Personal and Professional Commitment

I strive to make my work inclusive and safe for people from all kinds of backgrounds. As a white, cis-gendered woman, I recognize that my understanding of the world comes from a place of privilege.

As such, I have done my best to learn from many sources to broaden my perspective. I have learned from Black activists, disability activists, members of the LGBTQQIP2SAA community, fat liberation activists, immigrants, feminist leaders, people from various cultural backgrounds, etc. Many of those I learn from have intersectional identities. I am grateful for and humbled by their work, which I will always strive to credit accurately.

As an educator I am trauma-informed. In my work, this doesn’t mean that I’ve just studied trauma (though, I have done quite a lot of that)… it means that I’ve experienced trauma. As someone who has significant childhood trauma, I understand how jarring it is to come across language that takes you back to a time you wish you never went in the first place. I try to be mindful about the potentially triggering language used and give trigger warnings for my content. 

I try to keep my language intentional and inclusive. Where possible, I have intentionally kept language gender-neutral so that my friends of any gender see themselves represented in my courses and other content.

I know if you search the archives of my life, you will come across instances when I was unkind, unjust, uninformed, and unable to look beyond myself at why the world and I needed to change. I hid behind my privilege for most of my life, without even realizing that I was doing it.

I’m sorry — and I am committed to being different.

I am an advocate for authentic health and a core tenet of my coaching work is to not perpetuate harm. As such, I am committed to being trauma-informed, equitable, anti-discriminatory, and willing to learn in my personal and professional life. Despite my best efforts, there will be times moving forward when I say or do something that is harmful. Please know up front that this is never my intent. 

However, I recognize that intent doesn’t erase impact.

We all have gaps in our knowledge and skill set when it comes to social justice, authenticity, and belonging. My privileges, personal bias, and limited worldview all contribute to the impact I have on others. I am committed to regularly immersing myself in conversations and literature that will expand my worldview. But I know that, even then, I will fall short. 

I ask for your help. Please share recommendations for books to read, activists to follow, topics to research, or even share personal experiences if you feel safe to do so. 

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If, after all of this, you find that you just don’t click with me — that is perfectly fine. Even still, I hope that you find healing and joy. Here are some other practitioners from various backgrounds who focus on similar topics to me (centering on body image, intuitive eating, fat liberation, inclusion, etc).