continue providing value and offering ways to work with me.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

Such a tricky question! But yes, I fully trust that my professional path has led me to this exact place, but I do realize I could have gotten here much faster had I taken a different route. At the same time, I wouldn’t change my education or career because I know it still supports me in my current role, even if indirectly.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lvwellnessconsulting.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/layne_vanlieshout/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/layne-vanlieshout-113697155/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCT7Hsi-uE4v705Et86-G9Q
• Other: TikTok: @Layne_VanLieshout https://www.tiktok.com/@layne_vanlieshout

Image Credits
Katie Cotton