I am thrilled to introduce Rachel Stricker, who has been a part of the Lake Country community for the last 16 years and has contributed to our area is many different capacities. Rachael is a wife, mom of 3, a Nutritional therapy practitioner, business owner, and has previously been involved with Westbrook Church (now Elmbrook-Lake Country), ran the Upward Basketball program at Westbrook for 3 years with her husband, and worked at Hope Street Ministry.
After trying Whole30 and having one of her children experience stomach issues and anxiety, she dove right into learning how nutrition and food affects our health on a physical, mental, and emotional level. She enrolled in a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program in 2019, and opened her business the following year. Her goal is to help individuals and families “live a life well nourished”. Rachael hosts retreats, offers group classes and programs, works 1:1 with individuals, and most recently included Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis screening tests as a service to her clients. Her favorite part of her work? Witnessing her clients achieve some amazing results driven from the changes she recommends! She has been able to help her clients achieve better sleep, weight-loss, understanding of how food fuels our bodies, reduced sugar cravings, lower blood pressure, overall sense of well-being, and improved sense of body and self-awareness.
Rachael is truly an amazing person, and I really enjoyed learning more about her journey in her practice, as a business owner, a mom and as a person. Her confidence and outlook on life is admirable, inspiring and something to aspire to. I truly hope you enjoy learning more about Rachael and her contributions to Lake Country! – Jessalyn Rich
About Rachael Stricker
Hi there, I’m Rachael. ‘Rach’ for those of you who really know me. I am a mom to two teenage girls, a bonus 9 yr old boy, wife to a super cool husband, and a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner. And, oh yeah, I am a self proclaimed really good cook. Good food just makes life better, doesn’t it?
I am super passionate about where our food comes from, what is in our food, and how food affects our bodies – physically, mentally, and emotionally. Life is about balance and I want to walk alongside you as you find bio-individual systemic balance while thinking about food and nourishing your body in a whole new way.
I have been an NTP for 3 years working with individuals and groups. I have hosted retreats and now offer HTMA or Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis screening tests in my practice. Individuals who have worked with me boast better sleep, weight-loss, understanding of how food fuels our bodies, reduced sugar cravings, lower blood pressure, overall sense of well-being, and improved sense of body and self-awareness.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family.
I have been married to my husband Matt for 20 years and we have 3 kids – Emma, 18, she will be attending Colorado State University in the fall. Sarah, 16, she will be a Junior at Kettle Moraine High School, and Jayseon, 9, he will be in 4th grade and attends Lake Country Classical Academy. Matt loves to play golf and I love to spend time with my family and friends, and I love being outside. We have lived in Delafield for 16 years and feel really connected to this community.
Q: Please tell us about your life and what you do (whether working in our community, a business owner, volunteer, etc.). How did you choose that path?
We moved to Delafield 16 yrs ago and just kind of fell into this town. My husband and I grew up in Illinois and moved to New Jersey shortly after we were married. Matt works in the trucking industry and I was a high school teacher. We soon found out that we really weren’t east coast people and Matt ended up taking a job in Milwaukee. Lake Country literally fell into our laps. My husband and I were driving around and exited 94 at HWY C. We called our realtor immediately and asked, “What is this place? We want to live here.”
I worked several years at Westbrook Church, now Elmbrook-Lake Country. My husband and I ran the Upward Basketball program for 3 years at Westbrook and met so many amazing people from all over this community. Then I worked in Milwaukee at Hope Street Ministry where I was the Ministry Director.
There I challenged myself to a Whole30. And boy did I learn a lot about myself and my personal eating habits. I also became very aware of the types of food individuals and families who were using food stamps for groceries were eating. Many individuals were diagnosed with chronic preventable diseases and I began to wonder how the food they were eating was affecting their health. At that same time, I had a kiddo who was struggling with anxiety and experiencing all kinds of “stomach” issues.
I did a head-first dive into nutrition, reading and learning everything that I could on how food affects our health on a physical, mental, and emotional level. The Nutritional Therapy Association has a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner program, and I enrolled in 2019. I opened my own business in 2020 to help individuals and families “live a life well nourished”.
Q: What do you love most about what you do?
I love learning and I love teaching and in this profession there is ALWAYS something to learn. What I love most is that I get to walk alongside individuals as they learn how to listen to their body, learn how food makes them feel, and learn which foods make them feel their absolute best physically and mentally. Many of my clients do some really hard work and I love experiencing their joy when they say, “I feel so good!” “I haven’t slept this well in ages!” “This has changed my life!”
Q: What was the most difficult challenge in getting to where you are now or in your life?
Feeling like an imposter. I think when most people open their own business or do something on their own there is that little voice inside that says, “You can’t do this. People don’t really need your services. There are so many better people out there doing what you do. Do you really know what you are talking about?” And now that I think about it, that voice is there for every part of life – motherhood, friendship, identity, business, etc.
Q: What is the most rewarding part?
The call from a new client. I get so excited, EVERY TIME! For real! It is validation that that voice inside is wrong. Completely wrong.
Q: What are some of your future goals? Do you have anything exciting coming up that you would like to share?
I wanted to add some kind of a tool that I could use to help my clients see what was going on inside of their body to my practice. So, I just completed a HTMA – Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis course. Adding this to my practice is really exciting.
Q: What advice would you give to someone interested in doing something similar to what you have done/are doing?
Just do it. There is never a good time so just do it! We tell our kids to be learners of new things, to be open minded and to lean into the hard things, but how often do we do that ourselves? If you are interested… go for it!
Rachael Stricker & Our Community
Q: What is your favorite thing about our community, favorite thing to do, or something unique about our community that you love? (Feel free to share as much as you’d like!)
We live in an amazing area! We can walk to Lapham Peak from our house and be in the most peaceful woods hiking. The lakes! I mean how special is a place where you can drive a few short minutes and be on a lake. And the last thing that I love is that we have met so many people who have grown up here, moved away for awhile and then came back to raise a family. I think that is so cool. Growing up, I moved around a little bit and this is the longest that I have lived in one place. It’s really special that my kids get to stay in one place and build community that will hopefully be here when they return after their young adult adventures.
Q: Do you have a favorite coffee shop, cocktail shop, or restaurant?
Belfre… I mean, you can’t beat that patio during the warm weather.
Q: What 3 words would you use to describe our community?
Beautiful. Timeless. Home.
For Fun
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I used to be a High School Special Education Teacher.
Q: What is your favorite book, TV show, movie, poem, or song? Why?
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
My kids.
Q: If you could have lunch with anyone, who would it be with? Why?
Jesus, Jim Morrison, or Jerry Garcia. I mean… I have so many questions for all of them.
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
I’m an Enneagram 7…we don’t have bucket lists. More of a fly by the seat of your pants kind of person.
Q: What makes you the happiest?
Sitting on my deck or on a dock watching the sunset with my family and a good glass of wine.
Q: Any general life advice you would like to share?
Parent through, not around.
Where to Find Rachael Stricker
Email: rachaelstrickerntp@gmail.com
Phone: (262) 366-8344
www.rachaelstrickerntp.com instagram: @mrsstrikeforce
