"After a few short months of time spent with Lori, I changed my perspectives and found freedom from my obsessive thought cycles. We hardly focused on the obvious issue, food, which made me feel much more comfortable and open with her. Within 3 months, I returned to a healthy weight as a side effect of relieving anxiety and stress from my life.

The fact that Lori has first-handedly experienced what I have also gave me comfort and allowed me to trust her and be open. I learned how to not identify myself with a "disorder" which helped me move on quickly with my life. Lori helped rebuild my confidence and helped me realize that I am so much bigger than the hardships I have faced. We focused on the roots of the problem, not the outcomes.

First of all, this made me feel not so different from everybody else because they are the same human issues that everybody goes through; we just deal with them in different ways.

Lori also helped me realize that what I went through is not something to handicap me in life, but rather an experience that gives me strength and is part of my character today.

I am very thankful and feel blessed to have crossed paths with Lori and her unique approach to confronting eating disorders."
-Anonymous Client, So Cal

I was and am one of those people with visible and invisible chains. Many of us humans are chained, but how many of us have the opportunity to loosen those chains- to free ourselves? What an opportunity I have had, a woman came to me when I was weighed down with every single one of my chains that constricted me so tightly that even life itself seemed impossible. She saw my chains, and she saw me, the real me that was hidden under all of those constraints. With my Anorexia, Bulimia, Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, and Self harm; I was failing College, I was suicidal, and I had reached the ultimate breaking point.

Lori Hanson is one of the few persons in all my years of psychiatric care that has really gotten through to me, she's shown me solutions - she showed me that I don't have to be chained to the psychiatric system for the rest of my life. I made more progress with her in a couple months than I ever did while inpatient or with the hundreds of sessions with the therapists that I've had in my life.

The supplements she suggested to me didn't just help me, they saved my life. The very first email I sent to her after starting the supplements was the most exciting moment I've ever had during treatment- for the first time in the past 2 years I went an entire week without planning a suicide. I didn't need to kill myself anymore, because all those pent up emotions that chained me down and overwhelmed my life were suddenly not so bad. I wasn't taking drugs that simply covered up my emotions, the emotions just didn't control me anymore- the supplements were really helping me. I couldn't believe it, but it was true.

Not only did the supplements help, but the sessions I've had with Lori have helped as well. Though Lori is a really easy person to talk to about anything, I have always found it to be very difficult to talk about certain things in my life with anyone. I usually shut down, hide it, lie about it, or minimize it. She recognized this in me because of my reluctance to perform certain writing assignments- specifically ones involving my past with my family. I didn't feel safe at all to even go near the subject, let alone write about it. It was too emotional, too overwhelming, too scary, too real- I was so afraid

that if I thought about those "bad" things that I would go crazy again, that I'd try to harm myself. But instead of writing, we talked. She taught me how to center myself to find a safe medium so that I could allow myself to talk. She got me to open up, it's the first time anybody in my years of treatment had ever gotten me to talk like that. I told the truth, the great big ugly truth, the truth that made me hate myself so much, the truth that pushed me to punish myself, to starve and purge my entire self away, and to chain myself to things that hide that painful truth so that I don't have to look at it anymore. The truth isn't what chained me, though. I had chained myself to those destructive things. Facing the ugly truth is really what could set me free, if I learned how to deal with it.

And I am learning how to deal with it. Every day that I'm not skipping meals, every meal that I don't purge, every minute I don't spend thinking about harming myself is instead spent thinking about how I can improve my life now. I can't change how my life was, but I can change how my life is now, today, tomorrow, even next year. A great big giant door has opened for me, and thanks to Lori's work, I'm not so scared to step through that door. I'm not so scared to take a bite of food- in fact, I don't even have to fight myself to eat anymore, I can just eat.

Life is not so much a struggle anymore than it is a challenge. Struggle is constant, challenge is not. Struggle is when we have nowhere to go, when there is nothing better waiting for us than more misery and more defeat. But with challenges- I can meet my challenges, I can face them, and I can overcome them. I can win.

With the tools I've gained, and the hope that I've found, I will be able to continue facing my challenges in life and I will continue to overcome them. My struggles will be left in the past now- they are merely a one-way street that lead me straight into dead ends. No more dead ends for me now, I choose life."
-Doja, Maryland

I contacted Coach Lori for help after I got my third DUI. I was going through a very messy divorce from an abusive husband and my first few meetings at AA told me that it wasn't going to help me. I knew about the work Lori was doing and her ability to change people's lives so I called and asked if she could help me.

Lori first taught me about the link between diet, nutrition and sugar sensitivity and how this plays into alcoholism. Much to my surprise I gave up sugar in less than two weeks which significantly helped to eliminate my cravings for alcohol. With the nutritional supplements and her keeping on me to plan and eat balanced meals I had a foundation to work from toward recovery.

But Lori goes far beyond the chemical addiction and cravings. She taught me so much about my thoughts and how I was defeating myself on a daily basis. She never judged me, but always encouraged me and told me how much she believed in me. I improved my self-esteem one step at a time.

People at work started to notice the changes. Coach Lori said she heard it in my voice. It took me awhile longer to see and accept it. But a year later I am a new woman. Confident in my abilities, a shining star at work again and much calmer about working through the legal issues I've had to face on this journey.

Lori is a compassionate and caring coach who is dedicated to helping you reach your goals toward recovery, better habits and a much better quality of life. Her approach is different, alternative and refreshing.

So, Lori thank you for all you have done and continue to do for me. You are a great source of encouragement and inspiration to me. Now I plan on going out there and Kicking some ASS!

Two thumbs up to a great life coach. I highly recommend her.
-Susan, Atlanta, GA

Lori Hanson came into my life at a time when I truly believed I would never be able to overcome my eating disorder. I have been a bulimic since I was sixteen years old. I am now forty-four. After years of thinking "Tomorrow is a new day, I will be better then." I realized that this was not something I could do on my own.

She helped me realize that it was not a matter of having willpower but of having confidence and love for myself, that I was worth it and that only I needed to believe that. I know now that my healing and self-discovery that I am working on with her is truly a journey and not a destination.
-Becky, Denver, Colorado

Since early childhood, I cannot ever remember a time when I wasn't obsessed with food, my weight, and being both a perfectionist and a people-pleaser. As a survivor of sexual abuse, and daughter of an alcoholic and verbally abusive parent, I always felt like I never measured up or really fit in, and the only way I knew to comfort myself was with food. I spent my childhood and teenage years battling binge eating, getting heavier and heavier.

In college I was desperate to find some sense of control and in doing so began a vicious cycle of anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, and severe depression. I cannot even begin to imagine the thousands of hours and dollars I spent on binge foods, diet pills & programs, doctors, & multiple therapists. At one point I even went across the country to a well-known inpatient treatment facility. I would do well for awhile, but the underlying issues remained, and before I knew it I was again spending my days trying to "hold it all together" & keep up my happy façade for the world, and my nights eating until I could barely move, followed by hours of purging, crying and self-hatred.

After gaining and losing the same 150lbs three times, running from doctor to doctor for digestive, hormonal and intestinal issues, and feeling like there was truly no way out of the madness, I had reached the point of just wishing I would never wake up. Somehow in browsing the internet, I stumbled across Lori and her holistic approach. I reached out for help one last time, & found a program that has already changed my entire life. I found someone who has BEEN THERE, has traveled her own path to healing, and who really understands. In all my years of searching, I never really felt understood.

I am only beginning my real journey toward healing and wellness, but a few weeks into my coaching sessions with Lori I can already feel a shift in both my body and mind. She helped me to get started on nutritional supplements that have already begun to regulate the chemical issues I was facing, and I finally learned the eating disorders were not my fault. My poor body was so chemically imbalanced, and my mind so entrenched in negativity, that I was simply spinning my wheels getting nowhere fast. I am now learning to eat quality food and be OKAY with that, loving myself and realizing I do deserve to be healthy and happy. I don't need to punish myself or try to maintain militant control over every little thing in my life. And most recently, Lori has helped me get in touch with some deeply ingrained pain & self-image issues stemming from my childhood, to verbalize them and most importantly, to finally let them go. It's not about talk therapy or dieting, but rather about trusting myself, Lori's guidance, and the universe. It's about surrendering control, listening to my body, and allowing the healing to come to me.

It's a process, not an overnight "cure." And it isn't always easy. I still have bad days like everyone else. That's how I know this is for real. As Lori always tells me, it's about "progress, not perfection." But for the first time in my 37 years, I am looking forward to the future, learning to love my body and who I am inside, and realizing I can be healthy, happy, and OKAY with whatever the universe has in store for me. I have to give Lori an amazing amount of credit. I trust her, appreciate her willingness to share her own experiences, and look forward to our sessions together. Lori is not just my eating disorder coach, but she is also my friend, and with her guidance I am finally on my way to the freedom I have desired for so very long."
-Anonymous Client, Chesapeake, Virginia

-Bulimic, 26 years old

During the last 8 years of my life I have struggled with an eating disorder called bulimia. I began to realize how much bulimia was affecting my life when I did not want to hang out with friends anymore, I did not want to go to work, I lacked love and confidence for myself and I struggled to wake up in the morning. I was in a deep hole searching for a way out with no one to turn to.

Researching online I came across an alternative approach that didn't require popping an antidepressant. I was led to a beautiful, compassionate woman named Lori Hanson and her alternative approach to eating disorders program called Learn2Balance. It has been 8 months since I've been working with Lori and I could not be happier with the strength I've gained through using the power of my subconscious mind and meditation, the knowledge I've learned through our personal one on one talk sessions, and the wisdom that Lori offers through her own personal experiences with eating disorders has completely changed my life for the better.

I am truly happy with the results I am getting from working with Lori. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is seeking a loving, alternative approach to healing an eating disorder.
- Tricia, St. Paul, Minnesota

My experience with Learn2Balance and the Eating Disorder Coaching program was phenomenal. I learned some amazing skills to apply to my recovery. It gave me the ability to stand up to friends about issues that caused stress in my life. Her techniques were empowering. They challenged me to think outside the box. I was able to apply the skills she taught me to everyday life. I would recommend this program to anyone who is struggling with an eating disorder.
-Alicia, Akron, Ohio

I can't tell you how happy we are that our daughter is doing so well and really seems to be re-engaging socially. The stresses she has now seem to be moving more toward academics and social stuff (typical teenage stresses) and she's SO much less focused on food. You have been an incredible support for her and she loves her sessions with you!

You are doing such good things for girls/women and I know I was a bit hesitant at the beginning that you weren't a traditional "dr. counselor" but we could not be more pleased all the way around! Thanks again and again!"
-Client Parent, Denver, CO

I've had a lifetime of addictive behaviors. It started with drinking, went to drugs, and then became a series of eating disorder behaviors. I've never known how to deal with or just sit with my emotions and feelings. My entire childhood I saw my parents drink to cope with their emotions and I began to think that was the normal thing to do. This cycle started early and continued to more obsessive compulsive behavior as I reached my twenties. I've dealt with anorexia, bulimia and exercise bulimia and binge eating disorders for the last 7 years. I was in denial for the first 5 years that I had an eating disorder, truly thinking it was not a problem. It started to consume me. My every thought was a thought about food. I heard Lori one evening on the radio talking about her book, It Started with Pop Tarts. I read the book and related to her on so many levels. I realized I had a problem and there were avenues out there to seek for help. I finally "came out of the closet" and told my friends and family members I had an eating disorder. Then, I contacted Lori. I started with her individual coaching program and started to see a different light.

My poor body was completely chemically imbalanced. My mind was filled with negative thoughts constantly running; I tried to turn them off but simply was getting nowhere. I am now learning that good and bad food lists don't really exist, and I need to eat quality food and be okay with variety. I need to love myself and know I do deserve to be healthy and happy. I don't need to have rituals with everything, or a schedule set for everything and punish myself when things get out of my control. "What does Lori know, why does she think I need to do homework? Food journal, you're kidding me right?" Lori, recently through meditation took me into my childhood and helped me let go of some long embedded memories and feelings of anger, resentment and hurt. I've been skeptical of many of her practices at first, but once we embrace on each journey she has in store, I continue to let go and start gaining more and more strength, freedom and balance.

I decided to invest in Lori's program because Lori can relate to me. I've seen many therapists through my network of doctors but none have got me anywhere. When you are working with someone who has walked your same walk, it is so much easier to relate. Lori got me on supplements to get my body back in balance which started to work quickly. I learned about Candida through Lori and that my body had a large overgrowth. I learned that these past few years I kept beating myself up because I've been unable to stop binging on certain foods, when I thought I had no will power. It turns out, Candida can consume your mind and make your cravings extremely unbearable. Lori opened doors and answered questions I had been searching for, for years.

If you're not good at something you should get someone who has experience in the field. I am an extreme athletic. I've ran over 60 marathons. I feel like I could be a good coach for someone who is a non-runner. I feel that Lori is an amazing eating disorder, mind, body and soul coach. She has experience in this field. Lori has led me to a life of hope, freedom, balance and moderation. I will not wake up tomorrow and be healed, but I had surrendered to a lifetime sentence of eating in misery and now have an opened door to a lifetime of opportunities to live fully!

I want to thank you Lori for helping be my spiritual guide with my journey to freedom.
- Alyson Kreutzer, Denver, CO

I found Lori Hanson after a difficult year of trying to help our daughter deal with anorexia. She was hospitalized in December of 2009 and went through the Children’s Hospital ED program. After much counseling (family and individual), we thought Rachel was ready to resume her former life and that we had this thing “behind us.” She was back at school and going along alright but within a few months, we were seeing signs that she was clearly still dealing with this. She was seeing a traditional psychologist (with an ED specialty) but never came away feeling good from those sessions. When her Pediatrician was nearly ready to have her re-admitted due to further weight loss and ongoing emotional issues, I knew it was time to make a major change.

I read everything I could get my hands on about helping girls her age (17 yrs) truly get past this and avoid suffering from anorexia indefinitely, as I’ve heard that so many do. I adopted ideas from the Maudsley approach and we took a very aggressive stance, including me meeting her at school for lunches to ensure she actually ate.

While searching for a new counselor, I came across Lori’s program. I loved the idea of her holistic approach and that she had personally dealt with an eating disorder for years. I was hesitant that she wasn’t a Dr. and that none of the sessions would be covered by insurance, but since what we had been doing was NOT working, we decided to sign on.

We are beyond thrilled with the progress that our daughter has made with Lori. She has loved their sessions together and learned so many tools to deal with all of the things that come her way while navigating anorexia. She has returned to her former sparkly personality and independent spirit. She’s healthy and happy in a way that I was starting to wonder if we’d ever see again. Lori really understands what these girls are going through and has done wonders for our daughter. I would highly recommend her to any family going through the sometimes terrifying and devastating world of eating disorders.
- Janet, Denver, CO

First and foremost, I would like to thank the Lord for sending me Lori. I truly believe she is God-sent! She is such an inspirational, caring, understanding woman who has changed and continues to change my life.
Over the past 6 years I have bounced from therapist to therapist, intensive outpatient programs and even residential treatment and would honestly have to say, I found myself even deeper in my ED. I was feeling pretty hopeless. I knew in my heart though that there was so much more to life, but just did not know how to get past some of my underlying hurts and hang-ups. There was also this gut feeling I had had that meds were NOT the answer and were preventing me from a full recovery, but that my eating habits had truly changed my brain chemistry.
Lori has proven to me that our bodies are amazing machines and can heal themselves with good-wholesome food, supplements, and much positive self-talk! Meds are NOT the answer, text book type treatment will not solve your deep-rooted issues! Lori is showing me this and I hope that my testimony will lead others to seek her support as well. She is a life-saver! Truly"
- Laura, Carmel, IN

I was unhappy, unhealthy and desperate for help when my mom found Lori Hanson on the internet while doing research one day. I had been dealing with anorexia for a year and a half, and had spent some time at the Eating Disorders Unit of Children’s Hospital, so you could say I was hopeless.

Although I had initial doubts about the holistic approach to healing an eating disorder, I quickly realized that Lori’s program was absolutely the best method for me. She taught me that the foods that I was feeding myself in order to restore the weight I had lost from being anorexic were simply making me feel bad about myself. Lori helped me alter my diet and also incorporated nutritional supplements that were customized to my needs. The supplements have been great! They boosted my self esteem, my energy and gave me an overall positive outlook on life. My friends and family noticed a significant change in my mood, and were saying “I am so happy to see the color in your face and sparkle in your eyes again.” Everyone was happy to have Rachel back. More importantly, I felt one hundred times better.

Now, I wake up everyday excited to try new things and move on with what I love in my life. I have more energy than I have had in a long time and I am always motivated to get past my anorexia. Lori helped me realize that I can conquer my eating disorder and that it can be something of the past, rather than something I deal with for the rest of my life. I never thought that I would feel this good again! But I do!

I am so grateful to have found Lori because she has helped me reclaim my life and refocus my mind. Rather than obsess over food and exercise for the rest of my life, I plan to go to college, travel the world and spend time with the people I love. Thank you, Lori for being such a huge support and a life saver for me and my family!!”
- Rachel, Denver, CO