Testimonials

Living proof of the way we help change lives.

What can b.nourished do for you? There’s nothing like hearing it from people who’ve experienced life-changing transformations firsthand. You’ll no doubt see yourself in some of their stories. Which speak both about their own personal struggles and their success in achieving higher versions of themselves.

Burned-Out Execs
Chronically Busy
Event Planners
Mood & Depression Issues
Poor Health
Undergoing Life Changes

During this time of uncertainty, Katie was a saving grace to our Organization. Katie joined our team for a lunch and learn sharing great ways to take care of one self during this challenging time. The virus has required many people to stay at home and stay away from others. This has resulted in many of our employees having to change their schedules based on their individual needs (i.e have kids who are home from school). Katie coached our employees through managing stress and getting used to a new lifestyle.  The best advice she gave was make self-care a daily habit. It can help you react better to stress and have more peace during a time of uncertainty! Thank you Katie for your commitment to this work.

April Garcia
Human Resource Director, United Way of Rhode Island

As a busy executive running several companies I have gotten good at taking care of business over my many years of working. I’ve also never had a problem being a good mother. If I graded myself on self-care over the years it would range from a B to a D. The time I spent listening to Katie’s topic about self-care really resonated for me. I always put other people‘s needs first and excelled at taking care of that. Thinking about how to sustain the incredibly responsibility filled life I have over the next few decades made me realize how important taking care of myself first is. Katie,. Thank you for that reminder!

Courtney Wright
CEO, Gemini Builds It!

After being introduced to Katie I quickly knew that our conversation was not going to be contained to just one meeting. I also knew that Katie could not only help me on a personal and professional level, but that her insight would be vital to employees within our firm as well. Our firm welcomed Katie to speak with our employees on the importance of mindfulness, healthy eating and the overall importance of taking care of yourself, not just physically, but mentally as well. Katie brought truthfulness and valuable insight into topics rarely discussed in the open. Employees were left empowered to create positive change that will not only help to strengthen our firm’s culture, but will allow them to provide better value to our clients over the long-term.

David Almonte
Audit Manager, DiSanto, Priest & Co.

The bnourished approach to helping you believe that change is not only possible, but also attainable, empowers you to make better choices. We have invited Katie in to facilitate a lunch-n-learn with our employees on several occasions. Katie has lived in the shoes of a stressful work-life, and her insight has helped many of our employees to ‘hit the pause button’ by challenging them to think about their ideal path, then actually taking a hard look at the choices that they are currently making.

Whether it is her special herbal tea blend, her exceptionally crafted presentations, or the personal anecdotes she uses to add color and ‘tough love’ to her message, every element of Katie’s message is both engaging and empowering.

Greg S
Swarovski North America

We were very fortunate to have Katie as our main corporate wellness presenter over the past year. Katie is a beautiful soul who is able to connect to her audience through her personal struggles and helps identify the areas in our lives that need the most change. Her presentations are simple, unique and inspiring. I highly recommend introducing Katie and bnourished to your employees.

Jennifer Martel
Wellness Coordinator, BlumShapiro

If you are looking for some strategies to improve your life, Katie is the person who can help! She supported me tremendously by equipping me with tools that empower me to use my time more efficiently and avoid burnout. Now, I am not stressed with the countless responsibilities that were taking away my energy. If you are looking to get your life in order, she will provide accountability, new perspectives on self care, useful time management resources, and so much more! This refreshing experience has opened my eyes to see how I can build a better business without sacrificing self care. Such a great experience!

Jillian Quainoo
RDN

I met Katie while in the early stages of building my new business. She helped ME keep myself FOCUSED and most importantly stay true to defining and managing my new business on MY terms.

She proactively shared her own business experiences – wins and challenges, while providing guidance, support, and collaboration throughout our journey. She was vulnerable, compassionate, insightful, informative, inspirational, and incredibly creative. In one word I would describe her as BADASS!

I feel so blessed to have met Katie when I did – she was instrumental in getting me where I am today…and tomorrow.

Kathy O’Neel Webster
Founder, CEO ShipShape®

Have you experienced just how empowering “no” can be? If you keep these two little letters in your hip pocket, you are packing a powerhouse full of liberation. It doesn’t preclude me from navigating through a ridiculous amount of responsibility each day. But my plate is full of exactly what I ordered.

Linda Gilbert

Katie’s presentation was fantastic and I know that people left there empowered. Not only was the content spot-on for what I was hoping our agency staff would take away, but the feedback I have received thus far has been excellent. Katie is a dynamic speaker with eloquence and a wealth of knowledge that she shares passionately.

Lindsay Sgambato
Rhode Island Food Bank

Have you ever felt like the universe was speaking directly to you?

That was what it felt like when I literally crossed paths with Katie for the third time in the course of several weeks. On that afternoon, a headache was raging, I was exhausted, and I couldn’t even muster enough energy to stop and introduce myself before leaving the event.

Connecting with Katie was just what I needed to gain clarity and make the changes that would positively impact every aspect of my life. Her 360-degree approach helped me see where I could make improvements in my work, my eating, my movement. I have even changed how I approached time! I have renewed energy and a fresh perspective, and the tools to navigate future challenges.

If you’re asking who would guide you towards wellness best, especially during these disruptive times, Katie would be my answer.

Luann Edwards
Global strategic social media consultant, founder – Socially Professional

Dear Katie,

Where do I begin?

First let me tell you that those 30 minutes with you changed my life. Personally, and professionally.

So often, I find that we love what people say, we get inspired, we feel good, and then what? Somehow with you, I took what you said, and I put it into action. By Friday of last week, I had a whole new desk at work. The sticky notes were gone and I haven’t used them as reminders since! That is a big deal – considering my entire time at LJ, I used that to organize my thoughts. I only have one binder now and one notebook to write within. I continue my tradition of writing a to-done list throughout the day and enjoy checking it all off end of the day. Now, making sure that it flows into a to-do list for the next day has been great. It’s helped me get a good night’s sleep and more importantly, I don’t have to wrestle with bits and pieces of paper everywhere.

My coworker Samantha came into my office and said that I have seemed lighter, happier, and definitely not as stressed. Even that Friday when I did my whole desk revolution, my husband said to me when I came home, “wow you look so happy”. Do you know what I told him? That I didn’t even feel like I went to work today. That I was organized, efficient and got things done in a way that I had missed out on before.

Look what you did Katie. No really – look what you did.

I have shared your advice with my best friends, my daughter, and my sister. Each person who I’ve shared your 30 minutes of wisdom with has been blown away and how could they not be?

On the personal front, I decluttered all those notepads, sticky notes and donated them. Because I just moved into a new home, I’m in the process of really getting it together so our conversation came at a perfect time. I’m so excited to move forward in life with your voice in my head. I now remember to take more walks, brush my hair (cause you know I love a good massage!), and take a moment to light my candle for 30 minutes a day in the office. I remember to pause, reflect, and smile. I am voice texting this entire message to you on my way home from work, so there may be funny grammatical errors! I tend to do my best thinking on a quiet commute on the way home and you have been on my mind, so here we are.

You are one in a zillion. I don’t know how you do it. I don’t know how you can magically not know someone yet know them. How you can look into the camera and stare into the soul of someone and tell them what they exactly needed to hear. Thank you so much for making the 30 minutes I had with you, life-changing, action-provoking not just something to think about, but real tangible action items that are applicable and doable. I think that’s what made this conversation so different from others that have given me advice. You moved me to do something.

I hope that our paths cross again and more than anything, know that you have made this Indian girl re-embrace her culture yet know right from wrong. That saying no can be good at the right time and to the right person – but that we need to check when those no’s are to ourselves. That’s powerful and wonderful all at once.

God bless,

Manisha Joshi
Leadership Jacksonville

This year I launched my own firm, and hired Katie within the first month. I am a very organized and disciplined person, but knew I needed someone who would hold me accountable. More importantly, one of the reasons for starting my own firm was to have more control over my schedule and live more intentionally. Through Katie’s guidance, I have accomplished all that I set out to do. Katie helped me track my time to identify what my hiring needs were. She encouraged me to take the leap to hire someone so that I could have more time to spend on the things I am best at, and also have time to reach my other goals for spending time with my family and staying healthy. She helped me start to systematize my activities and plan ahead so I could be more focused on what I was working on, knowing the other list of “to do’s” were on the schedule to be done later. A friend of mine paid me the best compliment the other day. She said, “You seem so calm”. It has taken a lot of internal work to get there, but thanks to Katie’s guidance, I am feeling in control, calm, and working on the things that are most important to me daily, instead of just the urgent and unimportant.

Mindy Davis

When it comes to self-care strategists, life coaches and holistic wellness there are loads of people that talk a good game but Katie McDonald is the real thing. Authentic, compassionate, articulate and with the occasional dose of tough love, Katie masterfully guides you in making the changes YOU want to make in your life. Be prepared to laugh, cry, feel frustrated and fearful. But most of all be prepared to feel hopeful, energized and accomplished. It’s an amazing journey!

Norann Warner
Co-Founder The Tobak Group, Hogan Associates

I invited Katie to speak to our staff as we entered month three working from home due to COVID-19. We decided to structure our time together through a question and answer session. Katie understood that while we wanted to address COVID-19 issues, we wanted staff to understand that self-care is important -not just during crises. Katie brings such energy into a room – even when that room is virtual! She has an amazing way of looking into the eyes, and dare I say souls, of those fortunate enough to learn from her own story of personal neglect. Katie took the time to learn about our organization and the challenges we are facing and to personalize her messages accordingly. While uplifting, Katie is also very direct about the seriousness of self-care – it’s not just something you do when you feel you deserve a feel-good treat – it’s something you need to survive and thrive – especially in times of crises. Thank you Katie!

Pam Hyland
CEO, Girls Scouts of Southeastern New England

Bring back Katie! Excellent speaker, very knowledgeable and engaging, wish we had more time. The hour flew by.

participant in corporate presentations

Katie McDonald is a true professional with a thorough knowledge of her business and a sincere desire to serve her clients. It is apparent within a few minutes of speaking with Katie that she is passionate about what she does and evident that her work is more than a job: it’s a lifestyle. Her aim is to bring out the best in each and every individual she encounters and has the great fortune of making her life’s work her career.

Sam Ragosta
Vice-President, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

Katie immediately transports you to a relaxed and inviting space with her calming personality. I found her presentation focused and intimate; I like that her passion is so real, and it shines through Katie has new ways of looking at life that is loaded with common sense yet with her unique flair.

To “bnourished” once in a while is just what we all need.

Scott F. Seaback
Rhode Island Society for Human Resource Management

Katie is an incredibly bright light. My work with her has helped me tremendously in surviving this last year. The tools and guidance Katie provided in our time together helped me to open up and in make big changes to my personal and professional life. She is an unbelievably hard worker and the hours upon hours she invests in her research shows, and her curation of that material is a huge time-saver for her clients. When she launched the bnourished planner this year, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it because it brings Katie and her expertise into my daily life. Don’t miss ANY opportunity to work with her, see her speak, or gain from her insights. She brings passion, energy, smarts, and beautiful aesthetic and design to all that she does.

Sean McQuade

For years, I have been reactive to life instead of intentional, and now that I have learned how to be intentional, and care for myself, everyone else including me is better because of it. There is such a direct correlation of self care to my success, health, and happiness.

Steph

Before working with Katie, I had trouble seeing myself as the leader that I am. She helped me practice things that would nourish my spirit and have allowed me to take a step back and re-evaluate what I want out of my work and my life. Going forward, I know that I have a toolbox full of tools that will continue to help me prioritize myself as I move forward in my career and my life – which I know will only benefit my work & the people I choose to surround myself with.

Sue AnderBois

The opportunity to work with Katie McDonald has given me strength, clarity and a deep understanding of who I am. I feel empowered when I connect in meaningful ways both personally and professionally and I will continue on my journey to always reflect, assess, evolve, always digging deeper for purpose…purpose to live a healthy and happy life nourished with all the good stuff!

Ting Barnard

Katie’s words are ninjas, synaptic mercenaries bringing clarity to a chaotic mind.

TJ Bennett
Desuckify Work Podcast

The presentation was vibrant, eye-opening, and informative. I left inspired to make self care my number-one priority — realizing this is how I can best support others. For anyone who wants to reach higher levels of performance and joy by getting real about their health, I highly recommend Katie.

Todd Iarussi
Performance Coach

Katie’s workshop on self care was one of the most life-changing things I have ever experienced. Although she was speaking to a group, I truly felt as though she was speaking directly to me and knew all of my thoughts, concerns, and what I needed to do to live life more fully and happy. The tools she provided regarding living life with intentionality, and curbing the negative self-talk, have made such an impact in my life since the workshop.

Up until hearing Katie speak, I always felt like I was in a state of overwhelm. The very next day I incorporated some of her strategies into my day and noticed immediate changes in how I felt. I have noticed that even during times of increased workload and stress, I am able to handle it better, tackle it, and not have that overwhelm that I used to. What I have learned has made a positive impact in both my personal and professional life. I highly recommend Katie McDonald, and feel so blessed to have had the opportunity to learn from her.

Women’s Presidents Organization member

Her transparency is paramount to the success she achieves drawing her audience into her personal story which then she weaves seamlessly into a well-designed and compelling program wherein self care has a primary role in business achievement. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Katie as a speaker for other WPO Chapters as well as companies and other organizations searching for pragmatic inspiration.

WPO Albany Chapter 1 Member

Katie is very authentic. Her wisdom goes far beyond her years. She was inspirational and motivating and assisted us in determining the “why” and “how” in formulating our individual change paths. She is there for us every step of the way to challenge and support and we look forward to continuing to work with her.

WPO Albany Chapter 1 Member

Her own story is inspiring… and she is gifted in sharing that story and inspiring others to embrace positive change in their own lives. Unlike many speakers who initially inspire yet offer no “how-to-do” or operational support… Katie provides practical insights and tools to effect change – and offers the follow-up to assist along the way.

WPO Albany Chapter 1 Member

Katie is expert and inspiring. Her presentations were very well organized and thoughtful and were about very practical issues. We left our day together feeling challenged and motivated, with a plan of straightforward steps toward our individual goals, and the sense that we have the power to create personal change. Our day together exceeded our expectations.

WPO Albany Chapter 1 Member

When life gets chaotic the self care is so important. I was facing a time in my life when I was engulfed in change – new job, relocating, selling a home, buying a home, moving a new family that only recently had moved in with me, so enough change for any sane person to go a little insane… right as I started that journey I happened to attend a meeting where Katie was a speaker… Sometimes things happen for a reason. I decided to sign up for her complimentary session and after that I didn’t even look back.

I look at myself as someone that is pretty accomplished and have my stuff in order, and somehow I felt that Katie could help me bring some better perspective to my life and help organize some of the chaos.

When she asked what I wanted to achieve I told her that I wanted to be the best version of myself. I’m a firm believer of trying anything once and if you continue the same behavior you will get the same results, so in order to achieve more and change I had to evolve.

Katie was amazing. She was a cheerleader that held me accountable and made me push for things that I might not have tried out on my own. She taught me about better self care and how to set boundaries. I needed to set boundaries in my personal life so that I didn’t feel resentful, I needed to set boundaries at work to establish myself and be the leader I wanted to be, I wanted to set new goals around my health and fitness as I realize everything we do starts with having a healthy mind and body.

I honestly think Katie and the 6 month program have helped me to make it through all this change coming out on top, feeling stronger, more secure in my relationship, better in control at work and healthier…. not to mention… I was able to make it through all these big life changes (and then some) without crashing and burning and I felt strong and in control.

I was looking forward to my meetings with Katie, I embraced everything she asked me to try and am thankful for her holding me accountable, opening new options to me and learning me more about self care.

I do think I will always be a work in progress, and through Katie I was able to get to a better version of me… the journey continues!

Alice

During this time of uncertainty, Katie was a saving grace to our Organization. Katie joined our team for a lunch and learn sharing great ways to take care of one self during this challenging time. The virus has required many people to stay at home and stay away from others. This has resulted in many of our employees having to change their schedules based on their individual needs (i.e have kids who are home from school). Katie coached our employees through managing stress and getting used to a new lifestyle.  The best advice she gave was make self-care a daily habit. It can help you react better to stress and have more peace during a time of uncertainty! Thank you Katie for your commitment to this work.

April Garcia
Human Resource Director, United Way of Rhode Island

Katie helped me take small steps to make more “me” time, while maintaining a busy and unconventional work schedule. She gave me the space and confidence to figure things out for myself — then checked in and stepped in at different points to lend support. Initially I was doing this to gain more information on nutrition, but I gained a wealth of knowledge in other areas that needed attention. Creating the balance I was craving to living a more fulfilled and happy life.

Barbara

Ok my fellow Type A’s…. Question: many productivity planners have you tried, and then put aside? I’ve lost count…

If you are like me, you start them, but rarely complete them, or after the newness wears off, you put them aside to go with the pile you have started collecting.

Maybe you pick up a tip or two…. but do they ever help you build new habits, make you feel empowered and ready to take anything on? Do they make you laugh out loud, or give you new perspectives, or help you be intentional with your limited time?

Or do they start to feel like yet another chore you have to do? Another checklist that overwhelms you?

Thank you and a shout out to Katie McDonald for sharing her planner with me. I have tried hundreds of them, but none like this…

It has become my new ritual to start and end my weeks and days. (I’m starting to think of it as my own personal bible…)

Even though the stakes are pretty high for me right now, and there is a ton of stuff going on (keynotes, clients, home remodeling and rebuilding, lots of travel… you name it!) yet I am…

Calm.
Confident.
Ready.

It helps remind me that taking care of myself is what enables me to show up for others, to enjoy the journey, and yes- get sh!t done.

As Katie says “Self care isn’t selfish, it’s your duty.”

Consider this your reminder…. as a #businessowner, #entreprenuer, or #salesprofessional- I can not stress the importance of this enough. Managing yourself is what will enable you to accomplish all your goals, and truly – the only thing you have actual control over is YOU.

(link to get your own in the comments! And no- I get nothing from sharing this with you…)

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Carole Mahoney
Author & Speaker @ Buyer First | Founder @ Unbound Growth

As a busy executive running several companies I have gotten good at taking care of business over my many years of working. I’ve also never had a problem being a good mother. If I graded myself on self-care over the years it would range from a B to a D. The time I spent listening to Katie’s topic about self-care really resonated for me. I always put other people‘s needs first and excelled at taking care of that. Thinking about how to sustain the incredibly responsibility filled life I have over the next few decades made me realize how important taking care of myself first is. Katie,. Thank you for that reminder!

Courtney Wright
CEO, Gemini Builds It!

After being introduced to Katie I quickly knew that our conversation was not going to be contained to just one meeting. I also knew that Katie could not only help me on a personal and professional level, but that her insight would be vital to employees within our firm as well. Our firm welcomed Katie to speak with our employees on the importance of mindfulness, healthy eating and the overall importance of taking care of yourself, not just physically, but mentally as well. Katie brought truthfulness and valuable insight into topics rarely discussed in the open. Employees were left empowered to create positive change that will not only help to strengthen our firm’s culture, but will allow them to provide better value to our clients over the long-term.

David Almonte
Audit Manager, DiSanto, Priest & Co.

After spending 6 months working with Katie, I said, “you are a miracle worker!” to which she replied, “no, YOU are the miracle worker!” I went to Katie feeling overwhelmed, tired and stressed with the relationships and responsibilities in my life. It was difficult to feel joy. Katie lead me on a path of self discovery where, yes, I had to do the work but she is the one who cleared the way and shined the light. By re-defining who I am and what I want, I now claim the joy that was always mine for the taking. I now choose to live in the light of life filled with intention. My path to Katie and with Katie has been a miracle in my life!

Elizabeth

Female faculty have been a hard-working group. However self-care has not been a popular topic compared with getting research grants, carrying good teaching, and being a good mom.  We finally got a chance to invite Katie over to lead a workshop focusing on self-care. She served as a wake up call and she shook our world. The workshop has dramatically changed our views and our commitments to ourselves (not to anybody else). Now we are much more aware of committing time and efforts for our own health and delegate  jobs to others whenever needed. What a pleasant change and we love it. Thank you, Katie!

Emily Liu
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

The bnourished approach to helping you believe that change is not only possible, but also attainable, empowers you to make better choices. We have invited Katie in to facilitate a lunch-n-learn with our employees on several occasions. Katie has lived in the shoes of a stressful work-life, and her insight has helped many of our employees to ‘hit the pause button’ by challenging them to think about their ideal path, then actually taking a hard look at the choices that they are currently making.

Whether it is her special herbal tea blend, her exceptionally crafted presentations, or the personal anecdotes she uses to add color and ‘tough love’ to her message, every element of Katie’s message is both engaging and empowering.

Greg S
Swarovski North America

So I walked into Katie’s office as Clark Kent. Decent Job, fairly attractive, healthy eater, gym member and walked out a year later as Superman.

Did she tell me what I needed to do to complete this transformation? No, she didn’t.
Did she tell me I should lose 20 pounds? No she didn’t but I lost 20 pounds.
Did she tell me I should adopt a plant based diet? No she didn’t , but I have.
Did she tell me I should look at my relationship with alcohol. Yep. And I did and it changed.

So Clark Kent cares about what people think, about how he looks, about what his purpose in life is. Does Superman? Hell, no, all he has to be is Superman. Just be who he is and everything else falls into place.

What Katie helped me see is who I am at the core. Not that I am different or special or one of a kind or destined to be this or that. Just simply discover who I am and then be me. It’s simple but it’s not easy. It’s not a quick fix but the investment of time is worth it. And it’s not cheap. The expense actually hurts and hurting never felt so good.

So, like Clark Kent, I always had Superman inside me and I knew it. I just didn’t know what to do with it. Katie taught me. She can teach you too. It will make all the difference in your world.

Jeannie Sullivan

If you are looking for some strategies to improve your life, Katie is the person who can help! She supported me tremendously by equipping me with tools that empower me to use my time more efficiently and avoid burnout. Now, I am not stressed with the countless responsibilities that were taking away my energy. If you are looking to get your life in order, she will provide accountability, new perspectives on self care, useful time management resources, and so much more! This refreshing experience has opened my eyes to see how I can build a better business without sacrificing self care. Such a great experience!

Jillian Quainoo
RDN

Have you experienced just how empowering “no” can be? If you keep these two little letters in your hip pocket, you are packing a powerhouse full of liberation. It doesn’t preclude me from navigating through a ridiculous amount of responsibility each day. But my plate is full of exactly what I ordered.

Linda Gilbert

As a country addicted to being busy, it’s still so easy to forget to take the time to implement self care strategies. Sometimes you need that gentle reminder to invest in yourself, for not only you, but your business, job, and family. A better you means better relationships across the spectrum of your life. I was reminded of that through a workshop with Katie McDonald, the founder of bnourished. Through her workshop, “Self Care Strategies for Entrepreneurs”, Katie reminded me that we need to stop debating with ourselves. We can’t get away with self neglect. Eventually it will catch up with us and impact our health and relationships. Katie’s workshop was just what I needed in order to give myself permission to put myself first!

Liz Malone
Program Manager, Brown University Jonathan M Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship

This year I launched my own firm, and hired Katie within the first month. I am a very organized and disciplined person, but knew I needed someone who would hold me accountable. More importantly, one of the reasons for starting my own firm was to have more control over my schedule and live more intentionally. Through Katie’s guidance, I have accomplished all that I set out to do. Katie helped me track my time to identify what my hiring needs were. She encouraged me to take the leap to hire someone so that I could have more time to spend on the things I am best at, and also have time to reach my other goals for spending time with my family and staying healthy. She helped me start to systematize my activities and plan ahead so I could be more focused on what I was working on, knowing the other list of “to do’s” were on the schedule to be done later. A friend of mine paid me the best compliment the other day. She said, “You seem so calm”. It has taken a lot of internal work to get there, but thanks to Katie’s guidance, I am feeling in control, calm, and working on the things that are most important to me daily, instead of just the urgent and unimportant.

Mindy Davis

When it comes to self-care strategists, life coaches and holistic wellness there are loads of people that talk a good game but Katie McDonald is the real thing. Authentic, compassionate, articulate and with the occasional dose of tough love, Katie masterfully guides you in making the changes YOU want to make in your life. Be prepared to laugh, cry, feel frustrated and fearful. But most of all be prepared to feel hopeful, energized and accomplished. It’s an amazing journey!

Norann Warner
Co-Founder The Tobak Group, Hogan Associates

It’s been a year since I finally stood up for myself and said: “I’m tired of being tired.” I’d tried coffee, power naps, dieting, exercising and nothing seemed to work. That phone call to Katie started me on a journey that has positively transformed my life. It’s not a phase, it’s not a diet, it’s a journey. My journey. I’m forever grateful to Katie for the gift of life and health. I left my corporate job after 18 years in the workforce. I was too tired to exercise. Too tired to cook healthfully. I was simply too tired, period.

P. Bernstein

I invited Katie to speak to our staff as we entered month three working from home due to COVID-19. We decided to structure our time together through a question and answer session. Katie understood that while we wanted to address COVID-19 issues, we wanted staff to understand that self-care is important -not just during crises. Katie brings such energy into a room – even when that room is virtual! She has an amazing way of looking into the eyes, and dare I say souls, of those fortunate enough to learn from her own story of personal neglect. Katie took the time to learn about our organization and the challenges we are facing and to personalize her messages accordingly. While uplifting, Katie is also very direct about the seriousness of self-care – it’s not just something you do when you feel you deserve a feel-good treat – it’s something you need to survive and thrive – especially in times of crises. Thank you Katie!

Pam Hyland
CEO, Girls Scouts of Southeastern New England

Thank you for your wisdom and toolbox full of tips. I am now a believer of self-care and understand how important it is to put me first. I loved getting your emails re: the importance of self-care and your consistent focus on the importance of empowering my inner confidence. You are a badass.

Robin Barrett Wilson

I didn’t realize how brutal and unforgiving I was to myself. Katie asked me to look at my volume of work and responsibility. And helped create systems to address when I’m overwhelmed.

Sandy R

When I reached out to Katie, I was at my wits end. I know I needed change and more than that I wanted change, but I didn’t know where to start or how. Working with Katie was the best investment of my life. I learned so much about myself, self-care, compassion and life through our process together. I became an advocate for myself, for my family and for my career. She is raw, she is real. Her methodology is built to be self-sustainable, gentle, and efficient. Life is about living, learning and letting go. That was the freedom I was seeking and that was the freedom I obtained.

Young Professional and soon to be mother of two

Katie is a rockstar!

Attendee
Association of Leadership Programs

When I pictured the kind of speaker I wanted to address my professional women’s association for our annual kickoff event, I felt stuck. Words like “authentic,” “impactful,” “purpose-driven,” and “intentional” came to mind, while still wanting someone who could offer pragmatic, business-centric advice. The two seemed to be at odds with one another. I had the honor to be introduced to Katie and upon meeting with her came to realize this type of unicorn speaker exists in Katie. Katie is an extraordinarily gifted speaker, a true master at mellifluously moving her audience through her compelling narrative. She leaves attendees with renewed vigor and fierce determination to do something different tomorrow, leaving in her wake a sea of change agents ready to have impact. She leaves attendees with the realization that we owe it to ourselves to be better. Just a few minutes with this luminary has you dreaming differently. In short, hearing Katie speak–and being in her company–is a privilege in every sense of the word.”

Carrie Majewski
CEO, Nexus

Upon meeting Katie, I immediately knew that she was going to be the perfect addition to our event (Healthiest Employers of Connecticut Awards Program). We were extremely fortunate to have Katie join us and share her insightful, empowering, and motivating words.

I can most definitely say that the crowd that night walked out with a new outlook on their day to day lives and strategies that they can use to improve their day to day lives. The best part was how relatable Katie was with everyone in the room. Sometimes realizing others have similar struggles when it comes to work-life balance can help us all make that step forward that we need to better ourselves. She made me remember that the word “me” matters very much!

Christina Zuraw
Hartford Business Journal

Katie touched over 200 lives that night! It was beautiful to witness!! Flexible, dedicated, inspiring, EASY TO WORK WITH are a few words that come to mind when I mention Katie to anyone interested in a keynote speaker!

Debra Honor
Women’s Fund

I partnered with Katie from b.nourished to launch a series of wellness & self-care programs at UNFI. The passion, authenticity and thought leadership she brought to the program was extraordinary. Not only did we deliver impactful and poignant sessions for our associates to feel like they were supported and empowered to put themselves first, but also they left equipped to serve as self-care advocates for their teams to keep the movement going.

Jeremy Ford
VP, People & Change and UNFI

Katie McDonald is a passionate professional, speaking from a place of purpose, intention and empathy. I have had the pleasure of working with her for many years in my role as Executive Director of RIEEC. She has curated a leadership position in the critical area of self care. Her authentic, generous voice is more relevant than ever. Highly recommend partnering with Katie for business keynote and/or executive coach sessions.

Karen Rowland
Executive Director of RIEEC (RI Employee Engagement Council)

Katie is an energetic presenter who is not afraid to tell you like it is. Her unapologetic and passionate nature will have you thinking twice about your bad habits and inspire you to start being a better you. If you have the opportunity, go to a bnourished session or partner with Katie – your body & mind will thank you.

Kassandra McGlone
Business Performance Advisor, Insperity

Women lawyers are typically a group of high achievers that churn through their day taking care of business without much thought of taking care of themselves. The Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association brought Katie in for a discussion with its members about the importance of self-care and she provided real-life strategies on how to implement the shift from outward devotion to inward devotion. Katie’s presentation was engaging, thought provoking and inspiring. Our members appreciated her passion and wealth of knowledge. The opportunity to work with Katie should not be missed.

Kelly A. Kincaid
President Rhode Island Women’s Bar Association

Katie is an exceptional executive coach. She understands at a deep level how important self care is to professional success. She has a rare ability to see past the obvious and get to the real, the unique and the powerful. We were thrilled to partner with Katie on our 10-week self-care for business leaders virtual series during the pandemic.

Laurie White
President, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

Katie’s presentation was truly enlightening. It really struck a chord with me, but the themes and sentiments she shared, I believe, are universal challenges we all face. She has a very clever and thoughtful way of calling out how we respect or don’t respect ourselves. It’s one of the few self-help talks I have left, wanting to make actionable changes in my life and implement better practices. I thought it would be very “fluff” but it was so much better than I could’ve imagined.

Liz Connell
Communications Manager, Social Enterprise Greenhouse

Some of the comments that I received from employees were that they felt seen and heard by her message. They actually thought she was talking directly to them because that’s how much of an impact and how honest she was around her journey.

Mao Vang
Queue-Itt

Katie inspired me to make the time for myself to revamp my morning routine!

Marisa Creed
Co-working Community Manager, Social Enterprise Greenhouse

Michelle Buettner
Women in Energy

I met Katie last year at a conference where she spoke at the RISE Women’s leadership wellness panel, and I was immediately connected to her story and passion for self-care. I knew in that moment that she was meant to work with us at Edesia, to motivate our team to think and act from a place of self-love. Every company has a tall order to reach in order to stay in business, but ours especially requires us to bring our highest selves to achieve a larger than life mission – to reach and treat as many malnourished children worldwide as possible. Together with Katie, we designed a 4-part program that was customized to our needs and interests. Through the exceptional program, Katie helped us to shift our mindsets about what self-care means and she gave us concrete tools to continue to work on our individual and collective needs. The Bnourished program has given us permission to think and act from a place of abundance in order to give all we have to our mission. We offered this program to all departments and levels of staff because we realize that we all have something to gain from it and we need all of us to be well in order to reach the most kids possible.

Priscilla Gonzalez-Santos
Human Resources Edesia

There are many qualified and caring “coaches” who really care and bring great tools to the task… that said, there’s something different and powerful about Katie’s approach that really hits home and opens that “internal self-dialogue” that is so hard to get to. I know I have changed and have employed sustainable corrections to my everyday existence. More happy and productive.

Ron Yanku
Factory Director at Edesia Global Nutrition Solutions

Katie immediately transports you to a relaxed and inviting space with her calming personality. I found her presentation focused and intimate; I like that her passion is so real, and it shines through Katie has new ways of looking at life that is loaded with common sense yet with her unique flair.

To “bnourished” once in a while is just what we all need.

Scott F. Seaback
Rhode Island Society for Human Resource Management

Katie is extremely passionate and knowledgeable. She will challenge you to look inward and give you actionable steps you can take to start changing the way you think and deal with the many stresses that life can throw at you.

Shane Viola
Business Performance Advisor, Insperity

Katie is a candid storyteller who weaves humor and personal history into an engaging, insightful, and captivating program. At our Women@Work Summit, Katie offered thoughtful, practical tips we can incorporate into our daily lives to achieve greater personal and professional success. With a soothing presence and compelling delivery, she shines a spotlight on the importance of self-care. She offered us the tools needed to unapologetically advocate for ourselves, and taught us that real, substantiative change is possible.

Shannon Fromma
Times Union & Hearst Communications

I am still in awe of the incredible transformation I’ve experienced since meeting Katie. This formally broken-down, fatigued, shell-of-a-woman has blossomed under her nurturing, healing and holistic guidance. Self care is an absolute must for health and wellbeing. This was something I had ignored for years and years. No wonder I was run down. When I have a day or two where it all goes to pot, I feel confident it is temporary —knowing I have the power to change it for the better. My toolbox is filled with daily self care rituals that leave me feeling empowered. I loved getting follow up emails just when I needed them most. Katie always knew when to use gentle discipline — and when to just step back.

Catherine

I wasn’t surprised by the fact that I wasn’t looking at food in the right way. But I was surprised how fast things began to change. I quickly moved from using “manu-fractured” food to real food. I wasn’t being deliberate about planning, organizing and designing my time. Which led to a feeling of chaos, anger and frustration. This pattern was spilling over into my food. It’s not just the weight that I needed to change, but the way I approached life, food and my schedule.

Cheryl L

When I started working with Katie, I was stuck in a mental loop of negative self-talk that perpetuated my disbelief in my ability to affect a positive change in my life. I had spent years going nowhere.

Through our conversations and “homework”, Katie deftly accessed my chronic, debilitating patterns of behavior. In response, with a sound and compassionate delivery, she clearly articulated healthier approaches for me to use. Even as she held me accountable, she did so with kindness and understanding. Over the course of the 6 month program, I have made strides towards reaching my 3 primary objectives; a spiritual practice, a healthy life style and time management skills. Truthfully though, I am most pleased that the negative self-talk has STOPPED! So has the fear and disbelief that kept me stymied for so long. I am grateful to Katie for shepherding me from self-loathing to self-confidence! I now have what I need to move forward in my life and reach my goals. All the work was worth it.

L.G.

I truly wasn’t sure why I connected with Katie, but after our first meeting I was intrigued. By our last meeting I walked out more confident, “content” and added lots of color into my life. For that I thank Katie.

M.B.

I had given up on myself. Decided I was no longer worthy of happiness. I was utterly depressed and in need of self-nurturing. Katie helped to build my own personal toolkit. Which I’ll continue to use and add to for the rest of my life. Katie has helped me remove myself from the darkness I was holed up in. Led me to realize I can leave the guilt behind, while I care for myself. And opened my eyes to the possibilities that remain ahead for me. One of the tools was a plain brown book of empty pages. Pages I needed to fill with that which heals me, moves me and elevates me to a better place.

Shelley Renzi

When I first started with Katie, I was so overwhelmed that I couldn’t even imagine there was any other way to be. I was totally depleted of energy, I felt like I had no control over my demanding work schedule, and I was in a constant battle with food due to my stress. For years, I had given myself zero time for exercise or any form of self care. I was on the verge of depression and couldn’t see any way out other than to quit my job, but that too felt too overwhelming to tackle.

From day one with Katie, she assured me that things could and would be different in six months. I just had to trust the process we were about to begin. Over the six months, Katie helped me deconstruct each of my seemingly monumental issues into manageable choices and changes I could make each day. We started by addressing my bad habits around food, which created some clarity and space for change in other areas, and then slowly, but consistently, built from there.

This process isn’t magic–it’s work; but it’s work that is guided by a very skilled and compassionate cheer leader. Katie knows you have it in you to make positive changes and she will tell you that every step of the way.

A.D.

I found myself in my mid-40’s with a lot of extra weight, occasional arrhythmia, headaches, skin breakouts, stomach issues and no idea where to start digging myself out. I’m accustomed to succeeding in most areas of my life. Yet I was so ashamed that I couldn’t successfully take care of myself. The constant punishing internal self-dialogue over it all was brutal.

Bethany W

I am still in awe of the incredible transformation I’ve experienced since meeting Katie. This formally broken-down, fatigued, shell-of-a-woman has blossomed under her nurturing, healing and holistic guidance. Self care is an absolute must for health and wellbeing. This was something I had ignored for years and years. No wonder I was run down. When I have a day or two where it all goes to pot, I feel confident it is temporary —knowing I have the power to change it for the better. My toolbox is filled with daily self care rituals that leave me feeling empowered. I loved getting follow up emails just when I needed them most. Katie always knew when to use gentle discipline — and when to just step back.

Catherine

Ulcerative colitis was affecting every aspect of my life. I was becoming depressed, feeling scared, shameful, embarrassed — losing so many things that were important in my life. I am off all steroids and only taking two medications for my ulcerative colitis. More importantly, I now have a much better understanding of my body and what it needs. Along with a much better view of what my future can and will hold — for me, my family, and my life. I had nothing left to lose. But was still fearful of altering my life to give up anything else that I loved, valued and made me “ME.” What I never imagined was how much I would gain.

Erin Perron

Together we put together a plan to transform my diet. Katie took some of my fears into account around eating healthier — and approached my situation by gradually challenging me to try new things. My doctors were recommending a full removal of my colon. I already believed I could beat the odds and take control of my life. What blew me away was how much Katie believed in me. I felt she was like a partner who wanted my results just as much I did.

Rob

When life gets chaotic the self care is so important. I was facing a time in my life when I was engulfed in change – new job, relocating, selling a home, buying a home, moving a new family that only recently had moved in with me, so enough change for any sane person to go a little insane… right as I started that journey I happened to attend a meeting where Katie was a speaker… Sometimes things happen for a reason. I decided to sign up for her complimentary session and after that I didn’t even look back.

I look at myself as someone that is pretty accomplished and have my stuff in order, and somehow I felt that Katie could help me bring some better perspective to my life and help organize some of the chaos.

When she asked what I wanted to achieve I told her that I wanted to be the best version of myself. I’m a firm believer of trying anything once and if you continue the same behavior you will get the same results, so in order to achieve more and change I had to evolve.

Katie was amazing. She was a cheerleader that held me accountable and made me push for things that I might not have tried out on my own. She taught me about better self care and how to set boundaries. I needed to set boundaries in my personal life so that I didn’t feel resentful, I needed to set boundaries at work to establish myself and be the leader I wanted to be, I wanted to set new goals around my health and fitness as I realize everything we do starts with having a healthy mind and body.

I honestly think Katie and the 6 month program have helped me to make it through all this change coming out on top, feeling stronger, more secure in my relationship, better in control at work and healthier…. not to mention… I was able to make it through all these big life changes (and then some) without crashing and burning and I felt strong and in control.

I was looking forward to my meetings with Katie, I embraced everything she asked me to try and am thankful for her holding me accountable, opening new options to me and learning me more about self care.

I do think I will always be a work in progress, and through Katie I was able to get to a better version of me… the journey continues!

Alice

Now I have tools to manage anything life throws at me. Katie taught me to listen and trust what my body and mind are telling me.

Anne H

My husband made a comment about how six months ago, that working with you seemed like so much money. But now after watching me transform, and how it has changed my life, that this growth experience was and is priceless. It’s so, so true.

D.E.

It’s funny I had developed a financial plan to navigate my retirement but forgot about “purpose planning”. A big gap… and it needed attention.

Armed with her decades of experience we set off on our journey. Katie taught me process driven techniques, identifying my goals, purpose and dreams. I won’t kid you there was a lot of old-fashioned soul searching and self-discovery. I must admit it created an amazing journey into my psyche and life. It was a 6 month commitment and unbelievably the 6 months flew by. I can tell you I am a different person today thanks to Katie McDonald. My confidence has never been higher and I have a new sense of purpose and a curiosity that makes me crave tomorrow. In fact, I am so satisfied I signed up for an additional year of exploration.

If mediocrity makes you cringe and introspection and adaptability are part of your DNA, greatness awaits!

Greg Blue

If you are looking for some strategies to improve your life, Katie is the person who can help! She supported me tremendously by equipping me with tools that empower me to use my time more efficiently and avoid burnout. Now, I am not stressed with the countless responsibilities that were taking away my energy. If you are looking to get your life in order, she will provide accountability, new perspectives on self care, useful time management resources, and so much more! This refreshing experience has opened my eyes to see how I can build a better business without sacrificing self care. Such a great experience!

Jillian Quainoo
RDN

When I started working with Katie, I was stuck in a mental loop of negative self-talk that perpetuated my disbelief in my ability to affect a positive change in my life. I had spent years going nowhere.

Through our conversations and “homework”, Katie deftly accessed my chronic, debilitating patterns of behavior. In response, with a sound and compassionate delivery, she clearly articulated healthier approaches for me to use. Even as she held me accountable, she did so with kindness and understanding. Over the course of the 6 month program, I have made strides towards reaching my 3 primary objectives; a spiritual practice, a healthy life style and time management skills. Truthfully though, I am most pleased that the negative self-talk has STOPPED! So has the fear and disbelief that kept me stymied for so long. I am grateful to Katie for shepherding me from self-loathing to self-confidence! I now have what I need to move forward in my life and reach my goals. All the work was worth it.

L.G.

Katie is one of those five people you will surely meet in heaven. And if you are ready for change, you’re ready for Katie. I went from being someone who was chronically ill with no time or energy — to glowing from the inside-out. The healthy, mindful “road warrior” I had been dreaming of. Ready to bring my life to the next level. And this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Nicole Levy
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