Shifting to Greatness

Immediately after high school, Katelyn worked as a phlebotomist at a large scale hospital in Columbus, Ohio. At 18, Katelyn witnessed the aftermath of trauma, complications from surgery, the suffering involved for patients undergoing cancer treatment, disruptive behaviors of patients in the Mental Health unit, and the lack of comfort sometimes necessary for hospice patients. After September 11th, Katelyn was ready to join the US Marine Corps, something she had her eye on for a very long time. Leaving the hospital to join the US Marine Corps felt liberating, in a sense. Little did she know, it was the Marine Corps that would bring her the experiences that were anything but liberating.

Graduating from bootcamp in 2002 and completing MOS school in 2003, Katelyn, like many Marines of her generation, left for Iraq in 2004. Serving 6 months, she had many friends, battle buddies, tasks, stories and losses. Upon return home Katelyn was accepted into the USMC PLC program in 2006, to be commissioned as an officer upon graduation from college.

Unfortunately, that never happened. Katelyn struggled. Not with college coursework, not with employment, but with relationships and suicidal thoughts. Katelyn fought to put on the smile and happy attitude everyone expected. Yet the burden of war is so undefined that most Veterans can't even grasp or begin to understand what the problem is or how to manage it. That is why we see so many Veterans losing the battle at home. Katelyn stayed close to those she served with, never really talking about deployment, but in those other Veterans' presence found some abstract calmness. She misses the close relationships she once had with each of her 4 siblings, 2 of which also served multiple tours during the OIF conflicts.

Continuing on, knowing things could be different, she obtained her EMT-Paramedic license in 2011 and worked on one of the busiest squads in Central Ohio. Every run was an opportunity to help someone, an opportunity to give more than she took, an opportunity to serve. Those were things Katelyn craved. Despite that craving, life on the fire department was too much a reminder of war; fearing for your partner's life, or maybe your own, a shooting, language barriers creating complicated situations, blood, wounds, injuries, the smell of diesel, the strain of doing everything possible every time, the resulting insomnia, talking to drug addicts, reviving drug addicts, hysteria of unruly citizens. The intensity of the job was something all firefighters endured, but nobody could ever understand why it was different for her. It wasn't revenge we were looking for after all, it was simply peace.

Like many Vets, Katelyn resorted to many outlets and risk taking behaviors; motorcycling, boxing, whitewater rafting, shooting (guns), skydiving, horseback riding, and traveling. Despite the attractiveness of these adventure seeking escapades, they rarely met the adrenaline demands Katelyn was seeking, leaving her feeling desperate for more.

Fortunately, in 2012 Katelyn was introduced to doTERRA Essential Oils, by Linda Reidelbach and Debbie Henny. The oils smelled great and when Katelyn saw the medicinal properties shown in the research, she immediately wondered if these oils could make a difference for all those she once cared for; she thought of the patients she used to see in the hospital when she was younger, she thought of the patients she cared for as a medic, and most importantly she thought of the Veterans (and fellow firefighters) she was losing to suicide. She intuitively knew there was something to this stuff.

Furthermore, she quickly realized the impact the essential oils were having on her own mental health. With a little bit of research she knew there was a connection between the Essential Oils and the relief she was experiencing. She knew this could be a game changer for the patients she observed in the hospital, the citizens she cared for as a medic, and ultimately, for her fellow Veterans. Katelyn became a doTERRA wellness advocate in 2013.

In 2015, Katelyn studied Aromatherapy at Bastyr University. While still working at the Fire Department, she went on to study natural healthcare, teach wellness, and share essential oils. Katelyn has successfully introduced essential oils to over 1,000 families since she first committed to sharing something so powerful in 2013. She watched people report a surprising amount of positive effects from implementing essential oils!

Through her efforts she has found unexpected healing in many forms; giving, receiving, mentors, counseling, CPT, co-workers, friendships, and the essential oils. Katelyn hopes to support all she meets with the power of essential oils! Katelyn did leave the fire department in 2016, for a myriad of reasons, but predominantly because Katelyn believed she could impact the world on a grander scale if she were able to focus solely on her journey of post deployment healing.

Currently, Katelyn homeschools 3 incredible children. Katelyn serves as a Wellness Consultant, providing knowledge, support, protocols and seemingly "endless" information for those wishing to become more healthy in our harsh world.

Katelyn now lives in Charleston, SC and loves being close to the ocean. Katelyn's philanthropic work focuses on coordinating the collection and distribution of FREE Essential Oils to as many Veterans as will take them. The tough thing about Veteran suicide is that you will not know if your efforts are effective, unless its too late to prevent. Therefore, we work to eliminate it completely. Katelyn also hopes the world will soon see war for what it really is.

"Even if we save only one life, it was worth every donation collected. Still I pray to God daily, that we save every life."

~Katelyn A. Neil